IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR. REGULATING THE ACTION OF SPRINGS APPLIED TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles James Adolph Dick, of Leyland Road, Lee, in
the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR.
REGULATING THE ACTION OF SPRINGS APPLIED TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR
OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th November 1878, and dated the 15th August 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles James Adolph Dick
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th August 1878..
CHARLES JAMES ADOLPH DICK, of Leyland Road, Lec, in the County of Kent..
'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE ACTION OF SPRINGS APPLIED
TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus, such as is herein-after
described, for regulating the action of and preventing the shocks which are caused.
by the sudden recoil of the springs applied to railway carriages or other analogous.
purposes, this object being attained by combining with a spring, either directly or
indirectly, mechanism and apparatus, such as is herein-after described, for retarding
and regulating, by means of friction, the recoil of the latter, and in such a manner
as not materially to interfere with the proper yielding of the spring under pressure.
This Invention consists of several modifications, and will be best understood by
reference to the annexed Drawings.
In Sheet I the application of the Invention to box springs for railway cars is.
illustrated, Figure 1 being a vertical section, Figure 2 an end view, Figure 3 a side.
view, and Figure 4 a transverse vertical section of the apparatus.
In these last-mentioned Figures the same letters of reference indicate similar
parts.
K is the lower portion and K' the upper portion or cover of the box, the latter
being arranged to fit closely but so as to slide freely on the former, which has
opposite inclined slides x, x¹. The elastic medium between the two parts of the box
consists, in the present instance, of two ordinary spiral springs k, k¹. To the

page_text: cover K¹ of the box are hinged the two plates D, D¹, one on each side, and between
each plate and the adjacent inclined side of the lower portion of the box is placed
a friction shoe f, which is pivoted to the plate by a V shaped projection on the
latter adapted to a V shaped recess in the shoe. A bolt I passes through the
plates D, D¹, and friction shoes f. f, and through a vertically elongated opening m
in the lower portion of the box, such bolt having on each end thereof a washer p
and nut n, between which and a washer p₁ is placed a spiral spring q, the
washer p having V shaped projections fitting into a similarly shaped recess in
the plate D. These springs tend to press the shoes ƒ against the opposite inclined
sides x, x¹, of the box with a force depending upon the adjustment of the nuts n.
The upper portion of the box will yield as freely or almost as freely as in the
absence of the friction shoes, inasmuch as the latter slide downwards in contact
with the converging surfaces x, c¹; but the recoil of the upper portion of the box
will be resisted by the friction of the shoes in their ascent against the diverging
surfaces, and hence the recoil will be retarded to an extent proportionate to the
amount of friction, which may be increased or diminished by the adjustment of the
nuts n, n.
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1, represent the application of this Invention to an
ordinary elliptical spring, Figure 6 being a vertical section on the line 1-2, Figure 5.
In these views A, A¹, represent the central portions of the two parts of an elliptical
spring, each composed of plates a of steel (three plates in the present instance), and
bound together as usual in the middle by a strap b. To an attachment B secured
to the under side of the upper part A of the spring are hinged, independently of
each other, the two inclined plates D, D', between which, near their lower ends, is
placed a spiral spring & surrounding the two projections e, e, one on the inner side of
each plate, the said spring tending to force the plates apart from each other, and
the projections e, e, serving to limit the movement of the legs towards each other,
and to retain the spiral spring in place. To the lower portion A¹ of the elliptical
spring are secured the two inclined plates H, H³, and against the inner face of each
plate bears a friction shoe f, one of which is pivoted to the plate D, and the other
to the plate D¹.
Different modes of pivoting these shoes and those before described to the plates.
may be adopted, but it is preferred to make an angular or V shaped recess in each
shoe for receiving an angular rib on the adjoining plate, the angle presented by
the rib being more acute than that presented by the sides of the recess in the shoe,
and tho latter being so formed that the parallelism of the shoe with the inner face
of the adjoining plate will always be assured as the hinged plates D, D', are moved
from or towards each other. The angular projections may be on the shoes and
the recesses in the hinged plates. The friction of the shoes against the inclined
plates H, H¹, will not materially obstruct the yielding of the spring under
pressure, the shoes sliding freely in their descent against the diverging surfaces of
the plates. When the spring is relieved from pressure, however, the recoil will
be retarded by the friction of the shoes against the converging surfaces.
It is not essential in all cases to combine the device for counteracting the sudden
recoil of a bearing spring directly with the latter, as there are instances in which it
may be conveniently arranged separately from but so as to co-operate with a spring.
In Figure 7, for instance, P is the bolster beam and P the bolster of the truck of a
railway car, the latter being supported by any suitable bearing springs. A block H2
with inclined sides is secured to the beam Pl, and this block is embraced by and
between the friction shoes f, f, pivoted to and forming part of jaws consisting of
the two arms w, w¹, pivoted by a pin y to a hanger Y secured to the under side of
the bolster P. On the arins w, w, and forming part of the same, are arms v, v¹,
and between the two arms v, v¹, is interposed a spiral spring & tending to force the
said arms outwards and the arms w, w, inwards, and to force the friction shoes
against the inclined sides of the block H. The recoil of the bearing springs
supporting the bolster will be counteracted and retarded by the friction of the
shoes against the block to a sufficient extent to prevent undue shocks.
12

page_text: Where a scroll or platform spring is used, as is often the case in railway cars and
many vehicles, the plates H, H¹, Figure 5, may be secured in any suitable manner
above or below the springs, as the case may be, to the carriage body, for instance,
or to the axle.
In the modification shewn in Figure 8 the shoes f and rigid arms are dispensed
with, two elastic arms t, t, bearing directly against inclined surfaces in a manner
which will be readily understood.
I will now proceed to describe other important modifications of this Invention,
and which mainly consist of an arrangement of levers or jaws which are caused to
bear against parallel surfaces, instead of inclined surfaces as herein-before described.
This portion of the Invention will be clearly understood by reference to Sheet 2 of
the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus.
Figure 2, a side view of Figure 1, partly in section.
And Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views illustrating certain modifications.
In Figures 1 and 2 P represents part of the bolster, and P¹ part of the bolster
beam of the truck of a railway car, the usual bearing springs (which are not shewn
in the Drawings) being interposed between the two.
To the under side of the bolster P is secured a bracket A, to which the two levers
or jaws D, D¹, are connected by a pin x, the latter passing through vertically
enlarged holes in the levers, the sole object of the pin being to maintain the levers
in their proper lateral position, and to connect them to the bracket, the levers being
confined vertically by the horizontal flange a of the said bracket, and by a thin
plate e on the under side of the bolster P, the said plate being caused to bear con-
tinuously on the levers by an elastic pad f or any other suitable spring.
To each of the levers D and D¹ is pivoted a shoe h, a block E being secured to
the bolster beam P₁, and being embraced by and between the two shoes h, which
can slide freely against the opposite parallel sides i, i, of the said block.
It will be observed that the rounded portion of the short arın of the lever D bears
against the flange a of the bracket A at the point d, the short arm of the lever D¹
bearing on the flange a at the point d', while the plate e bears with a constant pres-
sure upon the short arms of the two levers at a point m directly above the pin x,
and midway between the two points d and d'; hence, when the springs which
support the bolster P recoil, and the latter rises, there must be a tendency of the
long arms of the levers to move towards each other, and consequently of the shoes to
bear against the block E with such frictional effect as to retard the recoil of the
bearing springs, and thus prevent the shocks due to the usual sudden recoil.
When the bearing springs are being depressed, the short arms of the levers D, D¹,
are so far relieved from pressure at the points d, d', that there will be but little
friction of the shoes against the block as they slide down the opposite parallel sides
i, i, of the same.
It is important that the retarding influence of the shoes should be instantaneous,
or, in other words, that they should take effect the moment the recoil of the bearing
springs commences, hence the use of the springs n, n, which maintain the shoes in
contact with the block at all times, and insure instantaneous action.
A spiral spring p connected to the opposite levers D, D', and shown by dotted
lines in Eigure 1, may be used in place of the springs n, n, or the long arms of the
levers may be so elastic as to dispense with supplementary springs, or the opposite
sides of the block may be thin and elastic, as shown in Figure 3, the levers in this
case having rigid arms.
The object of the elastic pad or spring fabove the short arms of the levers is
to effectually confine the same under all circumstances, and to compensate for wear
at this point, for any vertical play of the short arms of the levers would detract from
the desired instantaneous action of the shoes.
The long arms of the levers may bear directly against the block, as shown in
Figure 4, but I prefer the use of pivoted shoes.
.

page_text: The faces i, i, of the block E may be corrugated, as shown in Figure 6, or V shaped,
as seen in Figure 7, the shoes being formed to correspond with the faces of the block,
, and the latter may be contracted at the top, substantially as shown in Figure 5, in
cases where it is desirable to remove or diminish frictional retardation at the point
where the spring approaches the limit of its recoil.
It will be understood that when my said Invention has to be applied to a bolster
and bolster beam of the trucks of a railway car, as shewn, there must be at least
two retarding sets of apparatus, situated at such points as the bearing springs will
permit.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that this Invention may be em-
ployed in modifications wherein either elliptical, or box, or platform or other springs
may be used, as herein-before set forth. Other modifications other than those shown
may also be employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles James Adolph Dick in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th February 1879.
CHARLES JAMES ADOLPH DICK, of Leyland Road, Lee, in the County of Kent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE ACTION OF SPRINGS APPLIED
TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus, such as is herein-after
described, for regulating the action of and preventing the shocks which are caused
by the sudden recoil of the springs applied to railway carriages or other analogous
purposes, this object being attained by combining with a spring, either directly or
indirectly, mechanism and apparatus, such as is herein-after described, for retarding
and regulating by means of friction the recoil of the latter, and in such a manner
as not materially to interfere with the proper yielding of the spring under pressure.
This Invention consists of several modifications, and will be best understood by
reference to the annexed Drawings.
In Figures 1 to 8 the application of the Invention to box springs for railway cars
is illustrated, Figure 1 being a vertical section, Figure 2 an end view, Figure 3 a
side view, and Figure 4 a transverse vertical section of the apparatus.
In these last-mentioned Figures the same letters of reference indicate similar
parts.
K is the lower portion, and K' the upper portion or cover of the box, the latter
being arranged to fit closely but so as to slide freely on the former, which has
opposite inclined sides x, x¹. The elastic medium between the two parts of the box
consists in the present instance of two ordinary spiral springs k, k¹. To the cover K¹
of the box are hinged the two plates D, D¹, one on each side, and between each
plate and the adjacent inclined side of the lower portion of the box is placed a
friction shoe f, which is pivoted to the plate by a V shaped projection on the latter,
adapted to a V shaped recess in the shoe. A bolt I passes through the plates D, D¹,
and friction shoes f, f, and through a vertically elongated opening m in the lower
portion of the box, such bolt having on each end thereof a washer p and nut n,
between which and a washer p¹ is placed a spiral spring q, the washer p' having
V shaped projections fitting into a similarly shaped recess in the plate D. These
springs tend to press the shoes against the opposite inclined sides x, x¹, of the box
with a force depending upon the adjustment of the nuts n. The upper portion of
the box will yield as freely, or almost as freely, as in the absence of the friction
shoes, inasmuch as the latter slide downwards in contact with the converging
surfaces x, x', but the recoil of the upper portion of the box will be resisted by the
friction of the shoes in their ascent against the diverging surfaces, and hence the
recoil will be retarded to an extent proportionate to the amount of friction, which
may be increased or diminished by the adjustment of the nuts n, n.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the application of this Invention to an ordinary
elliptical spring, Figure 6 being a vertical section on the line 1-2, Figure 5. In
these views A, A¹, represent the central portions of the two parts of an elliptical
spring, each composed of plates a of steel (three plates in the present instance), and
bound together as usual in the middle by a strap b. To an attachment B secured
to the under side of the upper part A of the spring are hinged independently of each
other the two inclined plates or legs D, D₁, between which, near their lower ends, is
placed a spiral spring & surrounding the two projections e, e, one on the inner side
of each plate, the said spring tending to force the plates apart from each other, and
the projections e, e, serving to limit the movement of the legs towards each other,
and to retain the spiral spring in place. To the lower portion A¹ of the elliptical
spring are secured the two inclined plates H, H', and against the inner face of each

page_text: plate bears a friction shoe f, one of which is pivoted to the plate D, and the other
to the plate D¹.
Different modes of pivoting these shoes and those before described to the plates
may be adopted, but it is preferred to make an angular or V shaped recess in each
shoef for receiving an angular rib on the adjoining plate, the angle presented by
the rib being more acute than that presented by the sides of the recess in the shoe,
and the latter being so formed that the parallelism of the shoe with the inner face
of the adjoining plate will always be assured as the hinged plates D, D¹, are moved
from or towards each other. The angular projections may be on the shoes and the
recesses in the hinged plates. The friction of the shoes against the inclined plates
H, H³, will not materially obstruct the yielding of the spring under pressure, the
shoes sliding freely in their descent against the diverging surfaces of the plates.
When the spring is relieved from pressure however the recoil will be retarded by
the friction of the shoes against the converging surfaces.
Where a scroll or platform spring is used, as is often the case on railway cars and
many vehicles, the plates H, H', Figure 5, may be secured in any suitable manner
above or below the springs, as the case may be, to the carriage body, for instance,
or to the axle.
It is not essential in all cases to combine the device for counteracting the sudden
recoil of a bearing spring directly with the latter, as there are instances in which it
may be conveniently arranged separately from but so as to co-operate with a spring.
In Figure 7, for instance, P' is the bolster beam and P the bolster of the truck of a
railway car, the latter being supported by any suitable bearing springs. A block H²
with inclined sides is secured to the beam P', and this block is embraced by and
between the friction shoes f, f, pivoted to and forming part of jaws consisting of
the two arms w, w¹, pivoted by a pin y to a hanger Y, secured to the under side of
the bolster P. On the arms w, w', and forming part of the same, are arms v, v¹,
and between the two arms v, vl, is interposed a spiral spring d, tending to force
the said arms outwards, and the arms w, w¹, inwards, and to force the friction
shoes rgainst the inclined sides of the block H2. The recoil of the bearing springs
'supporting the bolster will be counteracted and retarded by the friction of the shoes
against the block to a sufficient extent to prevent undue shocks.
In the modification shewn in Figure 8 the shoes f and rigid arms are dispensed
with, two elastic arms t, t, bearing directly against inclined surfaces in a manner
which will be readily understood.
I will now proceed to describe other important modifications of this Invention,
and which mainly consist of an arrangement of levers or jaws which are caused to
bear against parallel surfaces instead of inclined surfaces, as herein-before described.
This portion of the Invention will be clearly understood by reference to Figures 9
to 15. Figure 0 is a front view of the apparatus; Figure 10, a side view of
Figure 9, partly in section; and Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are views illustrating
certain modifications.
In Figures 9 and 10 P represents part of the bolster and P¹ part of the bolster
beam of the truck of a railway car, the usual bearing springs (which are not shewn
in the Drawings) being interposed between the two.
To the under side of the bolster P is secured a bracket A, to which the two levers
or jaws D, D', are connected by a pin x, the latter passing through vertically
enlarged holes in the levers, the sole object of the pin being to maintain the levers
in their proper lateral position and to connect them to the bracket, the levers being
confined vertically by the horizontal flange a of the said bracket and by a thin
plate e on the under side of the bolster P, the said plate being caused to bear con-
tinuously on the levers by an elastic pad for any other suitable spring.
To each of the levers D and D' is pivoted a shoe h, a block E being secured to
the bolster beam P¹, and being embraced by and between the two shoes h, which can
slide freely against the opposite parallel sides i, i, of the said block.
It will be observed that the rounded portion of the short arm of the leve* D

page_text: bears against a flange a of the bracket A at the point d, the short arm of the lever
D¹ bearing on the flange a at the point d', while the plate e bears with a constant
pressure upon the short arms of the two levers at a point m directly above the
pin x and inidway between the two points d and d², lience when the springs which
support the bolster P recoil, and the ladder rises, there must be a tendency of the
long arms of the levers to move towards each other, and consequently of the shoes to
bear against the block E with such frictional effect as to retard the recoil of the
bearing springs, and thus prevent the shocks due to the usual sudden recoil.
When the bearing springs are being depressed, the short arms of the levers D, D¹,
are so far relieved from pressure at the points d, d¹, that there will be but little
friction of the shoes against the block, as they slide down the opposite parallel sides
i, i, of the same.
It is important that the retarding influence of the shoes should be instantaneous,
or, in other words, that they should take effect the moment the recoil of the
bearing springs commences, hence the use of the springs n, n, which maintain
the shoes in contact with the block at all times, and insure instantaneous action..
A spiral spring is connected to the opposite levers D, D', and shewn by dotted
lines in Fig. 9, may be used in place of the springs n, n; or the long arms of
the levers may be so elastic as to dispense with supplementary springs; or the
opposite sides of the block may be thin and elastic, as shewn in Fig. 11, the
levers in this case having rigid arms.
The object of the elastic pad or spring f above the short arms of the levers is to
effectually confine the same under all circumstances, and to compensate for wear at
this point, for any vertical play of the short arms of the levers would detract from
the desired instantaneous action of the shoes.
The long arms of the levers may bear directly against the block, as shewn in
Fig. 12, but I prefer the use of pivoted shoes.
The faces i, i, of the block E may be corrugated, as shewn in Fig. 14, or
V shaped, as seen in Fig. 15, the shoes being formed to correspond with the faces
of the block; and the latter may be contracted at the top, substantially as shewn in
Fig. 13, in cases where it is desirable to remove or diminish frictional retardation
at the point where the spring approaches the limit of its recoil.
It will be understood that when my said Invention has to be applied to a
bolster and bolster beam of the trucks of a railway car, as shewn, there must be at
least two retarding sets of apparatus situated at such points as the bearing springs
will permit.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that this Invention may be
employed in modifications wherein either elliptical, or box, or platform, or other
springs may be used, as herein-before set forth.
Other modifications other than those shewn may also be employed.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that I do
not claim the several and distinct parts of the mechanism and apparatus herein-
before described as separately forming parts of my Invention, neither do I restrict
or limit myself to all the particulars herein-before described, inasmuch as variations
may be made therefrom without substantially departing from my said Invention ;
but what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the Inven-
tion secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The combination with a bearing spring of apparatus for retarding its recoil,
the said apparatus consisting of two main elements, namely, inclined surfaces and
plates or jaws caused to bear against the said surfaces, substantially as herein-before
described and set forth.
Secondly. The combination of a bearing spring with apparatus for retarding the
recoil thereof, such apparatus consisting of two main elements, namely, parallel
surfaces and levers combined with jaws, or plates, or shoes, which latter are caused
to bear against the said surfaces, substantially as herein-before described and set
forth,

page_text: And, Thirdly. The respective combination of parts constituting respective modi-
fications of my Invention, arranged substantially as described, and shewn respectively.
in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles James Adolph Dick, have hereunto set
his hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
TTAD
C. J. A. DICK. (L.S.)