IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES, LIFTS, OR HOISTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balmforth, and Joseph
Balmforth, of Batley, in the County of York, Machine Makers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES, LIFTS, OR
HOISTS."
Sealed the 12th June 1874, and dated the 13th December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Balmforthi,
Edwin Balmforth, and Joseph Balmforth at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th December
1873.
We, EDWARD BALMFORTH, EDWIN BALMFORTH, and JOSEPH BALM-
FORTH, of Batley, in the County of York, Machine Makers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC
CRANES, LIFTS, OR HOISTS," to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention consists in forming a rack in the body
of the piston rod of an ordinary hydraulic cylinder. The rack so formed

page_text: gears with a pinion working on a shaft or stud fixed either on the top
of the cylinder or in any convenient place. On the end of the said stud
is a drum or large pulley on which the lifting chain or rope is wound,
the chain or rope passing from this drum over one or more carrying
pulleys to that part of the building where the lifting is required to be
done. The water entering the cylinder lifts the piston and rack, which
causes the pinion and drum to revolve, and thus wind on the chain or
rope, and so lift or raise the weight or load attached to the end thereof
to any required height. When the water is allowed to escape the weight
of the rack and piston (aided if necessary by a small weight attached to
the end of the rope) causes the drum to turn in the opposite direction
and unwind, and thus lower the lifting end of the chain or rope.
The second part of our Invention consists in constructing the piston
in a solid block and fastening the ordinary leather washer thereto by
means of screws, by which means we are enabled to make both the
piston and piston rod in one piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balmforth, and Joseph
Balmforth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June
1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
BALMFORTH, EDWIN BALMFORTH, and JOSEPH BALMFORTH, of Batley,
in the County of York, Machine Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Edward Balmforth, Edwin
Balmforth, and Joseph Balmforth, Her special licence that we, the
said Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balmforth, and Joseph. Balmforth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said

page_text: Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balmforth, and Joseph Balmforth, our
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,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES, LIFTS, OR HOISTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balm-
forth, and Joseph Balmforth, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Edward Balmforth, Edwin Balm-
forth, and Joseph Balmforth, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say-
The first part of our Invention consists in forming a rack in the body
of the piston rod of an ordinary hydraulic cylinder. The rack so formed
gears with a pinion working on a shaft or stud fixed either on the top of
the cylinder or in any convenient place, the said rack piston being
guided on its upward and downward movements by means of runners..
On the end of the said stud is a drum or large pulley on which the
lifting chain or rope is wound, the chain or rope passing from this drum
over one or more carrying pulleys to that part of the building where the
lifting is required to be done. The water entering the cylinder lifts the
piston and rack, which causes the pinion and drum to revolve, and thus
wind on the chain or rope, and so lift or raise the weight or load attached.
to the end thereof to any required height. When the water is allowed
to escape the weight of the rack and piston (aided if necessary by a
small weight attached to the end of the rope) causes the drum to. turn
in the opposite direction and unwind, and thus lower the lifting end of
the chain or rope.

page_text: The second part of our Invention consists in constructing the piston
in a solid block and fasten the ordinary leather washer thereto by means
of screws, by which means we are enabled to make both the piston and
piston rod in one piece.
Such being the nature and object of this our said Invention we will
now proceed to describe the same in detail, and in order that the same
may be clearly understood we have annexed a Sheet of Drawings illus-
trative thereof, and have marked the parts thereof with letters of
reference
At A is rack in the body of the piston rod B of an ordinary hydraulic
cylinder. The rack so formed gears with a pinion C working on the
shaft or stud E, which may be fixed either on the top of the cylinder or
to any other convenient part, the said rack piston being guided in its
upward and downward movements by means of the runners K. On the 1
end of the said stud is the ordinary drum or large pulley D on which
the lifting chain or rope is wound, the chain or rope passing from this
drum over one or more carrying pulleys to that part of the building
where the lifting is required to be done. The water entering the cylinder
by way of the port F lifts the piston G and rack, which causes the a
pinion C and drum D to revolve, and thus wind on the chain or rope,
and so lift or raise the weight or load attached to the end thereof to any
required height. When the water is allowed to escape the weight of
the rack and piston (aided if necessary by a small weight attached to
the end of the rope) causes the drum to turn in the opposite direction 2
and unwind, and thus lower the lifting end of the chain or rope.
Ordinary "mushroom ." valves are fitted to the inlet and outlet ports.
The leather washer H we fix by screws J, by which means we are
enabled to make both the piston and piston rod in one piece.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our a
said Invention, together with the manner in which the same is to be
performed and carried into practical effect, we would have it understood
that we claim as our Invention, the construction and use of hydraulic

page_text: cranes operated by a rack, piston rod, and piston, as described herein and
illustrated by Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Balmforth, on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Balmforth and Joseph Balmforth,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
0
EDWIN BALMFORTH. (L.S.)
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
Patent Agents,
Halifax, Bradford, & Blackburn.