Improvements in and relating to Hydraulic Rams.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1898 -Accepted, 6th Aug., 1898
Improvements in and relating to Hydraulic Rams.
I, WILHELM WAGNER, of Mansfeld, Germany, Manufacturer, 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 present invention relates to an apparatus for raising liquids to any height by
the pressure of a column of water, to supply towns, estates, stations, manufactories
and the like with water, or to raise other liquids.
The character of this hydraulic apparatus consists in a triple differential piston
which, by actuating a stop-valve, is raised by the reaction of the column of water of
a water-fall and lowered by the pressure of the column of water of the ascension pipe,
upon the smallest top piston.
By this working of the differential piston, repeating automatically, the weight of
the column of liquid raised and weighing upon the smallest piston, produces the
suction of the water or other liquid to be raised, through the medial piston, carrying it
further to the following ascension.
The arrangement of the triple differential piston dispenses with the use of weight-
levers, springs and the like for loading the piston, which means do not oppose a
sufficient resistance, but must often be repaired and moreover, owing to their vis
inertiae only produce a small yield.
While other liquid raising apparatuses can only work at 20 to 30 strokes per
minute, the apparatus forming the object of the present invention can work at the
rate of 160 strokes per minute.
The water-raising apparatuses of the class of hydraulic rams and which raise a
part of their motive water have, as experience has proved, a yield of 1:7, that is,
that with a water-fall of 4 meters, they raise the water to a height of 4 × 7-28 meters.
This yield may be considered as normal, whilst beyond, the obtained results are
insignificant.
The water-raising apparatus forming the object of the present invention is
especially distinguished by its commencing to work automatically only at the
moment when other apparatuses of this kind cease to produce a useful effect.
In the annexed drawing such an apparatus is shown in section.
This apparatus has a pressure pipe a leading to the box b of the stop-valve C.
With this box a pipe d is connected leading to a cylinder f, the bore of which is
stepped. In this cylinder moves the differential piston. This piston is composed
of three pistons h, h¹, h² of different sizes, adjusted to the contracted parts f, f', ƒ³
of the cylinder and fitted on a common piston-rod g. The piston h forms the driving-
piston, receiving the pressure of the shock produced by the motive water.
piston h' acts as transmission piston to suck and carry the liquid farther, whilst
the piston h², acting as counter-pressure piston, is under the pressure of the column
of water in the ascension pipe and is moved downwards by this latter with the other
two pistons.
The
The part 2 of the cylinder has its upper end terminating in an air-chamber i,
from which a pipe leads to the force-pipe k.
From the part f¹ of the cylinder leads a pipe m extending to the valve-box n,
in which is a suction-valve O and a discharge-valve p, so that, at the downward

page_text: stroke of the piston h¹, the liquid of a reservoir w, or of a supply, fountain and
the like, is sucked through the pipe and forced into the pipe k, at the upward
stroke of the piston. From there the liquid passes through the pipe into a
large air-chamber S from which it is brought through an ascension pipe u, which
can be cut off by means of a cock t, to the required' height.
The stop-valve C placed in the box 6 carries a valve-rod guided in a stirrup of the
box and provided with a movable disk v to regulate the movement of the valve.
With a given water-fall the apparatus can be adapted to a variable height of fall by
giving the differential piston a section corresponding with this height of fall.
When the height of the ascension is greater, a smaller counter-pressure piston h²
is employed and a smaller cylinder f³ corresponding with this piston and fixed to be
easily removed; with a smaller height of ascension, the cylinder fs may also be
entirely done away with. For the backward stroke of the piston and in order to
cause the automatic working of the pump mechanism, the counter-pressure piston h²
must be loaded with a column of water which, with respect to the friction of the
pistons, exercises on the counter-pressure piston, an extra-charge corresponding with
a water-column of 40 meters, when this latter has a section of 20 square centimeters,
the transmission piston having a section of 50 sq. cts., the driving piston a section of
78 sq. cts. and the stop-valve a diameter of 140 millimeters..
It is therefore necessary, for a height of about 40 meters, to fill the ascension pipe
once only, to render the working of the apparatus possible in general. The liquid
can then be raised, according to the chosen transmission, to a height of 100 meters
and more.
The very weight of the liquid column in the ascension pipe, causing the downward
movement and the automatic working of the piston, produces the automatic suction
of the liquid to be raised, from fountains or longer suction pipes, to a suction height
of 8 meters.
By regulating the stroke of the stop-valve C, we may increase or decrease the
force of the water reacting on the driving piston; whilst we may increase or decrease
the quantity of water to be raised, by choosing a somewhat larger transmission
piston.
When the stroke of the stop-valve is longer, the number of piston-strokes is
smaller, whilst the useful effect of the piston is greater. The number of, piston-
strokes varies between 100 and 160 per minute.
Between the transmission piston h'
and the counterpressure piston h² a stuffing-box may be placed, if desired, to avoid
dead space.
The apparatus hereabove described requires no watch whatever, it occasions no
expenses of maintenance and offers the advantage of raising any liquid and any
quantity of liquid to any desired height, the suction of said liquid being produced by
the loading column.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
A hydraulic ram the motive water of which is independent of the water or any
other liquid to be raised, distinguished by the arrangement of a triple differential
piston secured to a common piston-rod, this piston, with the object of causing the
suction of the liquid to be raised by means of the piston h¹, being lowered by the
pressure of the water column of the ascension pipe on its smallest upper piston h²
and raised, for the purpose of advancing the sucked liquid, by the reaction of the
motive water on the lower piston h, substantially as herein described and shown in
the annexed drawing.