IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Gordon de Luna Byron
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th February 1875.-A communication from abroad by
George Godley, of New York, in the United States of America.
I, GEORGE GORDON DE LUNA BYRON, of New York, in the United
States of America, but at present of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Colonel in the United States Army, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH
SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS," (a communication
to me from abroad by George Godley, of New York, in the United
States of America,) to be as follows:-
The object of the first two parts of this Invention is the production of
a compact carriage spring which will sustain a light as well as a heavy
load, and at the same time having no dead points. Heretofore it has
been found impossible to do that at these extreme points, as the springs
heretofore in use have proved too strong under a light load, and too
weak under a heavy load.
The first part of the Invention consists in the application and employ-
ment of duplex spiral springs. so constructed and arranged that one

page_text: part of this Invention a case is employed open both at top and bottom
a central immovable partition or diaphragm, a follower both above and
below such diaphragm, short spiral springs within longer ones of larger
diameter which encompass the ends of the smaller springs and are
encompassed by the ends of the larger ones. The box and case are made
open both at top and bottom having a fixed or permanent transverse
diaphragm or partition. There are followers so adapted as to enter the
cavity of the box and to ride therein, so as to avoid contact and friction
at too many points by having bearing parts, which by abutting only
upon other corresponding parts of the box prevent all other parts
coming into abrasive contact, and so preserve the larger springs in true
position, and keep them from rubbing the sides of the case. The
followers are made with hollow nipples, the cavity of which is made of
appropriate size and depth to receive and hold properly in place the
smaller and shorter spiral springs, while the diameter of the nipples is
such as to easily enter the coil of the larger springs, the smaller springs
being thus enclosed within the larger, and both being sustained in
position by the same nipples. The inner springs have greater strength
and therefore less capacity for yielding; they are therefore made shorter
than the outer ones in order that the latter shall afford all the resilience
a light or unloaded carriage may require, without permitting the stiffer
ones to come into action and offer any resistance; but when the carriage
is loaded its great descent forces the followers further into the case, and
brings into action the stronger ones.
Another advantage of employing two sets of springs of different
lengths is that the use of springs of a very rigid character can bo
entirely dispensed with, such as usually employed, which, while having
the proper resilience for a heavily laden carriage or wagon, afford
almost no yield at all when the carriage or wagon is empty, or nearly
so; a great saving is also thus made in the wear and tear both to the
roadway and to the rolling stock. The fixed diaphragm is also provided
on its opposite sides with similar hollow nipples for the opposite ends of
the springs. Recesses in the followers are not absolutely essential, but
may be dispensed with, and the nipples may project from a follower,
the inner surface of which is otherwise a plane, for the nipple serves to
hold both the inner and outer spring in place. It is preferred to coil
the smaller springs in a direction the reverse of the coil of their
companion or outer ones, because the springs when compressed expand

page_text: slightly, and this has a tendency to cause the follower to chafe or twist
a little round against the case; but by reversing the spirals each in such
action of expansion or twist serves to correct the other, inasmuch as the
twist of the two are in opposite directions.
It is advantageous to place a piece or cushion rubber on top of the
upper follower that it may come between the spring case and the
carriage or bolster, for it performs the important duty of neutralizing.
or destroying that slight jar to which a spiral spring is subject; and it
is better that the outer face of the follower be provided with a flange or
rim of a height about equal to half the thickness of the rubber for the
purpose of more firmly holding the rubber in place. In some cases, as
for instance upon goods waggons, the construction may be such that
only one half of the apparatus need be used, that is, the portion either
above or below the partition, but preferably that below it; but in either
case including such partition. The arrangements of springs described:
are also applicable for buffers.
The third and next part of this Invention relates to an improved
means for connecting and holding together the plates of a skeleton car
spring, so that the spiral springs interposed between such plates shall
be held properly in position and the plates be permitted to approach and
recede from each other as need be when in use, and the parts readily
taken apart or put together at will; this part of the Invention being
applicable more especially to draw springs, and also being suitable for
bolsters and journal springs.
One plate is cast or formed integral with a short hollow central
socket, which has an inwardly projecting shoulder or flange to receive
the coupling tube or sleeve, which has at that end which plays within
such socket an outwardly projecting rim or flange, the two flanges
serving to limit their relative movement in one direction. The other
plate has a central opening to receive the end of the sleeve, and this
opening has one or more notches cut in its sides to allow the locking
ribs or teeth on the sleeve to pass when the sleeve is to be secured and
locked in position on the second plate. This plate has also rabbets made
in its upper face of a size and shape to receive teeth, and thus lock the
plates together against the pressure due to the expansion of the coiled
springs. Each plate as also made with cups and short central pins or
-nipples to enter the ends of the inner coiled springs, the latter being

page_text: coiled in a direction the reverse of the other springs. The sleeve is
made of such length that when the springs are compressed to their
extreme limit, it may or may not, as may be desired, project through the
bottom of the first plate.
To put the parts together the ends of the springs are simply lodged
in their proper positions in the cups of the plates, the nipples projecting
into the coils of the inner springs. The upper or toothed end of the
sleeve is next passed through the socket of first plate, notches in its
flange being provided for this purpose. The upper end of the sleeve is
then passed through the central opening of second plate, and the sleeve
is then turned enough to permit its teeth or nibs to pass the notches and
to lodge in the rabbets, the parts being so proportioned as to size that
when thus locked or buttoned together the springs shall be slightly
compressed sufficiently to press the plates in a direction away from each
other. It is impossible when so locked for the parts to become separated
until the sleeve is again purposely shifted and unlocked.
The tubular construction of the socket and sleeve, and the openings in
the plates, allow a draw bar to be passed through them, thus allowing
the springs to have free action, and no bolts are required for the purpose
of holding the plates together, and this, notwithstanding the apparatus,
is of a skeleton rather than of the customary box form.
The springs need no rod or support to pass through them, and they
may be coiled in the same or in opposite directions, but the latter is
preferable because each serves to resist any tendency of the other to
twist or tort through practically in this construction such tendency is
very slight.
Instead of the sleeve a double headed bolt may be employed, one of
the heads being so formed or cut away as to permit it to be passed
through both plates or boxes, and then turned to lock it to place in
proper rabbets as above described.
When the Invention is applied to bolster and journal springs, the use
of the double headed bolt dispenses with the employment of a thread
and nut. One of each pair of spirals may be made shorter than the
other if desired.
The construction also admits of a wool or rubber packing within the
spiral.

page_text: The sleeve or bolt may be made square or otherwise in cross section,
or it may have a feather or key to prevent its turning when the plates
are coupled together, and if desired it may have a spiral surrounding it..
The sleeve or bolt may be made square or otherwise in cross section,
or it may have a feather or key to prevent its turning when the plates
are coupled together, and if desired it may have a spiral surrounding it.
Either cups, pins, or recesses may be used for holding the ends of the
spirals in place.
The Invention is not confined to a certain number of spirals, nor to
the placing of one within another, but a single coil or spiral may be
employed instead of one or more within another one.
5
In some cases, instead of the recessed cups, plain steps or surfaces
may be used, having a central projecting cone or pin entering and 1
guiding the inner spiral spring, the outer spiral spring resting on the
base of the casting, the inner one on the said step.
In order to prevent excess of pressure on the springs, the hollow
socket for same may in some cases be carried up so high that it abuts
against the top plate when the springs are compressed to the safest 1
practical extent.
The next part of these improvements consists in a special construction
of coiled steel spring, having for its object increased strength, greater
carrying capacity, and economy of metal, and the Invention substan-
tially consists in making the spring with flat surfaces on the thicker 2
parts, which are liable to come in contact with each other when the
spring is compressed, and with a web or webs, or lateral portion having a
lesser thickness as more fully hereafter described, and the Invention
further consists in the construction and employment of a coiled car
spring having a portion in its cross section thinner than the remaining 2
portion and coiled with such thinner part in the interior of the coil.
The bar of which the spring is made has two opposite flat surfaces
and beyond such flat surfaces it has a web or lateral extension, which in
cross section is considerably thinner than the opposite flat surfaces
aforesaid. When the bar is coiled into a spiral, the flat surface forms 3
a broad bed, one for the other when the spring is compressed to its
fullest extent, and thus the integrity of the spring is preserved and
lateral strain or pressure of one coil upon the other is prevented, such
lateral pressure being very injurious and necessarily occurring in springs
made of cylindrical bars, or of any other form in cross section where a 3
mere line or edge bears upon a similar line or edge. The flat surface is

page_text: the case, is coiled in a cone shape. When the spring is tempered, the
web, by reason of its thinness, becomes tempered through and through,
thus affording the requisite elasticity or resilience, and the portion
which is thicker, during the same tempering process becomes surface
tempered, leaving its internal part untempered and tough, thus giving
the qualities most desired in a good spring.
For a bolster or journal, or for equalizing bars for freight, luggage, or
passenger carriages, the bar is coiled in a cone shape, because the base
then being of a larger diameter the spring gives a soft and easy motion
to a light or unladen carriage, while at the same time it has the advan-
tage due to the flat adjacent surfaces of the coils. This is a very great
advantage over a cone coiled round bar or wire, because the gradually
increasing diameter causes each coil under pressure to force the next coil
out of place.
In cases requiring a small central hole or opening through the coil the
bar is so wound or coiled that its thinner or reduced portion or web shall
be on the inside of the coil instead of on the exterior. This allows a
small mandril to be used, and a coil can thus be made of much less
diameter and without any liability of overtaxing or overstraining the
thicker portion, either in the act of coiling or when the spring is in
actual use.
Modifications of this part of the Invention may be made, but the
leading features are always preserved, viz., the two opposite flat surfaces
and a projecting thinner portion or web. Other forms may, however,
be made without departing from the Invention of such forms, thus a
bar of metal may be rolled or bent of steel or iron, but preferably steel,
so that when formed it shall be in cross section of any form having
the feature of a bend longitudinally of the bar before it is coiled into its
spiral shape, and if two or more edges to such bar running parallel or
nearly so to such bend.
There is a peculiar quality and advantage due to the arched single H
and arched double H form because of the arched exteriors, so that when
these bars are coiled into a spiral spring the edges of one coil are brought
into near juxtaposition to those of the next adjacent coil, and the
carriage to which these springs is applied has a heavy load, or the spring
is pressed down so that the edges are forced into contact with the cor-

page_text: responding edges of the next coil the spring will not yet even at this
stage of the pressure have exhausted its yielding power, as springs of
ordinary construction must do the moment the coils come into contact;
but on the contrary, the effect of still further pressure or demand upon
the spring has the tendency of straightening out the curved lines, the
resilience of the metal allowing of this yield in excess of or in addition
to that afforded by the coil itself.
A similar extra yield may be also obtained after the coils come in
contact from some other forms.
The strength or resisting power of springs made according to this
Invention is much greater than those hitherto constructed.
In some cases the spring may be made from a bar having the flat
parallel surfaces from which the remainder of the bar tapers somewhat
of a wedge shape. The O form in some cases is made with rectangular
corners on the exterior. Any thickness of metal may be used, and the
bar may be made of any desired thickness in its different parts; neither
is the Invention limited to the particular forms described.
Springs made of the peculiar sections herein set forth may be made
into elliptical springs, one or more bars being placed alongside one
another.
Springs made according to the last part of this Invention may be used
for draw or buffer springs, taking the place of volute springs, and
requiring no case or casting.