Improvements in Hydraulic Air Compressors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by JOSEPH H. CHAMP, of Cleveland, in the County
of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America.]
Improvements in Hydraulic Air Compressors.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to hydraulic air compressors.
In the following Specification I have described in detail one mechanical forin
embodying the invention; such detail construction being but one of various
mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.
The valves which control the flow of water into and out from the water cylinder,
slide within a cylindrical valve chamber, which has a water inlet, and a water
outlet, connected to it. A water cylinder, is secured above the valve chamber, and
an air cylinder, is secured above the water cylinder. The air cylinder has an
un-controlled air inlet and outlet, at its lower end, and a valve controlled air inlet,
and a valve controlled air outlet, at its upper end. A piston, is fitted to slide in
the water cylinder, and an air piston, is fitted to slide in the air cylinder, and said
pistons are connected by a tubular piston rod, which slides in a stuffing box, in the
top of the water cylinder. An annular channel is provided around the lower end
of the water cylinder, and a vertical channel connects said annular channel with
the upper end of the water cylinder.
A series of annular ports which I will for convenience number 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
and 6 surround the valve chamber, the port 2 directly communicating with the
water outlet, and the port 4 directly communicating with the water inlet. The
lowermost port 0 communicates with the water inlet through a channel, and
the uppermost port 6 communicates with the water outlet also through a channel.
The port 1 communicates with the lower end of the water cylinder thraugh a
channel, which opens into an annular channel, around the lower end of the water
cylinder. The port 3 communicates with the lower end of the water cylinder also
by means of a channel. The port 5 communicates with the lower end of the
valve chamber by means of a channel, which opens into the bottom of said
chamber. A valve, having three pistons, slides in the lower portion of the valve
chamber, and is connected by a slip joint to a one-piston valve, having two stems,
projecting from its faces to form a slip joint with the three-piston valve and with
another one-piston valve, which principally acts as a sliding packing for the upper
end of the valve chamber. The latter valve, is formed with a shouldered neck,
and with a stem, which slides within the tubular piston rod, and has a head, at its
upper end, which may be engaged by the lower contracted end of the bore in the
piston rod. An extensible and contractible connection is thus formed between the
vater piston and the valves, which might be substituted by a chain or other
extensible and contractible connection, and by means of which the upper valve
may be raised and depressed by the water piston, at the ends of its upstroke and
lown-stroke.

page_text: The upper end of the piston rod is formed with a circumferential flange, which
fits a flanged guide, upon the under side of the air piston, said guide extending
from the centre of the piston and heing open at its outer end, so that the piston
may be secured upon the piston rod by engaging the flanged en of the piston rod
with the open outer end of the guide and sliding the guide upon the end of the rod
until the latter is at the inner end of the guide. When the piston is within the
cylinder, the latter will prevent lateral displacement of the piston; but when the
air cylinder is removed from the water cylinder, the piston may be casily removed
for repairs or other purposes, and as easily be again replaced.
For the purpose of rendering the operation of the air compressor and the
various relative positions of the valves properly understood, the description of the
relative positions of the parts of the air compressor will be presumed to be as at
the moment when water under pressure is admitted into the compressor at the
water inlet. The inlet water passes through the ports 4 and 5, and through the
channel, to the lower end of the valve chamber, holding the three-piston valve
raised by its action against the under side of the piston of said valve. The inlet
water, furthermore, passes through the channel, through the ports, and through
certain channels to the upper end of the water cylinder, where it acts with
downward pressure upon the water piston. The water below the water piston
escapes through the channel and port into the water outlet, whence it passes out
to the waste. The water piston is, consequently, forced downward, drawing in air
at the upper side of the air piston, and expelling air from beneath said air piston.
As the inlet water bears against the under side of the one-piston valve F, and the
upper side of said valve is exposed to the waste or water outlet, and as the water
above the one-piston valve, or the movable packing, is likewise exposed to the
waste, the pressure of the inlet water will maintain said pistons in their raised
position. When the water piston arrives at the lowermost end of its stroke, said
piston strikes the shouldered neck of the one-piston valve or movable packing,
and forces the same downward; thereby, likewise, forcing the one-piston
valve downward. This change will connect the lower end of the valve chamber,
through the passages and ports, with the water outlet, so that water may
escape from beneath the lower piston of the three-piston valve, and said valve be
shifted downward, the downward pressure of the inlet water upon the upper piston
of the valve, causing the shifting of the valve. When the valves have been
shifted into another position the inlet water passes through ports, and the channel
to the lower end of the water cylinder, forcing the piston in the same upward.
The water in the upper portion of the water cylinder escapes through the vertical
As inlet water
channel, and the channels and the ports, into the outlet or waste.
acts with downward pressure upon the one-piston valve or movable packing, and
with upward pressure upon the one-piston valve, and as said valves are in close
contact, said valves will be exactly balanced and will remain in their proper
position. When the water piston arrives at the extremity of its upward stroke,
it pulls the valve stem upward, and exerts an upward pull upon the entire series of
valves. The upward pull upon the valves brings the one-piston valve above the
port which furnishes communication with the lower end of the valve chamber, so
that inlet water may pass down through the channel to force the three-piston valve
upward, while communication yet remains established between the inlet water and
the lower end of the water cylinder, so that the water piston will continue its
upward stroke and draw the valves with it. As inlet water acts against the under
side of the one-piston valve and against the under side of the lower piston of the
three-piston valve, said upward action of the inlet water against the upper side of
the upper piston of the three-piston valve, acts so that both valves will move
upward, the slip joint between said valves being extended as far as it will go.
After the valves have been moved into the other positions the operation of the air
compressor, will be repeated in the same manner as described above.
Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for

page_text: the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the
mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth are
employed.
Dated this 20th day of November 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Hydraulic Air Compressors.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to hydraulic air compressors.
I will hereinafter describe in detail, one mechanical form embodying the inven-
tion; such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which
the principle of the invention may be used.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents an axial section of my improved hydraulic air compressor;
Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, axial sections of the valve casings and lower part of the
cylinder of the compressor, respectively illustrating the position of the valves at
the beginning of the down-stroke of the air and water pistons, at the end of the
down-stroke of said pistons, at the beginning of the up-stroke of the pistons,
and at the end of the up-stroke of the pistons, and
Figures 6 and 7 respectively a bottom plan view and an axial section of the air
piston.
The valves which control the flow of water into and out from the water cylinder,
slide within a cylindrical valve chamber, A, which has a water inlet, A', and a
water outlet, A2, connected to it. A water cylinder, B, is secured above the valve
chamber, and an air cylinder C, is secured above the water cylinder. The air
cylinder has an un-controlled air inlet and outlet c, at its lower end, and a valve
controlled air inlet c', and a valve controlled air outlet c², at its upper end.
A piston B', is fitted to slide in the water cylinder, and an air piston C¹, is fitted to
slide in the air cylinder, and sid pistons are connected by a tubular piston rod D,
which slides in a stuffing box b, in the top of the water cylinder. An annular
channel b, is provided around the lower end of the water cylinder, and a
vertical channel 62, connects said annular channel with the upper end of the water
cylinder.
A series of annular ports a, a, a, a, a, a³, and a, surround the valve chamber,
the port a² directly communicating with the water outlet, and the port a' directly
cominunicating with the water inlet. The lowermost port a communicates with
the water inlet through a channel, a', and the uppermost port a communicates with
the water outlet through a channel, a³. The port a' communicates with the upper
end of the water cylinder through a channel a', which opens into annular channel b',
around the lower end of the water cylinder. The port a³ communicates with the
lower end of the water cylinder by means of a channel a The port a com-
municates with the lower end of the valve chamber by means of a channel al
which opens into the bottom of said chamber. A valve E, having three pistons, e, e',
and e, slides in the lower portion of the valve chamber, and is connected by a
slip joint to a one-piston valve F, having two stems, fand, projecting from its
faces to form a slip joint with the three-piston valve E and with another one-
piston valve G, which principally acts as a sliding packing for the upper end of

page_text: 9,
the valve chamber. The latter valve G, is formed with a shouldered neck and
with a stem g', which slides within the tubular piston rod D, and has a head g², at
its
upper end, which may be engaged by the lower contracted end of the bore in
the piston rod. An extensible and contractible connection is thus formed between
the water piston and the valves, which might be substituted by a chain or other
extensible and contractible connection, and by means of which the upper valve
may be raised and depressed by the water piston, at the ends of its up-stroke and
down-stroke.
The upper end of the piston rod is formed with a circumferential flange d,
which fits into a flanged guide c³, upon the under side of the air piston C¹, said
guide extending from the centre of the piston and being open at its outer end, so
that the piston may be secured upon the piston rod by engaging the flanged end of
the piston rod with the open outer end of the guide and sliding the guide upon
the end of the rod until the latter is at the inner end of the guide. When the
piston is within the cylinder, the latter will prevent lateral displacement of
the piston; but when the air cylinder is removed from the water cylinder, the
piston may be easily removed for repairs or other purposes, and as easily replaced
again.
For the purpose of rendering the operation of the air compressor and the various
relative positions of the valves properly understood, the description of the relative
positions of the parts of the air compressor will be presumed to be as illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2, at the moment when water under pressure is admitted into the
compressor at the water inlet A'. The inlet water passes through the ports a
and as, and through the channel a", to the lower end of the valve chamber, holding
the three-piston valve raised by its action against the under side of the piston e, of
said valve. The inlet water, furthermore, passes through the channel a', through
the ports a and a¹, and through the channels a, annular channel &, and channel b²,
to the upper end of the water cylinder, where it acts with downward pressure upon
the water piston B¹. The water below the water piston escapes through the
channel a, port a³ and port a² into the water outlet, whence it passes out to the
waste. The water piston is, consequently, forced downward, drawing in air at
the upper side of the air piston, and expelling air from beneath said air piston. As
the inlet water bears against the under side of the one piston valve F, and the upper
side of said valve is exposed to the waste or water outlet, and as the water above
the one-piston valve G, or the movable packing, is likewise exposed to the waste,
the pressure of the inlet water will maintain said pistons F and G in their raised
position. When the water piston arrives at the lowermost end of its stroke, as
illustrated in Figure 3, said piston strikes the shouldered neck g of the one-piston
valve or movable packing G, and forces the same downward; thereby, likewise,
forcing the one-piston valve F downward. This change will connect the lower end
of the valve chamber, through the passage a", ports a and a, and channel a³,-
with the water outlet, so that water may escape from beneath the lower piston of
the three-piston valve E, and said valve be shifted downward into the position
illustrated in Figure 4,-the downward pressure of the inlet water upon the upper
piston of the valve, causing the shifting of the valve. When the valves have
been shifted into the position illustrated in Figure 4, the inlet water passes through
ports a and a³, and the channel a10, to the lower end of the water cylinder, forcing
the piston in the same upward. The water in the upper portion of the water
cylinder escapes through the vertical channel 2, the annular channel the
channel a, and the ports a' and a², into the outlet or waste. As inlet water acts
with downward pressure upon the one-piston valve or movable packing G, and with
upward pressure upon the one-piston valve F, and as said valves are in close
contact, said valves will be exactly balanced and will remain in their proper
position. When the water piston arrives at the extremity of its upward stroke, it
pulls the valve stem g' upward, and exerts an upward pull upon the entire series of
valves, as illustrated in Figure 5. The upward pull upon the valves brings the
one-piston valve F above the port as which furnishes communication with the lower

page_text: end of the valve chamber, so that inlet water may pass down through the
channel to force the three-piston valve upward, while communication yet
remains established between the inlet water and the lower end of the water
cylinder, so that the water piston will continue its upward stroke and draw the
valves with it. As inlet water acts against the under side of the one-piston
valve and against the under side of the lower piston e of the three-piston
valve, said upward action of the inlet water against the upper side of the upper
piston of the three-piston valve, acts so that both valves E and F will move
upward into the position illustrated in Figure 2.-the slip joint between said valves
being extended as far as it will go. After the valves have been moved into the
position illustrated in Figure 2, the operation of the air compressor, will be repeated
in the same manner as described above.
Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for
the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the
mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth
respectively in the following claims are employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
:-
1. In an hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a valve chamber having
the same internal diameter throughout its length and having distributing ports at
points throughout its length, and valves playing within said chamber and connected
to each other by means of slip joints, substantially as set forth.
2. In an hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a water cylinder having
water inlet and outlet at each end; a valve chamber of the same diameter
throughout its length and having ports connected to said water inlets and outlets,
two ports for the inlet of the actuating water, two ports for the outlet of the
actuating water, and a port near one end and communicating with the opposite end
of the chamber; a three-piston valve the lower piston of which is the actuating
piston for the valve; a one-piston valve connected by a slip joint to said three-
piston valve, and a movable packing at the end of the valve chamber and connected
by a slip joint to said one-piston valves and provided with means for shifting it,
substantially as set forth.
3. In an hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a water cylinder having
water inlet and outlet at each end; a valve chamber having an inlet port for the
actuating water, a port communicating with one end of the water cylinder, a port
communicating with the waste, a port communicating with the other end of the
water cylinder, a port communicating with the inlet of the actuating water, a port
communicating with the end of the valve chamber, and a port communicating
with the waste, said ports being arranged in the order recited; a three-piston
valve having one end-piston permanently below the lower actuating water inlet
and having the other end-piston permanently below the other actuating water
inlet and having the third piston playing at both sides of the inlet and outlet port
for one end of the water cylinder; a one-piston valve playing at both sides of the
port communicating with the end of the valve chamber and connected to the three-
piston valve by a slip joint, and a movable packing connected to said one-piston
valve by a slip joint and permanently above the upper waste port and having
means for longitudinally shifting it in the valve chamber, substantially as set
forth.
4. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a water cylinder having
water inlet and outlet at each end, a piston in said cylinder; a valve chamber
having an inlet port for the actuating water, a port communicating with one end
of the water cylinder, a port communicating with the waste, a port communicating
with the other end of the water cylinder, a port communicating with the inlet of
the actuating water, a port communicating with the end of the valve chamber, and
a port communicating with the waste, said ports being arranged in the order

page_text: recited a three-piston valve having one end-piston permanently below the lower
actuating water inlet aud having the other end-piston permanently below the other
actuating water inlet and having the third piston playing at both sides of the inlet
and outlet port for one end of the water cylinder; a one-piston valve playing at
both sides of the port communicating with the end of the valve chamber and
connected to the three-piston valve by a slip joint, and a movable packing
connected to said one-piston valve by a slip joint and permanently above the upper
waste port and baving an extensible and contractible connection to the water piston
whereby it may be longitudinally shifted by the latter at the opposite ends of the
stroke of said piston, substantially as set forth.
5. In an hydraulic air compressor, the combination with a piston rod having an
enlarged end, of a piston having a flanged guide upon its face, open at one end,
and into which the enlarged end of the piston rod may slip, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 16th dox of Anost 1805
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.