Impact forming machine

Claim 1

IN AN IMPACT APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION OF: A FLUID-CONFINING STRUCTURE; A RAM PISTON SLIDINGLY MOUNTED IN THE STRUCTURE WITH ITS LEADING END EXPOSED FOR DELIVERING IMPACT FORCE, SAID RAM PISTON HAVING A REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE TO RECEIVE FLUID PRESSURE FOR DRIVING THE RAM PISTON; A BODY OF LIQUID CONFINED IN THE STRUCTURE OF EXERT DRIVING PRESSURE ON SAID REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE; A BODY OF GASEOUS FLUID IN THE STRUCTURE TO EXPAND TO TRANSMIT ENERGY TO THE RAM PISTON; A FREELY MOVABLE PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE STRUCTURE TO ISOLATE THE BODY OF LIQUID FROM THE BODY OF GASEOUS FLUID TO TRANSMIT PRESSURE FROM THE GASEOUS FLUID TO THE BODY OF LIQUID; MEANS IN THE STRUCTURE NORMALLY ISOLATING THE REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE OF THE RAM PISTON FROM THE PRESSURIZED BODY OF LIQUID AT A RETRACTED POSITION OF THE RAM PISTON TO KEEP THE RAM PISTON FROM BEING DRIVEN; AND CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE TO GIVE THE PRESSURIZED BODY OF LIQUID ACCESS TO SAID REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE TO DRIVE THE RAM PISTON.