Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - The Patent for the Penarth Slipway - 1881 . . .

The great objection to this systems is the delay and labour incurred by the removal of the links, and it was to obviate this that the Authors designed the form of hydraulic gear shown in Plate 7, Figs. 15 and 16, which has been successfully at work in several slipways since the year 1874.

◊ Slipways for Repairing Ships - Plate 7 - Figs. 15 and 16.

In place of working the press directly from the pumps, a small accumulator is introduced for the purpose of accumulating water pumped during the act of reversing the rams, and as the water-pressure is constant a set of treble-powered cylinders, or a cylinder with two or more concentric rams, is used for giving the variable power. A crosshead is actuated by the rams, and is connected to a second tail-crosshead by two forged bars. From this tail-crosshead a double set of links,shown in Plate 5, Figs. 5 and 6, extends nearly to the end of the ways, resting on wings cast on the centre rails, and being guided thereby.

◊ Slipways for Repairing Ships - Plate 5 - Figs. 5 and 6.

To the crosshead is attached a ram working in a cylinder always open to the water-pressure. The action is as follows : -