IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC APPARATUS TO BE USED ON SHIPBOARD FOR UTILISING THE PRESSURE OF THE EXTERNAL WATER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT
to Edward Augustus Inglefield, of 10, Grove
End Road, St. John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, Rear
Admiral, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC APPARATUS
TO BE USED ON SHIPBOARD FOR UTILISING THE PRESSURE OF THE EXTERNAL
WATER."
Scaled the 14th June 1870, and dated the 17th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Augustus
Inglefield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 17th December 1869.
I, EDWARD AUGUSTUS INGLEFIELD, of 10, Grove End Road, St. John's
Wood, in the County of Middlesex, Rear Admiral, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC APPARATUS
TO BE USED ON SHIPBOARD FOR UTILISING THE PRESSURE OF THE EXTERNAL WATER,"
to be as follows:-
My improvements apply to apparatus whereby the pressure of the
water in which a vessel floats can be utilised occasionally when required

page_text: for the purpose of lifting or moving heavy objects on shipboard, as for
elevating guns, causing gun turrets to revolve, turning a capstan or
windlass, working and training guns, and other like purposes.
In the Specifications of Patents granted to me, bearing date 21st June
1864, & 19th March 1869, I have already described apparatus whereby
the pressure of the external water is utilised for the purpose of steering
vessels by causing it to give motion to the rudder.
Some of the apparatus which I am about to describe are applicable
to the same purpose as well as to the other purpose referred to above.
In all cases where I utilise the pressure of the external water, 1 do so
by admitting a certain quantity to the apparatus, and after it has done
its work discharging it into the bilge of the vessel whence it can be
pumped. As however the pumping of the bilge may be carried on as
a continuous operation requiring only a moderate power constantly
applied, I am enabled by the use of my apparatus to obtain for tem-
porary use a great power such as may be necessary to move or lift heavy
objects for a short time.
One form of apparatus, such as I have described in the Specifications
of the Patents referred to above consists of a cylinder fitted with a piston
and suitable valves or slides so arranged in connection with the piston
that water being admitted from outside the vessel to the cylinder causes
the piston to travel to and fro alternately. This to-and-fro movement
of the piston I applied to give movement to the rudder either by means
of chains or rods connected to the moving piston, or by means of water
forced under considerable pressure to hydraulic cylinders connected with
the tiller. I apply similar apparatus to the elevation of heavy guns in
the following manner-I place in the lowest possible position in the
vessel a cylinder fitted with a piston and suitable valves or slide, and I
fit the rod of this piston so as to work in a barrel, as the plunger of a
pump; this pump I connect by a pipe to a hydraulic cylinder placed
under the gun to be elevated, with a plunger or ram on which the gun
bears. When it is desired to elevate the gun I move a valve or slide so
as to admit the external water to the cylinder. The pressure of the
water causes the piston to move, and thereby to push its rods into the
barrel. The water in the barrel so pressed upon communicates its
pressure to the hydraulic cylinder under the gun, and thereby raises the

page_text: ram and elevates the gun. When it is desired to depress the gun I
move the valve or slide so as to relieve the water in the hydraulic
cylinder from its pressure by letting it flow out, the ram then sinks,
and the gun is depressed.
For some purposes, as for causing a gun turret to revolve or for
working a capstan or windlass, it is desirable to obtain continuous rotary
motion for a short time. To effect this I provide two or more cylinders
with their suitable valve gear, and admit the external water to act in
them as steam acts in a steam engine, giving their piston a recipro-
cating movement, which can be converted into continuous rotary
movement by cranks in the ordinary way. Or I fit the piston rods of
such cylinders with palls which gear into the links of a continuous chain
passing round two pullies or drums, the palls being so arranged that the
piston during its one movement drags the one side of the chain, and
during its back movement it drags the other side of the chain. As the
two sides of the chain move in opposite directions, while the pullies or
drums round which the chain passes revolve in one direction the effect
of the reciprocating movement of the piston is to give the drums or
pullies a movement continuously in the one direction. The palls can
be so constructed that this direction may be reversed at pleasure. One
of the pullies or drums being fixed to the axis of a gun turret or of a
windlass or capstan or connected to it by suitable gearing a rotary move-
ment can thus be imparted to the turret, windlass, or capstan.
When continuous rotary movement is not required, but only a
partial revolution to and fro, as for moving a gun turret, I sometimes
pass a chain round a cylindrical portion of the turret and connect each
end to the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder. When it is desired to
cause the turret to turn in the one direction water from outside the
vessel is admitted to the one cylinder, the other cylinder being allowed
to discharge its contents into the bilge, and thus a strain is put on the
chain causing the turret to turn.
It
Another apparatus which I employ for utilising the pressure of the
external water so as to obtain continuous rotary movement consists of
a turbine which is placed at the lowest possible level in the vessel.
is supplied from the external water and discharges into the bilge,
the supply being regulated by a suitable valve slide or cock.
movement is desired I open this supply and allow the external
When

page_text: water to act on the turbine and put it in rotary motion, and I
communicate this motion by suitable shafting and gearing to the object
to be moved,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed. by the said Edward Augustus Inglefield in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
AUGUSTUS INGLEFIELD, of No. 10, Grove End Road, St. John's. Wood,
in the County of Middlesex, Rear Admiral, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Augustus Inglefield, Her
special licence that I, the said Edward Angustus Inglefield, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Augustus Inglefield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC APPARATUS TO BE USED ON SHIP.
BOARD FOR UTILISING THE PRESSURE OF THE EXTERNAL WATER," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Augustus Inglefield,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Angusius Inglefield, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Mr imnuszaments annly to annaratus whereby the pressure of the
My improvements apply
nts apply to apparatus whereby the pressure of the

page_text: water in which a vessel floats can be utilised occasionally when required
for the purpose of lifting or moving heavy objects on shipboard, as for
elevating guns, causing gun turrets to revolve, turning a capstan or
windlass, working and training guns, and other like purposes.
In the Specifications of Patents granted to me, bearing date 21st
June 1864 and 19th March 1869, I have already described apparatus
whereby the pressure of the external water is utilised for the purpose of
steering vessels by causing it to give motion to the rudder.
Some of the apparatus which I am about to describe are applicable to
the same purpose as well as to the other purposes referred to above.
In all cases where I utilise the pressure of the external water I do so by
admitting a certain quantity to the apparatus, and after it has done its
work discharging it into the bilge of the vessel, whence it can be pumped.
As however the pumping of the bilge may be carried on as a continuous
operation requiring only a moderate power constantly applied I am
enabled by the use of my apparatus to obtain for temporary use a great
power such as may be necessary to move or lift heavy objects for a short
time.'
One form of apparatus, such as I have described in the Specifications of
the Patents referred to above, consists of a cylinder fitted with a piston
and suitable valves or slides so arranged in connection with the piston
that water being admitted from outside the vessel to the cylinder causes
the piston to travel to and fro alternately. This to-and-fro movement
of the piston I applied to give movement to the rudder either by means
of chains or rods connected to the moving piston, or by means of
water forced under considerable pressure to hydraulic cylinders con-
nected with the tiller. I apply similar apparatus to the elevation of
heavy guns in the following manner:-T place in the lowest possible
position in the vessel a cylinder fitted with a piston and suitable valves
or slides, and I fit the rod of this piston so as to work in a barrel as the
plunger of a pump. This pump I connect by a pipe to a hydraulic
cylinder placed under the gun to be elevated with a plunger or ram on
which the gun bears. When it is desired to elevate the gun I move
a valve or slide so as to admit the external water to the cylinder. The
pressure of the water causes the piston to move and thereby to push its
rod into the barrel. The water in the barrel so pressed upon commu-
nicates its pressure to the hydraulic cylinder under the gun and thereby

page_text: raises the ram and elevates the gun.
When it is desired to depress the
gun I move the valve or slide so as to relieve the water in the hydraulic
cylinder from its pressure by letting it flow out; the ram then sinks and
the gun is depressed.
For some purposes, as for causing a gun turret to revolve, or for
working a capstan or windlass, it is desirable to obtain continuous, rotary
motion for a short time. To effect this I provide two or more cylinders
with their suitable valve gear and admit the external water to act in
them as steam acts in a steam engine, giving their pistons a reciprocating
movement which can be converted into continuous rotary movement by
cranks in the ordinary way. Or I fit the piston rods of such cylinders
with palls which gear into the links of a continuous chain passing round
two pullies or drums, the palls being so arranged that the piston during
its one movement drags the one side of the chain, and during its back
movement it drags the other side of the chain. As the two sides of the
chain move in opposite directions while the pullies or drums round which
the chain passes revolve in one direction the effect of the reciprocating
movement of the piston is to give the drums or pullies a movement con-
tinuously in the one direction. The palls can be so constructed that this
direction may be reversed at pleasure. One of the pullies or drums being
fixed to the axis of a gun turret, or of a windlass or capstan, or connected
to it by suitable gearing, a rotary movement can thus be imparted to the
turret, windlass, or capstan.
When continuous rotary movement is not required but only a partial
revolution to and fro, as for moving a gun turret, I sometimes pass a
chain round a cylindrical portion of the turret and connect each end to
the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder. When it is desired to cause the
turret to turn in the one direction water from outside the vessel is ad-
mitted to the one cylinder, the other cylinder being allowed to discharge
its contents into the bilge, and thus a strain is put on the chain causing
the turret to turn.
Another apparatus which I employ for utilising the pressure of the
external water so as to obtain continuous rotary movement consists of a
It is
turbine which is placed at the lowest possible level in the vessel.
supplied from the external water and discharges into the bilge, the
supply being regulated by a suitable valve slide or cock.
movement is desired I open this supply and allow the external water
When

page_text: ]
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. represents a section of an apparatus constructed according to
my Invention whereby the pressure of the water in which a vessel floats
is employed to force water at a higher pressure into pipes through which
it can be conveyed as a working power to various parts of the vessel for
the
purposes herein-before mentioned.
a is a cylinder placed as low as possible in the hold of the vessel; b is
a piston fitted to the cylinder a; c is a tube passing through a hole in
the piston with suitable packing. This tube has on it an upper and
lower collar c', c, and is extended through the cylinder bottom to a
cavity communicating with the bilge and through the cylinder cover
into a cylindrical cavity e fitted with a piston e' attached to the tube c;
/ is a slide jacket fitted with a cylindrical D slide g. The slide jacket is
supplied with water from the outside of the vessel by the pipe h, and it is
open to the bilge of the vessel at the bottom, and communicates with the
cylinder a by the upper and lower ports f', f; the slide g is worked by
a rod attached to a piston which works in a cylindrical space above
the slide jacket; is a passage communicating from the slide jacket /
to the cavity e; and is a port from e to i; 6' is the rod of the piston b
which is tubular; it has several holes opening into it at its lower
end. At its upper end it is expanded so as to become a piston
double area of the tube measured to its external periphery;
valve on the top of the tube b'; m is a cylindrical casing in which the
piston 6 works; n is a discharge valve; o is a pipe for conveying the
water under pressure to any apparatus wherein its force may be utilised;
and P is a passage opening from the bottom of the casing m to the
pipe o.
about
is a
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The piston having
reached the top of its stroke and borne on the collar c' has raised the
tube c and its piston e' to the position represented in the Figure. Water
entering by the pipe from outside the vessel with a pressure due to the
depth of below the surface has by the passage entered the cavity e,
and thence by the port ¹ has passed into the cylinder 1. Acting in this
cylinder upon the piston i it has raised it and thus lifted the slide g to

page_text: space.
the position represented, so as to open the port /' to the annular
the slide jacket f and the port to the bilge of the vessel. In this
condition of the slide water from passes into the upper part of the
cylinder a and forces down the piston b, the water below b, issuing by
the port f* into the bilge. As the piston approaches the lower extreme
of its stroke it bears upon the collar and thereby depresses the tube c
and with it the piston e' till it comes below the the port . The water
under the piston i is thus free to pass by the port ' and the tube c into
the bilge, and the weight of the slide g with its rod and piston i causes it
to descend. The lower port fis now open to the annular space in
the slide jacket, while the port f' is opened to the space above the slide y
which communicates with the bilge by the passage through the body of
the slide. Thus the pressure of the water from is made to act on the
under side of the piston b, and so to raise it until by bearing on the
collar c' it restores the slide and the parts connected with it to the con-
dition represented in the Figure. In this manner as long as the piston
is free to move the pressure of the external water causes it to move up
and down, the water which effects the movement escaping into the bilge.
The piston in moving down and drawing down with it the piston
forces the water from the annular space in m by the passage p to the
pipe o, and at the same time water from the cylinder a enters by the
holes into the tube b', and raising the valve fills the space in the
casing m above the piston b. On the piston b making its upstroke the
water in m above the valve (which closes) is forced through the discharge
valve n and half passes away by the pipe o, while the remaining half
flows by the passage p into the annular space between m and b'. Thus
at every stroke of the piston a quantity of water is discharged by the
pipe o equivalent to the volume of the annular space between m and b',
and at a pressure which as many times exceeds that of the water enter-
ing by from outside the vessel as the area of the piston b exceeds the
annular area between mand b', or nearly so. The apparatus above
described may be furnished with an accumulator of ordinary construc-
tion, by means of which a considerable volume of water under high
pressure may be stored up for rapid use.
Fig. 2 represents a section of a hydraulic cylinder with its ram sup-
porting a gun carriage. The cylinder is supplied with high pressure
water by the pipe o fitted with a cock or valve in any convenient

page_text: °
position. When it is required to raise the gun carriage the valve is
moved so as to make a communication from the water engine, Fig. 1, or
its accumulator to the cylinder 9 wherein the pressure of the water
acting on the ram raises it. For depressing the ram the valve is
moved so as to close the communication from the water engine and open
a passage of discharge into the external water or into the bilge.
ram being thus relieved of pressure sinks down in the cylinder.
The
of
Fig. 3 represents a section of a gun turret worked by the pressure
the external water. a is a water engine such as has been described
with reference to Fig. 1 or it may be of the construction described in the
Specification of a Patent formerly granted to me and dated 19th March,
1869; 6 is an accumulator supplied from the pipe o with water under
high pressure; c is a pipe communicating from the accumulator to an
engine d consisting of three cylinders with their pistons acting on a
crank shaft so as to obtain continuous rotary motion. As such engines
worked by water under high pressure are well known, and as I make no
claim to them except in combination with the rest of the apparatus, I do
not further describe their construction. The rotary motion is commu-
nicated by bevil or other convenient gearing e to a pinion f which works
in cogs on the circumference of the turret; g is a hand lever com-
municating by suitable rods and bell cranks to the valves or slides of the
engine d, by means of which the gunner standing in the turret can stop,
start, or reverse the engines and thereby cause the turret to be turned as
he may desire.
g
Fig. 4 represents a section of a gun turret worked by chains instead of
toothed gearing.
a is the water engine with its accumulator b; c', c,
are two cylinders, either of which can be supplied with water from the
accumulator b or permitted to discharge its contents overboard or into
the bilge by moving a regulating valve worked by a handle in the
turret. The rams of the cylinders c', c, have pullies on their ends, and
chains passing over these and over guide pullies k, k, as indicated by the
dotted lines, and also round the periphery of the turret serve to turn the
turret in the one direction or the other according as the regulating
valve h is moved so as to cause the one or other of the cylinders c', c², to
be operated on by the water pressure.
Fig. 5 represents diagrammatically an arrangement for turning a
training a œun or for similar purposes.
tunnet nostly round
are شرار

page_text: two cylinders fitted with rams, at the outer ends of which are mounted
pullies. A chain, indicated by the dotted line, passes over these pullies
and round a wheel l attached to the turret or object to be partly rotated
and is fixed at either end: When the ram of the one cylinder is forced
outwards by the pressure of water admitted to it, while the pressure of
the water in the other cylinder is relieved, the chain being drawn in the
one direction through a distance double the stroke of the ram causes the
wheel to make a proportional part of a revolution.
Fig. 6 represents apparatus whereby continuous rotary motion is
obtained from the pressure of the external water by means of a turbine.
is a turbine, which may be of any of the known kinds of such
instruments, placed in the lowest possible position in the hold of the
vessel. It is supplied with water from outside the vessel, and discharges
into the bilge; its shaft s which revolves rapidly is made to communicate
slower movement to another shaft s' by worm or other suitable gearing,
and this second shaft s' may be connected to the pinion f of the gun
turret in Fig. 3, or to a capstan or other apparatus where rotary motion
is required.
For purpose of reversal the turbine revolving always in one direction,
it is convenient to provide the bevil gearing t with clutch constructed in
the ordinary way for this object.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Augustus Inglefield,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of
June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
Witness,
ALEX. P. WRIGHT,
Engineer,
55, Milbank Street,
Westminster,
London, S.W.
E. A. INGLEFIELD. (L.S.)