IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Henson, Civil Engineer, of
15, New Cavendish Street, Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Henson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th February 1861.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK HENSON, Civil Engineer, of 15, New Cavendish
Street, Portland Place, in the County of. Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS," to be as
follows:-
Springs that are constructed of a number of flat plates of steel lying one
upon the other and connected together by means of studs on one plate passing
into slots formed in the following one are apt to break, and the pieces of plates
falling out, the next plates lose their support and break likewise, and thus the
whole spring is speedily destroyed. In my Invention I employ plates of-steel
of a groove-shaped section fitting one into the other, instead of flat plates, thus
greatly increasing the strength of the spring with the same amount of metal,
and also preventing the possibility of pieces falling out should one of the
plates break. The section of the plates may be greatly varied in form; thus
they may be of a semicircular section, or of a V section, or simply of a slightly

page_text: curved section, or the section may be curved in the centre and flat on either side,
or the section may be formed of a number of V grooves attached together side
by side, or the plates may be of an H or T section. The plates may also be of
a grooved section in the centre and gradually flattened out towards the ends.
Springs thus formed may be used either for bearing springs for railway
and other carriages, or for any other purpose for which such springs are
annlicable
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Frederick Henson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FREDERICK HENSON, Civil Engineer, of 15, New Cavendish Street, Portland
Place, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most, Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Frederick Henson, Her special licence that I, the said William
Frederick Henson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Frederick Henson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Frederick Henson, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Frederick Henson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures marked thereon (that is to say):-.

page_text: Springs that are constructed of a number of flat plates of steel lying.one
upon the other and connected together by means of studs on one plate passing
into slots formed in the following one are' apt to break, and the pieces of
plates falling out, the next plates lose their support and break likewise, and thus
the whole spring is speedily destroyed. In my present Invention I employ plates
of steel of a groove-shaped section, fitting one into the other instead of flat
plates, thus greatly increasing the strength of the spring with the same
amount of metal, and also preventing the possibility of pieces falling out, should
one of the plates break.
In Figure 1 is shewn an elevation, in Figure 2 a plan, and in Figure 3 a
transverse section of a bearing spring constructed according to my Invention.
a, a, a, are the curved steel plates of the section, as shewn in Figure 3, the
section of each plate, being of such a nature that the exterior curve of the same
is precisely similar to the interior, curve, so that the plates, though all of the
same transverse section, fit accurately into each other. The transverse
section of such plates may be either of a semicircular shape, as in Figure 4, or
of an arched shape, as in Figure 5, or rounded at the bottom with sloping
sides, as at Figure 6, or they may be of an angular-shaped section, as at
Figure 7. I also form such springs of plates of a grooved section in the
centre and gradually flattened out toward the ends, by which a greater
variation in the elasticity may be obtained.
In Figure 8 is shewn an elevation, in Figure 9 a plan, and in Figures 10,
11, 12, and 13, are transverse sections of a bearing spring of such a
construction.
Figure 10 is a section at a, a, Figure 11 is a section at b, b, Figure 12 is a
section at c, c, and Figure 13 is a section at d, d, shewing how the spring is
gradually flattened out from the middle towards the two ends. I sometimes
form springs of only one such steel plate of a gradually decreasing curved
section, this having the same effect, as regards the required varying elastic
power, as a spring formed of several flat plates of decreasing length. I also
form such springs of one or more plates of a curved or grooved section at one
end and gradually flattened out towards the other end. My before-described
improved springs may be used either for bearing springs for railway and other
carriages, for locomotives and tenders, and for any other purpose to which such
springs are applicable.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I am
acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the exact details as shewn on the accompanying Drawing,
as such springs may be formed of various shapes according to the use for which

page_text: they are intended, and the sections of the plates may be variously modified;
but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the construction of springs formed of plates of a curved or grooved
section.
Secondly, the construction of springs formed of one or more plates of a
curved or grooved section in the centre, and gradually flattened out towards
each end.
-1176.
Thirdly, the construction of springs formed of one or more plates of a
curved or grooved section at one end and gradually flattened out towards the
other end.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Henson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM FREDERICK HENSON. (L.S.)