1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



209 



For the New England Farmer. 

 "W. & B. DOUGLAS'S HYDBAUIjIC RAM. 



For the purposes of Irrigating Lands, and Siipplyinf; Dwellings 

 Barn-yards, Garden", Factories, Villages, Engines, Railroad 

 Stations, &c., with Running Water. 



One of the first considerations in locating a 

 house or barn is to select a site that water — pure, 

 soft v/ater, may he supplied in abundance at lit- 

 tle cost. A commanding site — some dry hill, 

 from which one may look over the tops of his 

 neighbor's chimneys, proves an expensive place, 

 always, for water. In how many homes that are 

 elevated "the women folks" complain bitterly for 

 the want of plenty of water. How poor it does 

 make a man feel to be obliged to tackle up his 

 team and take the scow and draw home a couple 

 of barrels against washing-day. 



I saw a selection made of some building-lots 

 the past season that was most unfortunate. The 

 land was gravelly, and so elevated that the wells 

 must prove a heavy item in the cost of the home. 

 Then, too, after a deep well has been dug and 

 paid for, the pumping of the liberal quantity of 

 water which an establishment requires, is the 

 hardest work done on the farm. ' 



It will do for wealthy people to build on hills. 

 It is not economy for those who expect to earn 

 their living, to build on elevated situations. Oth- 

 er considerations, besides the facility of getting 

 •water, should prevent. 



But a great many people live in houses that 

 others have builded, and must continue by pump 

 or bucket, or some other way, to get their daily 

 supply. It is my wish to suggest to some of your 

 readers how they may have running water in their 

 houses and lands, at an expense, perhaps, within 

 the reach of all. 



It is very true that a large portion of the farms 

 of New England are destitute of springs and 

 small brooks. But many have them. I know 

 of hundreds where it is perfectly convenient to 

 obtain a supply of water to drive an hydraulic 

 ram. A v/ell may be dug deep in a moist place, 

 near the foot of a hill. This will drive a small 

 ram and deliver a portion of water wherever you 

 please. Then there are brooks very common. 

 The water is not so desirable as that of springs, 

 but still it will do for washing and for stock. 

 Wherever you can raise a dam on a brook of two 

 feet, there you may make a ram work to great 

 advantage. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE RAM. 



The cut at the head of this article gives a very 

 good representation of the hydraulic ram. The 

 air chamber in the centre is most prominent. 

 This can be readily detached by turning off four 

 screws. A valve is placed at the bottom of the 

 air chamber, not seen in the engraving. 



The valve enters the machine on the right. A 

 convenient arrangement for attaching the drive 

 pipe, and, also, the service pipe, is seen near the 

 bottom of the ram.. 



The "puppet valve" is on the left. It is at- 

 tached to the spindle, which rises and falls with 

 the working of the machine. 



HOW IT OPERATES. 



The ram has two valves. One is called (he 

 puppet valve. This is so nicely balanced that it 

 opens when the stream in the driving pipe is at 

 rest. x\s soon as the stream has acquired its full 

 velocity, the pressure on the valve, through which 

 the water passes, is just sufliicient to close it 

 again. Now it is plain that the stream suddenly 

 stopped in the driving pipe must press with great 

 force against the second valve placed at the bot- 

 tom of the air chamber. The valve opens, and 

 a portion of the compressed water in the driving 

 pipe is forced into the air chamber. The service 

 pipe connects at the bottom of the air chamber 

 and the elasticity of the air presses out a con- 

 tinuous stream. Here is the ram, with the pipes 

 attached and in operation. 



H, Spring or Brook ; C, Drive or Supply Pipe from Brook to 

 Ram ; G, Discharge Pipe conveying Water to House or other 

 point required for use ; B, D, A, E, I, the Ram ; .1, the Plank 

 or other foundation to which the Machine is secured for use. 



THE POWER OF THE RAM. 



To enable any person to make the calculation 

 as to what fall would be sufficient to apply to the 

 ram to raise a sufficient supply of water to hia 

 premises, for any ordinary distance of say oO or 

 60 rods, it may he safely calculated that about 

 one-seventh part of the water can be raised and 

 discharged at an elevation above the ram, five 

 times as high as the fall M'hich is applied to the 

 ram, or one-fourteenth part can be raised and 

 discharged, say ten times as high as the fall ap- 

 plied, and so in that proportion as the fall or rise 

 is varied. Thus if the ram be placed under a 

 head or fall of five feet, of every seven gallons 



