Improvement in Hydraulic Engines
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 2nd Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 13th Sept., 1887
BRICE TYDEMAN Manor House Crossness Belvedere Erith Kent, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object Improvement in Hydraulic Engines whereby the
quantity of water or fluid under pressure used can be regulated to the work required.
As at present arranged whether the Engine or Capstan is running without doing
any useful work the same quantity of water is used as when the full work is being
done this being so great a waste of power as to limit very much the application of
water power owing to the great expense of the Engines now in use not being arranged
so that a less quantity of water can be used when less work is being done. To effect
this object according to one way of applying this Invention I cause the crank pin to
move in a suitable groove or on a crosspiece on end of Engine shaft towards the
centre of Engine shaft. This may be done in various ways but I prefer to use either
a piston and cylinder or 2 pistons and 2 cylinders or 2 rams of unequal size or 4 rams
may be used for this purpose. If one cylinder and piston is used the crank pin
would be fitted in groove in disc or fly wheel on end of shaft and the piston rod
would be fixed to the crank pin. The cylinder in which the piston would work would
be on the opposite side of disc diametrically from the crank pin when in position for
the full amount or greatest power to be obtained. The area of the piston rod would
be greater than the area of all the rams or pistons that could be worked against the
crank pin to cause the shaft to revolve. The area of the piston would be twice the
area of the piston rod as the pressure of the water or fluid would be constantly on
the piston on the side of the piston rod therefore to withstand the constant pressure
and the pressure that could be put on the crank pin by the rams or pistons used in
causing the shaft to revolve this is necessary to cause the crank pin to move away
from the centre so as to give greater power to the engine. The water or fluid would
be admitted to the piston by a novel method-a casing of gun-metal having a proper
T
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page_text: valve face with 3 ports, viz.:-1 for constant supply to front of piston 1 for inter-
mittent supply to large end of piston and 1 for exhaust. This casing would have
3 leathers or packings, viz. :-one in the middle and a space in the form of a groove
with holes made as packing rings on each end, the holes or space being for the
constant pressure on one side the other side of packing being similar for the inter-
mittent pressure and of course 2 leathers or packings one at each end of casing to
keep the water from escaping either the water under the constant pressure or the
intermittent pressure. From these rings or supplies of water to the cylinder for
piston for moving crank pin I bore a hole part through the shaft towards its centre
one hole common to one groove and another hole common to the other groove in
casing and from the cross piece or disc longitudinally I bore 2 holes one for each
hole bored partly through the shaft and these holes would terminate in the groove in
disc or in suitable holes in crosspiece so that 2 bosses cast on the cylinder would fit
and the joint would be made in the usual manner with a gutta percha ring or disc,
the bosses on cylinder being arranged with ports one to one end of cylinder one to
the other end of cylinder in the usual manner. As the casing with valve face would
be held stationary it is quite obvious that by moving a slide valve of D shape to open
the port for intermittent supply the crank pin would be forced outwards from the
centre of the Engine shaft and a slight backward movement would lock in the water
and hold the crank pin in any desired position. In the case of Capstans a weighted
or pistoned valve might be used so that to start the load the valve would open the port
for the supply of water to the large end of the piston to move the truck or weight
and the valve could be so arranged that when the pressure of the foot was taken off
the valve would open to exhaust from large end of piston the piston would be moved
by the constant pressure towards the centre of the Engine shaft so that the length of
the stroke of the pistons or rams would be shortened to any extent desired. Stops
could be arranged in any position short of the whole distance the crank pin could
traverse outwards or inwards towards the centre of the engine shaft: by means of a
lever the power could be altered in a moment by opening the valve for the supply of
water to the large end of piston to the pressure or exhaust-this notwithstanding any
speed at which the Engine might be working the power for working the crank pin in
or out from the centre of engine shaft being from the same supply as the power for
causing the shaft to revolve and the area of the piston rod being greater than the
total area of rams or pistons that could work against the crank pin in causing the
engine shaft to revolve it is obvious that the power of the Engine and consequently
the quantity of water or power used could be altered at any time and the Engine
could be stopped by this means alone, viz. :-by bringing the crank pin towards the
centre of the engine shaft. The same system of supply of water would be adopted
if 2 or 4 cylinders and 2 or 4 rams were used in place of one cylinder and piston rod
and piston as 2 cylinders could be placed one on each side of a crosspiece in lieu of a
disc at each end and the crank pin could be fitted to embrace or fit over the crosspiece
and the rams two at one end and 2 at the other end could be arranged so that the
constant supply should always be on the 2 smaller ones to push the crank pin towards
the centre of engine shaft thereby shortening the stroke of pistons or
according to the work to be done in the same manner as described to be done by the
piston or pistons.
rams
According to another method a sliding piece with angular recesses of varying
depth can be arranged to move outwards from the centre of shaft thereby altering the
stroke of a series of rams arranged around the shaft according to Letters Patent
No. 5493 1882 and the sliding block would be worked in the exact manner as
described for the crank pin the ends of the rams for causing the circular movement
could be rounded or fitted with wheels to push against the bevilled recess according
to the position the sliding piece might be in with respect to the centre of the engine
shaft any number of rams could be arranged around the shaft with a valve with
pistoned spindle and cam on shaft to reverse as described and shewn in Letters Patent
before mentioned. By this means if a fly wheel is used the water could be cut off at
half the stroke or any less distance required or desired and the fly wheel could be

page_text: made to do a great part of the work in winding up a light chain or rope. A similar
result could be obtained by means of a piston working inside the engine shaft
connected to suitable gear for moving the crank pin and the piston moved by the
water or fluid under pressure in the manner already described for admitting water to
the cylinder or cylinders for moving the crank pin or sliding block bevilled by
varying depth.
In case of hoists used for delivery of goods the full power could be used for raising
the load and swinging out when the crank pin could be drawn exactly into line with
centre of Engine shaft and the weight could be lowered by means of a brake. By
this means a great saving of power in delivery of goods from high warehouses would
be effected.
Dated this Thirtieth day of October One thousand sight hundred and sighty six
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Engines.
I, BRICE TYDEMAN, of Manor House, Crossness, Belvedere, Erith, Kent, 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 has for its object improvements in hydraulic engines whereby
the quantity of water or fluid under pressure used can be regulated to the work
required.
As at present arranged whether the engine or capstan is running without doing
any useful work the same quantity of water is used as when the full work is being
done this being so great a waste of power as to limit very much the application of
water power owing to the great expense of the engines now in use not being arranged
so that a less quantity of water can be used when less work is being done. To effect
this object according to one way of applying this invention I cause the crank
pin to move in a suitable groove or on a crosspiece on end of engine shaft towards
the centre of engine shaft. This may be done in various ways but prefer to use
either a piston and cylinder or two pistons and two cylinders or two ranis of unequal
size or four rams may be used for this purpose. If one cylinder and piston is used
the crank pin would be fitted in groove in disc or fly wheel on end of shaft and the
piston rod would be fixed to the crank pin. The cylinder in which the piston would

page_text: work would be on the opposite side of disc diametrically from the crank pin when in
position for the full amount or greatest power to be obtained. The area of the piston
rod would be greater than the area of all the rams or pistons that could be worked
against the crank pin to cause the shaft to revolve. The area of the piston would be
twice the area of the piston rod as the pressure of the water or fluid would be con-
stantly on the piston on the side of the piston rod therefore to withstand the constant
pressure and the pressure that could be put on the crank pin by the rams or pistons
used in causing the shaft to revolve, this is necessary to cause the crank pin to move
away from the centre so as to give greater power to the engine. The water or fluid
would be admitted to this piston by a novel methol: A casing of gun metal having
a proper valve face with three ports viz.: one for constant supply to front of piston
one for intermittent supply to large end of piston and one for exhaust. This casing
would have three leathers or packings viz.-one in the middle and a space in the
form of a groove with holes made as packing ring on each end the holes or space
being for the constant pressure one one side the other side of packing being similar
for the intermittent pressure and of course two leathers or packings one at each end
of casing to keep the water from escaping either the water under the constant pressure
or the intermittent pressure. From these rings or supply of water to the cylinder
for piston for moving crank pin I bore a hole part through the shaft towards its centre
one hole common to one groove and another hole common to the other groove in
casing; and from the cross piece or disc longitudinally I bore two holes one for each
hole bored partly through the shaft and these holes would terminate in the groove in
disc or in suitable holes in crosspiece so that two bosses cast on the cylinder would
fit and the joint would be made in the usual manner with a gutta percha ring or disc
the bosses on cylinder being arranged with ports one to one end of cylinder one to
the other end of cylinder in the usual manner. As the casing with valve face would
be held stationary it is quite obvious that by moving a slide valve of D shape to open
the port for intermittent supply the crank pin would be forced outwards from the
centre of the engine shaft and a slight backward movement would lock in the water
and hold the crank pin in any desired position. In the case of capstans a weighted
or pistoned valve might be used so that to start the load the valve would open the
port for the supply of water to the large end of the piston to move the truck or
weight and the valve could be so arranged that when the pressure of the foot was
taken off the valve would open to exhaust from large end of piston the piston would
be moved by the constant pressure towards the centre of the engine shaft so that the
length of the stroke of the pistons or ram would be shortened to any extent desired:
stops could be arranged in any position short of the whole distance the crank pin
could traverse outwards or inwards towards the centre of the engine shaft. By means of
a lever the power could be altered in a moment by opening the valve for the supply of
water to the large end of piston to the pressure or exhaust this notwithstanding any
speed at which the engine might be working, the power for working the crank pin
in or out from the centre of engine shaft being from the same supply as the power
for causing the shaft to revolve and the area of the piston rod being greater than the
total area of rams or pistons that could work against the crank pin in causing the
engine shaft to revolve it is obvious that the power of the engine and consequently
the quantity of water or power used could be altered at any time and the engine
could be stopped by this means alone, viz.-by bringing the crank pin towards the
centre of the engine shaft. The same system of supply of water would be adopted if
two or four cylinders and two or four rams were used in place of one cylinder and
piston rod and piston as two cylinders could be placed one on each side of a crosspiece
in lieu of a disc at each end and the crank pin could be fitted to embrace or fit over
the crosspiece and the rams two at one end and two at the other end could be arranged
so that the constant supply should always be on the two smaller ones to push the crank
pin towards the centre of engine shaft thereby shortening the stroke of pistons or
rams according to the work to be done in the same manner as described to be done
by the piston or pistons.
According to another method a sliding piece with angular recesses of varying

page_text: :
depth can be arranged to move outwards from the centre of shaft thereby altering
the stroke of a series of rams arranged around the shaft according to Letters
Patent No. 5493,--1882 and the sliding block would be worked in the exact manner
as described for the crank pin the ends of the rams for causing the circular move-
ment could be rounded or fitted with wheels to push against the bevilled recess
according to the position the sliding piece might be in with respect to the centre of
the engine shaft any number of rams could be arranged around the shaft with a valve
with pistoned spindle and cam or shaft to reverse as described and shewn in Letters
Patent before mentioned. By this means if a fly wheel is used the water could be
cut off at half the stroke or any less distance required or described and the fly wheel
could be made to do a great part of the work in winding up a light chain or rope.
A similar result could be obtained by means of a piston working inside the engine
shaft connected to suitable gear for moving the crank pin and the piston moved by
the water or fluid under pressure in the manner already described for admitting
water to the cylinder or cylinders for moving the crank pin or sliding block bevelled
to varying depth.
In case of hoists used for delivery of goods the full power could be used for raising
the load and swinging out when the crank pin could be drawn exactly into line with
centre of engine shaft and the weight could be lowered by means of a brake. By
this means a great saving of power in delivery of goods from high warehouses would
be effected.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have in the drawings here-
unto annexed shown one way in which the crank pin of an hydraulic engine can be
moved by hydraulic power towards or from the centre of the crank shaft so that the
stroke of the pistons of the engine may as above described be shortened or lengthened
according to the work the engine has to do.
Figure 1 is a face view of a disc carrying hydraulic cylinders for moving a crank
pin towards or from its centre. The disc is made fast on one end of the shaft of an
hydraulic engine and the pistons of the engine work on to the crank pin.
Figure 2 is a cross section on the line A. A. Figure 1.
Figure 3 a cross section on the line B. B. and Figure 4 a cross section on the
line C, C. Figure 5 is a face view Figure 6 an end view and Figure 7 a side view
of the crank pin and the sliding block which carries it.
A is the disc, B, B, and C. C. are two pairs of hydraulic cylinders one pair mounted
on one side of the centre of the disc and the other pair on the opposite side of the
centre. These cylinders are bolted to the disc as shewn and are held at the required
distance apart by the rods D as shown. E is a slide which can be slidden along the
rods D-the slide having holes F through it for the rods D to pass through. G is
the crank pin carried by the slide E. H is a central fin or web of the slide against
which the rams of the hydraulic cylinders B. B. and C. C. bear, one pair against one
side of the fin or web and the other pair against the opposite side.
The rams of the cylinders B. are twice the area of the rams of the cylinders C and
the rams of the cylinder (are of an area greater than the area of the pistons or rams
of the engine which could work against the crank pin in opposition to them.
The shaft I of the engine is hollow as shewn in Figure 2 and through it are led two
pipes J. K. one J coupled to a passage leading to the outer end of the cylinders B
and the other K to a passage leading to the outer end of the cylinders C.
At the other end of the shaft I (see Fig. 8) the pipe J is made to open into a
passage L which passes out from the side of the shaft into an annular recess or
chamber M formed in a block N which at this point surrounds the shaft and similarly
the pipe K, opens into a passage O, which passes out through the side of the shaft
into an annular chamber P which is also formed in the block N.
R is a pipe by which water under pressure can be admitted to or allowed to escape
from the chamber M and S a pipe by which water under pressure can be admitted to
or allowed to pass from the chamber P.
Water under pressure is admitted constantly to the chamber P and any suitable
arrangement of slide or other valve may be used for allowing water under pressure

page_text: to pass to or escape from the chamber M so as by means of the rams of the
cylinders B B and C C to shift the crank pin towards or from the centre of the
disc A. The admission to or escape of water from the larger cylinders B. B. may if
desired be controlled by a speed governor driven from the engine shaft so that the
engine may always run at the same speed whatever may be the amount of work it
has to do.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An hydraulic engine with the crank pin on to which the pistons or rams work
capable of being moved towards or away from the centre of the engine shaft by
hydraulic or other mechanism operated by an attendant or by a speed governor.
2. The means substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the drawing
annexed for moving the crank pin of an hydraulic engine towards or from the centre
of the engine shaft by hydraulic power.