IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PUMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wilson, of 2, Royal Exchange Buildings,
London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC
PUMPS." A communication from abroad by Jules Lecointe, of St.
Quentin, France, Engineer.
Sealed the 8th May 1863, and dated the 15th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1862.
I, JAMES WILSON, of 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, London, Civil Engineer;
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC PUMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in injecting water by means of one or several
pumps under a piston or ram loaded with weights, which I term a compensator,
and by which a continuous additional self-acting pressure is obtained for working
the rams of hydraulic presses.
Secondly, in the peculiar arrangement for working the valves of the pump.
The construction of the apparatus is as follows:-Upon a suitable base is
placed a cast-iron tank or reservoir, on which is mounted two standards for
carrying the main driving shaft. To this shaft is is keyed a large driving wheel,
furnished with a strap for giving motion to the pumps and compensator. Each

page_text: pump is worked by a crank wheel, arranged so as to give the desired length
of stroke to the piston of the pump. The compensator placed on the ground
is formed of counterweights placed on a supporting plate. These weights are
fixed to the piston by means of a triangular cross head. Each arm of the cross
head carries a guide rod, which passes through all the weights, and raises them
by being fixed to the bottom of the plate which carries the weights. The upper
part of the ram or piston works in a stuffing box. When the compensator has
reached the height of its stroke, it raises a counterweight. This counterweight
being raised allows two other lighter counterweights to act, each one being
connected by levers to the suction valve of a pump. In the working of two
pumps, as the crank wheels are opposite, there is necessarily one which injects
and one which sucks; the valve of that which sucks will be raised by the
action of a small counterweight, whilst the one which ejects will only be raised
after the forcing action has taken place, if the compensator weight remain in the
same raised position. The two pumps will then be ungeared, but it can easily
be arranged that one will be ungeared, and then the water being taken from
the compensator, the latter will redescend as well as the counterweight which
it had raised.. Each time. the pump is ungeared by the action of the small
counterweights, a lever which raises the valve hooks on to a catch so as to
prevent it moving by the action of the counterweight, which is above the com-
pensator. When the latter descends the aforesaid catch, which retains the lever,
recoils by a movement imparted to it at every turn by a pin on the pump
connecting rod at the extremity of its upward stroke. For this purpose the
catch has a rectangular arm, which comes in contact with the aforesaid pin,
and releases it; this arm carries a small counterweight, which brings the catch
back to its position; for this purpose the catch rests on a little stop. In this
manner the compensator and weights are raised. The valve levers remain in
their proper place, and the catch continues to keep the suction valve raised. If
the compensator is lowered, and when the weight acts, the aforesaid pin raises
the catch, and the valve lever takes its primitive position. The pump is thus
put in gear, and immediately injects into the compensator, but always at the
beginning of the forcing action of the crank. In this manner the injection
If it
always takes place at the commencement of the stroke of the crank.
happened that the ungearing should fail from any cause, the edge of the piston
rod or ram of the compensator is furnished with a little hole or safety orifice,
which allows the water to escape when it is at the extremity of its stroke. I
add on the force valve, screws or cocks, which serve for the discharge if
required of the injected water, and for ungearing the compensator. These
screw taps also serve for purging the pump bodies of air, which is sometimes

page_text: necessary before starting and during their operation. The injection pumps
receive a continuous movement and force water continually into the compen-
sator, to which they are connected by pipes. By this action the piston of the
compensator raises the weights, and the hydraulic pressure is then formed:
When the piston and the weights of the compensator are raised by the injection
of the pumps to the extremity of its stroke, it raises the aforesaid counter-
weights, and then the injection of the pumps is stopped, and the weights
descend.
To ensure the piston and the weights of the compensator being constantly
suspended on the injection of the pumps, and that the introduction of the
pressure into the presses should not be too sudden, a stop-cock is provided:
The hydraulic pressure is regulated either by means of a metallic plate, in
which a little hole is pierced for the passage of the water of a diameter suitable
to the speed required for the working of the piston of the press or a screw with
a conical end, which intercepts the passage of the water, and which is opened
sufficiently to obtain this result from the plate with the small hole. The com-
pensator may be placed at a distance from the pumps, the ungearing being
effected by a cord, and grooved pullies. When the compensator is close to the
pumps, I replace the pulley and cord by a small balance lever carrying on one
side the aforesaid counterweight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said. James Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILSON, of 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, London, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date. the Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her,
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said James Wilson,.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Wilson, 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, exer-,
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the,

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC PUMPS," a commnication to me from abroad by Jules Lecointe,
of St. Quentin, France, Engineer, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe 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 James Wilson, 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 Drawing hereto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:―
The Invention communicated to me consists, firstly, in injecting water by
means of one or several pumps under a piston or ram loaded with weights,
which I term a compensator, to form a self-acting hydraulic pressure, which
can, in proportion to its size, be applied to feed any number of hydraulic
presses.
Secondly, in the peculiar arrangement of working the valves of the pumps.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the Drawing hereto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, side elevation of the reservoir, with part vertical section; Figure 2,
vertical longitudinal section of the compensating reservoir of the hydraulic
press Figure 3, half plan of the reservoir (the frame being removed);
Figure 4, horizontal section of the compensating reservoir of the hydraulic
press; Figure 5, front elevation of the reservoir with a vertical section of the
injection pump; Figure 6, elevation of the compensator, supposed to be at
the
top of its stroke; Figure 7, half plan of the trough; and Figure 8, plan
of the compensator.
The construction of the apparatus is as follows:-Upon a suitable base is
mounted by means of bolts a large iron tank or reservoir A, which contains
the water of injection, upon which are mounted two cast-iron frames or
standards E, which serve with the reservoir for carrying the whole of the
apparatus. The motion is given by means of a strap turning the large driving
wheel I, on the shaft of which is fixed a cog wheel gearing with another cog
wheel F, to the axle of which latter two cranks H are attached to work the

page_text: two connecting rods G of the pumps D, which said pumps are vertical and
fixed on the reservoir. Each crank H is constructed with two or more
courses, so that the stroke of the piston may be varied, and consequently the
volume of water injected by the pumps. The compensating cylinder or
reservoir of the bydraulic press B, Figure 2, is placed on the ground forming
the sole plate of machine; the counterweights P are round and concentric
with the compensator, they are all placed on a supporting plate C, also con-
centric with the compensator; they are fixed to the piston by means of a cross
head having two, three, or four branches or arms; but in this instance only
three branches are shewn, L, Figure 8. Each arm L of the cross piece
carries a guide rod M, which passes through all the weights and raises them
by being fixed to the bottom of the case or plate C, which carries the weights.
This arrangement has many advantages, the apparatus taking up little room,
and rendering it extremely easy to keep in order the caulking leathers, as
when it is necessary to repair the caulking, or to furnish it with leather or
bemp washers it is not necessary to disconnect any part, the caulking leather
may thus be removed and replaced with great facility. If, on the contrary, it
is required to renew the caulking, I undo three nuts and a key, I remove the
cross piece L, which thus permits of entirely renewing the caulking. The
method of ungearing the pumps and regulating the injections automatically,
according to the quantity of water necessary for the presses at work, as well
as the means of regulating the stroke of the piston of the compensator are
indispensable conditions for the proper working of the apparatus. When the
compensator has reached the height of its stroke, as shewn at Figure 6, it
comes in contact with a counterweight P, which it raises. This counterweight.
being raised causes two other lighter counterweights P' to act, each of which
is connected by levers 7, 1', with the suction valve of a pump. In the working
of two pumps, as the cranks are opposite, there is necessarily one which
injects and one which sucks; the valve of that which sucks will be raised by
the action of a counterweight P1, whilst the one which ejects will only be
raised after the forcing action has taken place, if the compensator and the
weight remain in the same raised position. The two pumps D will then be
ungeared, but it can easily be arranged so that one only will be ungeared, and
then the water being taken from the compensator the latter will redescend as.
well as the counterweight P, which it had raised.. The preceding observations
are simply to show that according to the quantity of water taken from the.
presses a single pump can be ungeared during one stroke of the piston, or
the two during one or more rotations. The important point consists in never
suddenly gearing a pump, the injection of which is stopped at any point of the

page_text: course of the crank, but to make it always commence its forcing motion at
the beginning of the course of the piston. Each time the pump is ungeared
by the action of the small counterweights, the lever 1, which raises the valve,
hooks on to a catch t, so as to prevent it moving by the acting of the counter-
weight P (which is above the compensator), when the latter descends. The
aforesaid catch t, which retains the lever l, recoils by a movement which the
centre of the rod or arm g of the connecting rod G imparts to it at every
turn at the extremity of its upward stroke. For this purpose the catch t has
a rectangular arm, which comes into contact with the centre of the rod 9 and
disengages it. This arm carries a small counterweight P", which brings the
catch back to its position; for this purpose the catch rests on a small stop u.
In this manner the compensator and the weight P are raised, the levers 1, l',
stop in their places, and the catch t continues to keep the suction valve raised
(as shewn in Figure 5). If the compensator is lowered, and when the
weight P acts, the centre g raises the catch t of the valve lever 1, which takes
the primitive position shewn in Figure 5; the pump is thus put in gear and
immediately injects into the compensator, but always at the beginning of the
forcing action of the crank. In this manner the injection always takes place
at the commencement of the stroke of the crank. If it happen that the
ungearing should fail from any cause whatever the edge of the piston rod or
ram of the compensator is pierced with a small hole o, called a safety orifice,
which allows the water to escape when it is at the extremity of its stroke..
Besides this, I add on the force valves S¹ screws or cocks v, which serve for
the discharge, if required, of the injected water for ungearing the compen-
sator; these screws also serve for relieving the pump bodies of air, which is
sometimes necessary before starting and during their operation.
I will now proceed to describe the action of the apparatus. The injection
pumps D, mounted, as already described, on the reservoir A, receive a
continuous movement, and consequently continually force water into the
compensator or reservoir of the hydraulic presses to which they are con-
nected by iron or copper pipes ; under the action of this injection the
piston of the compensator raises the whole of the weights P, C, and L.
The hydraulic pressure is then formed, it is in proportion to the weight and
surface of the piston. When the piston and the weights of the compensator
are raised by the injection of the pumps at the extremity of the stroke they
raise the weight P, the injection of the pumps is then stopped, as herein-
before described, and recommences when the weights descend, taking the
water to one or several presses. This hydraulic pressure formed in the com-
pensator distributes itself by means of one or several iron or copper pipes to

page_text: the presses required to be supplied. The injection can be opened for every
press by means of the pressure screws, as for the introduction of steam pressure.
I would remark that one of the essential conditions for the proper working of
the apparatus is that the piston and weights of the compensator are con-
stantly suspended on the injection of the pumps, without which the pressure
would be destroyed. It is also necessary- that the introduction of the pressure
into the presses should not be too sudden, as the weights of the compensator
would fall, and thus destroy the hydraulic pressure. To prevent this, each
stop-cock is provided with a means of regulating the hydraulic pressure, this
is done either by means of a metallic plate in which a small hole is pierced
for the passage of the water, which hole is of a diameter suitable to the speed
required for the working of the press, or a screw with a conical end, which
intercepts the passage of the water, and which is opened sufficiently to obtain
this result from the plate with the small hole, thus a constant pressure is
obtained in the compensator and which is kept up by the action of the pumps.
The weights of the compensator suspended over the injection water have only
a movement of rising and descent of about eight to twelve inches produced by
the consumption of the water of injection of the pumps and their ungearing.
These improved apparatuses work and produce hydraulic pressure without the
care of the workmen, as they press and depress as may be required. The
compensator may be placed at a distance from the pumps, in which case the
ungearing is effected by a cord and grooved pullies q, as shewn in the
Drawings. When the compensator is close to the pumps I replace the pulley
and cord by a small balance lever carrying on one side the aforesaid weight P,
and on the other a cord for uniting p¹. The reservoir of the hydraulic press
need not contain a large volume of water, for in proportion as the water is
introduced into the presses at work it is renewed by the injection of the
pumps, as herein-before described; thus a compensator and pumps of the
dimensions shewn in the Drawings are in proper proportion, and at no time
in working will the pressure be destroyed. The proportion of the size of the
body of the pump and of the compensator varies according to the number of
presses it has to work. In very powerful apparatuses, however, I employ the
compensator piston of a diameter approaching to that of the pumps, in order
that the volume of water injected by each pump should not give to the
compensator too great variations of its stroke.
'
Having now described the nature of the said Invention communicated to
me, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down,
but what I claim is,-

page_text: First, the construction and application of what I call a compensator to form
a self-acting bydraulic pressure, as herein-before described and represented in
the annexed Drawing.
Secondly, in the peculiar arrangement for working the valves of the pumps
supplying the said compensator.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JAMES WILSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEO. F. REDFERN.