108 Year Old Hydraulic Cider Press Help

[r8f1k]

OK, think I have it sorted. The gland ring on top of the cylinder was skewed. A friend of mine, who was educated in fluid controls, suggested that I gauge the gland packing ring. He noticed that there was a slight pitch on the ring. We loosened the ring a couple flats and the cylinder began to drop. It was binding just a little bit and preventing the cylinder from going up smooth and down at all. Now it does what it is supposed to do.....

10-4 on the galvanized pipes.....

The remaining issue is as follows: I need to acquire a single acting spool to get the system functioning the way it is supposed to. Currently, it will not go down unless you turn the pump off and then move the handle the other way. Any one recommend a spool?

 

[aczlan]

OK, think I have it sorted. The gland ring on top of the cylinder was skewed. A friend of mine, who was educated in fluid controls, suggested that I gauge the gland packing ring. He noticed that there was a slight pitch on the ring. We loosened the ring a couple flats and the cylinder began to drop. It was binding just a little bit and preventing the cylinder from going up smooth and down at all. Now it does what it is supposed to do.....

10-4 on the galvanized pipes.....

The remaining issue is as follows: I need to acquire a single acting spool to get the system functioning the way it is supposed to. Currently, it will not go down unless you turn the pump off and then move the handle the other way. Any one recommend a spool?

Do you have a better picture of the spool valve? I'm curious how it is plumbed.

If it is a valve that is intended for a two way cylinder, you could put a tee in your return to tank line and connect the output side of the valve and the second line from the valve to the T.
Or, you can just plug the second side of the valve and let it sit against the relief until the cylinder drops all the way.
Alternatively, if you have a float position on the valve, you can just put it into float position and it will let the cylinder retract all the way.

Aaron Z

 

[Fallon]

R8
Do not use galvanized pipe fitting on hydraulic systems. Over time The oil and possibly oil velocity will cause the galvanized coating to flake off contaminating your system

Also, plumbing fittings are only rated to 300psi tops. May or may not be relevant if its only on the low pressure return circuit. They will often hold on older machines that are lower pressure than modern ones, but can fail catastrophically down the road.

 

[r8f1k]

So, here is the other issue. Given that this machine was originally meant to run off of much smaller pressures than that of todays pumps, I was thinking of putting a relief valve rated for 500 - 1500 PSI. I don't want to put too much strain on a cylinder that is 100 years old and then possibly damage it. I would set the relief valve at 500 PSI to give an output of 19.6 TONS. I think that will be enough to make cider.

I will refit the pipe with proper hoses and fittings, not looking for problems down the road.

I did "Tee" the other work port back to tank, but it won't go down unless the pump is off. I will try to switch the work ports and see what happens.....

Thoughts....?

 

[oldnslo]

R8,
During operation does this squeeze and hold for a period of time or just squeeze and release?

Reason for asking if squeeze and hold a spool valve will leak allowing the clamp to decay over time. For squeeze and hold you may want to look at a lift check dump system where you use the pump to squeeze, shut the pump off to hold for awhile them operate the lower valve with pump still off.

glad you found the binding issue on the gland.

 

[aczlan]

R8,
During operation does this squeeze and hold for a period of time or just squeeze and release?
Reason for asking if squeeze and hold a spool valve will leak allowing the clamp to decay over time. For squeeze and hold you may want to look at a lift check dump system where you use the pump to squeeze, shut the pump off to hold for awhile them operate the lower valve with pump still off.
glad you found the binding issue on the gland.

If its like the cider presses I have used, you press and hold for a few minutes (5-10?), then release it, so leak down shouldn't be an issue.

Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

So, here is the other issue. Given that this machine was originally meant to run off of much smaller pressures than that of todays pumps, I was thinking of putting a relief valve rated for 500 - 1500 PSI. I don't want to put too much strain on a cylinder that is 100 years old and then possibly damage it. I would set the relief valve at 500 PSI to give an output of 19.6 TONS. I think that will be enough to make cider.

I will refit the pipe with proper hoses and fittings, not looking for problems down the road.

I did "Tee" the other work port back to tank, but it won't go down unless the pump is off. I will try to switch the work ports and see what happens.....

Thoughts....?

Looking further (now that I am on my computer and can see all of your pictures), I am guessing that the pressure/flow of the fluid from the pump bypassing the relief (or running through the tee) and then through the filter is creating enough back pressure that it wont let the cylinder go down on its own (much like 100 td said).
The disadvantage to such a big cylinder is that it takes more force to push the fluid out of the cylinder and into the tank, if 500PSI gives you ~20 tons, 20 PSI (a normal back pressure from running through a filter) will give you almost 1600 pounds of force from the ram.

Aaron Z

 

[oldnslo]

R8
Do you have a second return port available in your reservoir?

For this press to operate you will have to separate the pump return flow from the cylinder return flow.

 

[r8f1k]

I now have the spool "tee'ed" into the tank from one of the work ports. It now works up and down. I still want to slow the cylinder down, but the flow control valve i have bought, doesn't seem to so anything. I have reversed it and it will slow down the cylinder as it descends, but not as it goes up. Thoughts?

 

[100 td]

Feather the valve, or do it proper and match the pump to the required flow. Calculate what speed you want the piston to move, calculate required flow rate, slow pump to that flow rate. What is the valve specification?