IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES
Year: 1884

page_text: 1 LEWIS RICHARDS of 13 Charlotte Street, Dowlais in the County of Glamorgan
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC CRANES to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to that class of cranes having their rams fixed and
the cylinder with jib sliding up and down as well as turning round upon the ram.
The power of the crane is measured by the difference between the areas of the
larger portion of the ram which enters into the lower end of the cylinder and the
smaller portion which passes through at the top of the cylinder into the pressure.
under which the water is kept less the weight of cylinder jib &c. &c. . The water
is passed into the cylinder through the body of the ram.
In my improved crane I propose to have the main ram already described to have
a difference of diameters in the lower and upper portions so as to be capable of
balancing the desired portion of the weight of the cylinder jib and its appendages,
or in other words the desired portion of the dead load, the remaining portion being
required to overcome friction drive the water back towards the accumulator and.
bring the jib down sufficiently rapid when no live load is attached. Then I
propose to use one or more rams by the side of this ram (to be used either singly.
or collectively) for lifting the remaining portion of the dead load together with the
live load; that is to do the work the crane is intended for. The prossure under
the main ram will be continuous and the water will have to travel into and out
of this cylinder into the pipes towards and from the accumulator at overy up and
down movement of the crane thereby at all times balancing a portion of the dead
load. The side ram or rams are to have valves attached each independent of the
other and by which the water can be sent into or out of the cylinders thereby
raising or lowering the jib. The water is to pass through the body of each of the
side rams into the respective cylinder. With these arrangements it is necessary
also to make the centre piece which carries the crane jib to revolve round the.
group of cylinders and this is intended to be done by forming on the cylinders at
top and bottom a circular path for two rings friction rollers with a corresponding
surface being provided upon the jib centre-piece. There will be also friction rollers
for carrying the weight in the vertical direction. The whole allowing the centre
picce with jib to revolve freely round the group of cylinders.

page_text: I LEWIS RICHARDS of 13 Charlotte Street Dowlais in the County of Glamorgan
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC CRANES" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention has reference to that class of cranes having their rams fixed and
the cylinder with jib sliding up and down as well as turning round upon the ram.
The power of the crane is measured by the difference between the areas of the
larger portion of the ram which enters into the lower end of the cylinder and
the smaller portion which passes through at the top of the cylinder multiplied into
the pressure under which the water is kept less the weight of the cylinder jib and
appurtenances.
The water is passed into the cylinder through the body of the rain.
In my improved crane the main ram above referred to is constructed so as to
have a difference of diameters in the lower and upper portions thereof in order that
it may be capable of balancing the desired portion of the weight of the cylinders
jib and its appendages or in other words the desired portion of the "dead load"
the remaining portion being required to overcome friction drive the water back
towards the accumulator and bring the jib down with sufficient rapidity when no
"live load" is attached.
"
I adapt and apply one or more rams by the side of the said ram (to be used
either singly or collectively) for lifting the remaining portion of the "dead load
together with the "live load" that is to say for doing the work the crane is
intended for. The pressure on the main ram will be continuous and the water
will have to travel into and out of the cylinder of this ram into the pipes towards
and from the accumulator at every up and down movement of the crane thereby
at all times balancing a portion of the "dead load." The side ram or rams is or
are to have suitable valves attached each independent of the other and by which
the water can be sent into or out of the cylinders thereby raising or lowering
the jib.
The water is to pass through the body of each of the side rams into the
respective cylinder. With these arrangements it is necessary also to make the
centre piece which carries the crane jib to revolve round the group of cylinders and
this is intended to be done by forming on the cylinders at or near the top and
bottom a circular path for two rings of friction rollers with a corresponding surface
or circular race being provided upon the jib centre piece. There will be also
friction rollers for carrying the weight in the vertical direction the whole allowing
the centre piece with jib to revolve freely round the group of cylinders.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will proceed to describe
it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying Drawings in which are shewn
the parts of apparatus above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the crane partly in section.. Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontal
view of Fig. 1-Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1 taken in the line X Y.

page_text: EE the centre piece to which the jib F jib balance box G and stay rods are
connected and which are made to revolve round the cylinders by means of the
friction rollers H H and the runners I L
The hydraulic pressure supply pipe J is shewn applied to the top of the balancing
ram A the water afterwards being conveyed through the ram so as to supply the
balance ram cylinder by passing through the apertures at K and also to supply the
side or working rams by passing out at L to the side ram valves at M M through
which the water will pass up the side rams and out at their top ends into the side
ram cylinders.
The respective rams are shewn bolted to suitable sockets on the base plate N.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the pressure will be continuous in the
balance rain cylinder and that the "dead load" will be continuously balanced to
the extent of this pressure and the area of the annulus formed by the difference
in the diameters of the upper and lower portions of the balance ram and also that
the said balance ram will supply the water for working the side ram or rams.
If preferred the Invention as described might be modified by adapting one or
more of the side rams instead of the main ram for balancing a portion of the "dead
load" and making the main rain into a working ram.
For this purpose the only alteration required in the arrangement would be to
apply a valve to let the water in and out of the main ram cylinder as required
when raising or lowering the "live load" and also to have the pressure continuous
in one or more side rams for balancing in the same manner as in the main ram in
the above described arrangement. It will be necessary also to have the water
introduced at the bottom (instead of at the top as shewn in the Drawings) through
a pipe permanently connected with the side ram or rams,
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my Invention
any improvements relating to cranes with moveable rams.
But what I do claim as of my Invention is
First. The mode or method of balancing a portion of the "dead load" by means
of a main fixed ram with its upper and lower portions of different diameters (or by
means of one or more side ram or rams) in the manner substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Secondly. The use of one or more side rams (either collectively or singly)
arranged in any suitable manner by the side of or near to the balancing rain for
the purpose of working the crane or "handling" the "live load" in the manner.
substantially as herein before described.
And lastly. The mode of constructing and arranging the crane jib and balance
box on a centre piece outside and so as to revolve independently round the
cylinders in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
L. RICHARDS.
W. Spence & Son,
Agents for the Applicant,