WATER. 



The firft and moft fimple hydraulic ram is fiiewn in fcc- 

 tion at ^^.4. (Plate Water-'worti) ; here CC reprefents 

 the main-pipe, or body of the ram, through which the ftream 

 of current water is condiifted ; D, the afcending-pipe pro- 

 vided with a valve of exit at A, to allow the paffage of the 

 water which is raifed, but to prevent its return ; B is a ftop- 

 valve to clofe the end of the maiji-pipe ; E is a balance- 

 weight fixed upon the lever G, which conrmunicates with 

 another, K, attached to the axis of the llop-valve B ; this 

 weight tends to open the valve at the proper time. The 

 main-pipe is to be fituated in a current or ftream of water, 

 either produced by the natural current or declivity of a 

 river or other ftream, or by penning up the water by a dam 

 or weir, and inferting the end of the main-pipe through the 

 dam, fo as to obtain the greateft fall of water which the 

 natural circumftances will admit of. To put the machine 

 in aftion, let the ftop-valve be opened to the pofition fhewn 

 in the figure, the water will run through the main-pipe C, 

 until it acquires a certain velocity which will be propor- 

 tioned to the height of the fall of water which produces 

 the current of water. The aftion of the current upon the 

 ftop-valve B, in its reclined pofition, will increafe until it is 

 fufficient to overcome the weight E, and then it will (hut 

 the itop-valve. The water being now fuddenly ftopped, 

 and confined in the pipe C, by its impetus or momentum, 

 will exert a confiderable force within the pipe, which will 

 open the other valve A, and a portion of the water will 

 rife up the afcending-pipe D. The force of the momentum 

 being expended in raifing this water, the water in the main- 

 pipe will immediately recover the equilibrium, and the 

 clofing of the valve A will prevent the return of the water 

 which is raifed in the afcending-pipe. The weight E now 

 defcends, and opens the ftop-valve B, and the water in the 

 main-pipe refumes its motion until its velocity is fufficient 

 to clofe the valve A again, and the operation of raifing the 

 water is again repeated. 



This water gradually rifes in the afcending-pipe until it 

 reaches its fummit, and then a quantity will iffue from it at 

 every ftroke into a proper refervoir R. The quantity will be 

 more or lefs, according as the height to which it is raifed, and 

 to the velocity of the current, and the fize of the apparatus. 

 In this defcription, we have taken no notice of the aftion of 

 the air-velTel J, at the bottom of the afcending-pipe D, al- 

 though its ufe is very important to the prafticability of the 

 contrivance ; for where the water is to be raifed to any con- 

 fiderable height, the pipes, although formed of the bell mate- 

 rials that can be procured, will be m danger of rupture from 

 the great concuflion of the water when fuddenly checked ; 

 hence the rifing of the water would be limited to the height 

 of a few teet, or the pipes muft be made of an extraordinary 

 thicknefs, difregarding expence. 



This danger of burfting the pipes is to be regarded in 

 every cafe of applying this invention to praftice ; but it 

 will be prevented, or very much diminiflied, by introducing 

 an air-veifel I. The water from the main-pipe enters at 

 every ftroke through the exit-valve A, and compreffes the 

 air in the vcfTel J, which again, by its expanfion or elafticity, 

 afts upon the water, (which is prevented from returning to 

 the pipe C by tlie ftiutting of the exit-valve,) and therefore 

 rifes through the afcending-pipe, and by repeated ftrokes 

 acquires the defired height. 



The dimt nfions of the air-veflcl, as well as its form and 

 pofition, and whether it is affixed to the main-pipe laterally 

 or above, are in a great meafure arbitrary ; but its contents 

 of air ought not to be much lefs than ten times the quantity 

 of water to be raifed through the afcending-pipe at each 



ftroke, and if very much larger ftill the better, the prin- 

 cipal boundary being expence. 



The regulation of the ftop-valve B, is a principal point 

 in the cGnftruftion of thefe machines. It may be opened 

 and fhut by the current, as has been defcribed, in a very 

 fimple manner, by adapting the valve to move upon an axle 

 or hinge, and affifting it to open at the proper time by a 

 weight attached to a lever fixed to its axis at the proper 

 angle. The valve (hould be prevented from opening to 

 fuch a degree, that the aftion of the current of water could 

 not (hut it. This muft be done by fome fixed refiftance be- 

 hind the valves, as (hewn at B,Jig. 3, or by any other con- 

 venient means. 



It is neceffary to adjuft the weight by experiment, fo as 

 to open the valve at the right time, according to circum- 

 ftances, which may be done either by Aiding the weight 

 nearer to, or farther from, the centre of motion, or by in- 

 creafing or diminilhing the weight itfelf. The inconve- 

 nience of this method is, that the weight being generally 

 under water, it is troublefome to adjuft it ; therefore the 

 mechanifm (hewn in Jig. 4. is better adapted to the ftop- 

 valve. The weight E is fitted upon a lever connefted with 

 a fpindle, to which another arm or lever G is alfo fixed, 

 and that is connefted by rod a, with the arm K fixed to the 

 valve. 



The rod may be prolonged to any neceffary length, and 

 the weight and its mechanifm may be always placed above 

 water, fo as to be eafily come at for adjultment. Valves 

 of this kind may be hinged either upon their lower or 

 upper edge, or upon one of the perpendicular fides as a 

 common door, as convenience requires, and the mechanifm 

 is connefted accordingly. 



When it is required to open the ftop-valve fo completely 

 that the current of water in the main-pipe cannot aft upon 

 it, to (hut it, a fmall ftream of water is led from the head, 

 which fupplies the main-pipe, or from fome other fource into 

 a pipe or trough, which is furnilhed with a cock to regulate 

 the quantity. This pipe or trough pours its water into the 

 bucket G, Jig. 5, which caufes the bucket to preponderate, 

 and by means of the lever ic, fixed to its axle, and the 

 rod cd attached to it, it (huts the ftop-valve B, by the con- 

 neftion of the lever de attached to it. The bucket then 

 empties its water, and the pendulous weight E, as foon as 

 the recoil of the water in the main-pipe takes place, prepon- 

 derating in its turn, opens the valve, and reftores the bucket 

 to its place. In this contrivance, by opening the cocks of 

 fupply more or lefs, and by adapting the capacity of the 

 buckets in proportion to the weight E, the number of llrokes 

 to be made in any given time is regulated. 



The ftop-valve may be conftrafted in a circular form, 

 and, inftead of being hinged upon one fide, may be fixed 

 upon a fpindle in its centre, which Aides in a focket, fimilar 

 to what are called button-valves ufed in pump-work, and at 

 the proper time is opened by mechanifm fimilar to the 

 former ; or, in place of the weight, a fpring itiay be em- 

 ployed. 



In conftrufting large machines, where the (hock, from 

 (hutting the ftop-valve, might endanger the derangement of 

 the machine, other kinds of ftop-valves will be preferable to 

 thofc before defcribed. 



A very good form of valve is that which opens in two 

 leaves, like the gates of a canal-lock. The loaves may (hut 

 one upon another in the middle, or may Ihut upon an up- 

 right bar placed thirc. Tb.ey are opened by the fame kind 

 of mechanifm as we liave defcribed before, only there muft 

 be two conne(fting-rods, one to each leaf of the valve ; and 



4 tbefe 



