IMPROVEMENTS IN DIRECT ACTING RAM HYDRAULIC LIFTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sanders Stevens of Janus Works Queen's Road
Battersea in the County of Surrey and Charles George Major of Freke Road
Battersea in the County of Surrey for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DIRECT ACTING RAM HYDRAULIC LIFTS
31
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sanders Stevens
& Charles George Major at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 18th April 1882.
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS of Janus Works Queen's Road Battersea in the County
of Surrey and CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR of Freke Road Battersea in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIRECT ACTING RAM HYDRAULIC LIFTS.'
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in direct acting ram hydraulic
lifts and the improvements are more especially designed for lifts worked directly
from Town mains or from a tank at the top of a building or tower where the
pressure would seldom rise above 200 feet in distinction from those lifts drawing
their supply from an accumulator working at much higher pressures; but is not
confined to such lifts and may be used with an accumulator if desirable.
The object is to dispense with all counterbalances chains weights wheels and
overhead gear and everything in a condition of suspension; and to balance the
weight of cage and ram by hydraulic pressure and subsequently to return the
water so used for balancing purposes into the main or tank or accumulator.
The cage is secured to the top of an ordinary hydraulic ram working in a
cylinder which is usually vertical.
Fixed near the lift and in a horizontal position by preference is a second cylinder
fitted with a ram of shorter stroke but having exactly the same displacement.
A free communication exists through a pipe between the two cylindera.
Three hydraulic cylinders face this horizontal cylinder and the rams of the three
cylinders are by a cross-head attached to the ram of the one cylinder.
The apparatus is used as follows.-
To lift the cage water under pressure from a water main or other source is
admitted to 2 of the 3 cylinders. The crosshead to which the rams of theso

page_text: cylinders are attached forces the single ram attached to the opposite side of the
crosshead into its cylinder thereby causing the rain which carries the cago to rise.
At the same time water is drawn into the third of the 3 cylinders from a sinall
tank.
To lower the cage the two cylinders which previously had water under pressure
admitted to them are opened to this tank so that the water in them may pass into
the tank all surplus flowing off to a drain at the samo time the weight of the cngo
and its ram forces the water in the 3rd of the 3 cylinders back into the main or
cistern or accumulator or other source from which water under pressure is derived
for working the apparatus.
Neglecting friction the results are these. First water is drawn from mains
sufficient to raise lond and also ram and cage. Secondly the water used to raiso
load is discharged into drains while that used to lift the ram and cage is trapped.
Thirdly this latter portion of the water is forced back to the source of supply and
is available for use over again.
One cylinder only of larger dimensions might have water under pressure
admitted to it from the water main or other source and two smaller cylinders
used for returning water into the main or any other number of cylinders might be
used to do the work of either.
The whole system inny bo fixed vertically or at any angle. Bored cylinders
with pistons may take the place of stufling boxes and turned rains,
In most cases it would be desirable to work with a higher water pressure in the
cylinder of the ram that carries the cage and in the cylinder in connection with it
than in the other cylinders Leakages from these cylinders could not then be
made good directly from the mains. To moet this a small feed apparatus is
attached. It consists of a cylinder fitted with a piston and ram forming an
annular space around the latter.
Water under pressure is first admitted to the annular space to fill it. Water
under pressure is then admitted to the cylinder on the opposite side of the piston
wheroby the water in the annular space is expelled from it and a pipe conducts it
to the lift cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Sanders Stevens & Charles George Major in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th October 1882.
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS of Janus Works Queens Road Battersea in the County
of Surrey and CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR of Freke Road Battersea in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIRECT ACTING RAM HYDRAULIC LIFTS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in direct acting ram hydraulic
lifts and the improvements are more especially designed for lifts worked directly
from Town mains or from a tank at the top of a building or tower where the
pressure would seldom rise above 200 feet in distinction from those lifts drawing
their supply from an accumulator working at much higher pressures; but it is not
confined to such lifts and may be used with an accumulator if desirable.
The object is to dispense with all counterbalances chains weights wheels and
overhead gear and everything in a condition of suspension; and to balance the
weight of cage and ram by hydraulic pressure and subsequently to return the
water so used for balancing purposes into the main or tank or accumulator.
The cage is secured to the top of an ordinary hydraulic ram working in a
cylinder which is usually vertical.
Fixed near the lift and in a horizontal position by preference is a second cylinder
fitted with a rain of shorter stroke but having exactly the same displacement.
A free communication exists through a pipe between the two cylinders.
Three other hydraulic cylinders face this horizontal cylinder and the rams of the
three cylinders are by a cross head attached to the rain of the one cylinder.
The apparatus is used as follows:-
To lift the cage water under pressure from a water main or other source is
admitted to two of the three cylinders. The crosshead to which the rams of
these cylinders are attached forces the single ram attached to the opposite side
of the crosshead into its cylinder thereby causing the ram which carries the cage
to risc. At the same time water is drawn into the third of the three cylinders
from a small tank.
To lower the cage the two cylinders which previously had water under pressure
admitted to them are opened to this tank so that the water in them way pass into
the tank all surplus flowing off to a drain at the same time the weight of the cage
and its rain forces the water in the third of three cylinders back into the main or
cistern or accumulator or other source from which water under pressure is derived
for working the apparatus.
Neglecting friction the results are these. First water is drawn from mains
sufficient to raise load and also ram and cage. Secondly the water used to raise
load is discharged into drains while that used to lift the ram and cage is trapped.
Thirdly this latter portion of the water is forced back to the source of supply and
is available for use over again.
One cylinder only of larger dimensions might have water under pressure
admitted to it from the water inain or other source and two smaller cylinders
used for returning the water into the main or any other number of cylinders might
be used to do the work of either.
The whole system may be fixed vertically or at any angle. Borod cylinders
with pistons may take the place of stuffing boxes and turned rams.
In most cases it would be desirable to work with a higher water pressure in the
cylinder of the ram that carries the cage and in the cylinder in connection with it
than in the other cylinders. Leakages from these cylinders could not then be

page_text: mado good directly from the mains. To meet this a small feed apparatus is
attached. In consists of a cylinder fitted with a piston and ram forming an
annular space around the latter.
Water under pressure is first admitted to the annular space to fill it. Water
under pressure is then admitted to the cylinder on the opposite side of the piston
whereby the water in the annular space is expelled from it and a pipe conducts it
to the lift cylinder.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shews a diagram plan view partly
in section of an hydraulic lift constructed as above described. Figure 2 is a side
elevation of the saine also partly in section.
In these Figures A is the cage carried at the top of a rain B working in a
hydraulic cylinder C which is usually vertical.
D is a horizontal cylinder of larger diameter and of the same internal capacity
as the cylinder C. A free communication exists between these two cylinders
through the pipe E. The rain F of the cylinder D is attached to a crosshead Ü
from which extend the rams of three other cylinders H II and I.
Water under pressure can be admitted from the main to the two outer
cylinders H, H, through the pipe J through a three way cock K. When water is
thus admitted from the main to the two cylinders H H the cage is lifted as above
explained.
At the same time water is drawn from a small tank L through a non-return
valve M into the third cylinder I. To lower the cage the supply of water is closed
to the two cylinders by turning the three way cock K and the water within
them is allowed to escape into the sinall tank L from which there is an overflow N.
Tho weight of the cage and its ram then forces the water in the third cylinder 1
back into the main through a pipe O and non-return valve P as shewn.
Figure 3 shews in section the apparatus we employ for replacing any leakage
that inay take place from the cylinders C and D. R is a small cylinder fitted with
a piston from which a ram extends through one end of the cylinder. Water from
the main can be admitted through the cock S to the annular space around the ram.
As the annular space fills any water in the cylinder on the opposite side of the
piston can escape through a second passage way in the cock S to a drain by the
pipe S. The cock can then be turned so as to shut off the supply of water to the
annular space and to admit water from the main to the cylinder on the opposite
side of the piston the water in the annular space is then expelled from the cylinder
through a non return valve T. and pipe T to the cylinder C or D or the pipe
connecting these cylinders and the operation can be repeated as required.
In place of the arrangements above described for supplying leakage from the
cylinders C. D. other suitable arrangement night be employed for the purposo.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing
the same we would have it understood that we claim the construction of direct
acting ram hydraulic lifts substantially in the manner heroin before described.
In witness whereof I the said John Sanders Stevens have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.