How Were Hydraulic Hammers Invented?

Hydraulic hammers can be described as the modern descendants of pile drivers. No, we are not talking about the pile drivers that can be seen at pro wrestling shows! We are talking about the mechanical device that is used to drive poles into soil, providing support for various buildings and structures. The force needed for the pile drivers are driven by the advent of diesel, hydraulics, and pneumatics. Without pile drivers, large construction projects would not be completed. Unless, you can dig holes into the earth quickly!

A simple theory is to be thanked for hydraulic devices. This theory of fluid mechanics, based off the work of Blaise Pascal and Daniel Bernoulli, consists of a pump, motor, a few pipes, liquid and an output device. The main purpose of hydraulics is to provide power to activate heavy machinery. This is done with the conversion of pressure exerted on a confined liquid medium transformed into mechanical output. The pressure exerts on the enclosed, incompressible liquid to transfer equal pressure into all areas of the hydraulic system which is then transmitted to the hydraulic hammer (output device).

That’s right, the guy pictured below is to thank for this theory and for hydraulic breaker technology!