As water, and that of a good quality, and in abundant quantity, is
indispensable to the various demands of the farm, it is worth some pains
to provide it in the most economical manner, and at the most convenient
points for use. In level grounds, wells are generally dug, and the water
drawn up by buckets or pumps. In a hilly country, springs, and streams
from higher grounds, may be brought in by the aid of pipes, the water
flowing naturally, under its own head, wherever it may be wanted, away
from its natural stream.
[Illustration: WATER RAM.]
But, of all contrivances to elevate water from a _lower_ fountain, or
current, to a _higher_ level, by its _own action_, the Water Ram is the
most complete in its operation, and perfect in its construction, of
anything within our knowledge. And as it may not be generally known to
our readers, at our request, Messrs. A. B. ALLEN & CO., of New York--who
keep them of all sizes for sale, at their agricultural warehouse, No's.
189 and 191, Water-street--have kindly furnished us with the following
description of the machine, given by W. & B. Douglass, of Middletown,
Connecticut, manufacturers of the article:
"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. J, the plank or other foundation to
which the machine is secured for use.
"The various uses of the ram are at once obvious, viz., for the
purposes of irrigating lands, and supplying dwellings, barnyards,
gardens, factories, villages, engines, railroad stations, &c., with
running water.
"The simplicity of the operation of this machine, together with its
effectiveness, and very apparent durability, renders it decidedly
the most important and valuable apparatus yet developed in
hydraulics, for forcing a portion of a running stream of water to
any elevation, proportionate to the fall obtained. It is perfectly
applicable where no more than eighteen inches fall can be had; yet,
the greater the fall applied, the more powerful the operation of the
machine, and the higher the water may be conveyed. The relative
proportions between the water raised, and wasted, is dependent
entirely upon the relative height of the spring or source of supply
above the ram, and the elevation to which it is required to be
raised. The quantity raised varying in proportion to the height to
which it is conveyed, with a given fall; also, the distance which
the water has to be conveyed, and consequent length of pipe, has
some bearing on the quantity of water raised and discharged by the
ram; as, the longer the pipe through which the water has to be
forced by the machine, the greater the friction to be overcome, and
the more the power consumed in the operation; yet, it is common to
apply the ram for conveying the water distances of one and two
hundred rods, and up elevations of one and two hundred feet. Ten
feet fall from the spring, or brook, to the ram, is abundantly
sufficient for forcing up the water to any elevation under say one
hundred and fifty feet in height, above the level of the point where
the ram is located; and the same ten feet fall will raise the water
to a much higher point than above last named, although in a
_diminished_ quantity, in proportion as the height is increased.
When a sufficient quantity of water is raised with a given fall,
it is not advisable to increase said fall, as in so doing the force
with which the ram works is increased, and the amount of labor which
it has to perform greatly augmented, the wear and tear of the
machine proportionably increased, and the durability of the same
lessened; so that economy, in the expense of keeping the ram in
repair, would dictate that no greater fall should be applied, for
propelling the ram, than is sufficient to raise a requisite supply
of water to the place of use. 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 his premises, we would
say, that in conveying it any ordinary distance, of say fifty or
sixty rods, it may be 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 which is applied to the ram, or
one-fourteenth part can be raised and discharged, say ten times as
high as the fall applied; 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 drawn from the spring, one may be
raised twenty-five feet, or half a gallon fifty feet. Or with ten
feet fall applied to the machine, of every fourteen gallons drawn
from the spring, one gallon may be raised to the height of one
hundred feet above the machine; and so in like proportion, as the
fall or rise is increased or diminished.
"It is presumed that the above illustrations of what the machine
will do under certain heads and rise, will be sufficient for all
practical purposes, to enable purchasers of the article to
determine, with a sufficient degree of nicety, as to the head or
fall to apply to the ram for a given rise and distance, which they
may wish to overcome in raising water from springs or brooks to
their premises, or other places where water is required. Yet, we
have the pleasure of copying the following article, which we find in
the 'American Agriculturist,' a very valuable journal published by
C. M. Saxton, 152 Fulton-street, New York, which may serve to
corroborate our statements as to what our ram will accomplish under
given circumstances:
"'The following is a correct statement of a water ram I have had in
successful operation for the last six months:
"'1. The fall from the surface of the water in the spring is four
feet. 2. The quantity of water delivered per ten minutes, at my
house, is three and a quarter gallons, and that discharged at the
ram twenty-five gallons. Thus, nearly one-seventh part of the water
is saved. 3. The perpendicular height of the place of delivery above
the ram is nineteen feet--say fifteen feet above the surface of the
spring. 4. The length of the pipe leading from the ram to the house
is one hundred and ninety feet. 5. The pipe leading from the ram to
the house has three right angles, rounded by curves. 6. The ram is
of Douglass' make, of a small size. 7. The length of the drive or
supply-pipe is sixty feet. Its inner diameter one inch. 8. The depth
of water in the spring, over the drive pipe, is six inches. 9. The
inner diameter of the pipe, conducting the water from the ram to the
house, is three-eighths of an inch.
"'I consider it very essential that the drive or supply-pipe should
be laid as straight as possible, as in the motion of the water in
this pipe consists the power of the ram.