Hydraulic Power

basics

Pascals Law
Pressure exerted at any point on a confined liquid is transmitted

undiminished in all directions.

Hydraulic Terms
Hydraulic Pneumatic Piston Stroke Shaft Check valve PSI Spool valve

Pump Hydraulic motor

Seal Singleacting

Rockshaft Doubleacting

Cylinder Input / Output

Hydraulic
Tool or equipment powered by the movement of fluid under pressure. Examples are brakes,

Pneumatic
Tool or equipment powered or supported by the movement of compressed air.

Pounds per Square Inch determines amount of force

PSI

Gallons per Minute

determines speed of action

GPM

Basic principle

Pressure applied to piston A is transferred equally to a piston of the same size B because PSI is the same throughout the system.

hydraulic advantage

If the surface area of piston B is 10 times the surface area of piston A, then the force applied to piston A is multiplied 10 times as the force exerted on piston B. PSI is equal throughout the system.

Input / Output
Force input on a hydraulic system or component results in transfer of power to output of force by the system or component.

Pump
Functions in a hydraulic system by pressurizing and moving fluid from one part of the system to another.

Hydraulic pumps are usually one of four types:

PISTON GEAR VANE INTERNAL ROTOR

Piston Pumps
Work well at PSIs of 2000 or more Single piston pump used in bottle jacks Require several pistons working together to generate enough volume for tractor applications Necessarily involve many moving parts

Gear Pumps
Work well at 1500 PSI and below Work with a minimum of moving parts Less expensive to manufacture than piston type pumps

Gear Pump

driven gear

idler gear

Hydraulic Motor Receives power from moving fluid to transfer hydraulic power to mechanical

Cylinder
Piece of equipment that transfers hydraulic power into mechanical movement in one or two directions only.

Hydraulic Cylinder

Single-acting
Refers to a hydraulic cylinder that works in one direction only.

Double-acting
Refers to a hydraulic cylinder that pushes and pulls.

Single-acting cylinder

Double-acting Cylinder

Piston
Internal component of a hydraulic cylinder that is moved in a linear motion by the action of fluid introduced into the cylinder.

Shaft
The polished round bar that is extended from and retracted into a hydraulic cylinder.

Stroke
The length of movement that a hydraulic cylinder is capable of producing.

Seal
Found in hydraulic components; function is to keep fluid from leaking between moving and nonmoving parts

Check Valve
Restricts flow of fluid to only one direction; allows pressure to build up or be maintained.

Spool Valve
Controls direction of flow of fluid in a hydraulic system to cause the different parts of the system to function.

The first hydraulic power lift for a tractor was introduced in 1935 by John Deere. This unit only had two positions, up and down, but the hydraulic action cushioned the lowering of the implement.

Rockshaft
Rotating shaft on a modern tractor powered by an internal hydraulic cylinder; used to transfer power to the implement lift.