Year: 1885

page_text: We, RICHARD CHARLES BRAITHWAITE and WALTER KIRK both of Crown Bridge
and Boiler Works, Swan Village, West Bromwich in the County of Stafford Manu-
facturers 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:—
This invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic machines by which
greater economy of time and water is effected and a larger range of usefulness is
thereby opened to such machinery. The slowness in the movements of which has
militated against its more rapid introduction as much time is wasted especially in
heavy machinery having cylinders and rams of large area in bringing the rams up
to the work during which time the attendant or attendants are unoccupied.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which we have
shown four views of such a machine as would be serviceable for general Boiler
yard work for say straighting and bending, smithing rivetting and general work
and from which similar machines may be constructed with more cylinders the one
shown having two only which is generally sufficient but three or more may be used
when necessary.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine complete in itself and standing upon
its own base.
Figure 2 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on line E. F.
Figure 3 is a cross section on line H. J.
The machine will generally be made self contained as shown in the present
example standing upon any suitable bed or base or foundation K. The large
cylinder M lies in a suitable recess P in the bed K to which it is secured by the
bolts through the flanges m¹ and m². This outer cylinder M is fitted with an
inner and smaller cylinder R the outside of which acts the part of a ram to the
outer cylinder M and is indeed its ram proper but being hollow is also the cylinder
to the acting solid ram S which is of such a length or otherwise as to project a little
distance beyond the face of both the cylinders R and M when both the rams S
and R are bearing upon the bottom of their respective cylinders.

page_text: Any article upon which it is desired to operate may be placed against bearings
or platforms or rests or stops which may be fixed by bolts to the bed K through
any of the holes u at the left hand end of the bed as shown upon the drawing.
When any such article is so fixed the ram is operated as follows:-1st Water is
admitted through any convenient inlet pipe T through the valve V which may be
either a flexible pipe or a swivel or other elbow jointed pipe to accommodate itself
to the movement of the inner ram R. This forces out the small ram S until
it is brought up against the work to be performed whether it be straightening
smithing rivetting punching or other work and should the pressure behind this
small ram not be sufficient to accomplish the work required the valve V is
closed with the ram S still out against the said work and still doing its utmost
towards accomplishing the said work. The valve V being thus shut off, the
water already in the cylinder R behind the ram S cannot possibly escape. The
valve W is now opened admitting water through the pipe X to the cylinder M
which brings the extra pressure to bear upon the solid ram S through the medium
of the water already behind the ram S in the cylinder R thus increasing the
pressure of the water inside cylinder R and carrying the ram S forward with
It will thus be clearly seen
a pressure equal to the area of the larger ram.
that the last part of the work or the hardest part may be accomplished by a
short movement of the larger ram R without withdrawing the water from the
back of the rain S and so loosing time and also water as is the case in existing
machines which are otherwise very similar in construction and appearance. It will
of course be evident that more than two cylinders may be used with similar or
increased economy and effect without departing from the principle of using the
water at the back of the small ram or rams as equivalent extensions of the
said rams and without withdrawing such water until the operation in hand is
completed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
The improvements in all hydraulic machines of two or more rams and corre-
sponding cylinders which are independently connected with the accummulator or
other source of pressure with their valves or cocks so that the water can be sealed
behind the smaller one or ones as and for the purpose substantially as herein set
forth.