IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF ACTUATING FORGE AND OTHER HAMMERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE- ALSO APPLICABLE TO PILE-DRIVING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Waterhouse, of Claremont Place, Sheffield,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF ACTUATING FORGE AND OTHER HAMMERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE-
ALSO APPLICABLE TO PILE-DRIVING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."-A communi-
Sealed the 27th July 1855, and dated the 26th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Waterhouse at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th May 1855.
I, THOMAS WATERHOUSE, of Claremont Place. Sheffield, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OF ACTUATING FORGE AND OTHER HAMMERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO PILE-DRIVING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The improvements in the means of actuating forge and other hammers
have reference to regulating the force of the blow of machine hammers, by
augmenting or detracting from the momentum of the hammer while falling,
which is effected by the admission and compression or the escape & exclu-
sion of air in or from an air cylinder, whose piston is placed in communi-
cation with the hammer or falling body striking the blow, and consist in the
peculiar use and arrangement of the air passages and valves of such air
cylinder, whereby. I am enabled to produce great variation of effect in tho
force of the hammer in falling, or even to arrest its descent altogether. For

page_text: this purpose I prefer to employ an air cylinder of about double the length of
the stroke of the hammer immediately over which it is placed, the hammer
being connected to the piston rod of such cylinder.
The action of the air cylinder is most simply applied to a hammer working
in vertical guides, and receiving its upward motion from rotating cams or
tappets, but it is also applicable to the ordinary tilt or other hammer worked
by any other mechanical means. The lower part of the air cylinder is open
to the atmosphere, while the upper part is closed by a cover, having an air
inlet valve, which admits air to the cylinder during the down stroke of the
piston.
Another air passage is formed in the cylinder above the rise of the piston,
which passage can be opened and closed at pleasure by hand; or I cause the
machine to act on it so as to suffer an escape of air, and thereby to reduce the
pressure in the cylinder during the fall of the hammer. The effect of the air
cylinder is this when the hammer rises, the piston compresses the air in the
upper part of the cylinder, which compressed air expands and acts as a spring
in augmenting the downward force of the hammer. Should the blow be too
great with the whole force of the compressed air, the lower valve passage is
opened slightly to permit a portion of air to escape, and according to the
escape permitted so will the force of the blow due to the effect of the air
spring be diminished.
When it is desired to augment the blow by compressing the air to more
than double its density, a false head is introduced into the cylinder, which is
lowered down so as to cut off a portion of the cylinder, and allow less space for
the final compression of the air. This false head is also furnished with an inlet
valve, similar to that in the permanent cover, before described.
To reduce the blow of the haminer below the momentum due to the weight
of the hammer, a valve is placed in communication with the air ingress apper-
ture at the top, which valve may be closed at pleasure by hand, or by the
machine acting on it during the descent of the hammer, whereby the admission
of air to the cylinder is wholly or partially prevented.
The exclusion of air from the cylinder during the descent of the hammer
proluces a partial vacuum in the cylinder above the piston, and causes the
hammer to fall with less force accordingly. The lower or escape valve must
be opened to permit the escape of the air compressed during the up stroke of
the piston. Instead of using a false head in the air cylinder, the cylinder may
be made of little moro than the length of the stroke of the hammer, in which
ense the valve openings will be near the upper part of the cylinder, and above
the bighest rise of the piston.
3

page_text: This method of varying the air pressure on the hammer is also applicable
to hammers in which the piston is stationary while the cylinder rises and falls
with the hammer. This arrangement of air cylinder is also applicable to
pile-driving engines and other falling hammers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Waterhouse in the Great Seal Patent Office on tho
24th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WATERHOUSE, of Claremont Place, Sheffield, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Waterhouse, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Water-
house, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Waterhouse, 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
THE MEANS OF ACTUATING FORGE AND OTHER HAMMERS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO PILE-DRIVING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," a communication,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Waterhouse, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describo
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 Thomas Waterhouse, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings (that
is to say):-
This Invention is applicable to those forge and other hammers, and to

page_text: machines for pile-driving, and other like purposes, which are actuated in part
by compressed air; and consists, first, in the introduction of a false or moveable
head, piston, or partition into the air cylinder or chamber, the position of
which within the cylinder or chamber can be varied so as to increase or
diminish the space into which the air is to be compressed, and thereby
diminish or augment the expansive power of the compressed air, which when
released is used for the purpose of increasing the force of the blow of the
hammer; and, secondly, in the application of certain valves and apparatus
for regulating the quantity of air to be compressed in the air cylinder or
chamber, and also for cutting off the supply of air, for the purpose of suspending
the piston in the air cylinder..
I have in the said Drawings given Figures for shewing how apparatus may
be constructed according to the said Invention, similar parts in each Figure
being marked with similar letters of reference.
Figures 1 and 2 shew a mode of constructing a hammer for forging and
other purposes according to the Invention. Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the hammer. a is the anvil; a', the anvil
face; b, the foundation plate, to which are attached the standards c, c, sup-
porting the air cylinder d; e is the piston, attached to the upper end of the
piston rod f, the lower end of which is secured to the hammer head g, carrying
the hammer face g¹. The piston rod f is raised by the arms, cams, or tappits
h, h, acting against antifriction rollers i, i, mounted on studs projecting from a
cross head attached to the piston rod. The hammer head is guided in grooves
in the standards c, c. The arms or tappits h, h, are fixed on the cross shaft k,
which is provided with the fast and loose pulleys and m and fly wheel n,
constructed in the ordinary manner. Within the air cylinder d is a false or
adjustable head, piston, or partition, marked o, the position of which can be
varied by means of the screw p, the lower end of which is connected to the
adjustable piston o, and passing through the lid or cover 2 of the cylinder d.
At the top of the screw p is a hand wheel p', which is to be turned round
when required by the attendant; and as there is a thread in the lid or cover q
fitting the screw p, it is evident that by turning the hand wheel in one direc-
tion the adjustable piston o is raised, and on turning it in the other direction
the piston is lowered. The adjustable piston o has a hole through it, as shewn
at r, in Fig. 2, and the detached view, Fig. 3, and this hole is closed by the
valves, which I prefer to make of vulcanized india-rubber, acted upon by the
spring t, so as to press the valve gently to its seat against the under side of
the piston when not opened by the passage of air into the cylinder below.
One end of the spring t is fixed to the piston, and the other end is connected

page_text: manner.
to the valve, but this valve and spring may be made in any other convenient
At one side of the cylinder d, and at a position above the highest
rise of the working piston e, is a plug valve u, by means of which the quantity
of air to be compressed upon the ascent of the working piston may be regu-
lated. This valve is opened or closed by means of the lever u', link u³, and
lever us, and when it is intended that the quantity of air to be compressed
shall be less than that which is contained in the cylinder when the working
piston e is at the bottom, the valve u is to be more or less opened during
some portion of the ascent of the working piston, so as to permit the escape
of the requisite quantity of air. In the top or cover 9 of the cylinder is a
plug valve v, by means of which air is admitted into the head of the cylinder
during the working of the hammer, so as to allow a free passage of the air
down through that valve and the spring valve s to supply any vacuum which
may be created by the descent of the working piston, the pressure of tho
downward current being sufficient to overcome the spring which presses the
latter valve against its seat. The valve v is opened or closed by means of the
lever v', link, and lever . The lever w is supported by the stud w³, fixed
in one of the standards c; to this lever is fixed the lever 2, which is connected
to the shot bolt w, working in holes in the standard. The object of this
shot bolt is to prevent the descent of the hammer, as will be explained here-
after. The levers u, v, and w are brought to a convenient position for being
moved by the attendant. The Drawings represent the hammer head g down,
and the adjustable piston o at about a central position between the highest
rise of the working piston and the top or cover of the cylinder. The mode of
working this hammer is as follows:-When the driving strap is moved on to
the fast pulley 7, the shaft k will be carried round, and when the cams, arms, or
tappits h, h, come in contact with the rollers i, i, they will raise the piston rod
f, the hammer head g, and the working piston e. If the valve u be open, it
is evident that the air between the pistons e and o will be at liberty to escape,
and but little resistance will be offered to the ascent of the working piston
except that due to the weight and friction of the parts. When the cans,
arms, or tappits h, h, in revolving pass beyond the antifriction rollers i, i, the
hammer and parts connected with it are liberated, and drop with a force
equal to the weight of the parts and the inomentum acquired, less the friction
5 to be overcome. When the valve u is closed, the working piston (which is
properly packed) in rising compresses the air between the pistons e and o;
consequently, when the arms or tappits h, h, liberate the hammer, its descent
is accelerated, and the force of the blow given by the hammer is increased, by
the pressure of the compressed air upon the top of the working piston e. As

page_text: the working piston descends, any vacuum in the space between that piston
and the adjustable piston or partition o is supplied by air admitted through
the valve v, which is left open for the purpose, and the valves, which is opened
by the pressure of the current of air. When the adjustable piston o is raised,
the force of a blow given by the hammer is diminished, owing to the greater
space between the top of the working piston e at its greatest elevation and
the adjustable piston o, proportionately reducing the compression of the air
produced by the rise of the working piston, and consequently also the expan-
sive force which it can afterwards exert. But when the adjustable piston o is
lowered, the space between the working piston e at its highest rise and the
adjustable piston o is reduced, and the air in the cylinder below the adjustable
'piston o will, upon the elevation of the working piston, be compressed to a
greater extent, and when the working piston is at liberty to descend, the
pressure of the air thus compressed upon the top of it and the force of the
blow of the hammer will be increased. The position of the piston o is varied
by the attendant turning the hand wheel p', as above stated. By more or less
opening the air passage through the valve u, considerable variation may be
produced in the quantity of air compressed by the elevation of the working
piston, and consequently in its expansive force and in the force of the blow
given by the hammer. The lever us enables the attendant to open or close
the valve u at pleasure, and thus to regulate to a considerable extent the
force of the blows given by the hammer. The descent of the working piston
may be arrested and the blow of the hammer prevented by opening the valve u
during the ascent of the working piston, and closing it when that piston is up
at its greatest elevation, the valve v being also closed to shut off the supply of
air to the upper part of the cylinder, when the pressure of the atmosphere
upon the bottom of the working piston will prevent it descending the whole
distance. When it is desired to cause the hammer to strike a blow with less
force than would be produced by the momentum of the descending hammer
alone, that object may be attained by opening the valve u during the upward
motion of the working piston, and then closing it and also closing the valve v
more or less during the descent of the same piston, so as to retard the admis-
sion of air to the upper side of the working piston, and by means of the
pressure of the atmosphere upon the under side of that piston diminish the
speed and force of the blow given by the hammer to the desired extent. By
raising or lowering the position of the cross head carrying the antifriction
rollers i, i, on the piston rod f, the length of the stroke and the point to which
the hammer descends may be varied, according to the size of the object
which is being operated upon. When it is desirable to gag the hammer or

page_text: prevent its descent, the attendant liberates the lever w from its retaining
notch, when the spring coiled around the shot bolt, shewn by dots in Figure 1,
pushes the shot bolt under the hammer head after it has been raised by
the arms or tappits h, h. I have shewn the lever ' in the Figures for
opening and closing the air passage of the valve u by hand, because I
consider it preferable for the attendant to regulate the force of the blow
in accordance to the work under operation; but the extent of time of
opening the valve u when required may, if preferred, be regulated by
any adjustable self-acting apparatus. In Figure 4 I have shewn a mode in
which this Invention may be applied to a machine for driving piles. The
cylinder, the working piston, and many parts of the apparatus connected
therewith, are the same as those contained in the hammer already described;
being marked with the same letters of reference, no further description of
these parts is requisite. In Figure 4, however, the cylinder is shewn without
the cover g, shown, in Figures 1 and 2, and also without the valve; v, those
parts being deemed unnecessary in pile-driving apparatus, but they may be
used if desired. Instead of the cover q, just mentioned, the cylinder shewn
in Figure 4 has a cross bar q', q', fixed upon the top of it, in order to hold
the nut, in which the screw p works in its proper position. The cylinder d
in Figure 4 is securely bolted to framing at the top of the guides A, A, similar
to the ordinary guides of a pile-driving machine. The working piston e in
the same Figure is furnished with two piston rods f¹ and f, which work up
and down in guides f², f². The ram R is drawn up by a chain or rope passing
over the pulley P in the ordinary manner. The upper part of the ram in its
ascent comes in contact with the lower ends of the piston rods f' and f, and
drives them and consequently the working piston e upwards, and compresses
the air in the cylinder d, in the same way as in working the hammer herein-
before described. Apparatus of the ordinary description may be used for
releasing the ram R, and allowing it to fall upon the pile. When the expansive
force of the compressed air within the cylinder drives down the working
piston e, the piston rods will be applied to the top of the ram, and thus cause
the ram to descend with greater force and velocity upon the head of the pile
to be driven. The extent of the space into which the air is compressed within
the cylinder and the quantity of air compressed may be regulated in like
manner as herein-before described with respect to the hammer.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the several parts or
elements of the machinery or apparatus herein-before described or referred to,
when taken separately or otherwise than when combined and acting in manner

page_text: herein-before described. And I hereby declare that I do claim as of the
Invention intended to be secured by the Letters Patent,―
First, the constructing and adapting forge hammers and other machines
with cylinders or chambers, having adjustable heads, pistons, or partions,
whereby the spaces within which air is to be compressed may be varied in size,
and the expansive force of the compressed air used in the working of such
hammers or machines, increased or diminished, as above described.
Secondly, the constructing and adapting to such cylinders or chambers as
aforesaid inlet and outlet valves, by means of which the quantity of air to be
compressed may be varied and regulated for the purpose of varying or regu-
lating the blows, force, or action of such hammers or machines, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Waterhouse, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
year
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
T. WATERHOUSE. (L.8.)