Warner hydraulic ram (plus other rams and hydrostat).
Robert Warner & Co.
Hydraulic rams require no external source of power such as an engine or motor.
They operate due to the inertia of the water flowing towards them.
With a reasonably good head, a hydraulic ram can achieve an efficiency of some 12%.
They are used extensively in the developing world and can still be found operating in rural Britain.
The precursor of the ram was the pulsation engine of 1772 developed by John Whitehurst of Cheshire, but the first self-acting ram was invented by the Frenchman Joseph Mongolfier (of hot-air balloon fame) in 1796, with his friend Matthew Boulton taking out the British patent the same year on his behalf.
The designs and patents were bought out by Josiah Easton of Somerset in 1820.
In this summary lie the names of two of the key people who developed British engineering in the 19th century.
The example on display was installed at Tedstone Court in Herefordshire to provide water for house and farm.
