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US 4,484,638 AGranted
Liquid inertia tool
OwnerJoe E. Westinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a liquid inertia tool in which the kinetic energy of flowing liquid is converted to useful work by decelerating the liquid flow and directing the inertia force in the water against a movable element in the liquid flowcontaining structure which in turn moves against a work piece. Flow deceleration is achieved by an orifice-effect valve. The valve is reset for flow resumption or acceleration by automatically or selectively applying hydraulic pressure to a reset mechanism. Use of the inertia tool in pile driving and punch press applications is disclosed.
Claims39
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable in the direction in which the pile is to be driven;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said pile;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube said piston having an inner face facing into said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube radially outward away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- a pile driving tool connected to the outer end of said piston;
- said pile driver being adapted for underwater employment, said means for introducing liquid into said ram tube comprising at least one water inlet adjacent the remote end of the ram tube for admitting water from the surrounding body of water, and said liquid diverter means exhausting to said surrounding body of water;
- pump means adjacent said water inlet for forcing water through said ram tube;
- means for supporting said pile driver over a piling to be driven;
- and
- said pump means comprising a venturi throat formed at the inlet of said ram tube and induction nozzle means positioned in said throat.
10 more elements
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable in the direction in which the pile is to be driven;
- means for positioning said ram tube over the pile to be driven;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said said pile;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube said piston having an inner face facing into said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube radially outward away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- and a pile driving tool connected to the outer end of said piston said tool having an outer surface adapted for gap-free contact with said pile.
6 more elements
A pile driver adapted for underwater employment comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable in the direction in which the pile is to be driven;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said pile;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube said piston having an inner face facing into said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube radially outward away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- a pile driving tool connected to the outer end of said piston;
- said means for introducing liquid into said ram tube comprising at least one water inlet adjacent the remote end of the ram tube for admitting water from the surrounding body of water;
- said liquid diverter means exhausting to said surrounding body of water;
- pump means adjacent said water inlet for forcing water through said ram tube;
- and means for supporting said pile driver over a piling to be driven.
9 more elements
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable in the direction in which the pile is to be driven;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said pile;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube said piston having an inner face facing into said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube radially outward away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- a pile driving tool connected to the outer end of said piston;
- said valve resetting means comprising a hydraulic valve opening piston operatively connected to said valve means and liquid pressure conducting means extending from a point adjacent the remote end of said ram tube to a face of said piston for applying valve opening pressure thereto.
6 more elements
A tool for deriving a translational force from a body of decelerating liquid comprising:
- a ram tube orientable in alignment with the desired direction of development of said force;
- means for introducing liquid into one end of said ram tube for flow therethrough;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube reaches a selected velocity to thereby decelerate it and thus force said piston outwardly of said ram tube;
- and hydraulic means including a static liquid pressure conduit extending substantially from said one end of the ram tube to said valve means for normally urging said valve means toward unblocking condition.
4 more elements
A punch press comprising:
- an anvil having an escape bore therein for holding the work to be punched;
- a ram tube mounted adjacent said anvil and aligned therewith;
- a frame for holding said ram tube;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said anvil;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- and a punch mounted on the outer end of said piston and aligned with the escape bore in said anvil.
7 more elements
A punch press comprising:
- an anvil having an escape bore therein for holding the work to be punched;
- a ram tube mounted adjacent said anvil and aligned therewith;
- a frame for holding said ram tube;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said anvil;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- a punch mounted on the outer end of said piston and aligned with the escape bore in said anvil;
- and second liquid diverter means in said ram tube in the portion thereof occupied by said piston when it is in its retracted position, for limiting the outward stroke of said piston.
8 more elements
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable to drive a pile generally downwardly;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the upper end thereof;
- cylinder means connected to the lower end of said ram tube in axial alignment therewith and comprising an extension thereof;
- a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder means;
- a pile driving tool connected to the lower end of said piston;
- and means for decelerating liquid flowing downwardly in said ram tube from time to time, to thereby apply inertia forces to the upper face of said piston for driving it downwardly in said cylinder means;
- the cross sectional areas of said ram tube and said piston being substantially equal, thereby substantially eliminating reactive forces tending to lift said pile driver from the pile upon operation of said deceleration means.
4 more elements
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable to drive a pile generally downwardly;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the upper end thereof;
- cylinder means connected to the lower end of said ram tube in axial alignment therewith and comprising an extension thereof;
- a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder means;
- a pile driving tool connected to the lower end of said piston;
- and means for decelerating liquid flowing downwardly in said ram tube from time to time, to thereby apply inertia forces to the upper face of said piston for driving it downwardly in said cylinder means;
- the cross sectional area of said ram tube being smaller than the cross sectional area of said piston, and the weight of said pile driver being at least substantially equal to the weight of the liquid in said ram tube, whereby the effective ram weight of the pile driver substantially equals the sum of its weight and the weight of the liquid in the ram tube.
4 more elements
A tool for deriving a translational force from a body of decelerating liquid comprising:
- a ram tube orientable in alignment with the desired direction of development of said force;
- means for introducing liquid into one end of said ram tube for flow therethrough;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube reaches a selected velocity to thereby decelerate it and thus force said piston outwardly of said ram tube;
- and hydraulic means for normally urging said valve means toward unblocking condition.
4 more elements
A pile driver comprising:
- a liquid ram tube orientable in the direction in which the pile is to be driven;
- means for introducing liquid into said ram tube adjacent the end thereof remote from said pile;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube said piston having an inner face facing into said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and to said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube attains a selected velocity;
- means for resetting said valve means to unblocking condition;
- and a pile driving tool connected to the outer end of said piston;
- said valve means comprising:
- a valve housing;
- a main bore in one end of said housing;
- at least one force transmitting bore in the other end of said housing communicating with said main bore;
- at least one generally transverse diverter bore in said housing communicating at its inner end with said central bore intermediate the ends thereof;
- and a stem valve assembly mounted in said central bore comprising:
- a stem;
- a valve body carried on said stem and seatable against the bottom of said main bore;
- valve closing means carried on said stem at one end thereof and reciprocable therewith in said main bore;
- a valve opening piston mounted on said stem at the other end thereof, said piston being reciprocable in said central bore;
- and means for delivering hydraulic pressure to the end face of said piston.
16 more elements
A tool for deriving a translational force from a body of decelerating liquid comprising:
- a ram tube orientable in alignment with the desired direction of development of said force;
- means for introducing liquid into one end of said ram tube for flow therethrough;
- a piston slidably mounted in the other end of said ram tube;
- piston return means connected to said piston and said ram tube for urging said piston into said ram tube;
- liquid diverter means in said ram tube adjacent said piston for diverting liquid moving through said tube away from the inner face of said piston;
- valve means in said ram tube for blocking said liquid diverter means when liquid flowing through said ram tube reaches a selected velocity to thereby decelerate it and thus force said piston outwardly of said ram tube;
- hydraulic means for normally urging said valve means toward unblocking condition;
- said valve means comprising:
- a valve housing;
- a main bore in one end of said housing;
- at least one force transmitting bore in the other end of said housing communicating with said main bore;
- a central bore in said housing communicating at one end thereof with said main bore;
- at least one generally transverse diverter bore in said housing communicating at its inner end with said central bore intermediate the ends thereof;
- and a stem valve assembly mounted in said central bore comprising:
- a stem;
- a valve body carried on said stem and seatable against the bottom of said main bore;
- valve closing means carried on said stem at one end thereof and reciprocable therewith in said main bore;
- a valve opening piston mounted on said stem at the other end thereof, said piston being reciprocable in said central bore;
- and means for delivering hydraulic pressure to the end face of said piston.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.