Improved Method of and Means for Automatically Regulating and Determining the Quantities of Power Water to be used for Moving Various Loads by Hydraulic Lifts or other Hydraulic Machinery.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Automatically Regulating and
Determining the Quantities of Power Water to be used for
Moving Various Loads by Hydraulic Lifts or other Hydraulic
Machinery.
1, ROBERT FALKLAND CAREY, of 43 Arlingford Road, Tulse Hill, Surrey,
Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to economise the consumption of power water
required for operating hydraulic lifts, or other hydraulic machinery by automatically,
and within certain limits proporticuing the quantity of water used to the load to.
be lifted or moved, in such a manner that the weight of the load itself determines
the action of the controlling appliances, whereby the quantity of water used in
raising or moving the load a given distance is independent of and beyond the
control of the attendant.
The motor can be so constructed as to divide its total power into any number of
intermediate powers by proportioning the areas of the various automatic controlling
appliances to cut off any surplus power required to lift the load.
In carrying my invention into practice as applied to a motor in which its total
power is divided into two, and which may be called, say, a two power machine, I
construct same with two cylinders, the rams of which move in and out together.
In connection with the two cylinders is a starting valve having the ordinary three-
way ports, viz.: main pressure, cylinder, and exhaust, and a small extra port also
communicating with the main pressure. This small extra port is so related to the
starting valve that when said valve is in the central position, and the motor stopped,
or when the cylinder port is opened to exhaust, the extra port is also open to
exhaust, but when the valve is moved to open the cylinder to pressure,
the extra
port is also open to pressure from the main.
From the cylinder port two pipes are led, one of which goes direct to what is
hereinafter termed the first cylinder, and the other to an automatic controlling
valve, and thence to the second cylinder. The automatic valve is preferably a
mitre valve forming part of a piston working in a small cylinder. Upon the side
opposite to that on which the mitre valve is formed or fixed is a ram or trunk
passing through a stuffing box into the air, thus leaving an annular space, or
reduced area which is in communication by a small pipe with the extra port in the
slide or starting valve before mentioned.
The inlet pipe from the cylinder port of the starting valve enters the valve box
below the piston and mitre valve, and the outlet from the valve box into the second
cylinder is closable by said mitre valve when the piston is forced down by the
pressure water in the annular space against the pressure due to the load, as
hereinafter explained. The outlet from the automatic valve box is also in
communication with the exhaust tank but is closed by a check valve.
The action is as follows:-Let it be assumed that a light load has to be lifted or
moved, the starting valve is moved to open the cylinder port to pressure water
which immediately flows through one pipe direct to the first cylinder, and through
the other pipe to the valve, and thence to the second cylinder. The small extra'

page_text: port by the movement of the starting valve is at the same time opened to admit
pressure water to the annular space above the piston of the mitre valve. As the
to be lifted is light, and the resultant pressure in the cylinder due to the load
which acts upon the large area of the mitre piston is less than is required to resist
the pressure on the other side of the mitre piston, therefore the pressure water in
the annular space forces the piston down until the mitre valve closes upon the
outlet pipe from the valve box to cut the second cylinder out, so that pressure
water is being used in one cylinder only, that being sufficient to move the load.
The second cylinder during the out movement of the ram draws water from the
exhaust tank through the check valve.
When the starting valve is moved to the mid position to close the cylinder port
and stop the lift or motor, the extra port is put into communication with the
exhaust, whereby the pressure in the annular space and upon. the smaller area of
the mitre piston is relieved, so that the pressure in the cylinder and under the
relatively larger area of the mitre valve piston is sufficient to move said piston
back to its normal, or open position to again open the second cylinder to
communication with the starting valve. If now the starting valve be moved to
open the cylinder port to exhaust, both cylinders are discharged through the same
port, and therefore the water in both the water cylinders (although only one be
used for lifting purposes) sustains the load when the lift is at rest.
If a heavy load has to be lifted, the resultant pressure due to the load acting
upon the large area under the mitre valve piston is sufficient to resist the pressure
of the water upon the smaller area of the piston, the valve is therefore kept open
for free access of water from the starting valve to both cylinders.
When the mitre valve is forced down upon its seating by the pressure water in
the annular space, an increase of pressure in the ram cylinder, due to the load
being thrown upon a lesser ram area, is the result, and would tend to force the
valve piston back against the pressure in the annular space, and thus open
communication to both cylinders again. To prevent this, the mitre valve is made
of about the same proportionate area to the piston as the cylinder ram to be cut
out by the action of the valve, is to the total ram area so that when the mitre
valve closes, the area of the valve is thereby cut out from the area of the piston,
so that the relative difference of total pressure on both sides of the piston remains
as before, and the valve is kept closed until the pressure in the annular space is
relieved.
If three or more gradations of power be required, an additional ram cylinder
and automatic valve must be added for each gradation, and by varying the ratios
of the areas of the annular space to that of the piston, the valves can be set to
come down against different pressures resulting from the weight of different loads,
so that sometimes one, two, three, or all the rams are doing the work of lifting
the load.
From the foregoing, it will be seen ;-
First-That by reason of the annular space being opened to the exhaust when
the lift is stopped, the valve is normally in the open position to admit power to all
the cylinders at starting, the automatic valve afterwards closing to cut out all the
surplus cylinders leaving the ram area sufficient to do the work.
Second-That the load is sustained by the water in all the cylinders, so that if
a heavy load be placed in the lift after being run up empty, the weight is not
sustained by one cylinder only.
Third: The water is exhausted from all the cylinders through the starting
valve, and is therefore under the control of the attendant.
In applying my invention to lifts, or cranes, or like machinery in which a single
ram is used, I employ a detensifier made for instance by a piston working in a
cylinder, and to which is attached a ram or trunk working in a stuffing box to the
air, thus leaving an annular space of lessened piston area on which the main
pressure acts to give a decreased pressure on the opposite side of the piston
equivalent to the difference in the areas. It will be understood that the capacity

page_text: of the cylinder on the larger side of the piston must be equal to that of the lift
to be altered.
By connecting the two pipes from the cylinder port of the starting valve, one to
the smaller area side of the detensifier, and the other to the automatic valve and
thence to the cylinder of the lift to be altered, and a pipe with check valve from
low pressure to lift cylinder, I am enabled to get the same effect as in the motor
previously described, whereby if the load is light, the automatic valve closes to cut
off the direct supply from the main into the lift cylinder but leaves free communi-
cation from between the low pressure side of the detensifier piston and the lift
cylinder for said low pressure to work the machine. It is obvious, I may use
telescoping rams, and automatically transfer the power water to the varying ram
areas to reduce the pressure for working the lift ram, without in any way
departing from my invention.
Dated this 5th day of February 1804
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Robert Falkland Carey.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Automatically Regulating and
Determining the Quantities of Power Water to be used for
-Moving Various Loads by Hydraulic Lifts or other Hydraulic
Machinery.
I, ROBERT FALKLAND CAREY, now of 35 Gauden Road, Clapham, Surrey,
Hydraulic Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention, is to economise the consumption of power water
required for operating hydraulic lifts, or other hydraulic machinery by auto-
matically and within certain limits proportioning the quantity of water used to
the load to be lifted or moved in such a manner that the weight of the load
itself determines the action of the controlling appliances whereby the quantity
of water used in raising or moving the load a given distance is independent of
and beyond the control of the attendant.
The motor can be so constructed as to divide its total power into any number
of intermediate powers by proportioning the areas of the various automatic
controlling appliances to cut off any surplus power than is required to lift
the load.
The construction of the automatic controlling economising appliances, their
principle of action and the method of adapting same to suit the varying
requirements of different forms of hydraulic machinery will be fully understood
upon reference to the accompanying 5 sheets of drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a combined starting and pilot valve.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the automatic controlling valve of the form
preferred to divide the full single power of say a double hydraulic jigger into one
of two powers. The manner of connecting the aforesaid automatic valve with the
inain starting valve and the pilot valve is also clearly shown, the pilot valve in this
case being formed separately but operated by the main valve.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a double hydraulic jigger showing the apparatus
(Figure 2) applied thereto.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation showing the starting and pilot valves connected

page_text: to a double automatic controlling valve of the form preferred for use for dividing
the total power of a 3 ram hydraulic jigger into one of 3 powers.
Figure 5 shows a 3 ram jigger in elevation with the apparatus (Figure 4) in
connection therewith.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a double automatic valve as applied to two
rams of different areas for obtaining 3 powers.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a detensifying apparatus as applied to a
single hydraulic ram for dividing its total power and causing it to act as a two
power machine.
Figure 8 is a part sectional elevation of hydraulic accumulators and appliances
for obtaining and supplying water of different pressure under the control of the
automatic valve.
Figure 9 illustrates a method of obtaining two powers with two rams acting in
reverse directions.
Figure 10 is another view showing the method of obtaining two powers with two
rams acting in reverse directions, the automatic valve being of different con-
struction to that shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 illustrates another form of apparatus and automatic valve for supply
water of varying pressure to the lift ram.
In carrying my invention into practice as applied to a motor in which its total
power is divided into two, and which may be called, say a two power machine,
preferably construct same with two cylinders, the rams of which move in and out
together. In connection with the two cylinders is a starting valve A, Figure 1,
having the ordinary three-way ports, viz.: main pressure port B, cylinder port C,
and exhaust port D, and a small extra port E also communicating with the main
pressure, or the starting valve may be separately arranged as in Figure 2. The
small extra port E is so related to the starting valve A that when said valve is in
the central position, and the motor stopped, or when the cylinder port is opened to
exhaust, the extra port is also open to exhaust by the port F and pipe G, but when
the valve A is moved to open the cylinder to pressure, the extra port E is also
open to pressure from the main by the pipe H.
The cylinder port C is connected by a pipe J to an automatic valve box K, and
a pipe K leads from thence to what is hereinafter termed the first cylinder, and a
second pipe L leads to the second cylinder. The automatic valve M within the
box K is preferably a mitre valve forming part of a piston N working in a small
cylinder. Upon the side opposite to that on which the mitre valve is formed or
fixed is a ram or trunk P passing through a stuffing box Q into the air, thus
leaving an annular space R, of reduced area which is in communication by a small
pipe S with the extra port E in the slide or starting valve, Figure 1, which port
and the valve when arranged separately, as in Figure 2, is hereinafter referred to
as the pilot valve.
The inlet pipe J from the cylinder port C of the starting valve A enters the
valve box K below the piston N and mitre valve M and the outlet T from the
valve box into the second cylinder is closable by said mitre valve M when
the piston is forced down by the pressure water in the annular space R against the
pressure due to the load, as hereinafter explained. The outlet from the automatic
valve box is also in communication with the exhaust tank U by the pipe V but is
closed by a check valve W. The exhaust ports D and F are also preferably
connected to the pipe V by the connections X and G respectively.
The action is as follows:-
Let it be assumed that a light load has to be lifted or moved, the starting
valve A is moved to open the cylinder port C to pressure water from B which
immediately flows through the pipe J around and under the valve M through the
pipe K direct to the first cylinder a and through the other pipe L to the second
cylinder b. The small extra port E by the movement of the starting valve A is at
the same time opened to admit pressure water from H to the annular space R.
above the piston N of the mitre valve M by the pipe S.

page_text: As the load to be lifted is light, and the resultant pressure in the cylinders a
and b, due to the load which acts upon the whole area of the mitre piston N, is less
than is required to resist the full main pressure on the other and small area side of
the mitre piston N, therefore the pressure water in the annular space R, although
acting upon a smaller area, forces the piston down until the mitre valve M closes
upon the outlet T from the valve box K to cut off the supply of water from the
pipe J to the second cylinder b, in other words-to cut the second cylinder out, so
that pressure water is being used in one cylinder a only, that being sufficient to
move the load. The second cylinder ↳ during the out movement of its ram draws
water from the exhaust tank Ú through the pipe V and check valve, so that only
half the quantity of pressure water is used to lift the load.
b
When the starting valve A is moved to the mid position, as shown in Figure 2,
to close the cylinder port C and stop the lift or motor, the extra port E is put into
communication with the exhaust pipe V by the connection G, whereby the pressure
in the annular space R and upon the smaller area of the mitre piston N is relieved,
so that the pressure in the cylinder and under the relatively larger area of the mitre
valve piston is sufficient to move said piston N back to its normal or open position
to again open the second cylinder & to communication with the starting valve. If
now the starting valve A be moved to open the cylinder port C to exhaust, both
cylinders are discharged through the same port C, and therefore the water in both
the lift cylinders (although only one be used for lifting purposes) sustains the load
when the lift is at rest.
If a heavy load has to be lifted, the resultant pressure due to the load acting
upon the large area under the mitre valve piston M is sufficient to resist the
pressure of the water upon the smaller area R of the piston, the valve is therefore
kept open for free access of water from the starting valve to both cylinders for the
maximum quantity of water to be used.
The particular feature to be noticed in connection with this apparatus is that
when the mitre valve M is forced down upon its seating T by the pressure water in
the annular space R an increase of pressure in the ram cylinder a due to the load
being thrown upon a lesser ram area, is the result, and would tend to force the
valve piston N back against the pressure in the annular space R and thus open
communication to both cylinders again. To prevent this, the mitre valve M is
made of about the same proportionate area to the piston as the cylinder ram to be
cut out by the action of the valve is to the total ram area, so that when the mitré
valve M closes, the area of said valve M is thereby cut out from the area of the
piston N, or in other words, the increased pressure due to the load being thrown
upon one ram is by the closing of the valve thereby prevented from acting upon
the whole area of the piston N by as much as the area of the valve M, so that the
relative difference of total pressure on both sides of the piston remains as before
and the valve M is kept closed until the pressure in the annular space is relieved
in the manner before described.
If three or more gradations of power be required, an additional ram cylinder and
automatic valve is added for each gradation, and by varying the ratios of the areas
of the annular space to that of the piston, the valves can be set to come down
against different pressures resulting from the weight of different loads, so that
sometimes one, two, or all the rams are doing the work of lifting the load. This
will be clearly understood from the explanation hereinafter following with reference
to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, from which will be seen that the two automatic
valves M, M', necessary for obtaining 3 gradations of power in, say a 3 cylinder
lift are of different diameters and lengths, the plungers P, P, are also of different
diameters, thereby leaving annular spaces of relatively different areas.
annular spaces R, R', and the valve boxes K, K, have common communication each
with the other by the passages d, e, respectively, the former being in communication
with the pilot valve, and the latter with the port C of the starting valve A in the
same manner as described with reference to Figure 2.
Both

page_text: Two check valves W, W₁, are provided each in connection with the exhaust
pipe V leading to the tank U.
If a light load only is required to be lifted, then upon the starting valve A and
pilot valve being moved to open the port C to pressure water from the pipe B, and
the port E to pressure water from the pipe H, water will flow to the annular
spaces R, R', above both valve pistons N, N', and to the lift cylinders a, b, c, by
the pipes K, L, and L' respectively, but as the pressure on the whole area of both
pistons M, M', is not equal to the pressure exerted by the main upon the area of
both pistons in the annular spaces R, R', both valves close upon their seatings T, T',
and thus cut out the cylinders b, c, by cutting off the supply of pressure water from
the port C to the pipes L, L', so that the load is lifted by pressure water acting in
one cylinder a only, the other two cylinders during the outgoing of their rams
drawing water from the tank U through the valves W, W', by the pipe V.
Supposing that a medium load be put upon the rams a, b, c, then the resultant
pressure acting upon the under side of both pistons N, N¹, is not sufficient to resist
the downward pressure due to the power water acting on the areas above the
pistons, and both valves start to close but as the relative difference of area between
the piston N¹ and the annular space R' above it is not so great as in the piston N
with regard to its annular space R it follows that the piston N' having a
greater total pressure acting upon it causes said piston N¹ to start first, and having
less distance to travel by reason of the greater length of its valve M¹, said valve
is first upon its seating T to cut off power water from the cylinder b.
The load is then thrown upon two rams and a consequent proportionate rise in
pressure ensues, which acting upon the piston M is sufficient to overcome the
downward pressure upon the relatively smaller area of the annular space R and
therefore moves the valve back to its normal position and power water is free to
pass by the pipe L' to the cylinder b, which together with the cylinder a moves
the load, the cylinder c being supplied with water from the tank U through
the valve W'; but if a heavy load is lifted then power water is supplied to all
three rams owing to the valves M, M', remaining open, the pressure due to the
load being sufficient to resist the pressure acting upon the smaller area above.
The weight of the load when the lift is stopped is borne equally by each
ram, and the whole contents are discharged through the ports C and D as in the
case of Figure 2.
extra
To obtain 3 gradations of power from two rams of different diameters, two
automatic valves only are required but one valve is formed with an
plunger P working through a stuffing box Q2 of the chamber R2 which is
connected by a small pipe S¹ with the chamber T below the mitre valve M.
The annular spaces R, R', are in communication with the pilot valve by the
pipe S and the valves M, M', are in connection with the starting valve by the
pipe J, and with the exhaust tank by the pipe V.
Assuming that a load is to be lifted requiring power to be exerted on both
rams, then the pressure due to the load will be sufficient to keep both
valves M, M¹, open for pressure water to be used in both cylinders a and b ;
but if a load be less than would require both rams to lift it but greater than
could be lifted by the smaller ram 6 then the areas of the annular spaces R, R',
are so adjusted that the pressure acting on the relatively large area of the
piston N¹ is sufficient to overcome the pressure due to the load, then the valve M¹
closes upon its seating T¹ and cuts out the smaller cylinder for the larger ram
only to do the work; but supposing that a light load is to be lifted, then the
pressure in the annular spaces R, R³, causes both valves to move downwards at
the same time but as the valve M has less distance to travel it will be first upon
its seating, thus cutting out the larger ram a and arresting the further downward
movement of the valve M', for two reasons :-
First: That an increase of pressure ensues due to the load being thrown upon
a smaller ram area which increases the resistance opposed to the closing of the
valve M³ and,

page_text: Secondly-That the annular space R' which before the closing of the valve M
lad the pressure due to the load exerted upon the plunger P tending to close the
valve, is now only in communication with the exhaust and said pressure thereby
relieved. Power is therefore only exerted upon the smaller ram b, while the other
is filled from the tank by the pipe V.
From the foregoing, it will be seen :-
:---
First That by reason of the annular space being opened to the exhaust when
the lift is stopped, the valve is normally in the open position to admit power to all
the cylinders at starting, the automatic valve or valves afterwards closing to cut
out all the surplus cylinders leaving the ram area sufficient to do the work."
Second-That the load is sustained by the water in all the cylinders, so that if
a heavy load be placed in the lift after being run up empty, the weight is not sustained.
by one cylinder only.
Third-The water is exhausted from all the cylinders through the starting-
valve, and is therefore under the control of the attendant.
In applying my invention to lifts, or cranes, or like machinery in which a single
ram is used, I in some cases may employ a detensifyer, see Figure 7, made for
instance by a piston A' working in a cylinder B' and to which is attached a ram or
trunk C' working in a stuffing box D' to the air, thus leaving an annular space E
of lessened piston area on which the main pressure acts to give a decreased pressure
on the opposite side of the piston equivalent to the difference in the areas.
be understood that the capacity of the cylinder on the larger side of the piston.
must be equal to that of the lift, say a, to be altered.
It will!
By connecting the pipe J from the cylinder port of the starting valve to the
automatic valve K, and the pipe K' to the smaller area side E' of the detensifyer,
and the other pipe L from the automatic valve to the cylinder a of the lift to be
altered, and a pipe F' and check valve G' from low pressure B¹ to lift a or pipe L,
I am enabled to get the same effect as in the motor previously described, whereby
if the load is light, the automatic valve closes to cut off the direct supply from the
main into the lift cylinder a by way of the pipe L, but leaves free communication.
for the power water to enter the annular space above the piston A' which it then
presses down, forcing the water from B' through the pipe F¹ to the lift ram a.
As the capacity of the space B' is equal to that of the lift cylinder a, the water
displaced therefrom during the downward movement of the piston A' will be
sufficient to fully expand the lift ram; but as the area of the top of piston in the
space E' is, say half the area of the lower side thereof, it follows that the pressure
in B¹ will be reduced by half and only half the quantity of power water will be.
used to lift the load.
The pipes J and S are connected to the starting and pilot valve respectively in
the manner before described.
When the starting valve is moved to open the space E¹ to the exhaust, the ram
on the lift cylinder a during its descent discharges its contents by way of the
exhaust port of the starting valve to the exhaust tank from thence it flows to the
space B of the detensifyer through the check valve Y¹ thereby returning
the piston A' to its normal position and forcing the water in E¹ out.
When a heavy load has to be lifted, the automatic valve remains open and power
water is directly in communication with the lift cylinder a.
Figure 8 shows a method of utilising existing accumulators for obtaining two-
different pressures, namely a high and low pressure service, the use of either being
determined by the action of the automatic valve in connection with each crane or
lift cylinder, any number of which may be in connection with said high and low
pressure service according to the capacity of the accumulators.
To obtain said varying pressures in the example given one accumulator U₁ is
weighted to give the full pressure, and the other accumulator U' weighted to give,
say half the pressure of U'.
Arranged above the accumulator U³ is a ram and cylinder V¹, V³,
respectively

page_text: which acts in the reverse direction to the ram of the accumulator U below it, the
respective cylinders being connected by a pipe W' in which is interposed a
retaining valve X'. The cylinder V2 is also connected to an exhaust tank by the
pipe X and retaining valve Y¹.
Both accumulators are pumped up at a given pressure from the pumps as
heretofore but only half the quantity of water is required to pump the lesser
weighted accumulator U up on account of the water previously drawn into the
cylinder V2 from the exhaust tank being displaced by the uprising ram V' through
the valve X' and pipe W' into the cylinder U. As therefore twice the quantity
of water pumped into the accumulator U2 by the pumps is available for use and it
is only weighted to half the extent of U₁, the pressure in the pipe Z¹ leading from
the accumulator U is only half that in the pipe Z from the accumulator U.
If now, an automatic valve K preferably of the form shown be inserted in the
high pressure pipe leading to each crane cylinder, and the pipe S from below the
piston N be also connected to the said cylinder, it will determine which pressure
shall be used according to the load on the crane because if the load be a light one
the pressure due to the load acting on the under side of piston N will be unable to
overcome the downward pressure due to the greater pressure acting on the top of
the piston N from the pipe Z, the valve M therefore remains closed upon its
seating leaving the lower pressure in Z' to do the work. If a full load is to be
lifted, the resultant pressure is sufficient to raise and maintain the valve M in an
open condition for the higher pressure from U¹ to be used.
To get a two power machine with two rams acting in reverse directions, as in
Figure 9, it is necessary that they should be of different diameters and connected
to each other by a pipe W' having a non return valve X'. The larger cylinder U'
is connected direct to the starting valve by the pipe J and also to the space below
the piston N by the pipe S', the annular space R above the piston N is in commu-
nication with the pilot valve by the pipe S. The small cylinder V2 is connected
by the pipe V to the chamber T in which the valve M works to open or close
communication as the case may be between the pipe V (leading to the exhaust
tank) and the small cylinder V2. When the starting valve is opened, pressure is
transferred to the large cylinder by the pipe J, and if the load be a heavy one, the
resultant pressure acting upon the underside of the piston N will be sufficient to
keep the valve M open against the pressure from the pilot valve acting on the
piston in the annular space R.
The power pressure is therefore utilised on the large ram to force it down and
move the load while the smaller ram expels the contents of the cylinder V2 through
the valve M to the exhaust tank.
If the pressure due to the load acting upon the under side of the piston N is
insufficient to resist the pressure above it then the valve closes, so that as the
large ram U is moved, the smaller ram displaces the contents of the cylinder U2
through the pipe Wand valve X¹ to the larger cylinder which thereby only uses
half the quantity (more or less according to the respective areas of the opposing
rams) of power water to move a given load.
The form of automatic valve shown in Figure 10 is also adapted for use in
connection with two rams of varying area, each opposed to the other, as in the
last example, but in this case the smaller ram cylinder is in direct communication
with the automatic valve piston N if therefore a rise of pressure occurs in the
small cylinder due to the closing of the valve M by the constant pressure in R
overcoming the pressure due to the load in N, this rise of pressure will also be
communicated to the larger area of the piston N by the pipe S' and tend to lift
the valve off its seat again; but the particular feature of my invention here comes
into action, viz.: that the fact of the valve M closing upon its seat, cuts its area
out as an opposing force against the constant pressure in R, and therefore corre-
spondingly increases the effective area on the top of the piston N, so that the
pressure due to the load and displacement by the smaller ram acting on said

page_text: increased area, together with that exerted by the constant pressure on the plunger P
in the annular space R is sufficient to keep the valve down upon its seating in
opposition to the upward pressure exerted on the under side of said piston N.
From the foregoing it will be seen that in both the examples given in Figures 9
and 10, the action of the automatic valve is the reverse of those described in
connection with the preceding figures, that is to say, the increased pressure due to
the load being thrown upon a lesser ram area, and which tends to open the valve
after it has closed, is compensated by causing an additional opposing area to be
effectively acted upon by the pressure due the load instead of cutting out an
equivalent area as in the cases previously described.
Figure 11 illustrates another form of apparatus for reducing the consumption of
power water for moving light loads, the automatic valve M being provided with a
dribbling hole f.
The two accumulator cylinders are connected by the pipe W₁ in which is a
valve X that will allow of the entry of water from the cylinder V2 into that of U³
but not back again. The cylinder V is also in connection with the exhaust tank
from which water can be drawn through the non-return valve Y¹ by the pipe X².
A box K contains an automatic valve of similar construction to that shown in
Figure 8, and is used in connection with the lift to determine whether the high or
low pressure should be used as before described. The valve K is also placed
between the high pressure main and the cylinder U to cut off the supply of
pressure water to the low pressure main when a light load is being lifted by the
downward action of the accumulator.
In order that the accumulator cylinder U may be rapidly charged for the next
light load, water dribbles through the hole f in the valve M till the pressure rises
sufficiently to open the valve and allow a full flow to the cylinder U2 to charge the
same.
It will be understood that only one cylinder U2 is charged with power water,
the other cylinder V2 draws its supply from the tank but both cylinders empty into
the pipe to supply the lift, thus reducing the pressure.
It will be seen that whether the before mentioned automatic valve and pilot
valve be used in connection with :-
(a) Grouped hydraulic rams of equal areas.
(b) Grouped hydraulic rams of unequal areas.
(c) Or in connection with direct acting reducing apparatus (detensifiers).
(d) Or in connection with a high and low pressure service, the larger powers are
available at the start, the surplus cylinders or pressure over that required to move
the load being cut out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of and means for automatically regulating and determining the
quantities of power water to be used for moving various loads by hydraulic lifts or
other hydraulic machinery, as described and shown.
2. The combination with the main starting valve of a hydraulic lift or other
bydraulic appliance, of a supplementary or pilot valve and an automatic piston
valve or valves of predetermined differential areas of said piston if only one piston
valve be used and differential areas each to the other if more than one be used, and
so connecting the cylinder or cylinders of said valve to the main starting valve,
pilot valve, and cylinder or cylinders of the lift to be governed, that the amount
of power water is automatically regulated, and within certain limits proportioned
to the load to be lifted, for the purpose and in the manner substantially as described
and shown.
3. In valve or valves automatically actuated by the resultant pressure due to the
load acting on pistons or their equivalents for regulating and determining the
quantity of power water used for raising varying loads, compensating the increase

page_text: or decrease of the variable pressure by automatically cutting out from or adding
to the valve piston, pistons, or their equivalents, an area inversely proportionate to
the difference in the pressure due to the load being transferred to a lesser or
greater ram area as described.
4. The combination with accumulators charged with water at one pressure and
utilised at a lower pressure, of a valve which will automatically nearly cut off the
charging pressure while water is being taken out from the accumulators at the
lower pressure, and automatically open to charge the accumulators with the high
pressure when the lower pressure is no longer being used, as and for the purpose
described.
m
1 1
CN
.
1001
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Robert Falkland Carey.