A SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC CRANE OR ENGINE, FOR LIFTING WEIGHTS, SUCH WEIGHTS, WHEN LIFTED, TO BE USED AS. MOTIVE POWER; AS ALSO FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS AND VEHICLES
Year: 1852

page_text: CROWTHER, of Huddersfield, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of November,
One thousand eight. hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Crowther, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, tlie said John Crowther, my exors, adñors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Crowther, my exors, admors, or
assigns, should 'at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,. Wales, and the Town of Ber-
wick-upon-Tweed, in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man,
and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention
for "A SELF-ACTING HYDRAULIC CRANE OR ENGINE, FOR LIFTING WEIGHTS, SUCH
WEIGHTS, WHEN LIFTED, TO BE USED AS. MOTIVE POWER; AS ALSO FOR LOADING AND
UNLOADING VESSELS AND VEHICLES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said John Crowther, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of, my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an Instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next

page_text: and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Crowther, do hereby declare that
the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, that is to say:-
In constructing hydraulic cranes or engines to be employed as a motive
power, I proceed in the following manner:-Contiguous to the reservoir of
fluid which it is required to elevate 1 form a foundation of sufficient capacity
to receive the masonry for supporting the rectangular or other shaped vessel
hereafter described. The masonry to consist of two courses of ashlar closely
bedded and jointed together, holes being formed therein to receive bolts for
binding down the iron work to be placed thereon. In the centre of this
masonry will be formed an aperture of suitable size to receive the parts here-
after described, and having openings or manholes leading thereto from two
sides of such mason-work, said manholes being covered over with the
top course, the superstructure herein-after described being supported by
masonry or a framing of timber as may be found best. Bolted down
to this framing or masonry is a rectangular or other shaped iron vessel,
formed with suitable flanges for that purpose. The centre of this vessel
has an iron box or well projecting downwards into the aperture of the
masonry before described, from two feet and upwards in depth, according
to the required power of the engine, the height of the before-mentioned
rectangular shaped vessel being five feet and upwards, according to the power
required. Bolted to proper flanges on the top of this rectangular vessel
will be a cylindric or other shaped vessel, about forty feet in height, more or
less, according to the height it is required to lift the fluid. This vessel through
its whole length or height will have a recess about eighteen inches in cross
section projecting from its side, on each side of which recess, and at every
foot in height of the cylinder, valves will be fixed in the side of the cylinder
(which is left square for about a foot in length on each side of the
recess). These valves will have projecting axes, to which will be attached
levers passing into said recess for opening and shutting the valves. Out-
side and concentric to this cylinder will be fixed another cylinder or other
shaped vessel, and on each side of the recess before described, this vessel will
be divided into compartments of one foot each in height, except the bottom
division, which will be only three inches in height. This division is of equal
capacity to the others, and the top division is of such capacity as to contain a
quantity equal to a foot in depth of the area of the inner cylinder, the other

page_text: divisions containing a quantity equal to the area of the concentric ring situated
between the inner cylinder and the main lifter, as herein-after described. To
each of the compartments of this outer vessel will be fixed an air tube running
up the outside to the top of the vessel. This outer vessel is fixed so that one
set of valves on one side of the recess before described shall open a communi-
cation with the divisions and the inner cylinder at the bottom of the compart-
ments, and the other set of valves on the other side of said recess shall open a
communication with the top of the compartments aforesaid and the inner
cylinder, so that the top valves may receive a fluid from and empty the inner
cylinder, and the bottom valves deliver a fluid to and fill the inner cylinder.
In the recess before described a hollow metal lifter is placed, and rides upon
the fluid used, which lifter has an opening from its side next the inner cylinder
to its centre to receive the levers attached to the valves before described. The
interior of this opening is fitted with two hinged catches, so that the lifter in
ascending lifts one set of valves by the catch, whose hinge only permits it to
lift upwards, and the hinge of the other catch falls downwards, and conse-
quently escapes the other set of valves, and vicê versâ during the descent of the
lifter. This lifter will have friction pullies traversing upright rods fixed to the
interior of the recess to ensure a perpendicular movement. The lever of each
valve is weighted, so that when the catch of the lifter is disengaged the valve is
immediately closed. These weights in the valve levers lift upwards, and are
situated on that side of the axis of the valve next the lifter, and in those levers
which descend on the opposite side of said axis or fulcra. The top of the upper
vessels before described are covered with a hemispherical or dome-shaped
covering having a flat base, and forming a separate vessel, with proper flanges
having a valve (weighted to a pressure of sixteen pounds on each superficial
inch of surface), formed through its base, which communicates with the inner
cylinder before mentioned, such communication being opened and shut alter-
nately, as herein-after described; and from the top vessel before mentioned a
delivery pipe extends and passes down the outside of the outer cylinder to
such depth as to contain a column of the fluid to be lifted which is equal in
weight to the pressure of the atmosphere, and said pipe terminates in a cistern
containing fluid; from which cistern the fluid passing down said pipe will
overflow, and may be used as a motive power, and by passing over a
wheel, to the axis of which ropes are attached, will lower or lift weights
from vessels or vehicles, or, as otherwise required. The diameter of this
delivery pipe should be small, so that the fluid may leave the before-men-
tioned upper vessel slowly. Fixed into the before-mentioned box or well (in
the lowest vessel before described), and leading to the atmosphere, is a tube

page_text: fitted with stopcock, and there is another and a similar tube and cock,
having a lever and ball, fixed in a recess in the side of the lower rectangular
vessel, which tube leads to the reservoir containing the fluid to be lifted. This
cock will be closed by its ball and lever at such height below the bottom of the
lowest valve of the outer cylinder before described as to allow sufficient space
in the lower vessel for the fluid, when admitted from the lowest compartment
of the outer cylinder, to rise to a level with the bottom of its delivery valve.
In the interior of the inner, upper, and lower vessels before described, and
nearly filling the same, is placed a hollow closed vessel, which I call a main
lifter, the top whereof, when down, is about twelve inches from the base of the
hemispherical-shaped top vessel before described, and there are anti-friction
guide pullies placed on its periphery and near its top, which move upon rods
fixed in the inner cylinder, to insure a perpendicular movement. In the lower
vessel before described are fixed two metal boxes, the lower ends whereof have
axles fixed in bearings situate at the lower and opposite angles of said vessel,
and their upper ends are attached to and work in the base of the main lifter
before described, their ends being worked to a true cylindric surface, and work
in segmental cavities in a cross beam affixed to the base of the main lifter, to
the bearings of which it fits closely, and is provided with elastic washers, so
that no fluid may pass between the surfaces of the two boxes. These boxes
are made in two parts, the part attached to the main lifter being of such
dimensions as to slide within the lower part, and they are to be fixed at an
angle of forty-five degrees with each other when the main lifter is down. The
tops of the lower half of these metal boxes are surrounded by four semi-
cylinders, with semiconical-shaped ends fitting close to and rolling upon cach
other. The upper part of the metal box aforesaid, when inserted in the lower
part, passes through this system of semi-cylinders, and being covered with
leather or other packing substance, thereby work air-tight in the lower division.
To insure this, cach semi-cylinder is made to work in a box or cavity forming
a part of the lower half of the metal box before described; and said cavity has
a covering or lid which extends from its outer side to the axis of the semi-
cylinder, the edge of such said covering being attached to and supporting the
axis of the semi-cylinder in the manner of a hinged joint. Along this axis, and
fastened to the semi-cylinder, as also to the covering just described, is a strip of
leather or elastic fabric, which forms an air-tight joint. The ends of the axes
of these semi-cylinders also work through an air-tight gland. One of these
semi-cylinders in each system has its axis passing through a stuffing box, to
which is fixed a spur wheel gearing into a rack attached to the base of the main
lifter. Every other one or one half the conical ends of these semi-cylinders are

page_text: covered with leather or other suitable fabric to insure. an air-tight joint... At
the base of the main lifter, and attached thereto between the metal boxes before
described, there is another metal box passing through a system of semi-cylinders
(similar in all respects to those already described), and into that box or.well,
which is in the centre of the well in which the central metal box is inserted,
there is a small lever fitted, which is attached to the air tube before described,
so that when the main lifter descends, it will, by pressing upon this lever, close
the said air tube, and thereby shut off the atmosphere. In the uppermost
compartment or top division of the outer cylinder. a. ball is placed, and con-
nected with a valve which opens and shuts off a communication between the
inner cylinder and the atmosphere, so that when the fluid is admitted into, and
fills this cistern, the ball will rise and open the air cock, and when the fluid is
run out will fall and shut the said cock. Leading from the top of this cistern
or top compartment to the side metal boxes in. the lower vessel before de-
scribed, and branching out to each, is an air tube,.so that when the fluid is
forced into this cistern by the rising of the main lifter, the air.will escape into
and supply the space formed in the metal boxes by the withdrawal of their
upper halves, and the space so formed should be equal to the contents of this
upper division or cistern. This cistern will also be fitted with a valve, opening
inwards, to admit the air while the cistern is delivering its contents to the
inner cylinder. This valve will be opened simultaneously with the cistern's
delivery valve, by the valve lifter before described. The metal boxes in the
lower vessel before described, are fitted with weighted or spring valves, which
open outwards for the egress of the air during the closing of the boxes, and
the air valve leading to the well or aperture in the lower vessel is opened by a
ball and lever, to which is attached a connecting rod, which passes through a
tube, and from thence to the upper cistern or compartment, so that when the
fluid is run out from that compartment the air will be admitted to the under
surface of the central metal box before mentioned.
'
MODE OF OPERATION.
-
The cisterns or divisions in the outer cylinder (the valves being shut,
as also the air valves leading to the metal boxes in the. lower vessels,).are
to be filled with fluid through their several air tubes; the cock opening to
the reservoir is then to be opened, when the fluid will pour in until it is shut
off by the ball cock, during which time the valve lifter. will be rising, and at
the instant the fluid is shut off from the reservoir, the first or lowest valve will
be opened by the valve lifter rising and admitting the fluid from that division

page_text: into the inner cylinder. While this fluid is being admitted, the valve lifter is
still rising, and the moment the whole of the fluid is run out, the lever of the
valve will be released from the catch of this lifter, whose gravitating power
will immediately close, at the same time the valve lifter will spring up by its
buoyancy, and engage the lever of the next valve above, and so on to the top.
The valve lifter, in raising the lever of the uppermost valve, will also raise the
air valve connected with the top division to permit the fluid to run out, but
will escape from such connection with the air valve when the whole of the
fluid is run out, by which the air valve of the top division will be closed, and
the ball in that division, before described, will fall and shut off the com-
munication between the inner cylinder and the atmosphere. The inner
cylinder will now be full of fluid, and all connection with the atmosphere cut
off. The air will now be admitted into the central metal box, or in the lower
vessel, by the ball and lever before described opening the air tap, when the
pressure of the atmosphere on the base of the main lifter contained in the
central box or well will force it up, thereby withdrawing the system of semi-
cylinders and cones, together with part of the upper halves of the side metal
boxes in the lower vessel from their former position, and by occupying the
space which before was occupied by the fluid, it will be forced up into the top
or hemispherical vessel, and will also pass through a weighted valve leading
into the top cistern or compartment, filling it ready for the next pulsation or
rise of the lifter. At the same time the ball and lever in this top division will
rise by the pressure of the fluid and open the valve of the next lowest cistern
in the series, together with the air valve connected with the inner cylinder.
The valve lifter will then begin to fall, and coming into contact with the lever
of the next lower valve, will open it, and so on to the bottom, by which tho
inner cylinder will be emptied, and the main lifter will descend by its gravity
and close the metal boxes and air valves. The ball connected with the cock
which leads to the reservoir will at the same fall with the fluid in the lower
vessel, and will thereby open the cock of the reservoir, when tho fluid, being
again admitted, the same operation will take place; and in this manner and
by these means I effect my said Invention..
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is. to be and may be performed, I hereby declare my Invention to
consist in, and I claim as of my Invention, A Self-acting. Hydraulic Crane
or Engine, for Lifting Weights, such Weights, when lifted, to be used as
a Motive Power; as also for Loading and Unloading Vessels and Vehicles,
the mechanical arrangements and combinations of parts constituting an