Improvements in Hydraulic Rams.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
TRUVIDIONAL STATTUA.
Improvements in Hydraulic Rams.
A communication from J. PIRONx, of Philippeville, Belgium, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE of No. 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare. the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in hydraulic rams whereby their
efficiency is increased and the working thereof is rendered continuous and automatic,
so that the attendance of a skilled operator can be dispensed with. For this pur-
pose the hydraulic ram is provided with an air pump that is automatically worked
by the water admitted to the pressure pipe of the rain, this pump being provided
with valves, one for admitting atmospheric air to the pump cylinder and another
for controlling the communication between this cylinder and a pipe by which the
air is led to a point whence it can enter the air chamber of the ram.
By the use of this air pump the air so supplied will prevent any deficiency of
air in the air chamber and will diminish the violence of the shocks due to the
working of the ram.
As the air thus injected would soon displace the water to too low a level
in the air chamber it is necessary to provide means for automatically regulating the
amount of air and water within such chamber.
For this purpose the air chamber is provided at a suitable height with an air
cock that will allow excess of air to escape automatically when the water is depressed
to a certain level. This air cock may be placed about midway of the height of the
air chamber, and has a small orifice which allows the excess of air to escape, but
will only allow water to pass drop by drop. This cock serves to fix in a permanent
manner the level of the water in the air chamber, and to greatly increase the
efficiency of the ram which can be worked at a very high pressure.
An hydraulic ram according to this invention is constructed as follows:
The air chamber has near its blower end a lateral discharge branch for con-
nection with an ascension pipe, and a pipe provided with a loaded safety valve and
with a tap for letting off the water from the air chamber when it is desired to
remove the same from the pressure pipe.
The air chamber is a vertical cylinder having a dome shaped top, and is at the
bottom provided with a flange for bolting to a similar flange on the pressure pipe.
The air chamber is provided at the top with an air escape cock and at a suitable
point in its side with an air cock for automatically regulating the height of the
water level within the chamber as hereinbefore mentioned.
To the pressure pipe is secured an air pump for the purpose herein before men-
tioned. This pump comprises a vertical tube constituting an air pump cylinder the
lower end of which communicates with the pressure pipe through a small orifice.
At its upper end this air pump tube is provided with a non-return air valve that
controls the communication between the tube and one end of a pipe, the other end
of which passes through a stuffing box into the pressure pipe and terminates
immediately below the air chamber where it is provided with a non-return valve to
prevent entrance of liquid to the pipe.
The air pump tube is also provided near the top with a vacuum valve that will
permit air to enter the tube but will not allow the same to flow back past it. The
pressure pipe is also provided at a point below and near its junction with the air
chamber, with a hinged or flap valve having an inclined seat that may be made
separate from and secured to the pressure pipe. This valve forms a foot valve to
Γ

page_text: the air chamber into which it opens upwards and it is immediately below this valve
that the air pipe terminates.
The pressure pipe has secured to it an escape pipe formed with a valve seat and
with lateral escape openings. This escape pipe is fitted with an escape valve that
is caused to rise and close the escape pipe by the pressure of water, but descends
and allows water to escape when the pressure in the pressure pipe falls. This
escape valve, which may be of the mushroom type has a stem provided with an
adjustable mut or stop and is arranged to work through an externally screw threaded
boss or guide. This boss or guide has an external screw thread fitted with an
adjustable nut upon which the nut on the valve stem rests when the valve is in its
lowest position. The arrangement is such that the stroke of the escape valve can
be regulated to suit requirements.
The working of the hydraulic ram is as follows:-) When not in action the escape
valve is open, and the foot valve closed. When water flows into the pressure pipe
it at first escapes past the escape valve which it raises and closes and then by its
momentum opens the foot valve, and rushes into the air chamber compressing the
air therein and flowing through the discharge pipe in the usual manner, the return
of the water when its energy is exhausted being prevented by the closing of the
foot valve. The compressed air within the air chamber then reacts to force a
further quantity of air through the discharge pipe.
The escape valve opens again and the above described operations are repeated.
The air pump works automatically at each stoppage of the flow of water by the
closing of the escape valve, water under pressure will enter the air pump tube and
force the air therein past the non-return valve and into the tube above it, whence it
will be discharged below the foot valve and into the air chamber when this valve is
opened. Simultaneously with the opening of the escape valve the water falls in
the air pump cylinder and is replaced by atmospheric air which enters by the
vacuum valve, these operations taking place at each closing and opening of the
escape valve.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1890.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Rams.
A communication from J. PIROX, of Philippeville, Belgium, Engineer.
1, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE of No. 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, 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:-
This invention has reference to improvements in hydraulic rams whereby their
efficiency is increased and the working thereof is rendered continuous and automatic,
so that the attendance of a skilled operator can be dispensed with. For this
purpose the hydraulic ram is provided with an air pump that is automatically
worked by the water admitted to the pressure pipe of the ram, this pump being
provided with valves, one for admitting atmospheric air to the pump cylinder and
another for controlling the communication between this cylinder and a pipe by
which the air is led to a point whence it can enter the air chamber of the ram.
By the use of this air pump the air so supplied will prevent any deficiency of air
in the air chamber and will diminish the violence of the shock due to the working
of the ram.
As the air thus injected would soon displace the water therein to too low a level
in the air chamber, it is necessary to provide means for automatically regulating the
relative amounts of air and water within such chamber.

page_text: For this purpose the air chamber is provided at a suitable height with an air
cock that will allow excess of air to escape automatically when the water is depressed
to a certain level. This air cock may be placed about midway of the height of the
air chamber, and has a small orifice which allows the excess of air to escape, but
will only allow water to pass drop by drop. This cock serves to fix in a permanent
manner the level of the water in the air chamber, and to greatly increase the efficiency
of the ram, which can be worked at a very high pressure.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section; and
Fig. 2 a plan of a hydraulic ram constructed according to this invention.
1, is an air chamber having near its lower end a lateral discharge branch 2, for
connection with an ascension pipe; a pipe 3 provided with a loaded safety valve;
and a tap for letting off the water from the air chamber when it is desired to remove
the same from the pressure pipe. The air chamber is as shown a vertical cylinder
having a dome shaped top, and is, at the bottom provided with a flange 6 for bolting
to a similar flange 7 on the pressure pipe 8. The air chamber is provided at the
top with an air escape cock 9 and at a suitable point in its side with an air cock 10
for automatically regulating the height of the water level within the chamber as
hereinbefore mentioned. This cock has a small bore through which water can only
pass drop by drop, but through which compressed air will more readily flow.
To the pressure pipe 8 is secured an air pump for the purpose hereinbefore
mentioned. This pump comprises a vertical tube 11 constituting an air pump
cylinder the lower end of which communicates with the pressure pipe through a
small orifice 12. At its upper end this air pump tube is provided with a non-return
air valve 13 that controls the communication between the tube and one end of a
pipe 14, the other end of which passes through a stuffing box 15 into the pressure
pipe 8, and terminates immediately below the air chamber where it is provided with
a non-return valve 16 to prevent entrance of liquid to the pipe. The air pump
tube 11 is also provided near the top with a vacuum valve 17 that will permit air
to enter the tube but will not allow the same to flow back past it.
The pressure
pipe is also provided at a point below and near its junction with the air chamber,
with a hinged or flap valve 18 having an inclined scat 18 that may be made
separate from and be secured to the pressure pipe. This valve 18 forms a foot
valve to the air chamber into which it opens upwards, and it is immediately below
this valve that the air pipe 14 terminates.
This
The pressure pipe has secured to it an escape pipe 19 formed with an annular
valve seat 20 and with lateral escape openings 21. This escape pipe is fitted with an
escape valve 22 that is raised, so as to close the escape pipe by the momentum of
the water escaping through the escape pipe 19 from the pressure pipe 8.
escape valve, which may be of the mushroom type has a stem 23 provided with an
adjustable nut or stop 24 and is arranged to work through an externally screw
threaded boss or guide 25. This boss or guide is screw threaded externally and is fitted
with an adjustable nut 26 upon which the nut or stop 24 on the valve stem rests
when the valve is in its lowest position. The arrangement as will be readily seen
is such that the stroke of the escape valve can be regulated to suit requirements and
control the action of the ram.
The working of the hydraulic ram is as follows:-When not in action the escape
valve 22 is open, and the foot valve 17 closed. Water flowing into the pressure
pipe 8 will at first escape freely past the escape valve and will by its momentum
raise this valve and close the escape pipe in the manner usual in hydraulic rams.
The water, will then by its energy or momentum open the foot valve 18, and rush
into the air chamber compressing the air therein and flowing through the discharge
pipe 2, in the usual manner, the return of the water from the air vessel when its
energy is exhausted, being prevented by the closing of the foot valve. The air
compressed within the air chamber then reacts to force a further quantity of air
through the discharge pipe. The escape valve will then fall by gravity and again
open the escape pipe when the above described operations will be repeated.

page_text: The air pump works automatically as follows:-At each stoppage of the flow of
water through the pipe 19 by the closing of the escape valve 22, water under pressure
will enter the air pump tube 11 and force the air therein past the non-return valve 13
and into the pipe 14 above it, whence it will be discharged below the foot valve 18
and into the air chamber 1, when this valve is opened.
Simultaneously with the opening of the escape valve 22, the water will fall in
the air pump cylinder 11 and will be replaced by atmospheric air which enters by
the vacuum valve 17, these operations taking place at each closing and opening of the
escape valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a hydraulic ram, causing air to be admitted to the air chamber by an air
pump worked automatically by the water admitted to the pressure or supply pipe
of the ram substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a hydraulic rain, an air pump comprising a cylinder in communication with
the water pressure or supply pipe of the ram and provided with two non-return
valves, one for admitting atmospheric air to the pump cylinder and another for
controlling the communication between the pump cylinder and a pipe by which air
forced from the pump cylinder by water forced therein, is led to a point whence it
can enter the air chamber when the foot valve thereof is open substantially as
herein before described.
3. Providing the air chamber of a hydraulic ram, into which air is automatically
forced by an air pump as set forth, with an air cock or valve adapted to allow excess
of air to escape from the chamber when the water therein is depressed to a pre-
determined level substantially as hereinabove described for the purpose specified.
4. A hydraulic ram, having an adjustable escape valve constructed substantially
as described and shown.
5. The improved hydraulic ram herein before described and shown in the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 28th day of February 1891.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.