US580154A - Hydraulic lift - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shea?. 1.

M. C. BULLOGK. HYDRAULIC LIFT.

No. 580,154. Patented Apr. 6, 18

Y 1567/6 mim?? MMM f-ma7m. fm@ f @www www i hg if@ (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. 0. BULLOCK.

HYDRAULIC LIFT.

No. 580,154. Patentd Apr. 6,. 1897'.

o. wmauwa. vusnemmow.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILAN C. BULLOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDRAULIC LIFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,154, dated April 6, 1897'.

Application filed August 15, 1895.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILAN C. BULLocK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Lifts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for lifting or the like of that kind in which a cylinder containing a piston is employed as a means of applying the actuating power, and more particularly to a novel form of such device in which pressure is directly applied to the piston by means 0f water and pressure is transmitted to the water through the medium of compressed air.

A device embodying my invention is more particularly adapted for use in machine-shops and foundries for handling heavy pieces of metal, but it is equally adapted for hoisting wherever a portable apparatus for such purpose is needed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a view in central axial section of a lifting apparatus embodying an approved form of my invention. Fig. 2 is an external side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sections illustrating changed positions of the valve thereof. Fig. Gis a detail section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a detail section illustrating a more simple form of my apparatus embodying the main features of my invention.

As shown in said drawings, Figs. l to 6, A indicates a water-cylinder which is closed at its upper and lower ends and contains a pis- Yton B, attached to a piston-rod C, which latter extends through a stuffing-box A in the lower head of the cylinder and is provided at its lower end with a hook c or other means of attachment to the load to be lifted.

D indicates a closed water and air chamber which is attached to the cylinder A and in this instance is of annular form and surrounds the cylinder A, the same being formed by an annular external wall cast integral with the cylinder-wall and joined to the same at its bottom. The cylinder and chamber are Serial No. 559,354. (No model.)

closed by a common head E, which is shown as provided with a strong eye e, by which the apparatus may be supported from an overhanging support. The tank D is connected at its bottom with the cylinder A by passages d and cl3 and an intervening valve through which water contained in the tank may pass to the lower end of the cylinder beneath the piston therein.

F indicates an air-supply pipe through the y medium of which air under pressure may be supplied to the tank D above the water therein, the intent being that the air-pressure acting on the top of the water in the chamber will force the same therefrom into the cylinder beneath the piston, and thus lift the latter with the load attached to the piston-rod. The said air-pipe F will be connected with any suitable source of air-supply, such as an air-pump operated by a suitable motor.

The chamber D is provided with an air passage or port d2, through which air may enter the chamber or may be allowed to escape to permit water to flow from the cylinder backwardly into the chamber, and thus allow the descent of the piston. In connection with the air-supply pipe will be provided a suitable valve, herein shown in the form of a rotating plu g-valve, by which air may be admitted to and be allowed to escape from the chamber, as desired. The cylinder A is provided at its top with an exhaust-port a for the air which must necessarily escape when the piston rises. tween the chamber and cylinder with a valve H, herein shown as having the form of a rotating plug-valve, by means of which the passage of water backward from the cylinder to the chamber D may be cut off, thereby locking the piston and the load from descending when the valve is closed, it being obvious that any descent of the piston will be impossible except when the valve is open.

The valves G and H illustrated are of special form, and they are actuated by a single actuating device, so that both may be moved together in the operation of the apparatus. These valves, as shown in the drawings, are constructed as follows: First referring to the valve G, the same is constructed to control not only the passage of air from the air-supply pipe F to t-he chamber D and its exit from l also provide the passage bel IOO said chamber, but to also control the exhaust [F to the top of the cylinder, while the air air-passage a, and for this purpose the same is made as follows: Said valve, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6, is located within a cylindric casing E', formed on the top of the casing E and closed at its outer end by means of a gland E2, between which and the end of the valve-plug G is located a suitable packing e to prevent the escape of air from the valve. The plug is provided with a valve-stem g, which extends outwardly through the packing e and gland E2 and has connected with it an actuating-lever G, preferably extended to form a handle by which it may be actuated.

In the plug G is an axial passage y', connecting with a transverse passage g2, which is arranged in the same plane with the airexit opening a of the cylinder and the port cl2 of the chamber and is adapted for communication with said exit-opening and port when the plug is turned to the proper positions for this purpose. The passage g' extends to the inner end of the plug, and the casing E2 at such inner end of the plug has an exit-opening e to allow the escape of air. It follows from this construction that when the plug is turned to bring the radial passage g2 opposite the port a the top of the cylinder will be brought into communication with the outer air, as seen in Figs. 1 and 6. The said passage g2 is also adapted to establish communication of the chamber with the open air through the port d2 when the plug is turned into the proper position for this purpose, as seen in Fig. 5. The valve-plug G is also provided with a groove g3, extending part way around the same and adapted to form a passage for air from the air-pipe F to the port d2 or to the port a, as desired.

The operation of the valve G thus made is as follows: When it is desired to lift the load, the piston B being at the bottom or lower part of the cylinder A, the valve is turned to bring the passage g2 opposite the port a, at which time the grooves g3 will be in communication with the passage cl2, as clearly seen in Fig. l. Air will now pass from the supply-pipeF to the chamber D and will act to force the water therefrom into the cylinder Abeneath the piston thereof, and thus raise said piston. As the piston rises air in the upper part of the cylinder Awill escape therefrom through the port d and passage g2 of the valve-plug. The load having been lifted to a desired point, if it now be desired to stop the influx of air the plug G is turned to bring the passage g2 opposite that part of the valvecasing between the ports a and d2, at which time both of said ports will be covered or closed by the parts of the plug at either side of said radial passage, as clearly seen in Fig. 4. If it now be desired to lower the load, the plug G is further turned, so as to bring the passage g2 opposite the port d2 and to bring the groove g3 in communication with the port a. In this position of the plug, as seen in Fig.

within the chamber D will escape therefrom through the port d2 and passage g2 to the outer air, the water being forced out of the cylinder A and into the chamber D as the air escapes from said chamber. The piston will of course descend under the action of the load by merely permitting the escape of air from the chamber without air-pressure above the piston, but its movement is hastened by admitting air-pressure to the top of the piston. To .now refer to the lower or locking valve H, the same consists of a plug which is provided with a transverse passage partially around the circumference of the same and 'into which the passage h extends. Said valve-plug is mounted in a cylindric seat formed in the metal of the cylinder, and the passage d leads from the chamber D to the valve-seat, and the other passage d leads from said seat into the bottom of the cylinder. The valve is placed in position to permit the passage of Water from the chamber to the cylinder by so turning it that the end of the passage h is opposite the passage d, while one end of the groove h communicates with the passage cl'. This position of the plug is shown in Fig. 1. If it be desired to cut off communication between the chamber and cylinder, so as to positively lock the piston from descending under the Weight of the load, the valve is turned to bring the end of the passage h between the passages d and d', at which time the surface of the plug at both sides of said passage' H will cover the passages cZ d', as seen in Fig. 4. If it be now desired to lower the load, the plug H is further turned, as seen in Fig. 5, to bring the passage h in connection with the passage d', at which time water may pass from the cylinder to the said chamber.

By the special construction described in the IIO two valve-plugs G and H they are adapted to be placed in position for proper coaction by an equal extent of angular movement, and in order that both may be actuated at the same time the lower plug H is provided with an actuating-lever H, which is connected with an actuating-lever G' by a connecting-rod I. By so connecting and constructing the valves the advantage is gained that both valves may be moved for controlling the action of the piston by actuating one movable part, such as the lever G. The simultaneous action 0f the two valves will be readily understood by inspection of Figs. l, 4, and 5, from which it will be seen that by turning both valves in the same direction from the position shown in Fig. l they will rst be brought into position for stopping the upward movement ofthe piston and locking it from further movement, and thereafter for permitting downward movement of the piston through the outward escape of air from the chamber D and the backward iiow of water from said cylinder to the 5, air under pressure will pass from the pipe chamber.

v pression engine. may be carried to the hoisting device through It will of course be understood that where the hoisting device is suspended from an elevated support or is for other reason inaccessible to the operator a suitable connection may be made by chains or otherwise for actuating the valves from the point at which the operator may be stationed. It will be understood, moreover, that in a machine-shop a number of such hoisting devices may be located at different points and branch airpipes maylead thereto from a common supply-pipe receiving air under pressure from an air-com- Moreover, the air-supply flexible pipe or hose, thus enabling the same to be moved or shifted from place to place as desired.

'While the special construction illustrated in Figs. l to G, as above described, has important advantages in point of cheapness and simplicity of construction and ease of manipulation and management, yet certain of the main parts or features of my invention may be embodied in other forms of apparatus embracing fewer parts than illustrated in said iigures. To illustrate what is here meant, I have shown in Fig. 7 a form of hoisting device much more simple than that shown in the other figures. In this instance acylinder A and chamber D are employed, which are Aarranged in the same manner as hereinbefore described and are closed by means of a single head E. In this instance a passage J is provided between the cylinder A and chamber D, which passage is without any valve, so that it is always open. Fin this case indicates an air-supply pipe which is connected with a valve-casing K, which casing is connected with the chamber D by a pipe k and is provided with an air-exit passage 7f3'. W'ithin the valve-casing is provided a plug L, having a transverse passage l, which is made of considerable width at the side of the plug ad jacent to the pipe k, so that the passage will always remain in communication with the pipe when the plug is turned or oscillated.

The small end of the passagel may, by the turning of the plug, be brought into connection with the pipe F or air-escape passage Za at will, so that by turning the plug air may either be delivered under pressure to the chamber D or may be allowed to escape therefrom. A yoke L', attached to the valve-plug L and provided with hanging ropes Z Z', offers a convenient means for turning or actuating the valve. To permit the escape of air from the upper end of the cylinder and its admission thereto, a small relief-passage Mis made in the cylinder-head E. The operation of this device is practically the same as that before described. In this instance, however, there is no locking-valve for holding the water Within the cylinder A, so that descent of the load when stationary is prevented solely by the air-pressure within the chamber, which latter is maintained by the closing of the airvalve L. In this instance, moreover, the descent of the load is permitted merely by the escape of air from the chamberD through the escape-passage 7c', and no air is forced into the top of the cylinder, air at such time entering through the ports m, so as to prevent formation of a vacuum in the upper end of the cylinder. This form of apparatus, while useful for many purposes, is not as advantageous as that shown in Figs. l to 6, for the reason that any slight leakage of air from the VchamberD will result in the gradual descent of the piston under the weight of the load as the air escapes.

Among the many important advantages gained by the employment of water-pressure as a means for directly actuating the piston of a lifting or power-applying device, together with air-pressure as a means for transmitting pressure to the water, is that the irregularity of action, due to the elastic character of air, is in such case largely eliminated, inasmuch as no movement of the load can take place without the passage of water from the chamber D to the cylinder A, or vice versa, thereby giving steadiness of movement in the starting and stopping of the parts and at all other times. A special advantage is gained by the use of a locking-valve between the wateroylinder and the chamber, for the reason that, water being incompressible and it being much easier to make valves water-tight than airtight, the piston may be positively locked by such valve at any point without liability of its descending by leakagepast the valves under a heavy load.

I claim as my inventionl. A portable hoisting apparatus, comprising a water-cylinder and a closed air-chamber, which are rigidly attached together, are connected by a water-passage at their lower ends, and are provided with a common supporting means, a piston in the cylinder provided with a piston-rod which protrudes through the lower head of the cylinder and is provided with load-attaching means, and an air-supply pipe connected with the top of the air-chamber, said air-chamber having an exhaust-passage opening from its top into the open air, and means for controlling the said air-supply pipe and exhaust-passage, substantially as described.

2. A portable hoisting apparatus, comprisin g a water-cylinder and a closed air-chamber, which are rigidly attached together, are connected by a water-passage at their lower ends and are provided with a common supporting means, a locking-valve in said passage connecting the cylinder and air-chamber, a piston in the cylinderprovided With a pistonrod which protrudes through the lower head of the cylinder and is provided with loadattaching means, and an air-supply pipe connected with the top of the air-chamber and provided with a controlling-valve; said airchamber having an exhaust-passage opening IOO IIO

from its top into the open air, and also provided witha controlling-valve, substantially as described.

3. A portable hoisting apparatus, comprisingawater-cylinder and a closed air-chamber which are rigidly attached together, are connected by a water-passage at their lower en ds, and are provided with a common supporting means, a locking-valve in said passage connecting the cylinder and air-chamber, a piston in the cylinder provided with a pistonrod which protrudes through the lower head of the cylinder and is provided with loadattaching means,an air-supply pipe connected with the top of the air-chamber; said airchamber having an exhaust-passage which opens from its upper end into the open air, and means for controlling said air-supply pipe and exhaust-passage having operative connection with said locking-valve, whereby all of said passages may be simultaneously opened or closed, substantially as described.

4. A portable hoisting apparatus comprisinga water-cylinder and a closed air-chamber, of annular form, which surrounds the said cylinder and is connected at its bottom with the bottom of said water-cylinder by a waterpassage, said cylinder and air-chamber being provided with common supporting means, a piston in the cylinder provided with a pistonrod which protrudes through the lower head of the cylinder and is provided with loadattaching means, and an air-supply pipe connected with the top of the air-chamber having an exhaust-passage opening from its top into the open air and also provided with a controlling-valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a cylinder provided with a piston and piston-rod, of a closed chamber communicating at its lower end with 4o the cylinder, a locking-valve in the pa'ssge between the chamber and cylinder, an sirsupply passage connected Wi'th the top of the chamber, an air-exit passage also communieating with the top of the chamber, ansi!"- exit port in the top of the cylinder, a single valve controlling the said air-supply and airexit passages and a connection between said valve last mentioned and said locking-valve by which both of said valves Vmay be moved 5o together, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a cylinder prvided with a piston and piston-rod, of an airchamber, a passage connecting the bottom of the air-chamber with one end of the cylinder, 55 a rotating plu g-valve for controlling saidpas'- sage, said plug-valve being provided with a transverse passage and a circumferential groove or recess communicating therewith, an air-supply pipe, air-exit passages leading from the top of the air-chamber and from the said cylinder, a plug-valve for controlling the said air-supply passage and exit-passages containing an axial passage leading radin. ly through the side of the plug and a circumferential groove in the same plane therewith and means connecting said valves with each other by which they may be moved together, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 19th day of June, A. D. 1895.

MILAN c. BUL'LOCK.

VVitness'es:

C. CLARENCE PooLE, ALBERT H. GRAVES.

Images