IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC LIFTS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Albert Berly, Civil Engineer, of No. 9, Relf Road,
Peckham Rye, in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HYDRAULIC LIFTS." A communication from abroad by Mr. Emile
Heurtebise, Engineer, 18, Rue de la Sourdière, Paris, and Mr. Ferdinando
Tommasi, Gentleman, 50, Avenue Wagram, Paris,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Albert Berly at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1880.
JULES ALBERT BERLY, Civil Engineer, of No. 9, Relf Road, Peckham Rye, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC LIFTS." [A communication
from abroad by Mr. Emile Heurtebise, Engineer, 18, Rue de la Sourdière, Paris, and
Mr. Ferdinando Tommasi, Gentleman, 50, Avenue Wagram, Paris.]
My Invention relates to improvements in hydraulic lifts, and various arrange-
ments by means of which I am enabled to increase the security in the working of
the apparatus, to oconomise the power, to raise the lift at a higher height than the
hydraulic pressure of the water would allow of, to suppress the equilibrium chains
and counterweights generally used in connection with such systems of lifts, etc.
The said arrangements of lifts are as follows:-
--
A long cylinder in which plunges a piston to which the cage of the lift is
attached is connected by means of a pipe to the bottom cylinder of a system of two
large vertical inverted cylinders.
A double piston plays in this double cylinder, and the two parts of this double
cylinder, that is to say, the top cylinder and the bottom cylinder are connected
together by means of strong stays or stuncheons.
The water under pressure is admitted in the top cylinder through another pipo
and by means of a three way cock, the lever of which can be worked from the lift
cabin whatever may be its position in the lift pit, a rope attached to the end of
the said lever running along the whole length of the said pit and passing through
the lift cabin.
It is afterwards expelled from the said top cylinder by means of the same three
way cock, and through a waste pipe.
It will be seen that the liquid (water or other) contained in the long as well as

page_text: in the large bottom cylinder is used over and over again, passing from one cylinder
to the other and back, the only waste of liquid being the quantity required to press
the double large piston downwards in the large top cylinder, and which quantity is
equal to the volume of the displaced portion of the long piston rod.
The long piston rod and its cabin on the one side, and the large double piston
and the pressure of the water on the top of it on the other side are in equilibriumn,
and a simple arrangement of chain and counterweight is provided to take off or to
add to tho weight of the large piston as it rises and falls in order to compensate
for the difference of weight of the long piston arising from its various degrees of
immersion.
If the water under pressure being admitted in the top large- cylinder the large
-piston is pressed downwards, the bottom large piston compressing the liquid in the
bottom large cylinder forces the long piston upwards, and as the large piston-works
down the weight of the counterweight chain adds itself to the weight of the said
large piston, therefore compensating for the increase of weight of the long piston,
the immersion of which decreases as it gradually rises upwards.
This is a very important feature, as it enables to avoid starting with a greater
pressure than necessary, which would, on stoppages taking place, cause the ramning
of the water in the pipe.
This same result inny be obtained by different means, for instance, by means of a
counterweight suspended to a weightless rope or wire working on the periphery of
a spiral; or yet by giving to the large piston the form of an open circle, the two
ends of which would work in two circular cylinders mounted symetrically on a
-base or bed plate. The weight of the large circular-piston would increase with its
immersion and produce the desired compensation.
Another very important feature of my Invention is the hydraulic brake which 1
insert on the pipe connecting the long cylinder to the bottom large one, and place
it at the end of the said pipe near the long cylinder. Should the said pipe or the
large cylinder burst or break, or should the cabin of the lift be overloaded, and the
said cabin have consequently a tendency to descend too fast, the increase of water
pressure resulting from one of these various causes would cause a valve contained
in the said hydraulic brake to rise and partially choke the exit of water in the said
pipe, and consequently moderate or even stop the fall of the cage or cabin.
Another important feature of my Invention is a compensating system of guides
for the cage, such that should any discrepancy in the parallelisin of the guide rods
exists, arising out of defectuous fitting of the apparatus or of a setting of the
house, any play or extra friction due to such non parallelism in the guides would be
avoided.
I obtain this result by mounting the guide rollers on a piston which is free to
play lengthwise in a cylinder in which is a spring, the same cylinder being part of
a frame fixed to the cage of the lift. The two sides of the cage facing the guide
rods being each provided with a similar arrangement.
This arrangement has also for effect to prevent any unreasonable wear, brenkage,
noise, loss of hydraulic power, etc.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Jules Albert Berly in the
Great Scal Patent Office on the 20th October 1880.
JULES ALBERT BERLY, Civil Engineer, of No. 9, Relf Road, Peckham Rye, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC LIFTS."
My Invention relates to improvements in hydraulic lifts, and various arrangements
by means of which I am enabled to increase the security in the working of the
apparatus, to economise the power, to raise the lift at a higher height than the
hydraulic pressure of the water would allow of, to suppress the equilibrium
chains and counterweights generally used in connection with such systems of
lifts, etc.
The said arrangements of lifts are as follows:-
A long cylinder in which plunges a piston to which the cage of the lift is attached
is connected by means of a pipe to the bottom cylinder of a system of two large
vertical inverted cylinders.
A double piston plays in this. double cylinder, and the two parts of this double
cylinder, that is to say, the top cylinder and the bottom cylinder are connected
together by means of strong stays or stanchions.
The water under pressure is admitted in the top cylinder through another pipe
and by means of a three way cock, the lever of which can be worked from the cabin
of the lift whatever may be its position in the lift pit, a rope attached to the end of
the said lever running along the whole lengths of the said pit and passing through
the lift cabin.
It is afterwards expelled from the said top cylinder by means of the same three
way cock, and through a waste pipe.
It will be seen that the liquid (water or other) contained in the long, as well as
in the largo bottom cylinder, is used over and over again, passing from one cylinder
to the other and back.
The long piston rod and its cabin on the one side, and the large double piston
and the pressure of the water on the top of it on the other side are in equilibrium,
and a simple arrangement of chain and counterweight is provided to take off or to
add to the weight of the large piston as it rises and falls in order to compensate for
the difference of weight of the long piston arising from its various degrees of
immersion.
If the water under pressure being admitted in the top large cylinder the large
piston is pressed downwards, the bottom large piston compressing the liquid in the
bottom large cylinder forces the long piston upwards, and as the large piston works
down the weight of the counterweight chain adds itself to the weight of the said
large piston, therefore compensating for the increase of weight of the long piston,
the immersion of which decreases as it gradually rises upwards.
This is a very important feature, as it enables to avoid starting with a greater
pressure than necessary, which would, on stoppages taking place, cause the ramming
of the water in the pipe.
This same result may be obtained by different means, for instance, by means of a
counterweight suspended to a weightless rope or wire working on the periphery of
a spiral; or yet by giving to the large piston the form of an open circle the two
ends of which would work in two circular cylinders mounted symetrically on a
base or bed plate. The weight of the large circular piston would increase with its
immersion and produce the desired compensation.
Another very important feature of my Invention is the hydraulic brake which I
insert on the pipe connecting the long cylinder to the bottom large one and place at
the end of the said pipe near the long cylinder. Should the said pipe or the large

page_text: cylinder burst or brake, or should the cabin of the lift be overloaded and the said
cabin have consequently a tendency to descend too fast, the increase of water
pressure resulting from one of these various causes would cause a valvo contained
in the said hydraulic brake to rise and partially choke the exit of water in the said
pipe, and consequently moderate or even stop the fall of the cage or cabin.
Another important feature of my Invention is a compensating system of guides
for the cage, such that should any discrepancy in the parallelism of the guide rods
exist, arising out of a defectuous fitting of the apparatus or of a setting of the house,
any play or extra friction due to such non parallelism in the said guides would be
__avoided.
I obtain this result by mounting the guide rollers-on-a-piston which is _free_to
play lengthwise in a cylinder in which is a spring, the same cylinder being part of a
frame fixed to the cage of the lift, the two sides of the cage facing the guido rods
being each provided with with a similar arrangement.
This arrangement has also for effect to prevent any unreasonable wear, breakage,
noise, loss of hydraulic power, etc.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings are attached
hereto, of which the following is a description :-
The long cylinder A (Fig. 1) in which the piston B of the cabin works
communicates by means of a pipe D with a large bottom cylinder E above which a
similar contiguous and inverted cylinder F is placed.
In theso two large cylinders which are stayed together and are provided with
covers with leather joints works a double plunger piston G.
The water under pressure is admitted through pipe H, from which it is led
through pipe 1 into the top cylinder F. The pressure of the water exerting itself
on the top of the large piston G forces it down, and the liquid, water or other,
contained in the bottom cylinder E is consequently forced away through pipe D
into the long cylinder A in which works the piston B supporting the cabin, therefore
causing tho said cabin to ascend.
When the valve K is opened by means of the lever L from the interior of the
cabin or otherwise the admisssion of water under pressure ceases, and the top
cylinder F is, through the same pipe I, put into communication with the discharge
pipe J and the atmosphere; the cabin therefore begins to descend, and the same
water or other liquid which is contained in the long cylinder A is forced back into
the bottom large cylinder E through the same pipe D.
It will be seen that it is always the same liquid which is travelling forwards and
backwards between the two cylinders A and E.
The weight of piston B increases proportionnally as it emerges from its cylinder A,
the increase in weight being represented by the weight of the volume of water dis-
placed by the immersion of the plunger piston G, the proper equilibrium required for a
lift in order to work smoothly would soon be destroyed, and to avoid stopping before
reaching the maximum height at which the lift is expected to work it would become
necessary to start with a greater pressure than that which is really required, sub-
jecting therefore the apparatus to the effect of the ramming of the water in the
pipe whenever a stoppage takes place.
To compensate for the difference of weight of the long piston B, arising from its
various degrees of immersion, I provide the double plunger piston G with a heavy
chain M passing over a pulley N which can turn freely on its axle. The said chain
is attached by one of its extremities to the said double piston G, the other extremity
being free or provided with a counterpoise p.
It will be seen that the acting weight of the piston G will be its absolute weight,
less the excess of weight of the free part of the chain over the part attached to
cylinder G. This acting weight will therefore be variable, and this said variability
being adjusted to the variability of weight of the long piston B itself the equilibrium
will thus be maintained, whatever may be the position of the cabin, and, neglecting
the friction of the various working parts of the apparatus, the said apparatus when
at work will be in exactly the conditions of an hydrostatic balance.

page_text: The compensation could be obtained by various other means; for instance, tho
weight of the chain M could be nil, and the pulley N, instead of being concentrical,
would be excentric, or have the profile of a spiral, so that the leverage of counter-
poise 2 would increase or decrease according to the direction in which the cam or
spiral N would revolve, so as to always maintain an equilibrium with the piston B
in its various positions.
Or the piston G could be made in an anular form, as illustrated in Fig. 2,
Oscillating round its center, the cylinders E and F having the same shape, being both
closed at one of their ends, and having a cover with leather joint at their other
ends. By conveniently balancing the weight of the piston and utilizing, if necessary,
the action of a counterpoise working round the center of oscillation, it would be
possible to obtain without any chain a constant equilibrium of the annular ring in
all its positions.
The said annular piston could bo made half solid and one half hollow.
In order to increase still more the safety of my improved system of hydraulic
lift I provide it with a safety hydraulic brake, as illustrated in Fig. 3. I fix the
said brake on pipe D'near the cylinder A, or even on both pipes D and I. Should
any breakage occurs in pipo D or cylinder E, or should the cabin happen to be
overloaded, the said cabin would have in these instances a tendancy to descend too
fast; the pressure of water would therefore increase in the remaining portion of the
pipe D, the valve B' would be lifted and carry with it the cylinder portion B" in
its upwards movement, the communication between A' and A would get gradually
reduced gradually reduced, therefore moderating and oven stopping the downwards
motion of the main piston B.
Fig. 4, 5, 6, 7 illustrate my systein of compensating arrangement for guides.
a, b, c, d, supports of rollers a¹, b¹, c¹, d¹.
a', b', c', d¹, rollers of truck D.
,
F, axle fixed in center of frame D; this axle is prolonged by spindle of which
is in one single part; as in Fig. or in two parts slightly excentrated, and on
which one or two rollers may be placed, according to the case, securing always in
the case of two rollers the coutact of each roller with each respective face of the
groove managed in the column, and in which these two rollers play.
G, spring lodged in hollow of nave E of rolling truck.
H, plate guided laterally.
1, regulating screw, working plate H to distend spring G, so as to always get a
good contact of the rollers a, b, c, d, with the columns or guides.
It will readily be seen from the examination of the Drawings that should any
discrepancy in the parallelism of the guide rods or columns arise either out of a
defectuous fitting of the apparatus, or of a setting of the house, any play or any extra
friction due to such non parallelism in the guides would be avoided, therefore
ensuring a perfectly smooth working of the lift, avoiding chocs or unreasonable
friction, noise, loss of water pressure, and causes of undue wear and breakages.
Similar results might be obtained if slides were employed instead of rollers.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details
or arrangements which I have described or referred to, as variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention,
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as my Invention
is,―
1°. The arrangement as described and illustrated by me, and by means of which
I produce an improved lift which has all the advantages of suspended counter-

page_text: poises without possessing its inconvenients, risks of breakages, etc., the counterpoise
being hydraulic, and the work being always done by compression, and never by
traction.
2º. The arrangement as described and illustrated by me, and by means of which
the lift can be made to ascend to a much greater height than that which would
correspond to the pressure of the motive water.
3°. The application of compensation to systems of hydraulic lifts in which the
chains and counterpoises are suppressed.
4°. The hydraulic safety brake as explained, described, and illustrated by me.
5°. The arrangement of truck and rollers as described and illustrated by me, and 1
which affords a means of compensating any discrepancy arising out of any cause
whatever in-the-parallelism.of the guide rods or columns, thereby securing a silent,
smooth, and economical working of the lift.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Albert Berly, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord One 1
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
DARY