Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 30th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 31st May, 1887.
I, THOMAS WHITAKER of Horsforth in the County of York, Contractor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct a pile driver in which the cylinder acts
as the hammer to drive the pile that shall be double acting and preferably automatic
in its action.
The cylinder will be constructed with ports leading to both ends so that as the valve
is moved steam will be admitted first to one end and then to the other end of the
cylinder, as is customary in a steam engine cylinder, or in the pile driver described in
the specification of Letters Patent granted to me No. 3027 of 1884. The exhaust
steam escapes only through the cylinder ports without any taps or cocks fitted into the
cylinder. The piston rod is held in contact with the pile to be driven so that as
the valves are successively moved and steam admitted to the cylinder, first at one end
and then to the other the cylinder moves to and fro whilst the piston remains stationary.
The cylinder falls with very considerable force against the pile, as in addition to its
own weight there is also the force of steam acting upon it. In single acting pile
drivers, where the cylinder is only lifted by the steam the effective driving force is
not even equal to the weight of the cylinder, as the pressure of the steam has to be
overcome whilst being forced out through a tap or cock in the top end of the cylinder.
In order to prevent the piston rising when steam is admitted below it to force down
the cylinder, it is fastened or connected to the pile. For this purpose a projecting
piece is affixed to the piston rod at or near the end which projects out sideways so as
to overhang the pile. In the bottom of the cylinder is an opening corresponding to
this projecting piece so that when the cylinder strikes the pile it cannot strike the
projecting piece or the piston rod. A catch or hook is attached to the side of the pile
and this is connected to the projecting piece on the piston rod. The connection is
preferably made by means of a spring buffer consisting of a spiral spring attached by
means of hooks with a nut and screw to regulate the tension. India rubber or other
elastic material may however be employed instead of a steel spring.

page_text: The valve chest and valves may be of any suitable construction, a cushion being
provided of india rubber or other soft or elastic material for the valve spindle to strike
against to prevent the valve striking the bottom of the steam chest when the cylinder
strikes the pile. A lever is pivoted to the valve spindle and fulcrumed to a bracket
which rises and falls with the cylinder. The end of the lever is connected by a rod,
rope or other suitable connection to the projecting piece on the piston rod or to other
point that moves only as the pile moves. By this lever the valves are moved to allow
of the admission of steam which causes the down stroke of the machine. When the
machine is started steam is first admitted above the piston to raise the cylinder, when
the cylinder has been raised the required height, the rod or rope acting on the rod or
lever moves the valve spindle and the valves to admit steam below the piston and
force the cylinder down. The impact of the cylinder against the pile causes the valves
to move down in the chest and the consequent admission of steam again above the
piston so that when started an automatic action is maintained. The length of stroke
of the cylinder may be regulated by the length of connection between the valve lever
and the fixed point. When desired a rope may be brought from the lever to the
ground and the action of the apparatus controlled by hand.
The precise arrangement of lever for actuating the valves may be varied as a rod,
rope, or chain may be pivoted direct to the valve spindle and actuated by a stop
placed in a convenient position. A gland is fixed at the bottom of the cylinder to
prevent any steam or moisture falling upon the end of the pile to soften it. A steel
plate may be placed on top of the pile to receive the blows from the cylinder. Guides
working against the leaders keep the cylinder and the projection from the piston rod
in proper position.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1886.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
and 323, High Holborn, London,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, THOMAS WHITAKER, of Horsforth, in the County of York, Contractor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct a pile driver in which the cylinder acts
as the hammer to drive the pile and which shall be double acting and preferably
automatic in its action.
The way in which I attain this object may be best described by reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the pile driver.
Figure 2 a plan.
Figure 3 a transverse section on line x, x, and
Figure 4, a plan of underside of apparatus.
The cylinder A is constructed with ports a, a' leading to both ends so that as the
valve is moved, steam will be admitted first to one end, and then to the other end of
the cylinder, as is customary in a steam engine cylinder, or in the pile driver described
in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me, No. 3027 of 1884. The exhaust
steam escapes only through the cylinder ports without any taps or cocks fitted into
the cylinder. The piston rod B projects through the lower end of the cylinder A,
and is held in contact with the pile C so that as at each successive movement of
the valve or valves steam is admitted to the cylinder, (first at one end and then at the
other), the cylinder moves to and fro whilst the piston B¹ remains stationary relatively
to the pile.
The lower end of the piston rod B is securely attached to a bracket D which projects
in a rearward direction over the edge of the pile C. A connection is made between
this bracket and a suitable projection C¹ affixed to the side of the pile C. In order
that the connection may not be too rigid I prefer to insert between the lower end of
the connecting rod D', and the projection C, a spring buffer consisting of a spiral or
volute spring d (preferably of steel), though india rubber or other elastic material
may be employed instead of a steel spring. The buffer may be attached to the
piece C by means of hooks, but I prefer to pass the rod D¹ through C₁, and then to
slip on the spring retaining it in position by a washer d¹ and nut d². The nut also
serves the purpose of regulating the tension of the spring. The object of the buffer is
to prevent the rod D¹ or its connections from being torn away by the sudden impact
of the descending cylinder on the pile head. To prevent any overstraining that
might arise should the axis of the pile and piston rod deviate from a straight line, I
preferably connect the rod D¹ to the bracket D by an universal joint d. In the
bottom of the cylinder A is an opening A! corresponding to the projecting bracket D,
so that when the cylinder head A' strikes the pile it cannot strike the bracket.

page_text: When steam is admitted into the lower port a¹ the piston is unable to rise by reason
of the connections D¹, C, etcetera, and therefore the whole power of the steam is
exerted in driving the cylinder down on to the pile head. The cylinder which is of
great weight and strength especially at the lower or striking end falls with very
considerable force against the pile, as in addition to its own weight there is also tho.
force of steam acting upon it. In single acting pile drivers, where the cylinder is
only lifted by the steam, the effective driving force is not even equal to the weight of
the cylinder, as the pressure of the steam has to be overcome whilst being forced out
through a tap or cock in the top end of the cylinder.
prefer to close the bottom end of the cylinder by a piece E similar to a piston,
provided with rings e and secured by one or more set screws e¹. Through this piece
the piston rod B passes, and is provided with the usual gland E. Suitable apertures
are left in the cylinder head below the piece E to facilitate the packing or tightening
of the gland. To prevent any leakage past the gland E¹ or the piece E from running
down the piston rod and softening the pile head, I form one or more dished
recesses A A in the cylinder head. In these the water collects and is led off beyond
the reach of the pile-head by tubes a², a³. Should any trickle down the piston rod
beyond the recesses A³, A, it is caught in the groove d* on the bracket D and led
away by the groove d³ and drain d®.
The cylinder is also provided with strong projections A which pass between the
upright leaders F and carry runners f. These latter hold the cylinder in its place
against the leaders, and serve to guide it when in action.
The valve chest and valve or valves may be of any suitable construction. The valve
chest I prefer to use is similar to the shell of a fourway cock and the valve movement
is a partial rotation as in a Corless valve, the valve spindle passing through both sides
of the chest as in an ordinary plug tap. The valve chest is shewn at H.. It is
mounted on the cylinder cover A, through which it communicates with the top of the
cylinder by the port a, and is provided with a steam entrance h, two steam exits h¹
and 2 opening into the ports a and a¹ respectively, and an exhaust opening *. The
upper steam exit h² communicates with the port a' through the pipe H₁ and valve H³.
Though not absolutely necessary I prefer to have a valve as. at H2, so that the pile
driver may if required be converted by closing the valve from a double to a single
acting machine. The main valve as shown at H', is pierced by two quadrant shaped
ports hand h. These, as the valve is turned in either direction, alternately establish
a communication between the port a or a¹ and the steam entrance h, and between the
port a or a and the exhaust h³. When the steam passing through the port h* and
entering the top of the cylinder, causes it to rise, the exhaust steam from the bottom
of the cylinder passes along the the port a', and through the valve H2 and port h*,
and vice versa, when the bottom of the cylinder is receiving steam through h, the top
exhausts through . A lever His attached in any suitable manner to the valve
spindle h, and rises and falls with the cylinder. The end of the lever is connected by
a rod or rope H or other suitable connection to the projecting piece D, on the piston
rod, or to any other suitable point such as the bracket C² that moves only as the pile
moves. The length of the rope H' is so adjusted to the length of stroke required that
as the cylinder nears the top of its stroke, the rope becomes taut and draws down the
outer end of the lever H, thus turning the valve and admitting steam to the bottom
port a¹. The inner end of the lever is provided with a counterweight h¹, Figure 2.
When the cylinder head strikes the pile, the impact is such as to cause the counter-
weight to drop and so open the valve to admit steam to the top port a. To avoid
overstraining of the valve spindle and lever and also to prevent the valve rotating too
far, I provide a cushion h³ of india-rubber or other soft or elastic material against
which the counterweight strikes as it drops. This cushion is carried by the cylinder
cover A, and is shown in Figure 2. By means of this combination of rope, lever,
counterweight etcetera, the machine becomes automatic. When desired a ropo may
be brought from the lever to the ground and the action of the apparatus controlled by
hand. The precise arrangement of lever for actuating the valve or valves may be

page_text: varied, as a rod, rope, or chain may be pivoted or keyed direct to the valve spindle
and actuated by a stop placed in a convenient position.
In consequence of the longitudinal movement of the cylinder, I prefer to make the
steam supply pipe telescopic, the upper portion I sliding within the lower one I¹ or
vice versa. The upper length I is preferably supported by the top projection A* and
the lower one I' by the piston rod projection D. A gland is provided at i, and a
guide moving with the cylinder at it. The lower length may be adjusted by lock-
nuts,, between which and the supplementary bracket D' may be advantageously
inserted a rubber washer to prevent jarring. A flexible steam pipe is attached as
usual at it. A steel plate c may be placed on the top of the pile to receive the blows
from the cylinder head.
It will be obvious that my machine may be worked by compressed air or by any
other elastic fluid as well as by steam.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,
1st. A double acting pile driver in which the cylinder acts as the hammer, and is
both withdrawn from and driven against the pile head by the direct action of the
motive power within the cylinder, substantially as described.
2nd. In a pile driver in which the cylinder head strikes directly on the pile while
the piston rod rests thereon, the various arrangements each substantially as described
for preventing drip upon the pile head.
3rd. The arrangement of automatic valve gear and valve for double acting pile
drivers, substantially as described.
4th. A pile driver in which the piston rod rests on the top of the pile head, and is
connected thereto by means of a spring buffering device, substantially as described.
5th. A pile driver having steam connections and also guiding apparatus, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described.