IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROSTATIC PRESSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn, Engineers,
of 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster, Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROSTATIC PRESSES."
Sealed the 24th April 1863, and dated the 29th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Shanks and
Ferdinand Kohn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with.
their Petition, on the 29th October 1862.
We, ANDREW SHANKS and FERDINAND KOHN, Engineers, of 6, Robert
Street, Adelphi, Westminster, Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROSTATIC PRESSES," to be as
follows:-
. Our improvement consists in making a hydrostatic press worked by steam
power in such a manner as to exert the direct pressure of the steam upon the.
water in the main cylinder of the press by opening a free communication
between this cylinder' and the boiler, and to move the ram by this direct
pressure until the resistance of the object operated upon be equal to this
pressure, at which moment steam is admitted under a large piston fixed to a
ram of small diameter in communication with the main ram, so that the
motion of the lesser ram produces on the larger one an increased pressure in
the ratio of their respective areas: By these means a hydrostatic press may
be worked by steam power without the intervention of a steam engine or
pumps.

page_text: The Drawing shows the mode of carrying out this principle in a press for
squeezing iron or steel forgings. The vessel (A) being in direct communication
with the water and steam of the boiler, the water from the bottom of this vessel
is forced through the pipes (p & q) into the cylinder (C), and work upon the
ram (R). As soon as the resistance of the object pressed is so great as to
enable the steam to lift the weighted valve (m) the steam will be admitted
through the pipe (s) to the bottom of the cylinder (D) thereby move the
piston (P) and small ram (r) upwards, and force an additional quantity of
water into the cylinder (C). The valve (E) serves for letting the water off
when the ram (R) is lifted, the annular space under the shoulder of the
ram being in communication with the boiler through the pipes and vessel
(t, u, v). By letting the water from the annular space escape freely the ram
may be made to descend by its own weight and draw water from a reservoir
into the cylinder (C).
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ANDREW
SHANKS and FERDINAND KOHN, Engineers, of 6, Robert Street, Adelphi,
Westminster, Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn, Her special licence that
we; the said Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Andrew Shanks and
Ferdinand Kohn, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDROSTATIC PRESSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn, 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

page_text: 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 Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand
5 Kohn, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our improvement consists in making a hydrostatic press worked by steam
power in such a manner as to exert the direct pressure of the steam upon the
water in the main cylinder of the press by opening a free communication
between this cylinder and the boiler, and move the ram by this direct pressure
until the resistance of the object operated upon be equal to this pressure, at
which moment steam is admitted under a large piston operating on a ram
of smaller diameter in communication with the main ram, so that the motion
of the lesser ram produces on the larger one an increased presence in the ratio
of their respective areas.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we
shall now proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto attached, representing, a
press for squeezing steel or iron forgings.
Figure I. is the general plan of the press, and Figure II. a vertical section
of the same through the line (X, X',) shown in the plan.
The press cylinder (C) is mounted on four pillars or standards, but any
other number of pillars may be used. The ram (R) carries the face or upper
mould (F,) and the anvil or lower mould (G) is made to slide on the sole
plate so as to be drawn from under the upper mould to a convenient dis-
tance for receiving the article from the crane, and afterwards to be returned
to its central position to be operated upon. (A is a vessel connected by a
pipe (a, Figure I.) with the steam space, and by a second pipe (b, Figure I.)
with the water space of the boiler, a slide valve worked by a wheel (o,) or
any other suitable arrangement being provided for opening and shutting off
the communication. A pipe (p) leads from the bottom of the said vessel (A)
to the space (c) which communicates with the main cylinder of the press (C)
by the pipe (q). The ram of the press cylinder (R) has at its upper end a
piston packed on both sides, and a third packing is applied against the ram
at the bottom of the press cylinder. An annular space is formed in the
manner under the piston of the ram (R), which is brought into direct com-
munication with the water in the boiler by the pipes (t, v, and w,) leading
through the vessel (u) and the valve (x). The upper part of the vessel (A)
contains a weighted valve (n,) which when lifted by the steam pressure,

page_text: admits the steam through the pipe (s) under the piston of the large steam
cylinder (D) which is connected to the small hydraulic ram (r). The
valves (E) and (a) can by means of the levers (1, ',) be made to open a
eommunication between the press cylinder above and below the piston, and the
water reservoir, open to the atmosphere, through the pipes (y and 2,) but
during the action of pressing these valves are closed.
For bringing the press into action, the valve (o) is opened, and the com-
munication between the boiler and the vessel (A) established. The water
from the bottom of the vessel will be forced through the pipes (p and 9) into the
main cylinder of the press, and exert a pressure on the ram (R) proportionate
to the pressure in the boiler. The communication between the boiler and
the annular space under the piston of the ram (R) being also established, the
ram will be forced down with a pressure corresponding to the difference of
the sectional ares of the whole piston and the said annular space; this direct
action will continue so long as the resistance to the descent of the ram is less
than the pressure on the weighted valve (n,) but as soon as this pressure is
arrived at, the steam will lift the valve, and get the access to the piston in the
large cylinder (D). The total steam pressure on the piston (P) will thereby
be transmitted to the ram (r,) and this will exert upon the main ram (R) a
further downward pressure in proportion to the respective areas of the two
rams. By closing the valve (o,) the exhaust passage of the steam cylinder (D)
is opened, and the pressure upon the ram (R) is relieved; the boiler pressure
maintained under the piston of the said ram forces it upwards so long as the
water from the main cylinder can follow the ram (r) in its descent. By
these means the two moulds of the press are made to approach each other to
a definite distance, each stroke regulated by the quantity of water between the
two rams (R and r). For raising and lowering the ram (R) without exerting
pressure, the valves (E) and (x) are provided. The opening of (E) causes
the escape of water from the cylinder and the ascent of the ram by the
upward pressure against the piston. The valve (a) when placed in the position
shewn in the Drawing allows the ram to descend by its own weight, and to
draw water from the reservoir into the press cylinder.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be used, we declare that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the precise details of the arrangements described, as many variations
may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the Invention; but we do claim,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of hydrostatic presses, as
herein-before described, and the application of the same to the construction

page_text: of forging, stamping, punching, rivetting, or other machines where great
pressure is required.
Second, the application of steam pressure to the main ram of a bydraulic
press by an intermediate ram of small diameter and long stroke, as herein-
before described, and without any other intervention of a steam engine or
pumps.
In witness whereof, we, the said Andrew Shanks and Ferdinand Kohn,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
ANDREW SHANKS.
(L.S.)
FERDINAND KOHN. (L.S.)