Early Uses of Hydraulic Cylinders

Fluid power equipment ranks among modern humanity’s oldest technological advancements. However, engineers have applied it in highly productive ways only during the last two hundred years. Advancements in alloys and machining, combined with a deeper understanding of mechanics and engineering, have driven these precise developments.

The Hydraulic Press: First Practical Applications in the 1800s

Engineers first applied hydraulic cylinders practically in the 1800s with the hydraulic press. People used presses for various applications. Most often, workers placed dies under the press and formed or cut metal over them to create precise shapes. Before this innovation, craftsmen cut and formed metal by hand, which required far more effort and time than the power and ease that hydraulic cylinders provided. After manufacturers utilized hydraulic cylinders, metal fabrication advanced at an unprecedented pace.

By the mid 1800’s the use of hydraulic cylinders for lifting on cranes was developed. A hydraulic cylinder was connected to a series of sheaves to multiply the movement of rope or chain for lifting. What was previously accomplished by hand, could now be done much safer and efficiently. Early cranes could lift up to five tons and hold it safely overhead, which made loading goods on ships and trains for commerce much faster.

Accumulator Tanks: Enabling Reliable High-Pressure Systems

Engineers still relied on water during this period to generate force inside the hydraulic cylinders. However, city water supplies frequently proved unreliable, delivering fluctuating pressures of only about 90 psi. In response, innovators developed accumulator tanks, which delivered far greater and more consistent pressure—up to 700 psi. Consequently, this breakthrough rapidly expanded hydraulic cylinder applications and provided greater flexibility for installations.

Engineers and builders widely adopted hydraulic systems, making installations for hoisting goods in factories and powering elevators commonplace. The introduction of accumulator tanks, pulleys, and sheaves enabled installers to mount hydraulic cylinders on the sides of buildings. By combining these cylinders with ropes and chains, workers brought the forces inside the building efficiently, eliminating the bulk and noise of heavy equipment. With the hydraulic crane and elevator, architects and builders faced no limit on how high they could construct buildings.

Other industries and professions started to utilize this newfound technology. Textiles began using balers for cotton and wool presses. The military began using hydraulic cylinders to control large cannons on ships and on land. Farmers began automating machinery in the production of food. By the mid 1900’s hydraulic cylinders had come down in size and weight, and could be put on mobile platforms, opening up the use of hydraulic cylinders to most every industry imaginable.