IMPROVEMENTS IN "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANGING AND ARRANGING OF CYLINDRICAL, CONICAL, OR SPIRAL STEEL RAILROAD SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANGING AND ARRANGING OF
CYLINDRICAL, CONICAL, OR SPIRAL STEEL RAILROAD SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES." A communication.
Sealed the 8th April 1859, and dated the 19th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th October 1858.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANGING AND ARRANGING OF
CYLINDRICAL, CONICAL, OR SPIRAL STEEL RAILROAD SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in the hanging and arranging of cylindrical,
conical, or spiral steel railroad springs for railway carriages, consists in
arranging and operating such springs in groups or series of four or more
springs placed in double lines vertically, so as to possess the length of elastic
action which two series of the springs would have, if placed the one above the
other, while the space which they occupy vertically is very much less than
they would require if the springs were placed in pairs one above the other. In

page_text: carrying out this Invention, the springs are arranged in sets of four or more
springs, which are suspended in brackets or stirrups, or strong iron bars, or
grouping levers placed one under the other, and secured at their ends in slots
made in the horns, that receive or carry the journals or bearings of the
running wheels. The springs may either be arranged in one row, that is to
say, one behind the other under the side framing, or they may be arranged in
the form of a cross, with the springs at opposite corners bearing on the same
bar of the stirrup or bracket.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, my exccutors, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE HANGING AND ARRANGING OF CYLINDRICAL, CONICAL, OR SPIRAL STEEL
RAILROAD SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 Edward Newton, 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of " Improvements in the Hanging and Arranging of
Cylindrical, Conical, or Spiral Steel Railroad Springs for Railway Carriages,"
consists in arranging and operating such springs in groups or series of four
or more springs placed in double lines vertically, so as to possess the length of
elastic action which two series of the springs would have if placed the one
above the other, while the space which they occupy vertically is very much
less than they would require if the springs were placed in pairs one above the
other. In carrying out this Invention, the springs are arranged in sets of
four or more springs, which are suspended in brackets or stirrups, or strong
iron bars, or grouping levers placed one under the other, and secured at their
ends in slots made in the horns that receive or carry the journals or bearings
of the running wheels. The springs may either be arranged in one row,
(that is to say,) one behind the other under the side framing, or they may be
arranged in the form of a cross, with the springs at opposite corners bearing
on the same bar of the stirrup or bracket.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a group of four
springs, and of the stirrup or suspension bracket by which they are suspended,
and of the top plates or caps in which they are set; Figs. 2 represent
vertical cross sections of the bracket or stirrup irons, and of the caps for
receiving the springs; Fig. 3 is a top or surface view of the two horizontal
plates which crown the pairs of springs in group; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross
section of the bracket or stirrup at right angles to section in Fig. 2; Fig. 5
represents in side elevation the manner of arranging and hanging the springs
in series or lines between the forward and after pedestals of the truck of the
car, by means of the upper and lower suspension bars D and E; Figures 6
and 7 are side elevations of the upper and lower suspension bracket or bar;
Figures 8 and 9 are top views of Figures 6 and 7; Figures 10, 11, and 12,
are sections of the caps of the springs or cap castings which fit upon the tops
or large ends of the springs, and hold them in place; Fig. 13 is a top view of
the two bars or suspension brackets D, E, and of the caps or cup castings
aforesaid. In all the Figures similar letters of reference denote similar
parts.
In the accompanying Drawings the springs represented are Perry Green
Gardiner's conically coiled steel springs, having an open central space or
vertical axis, and the suspension brackets or bars are adapted particularly. to
their use, but will answer for any other cylindrical spring.
The improvements in hanging springs in groups of four is shewn in Fig. 1,

page_text: where S, S', are the two lower springs placed small end downwards and side
by side, their upper edges being parallel with each other. Upon the upper
edge or periphery of S is placed the suspension bracket B, having its cup or
cap to fit the head of the spring; it extends downwards by the side of the
spring S to B', that is to say, about three-fourths the length of the spring S
when it is bent at right angles, and is continued in a horizontal direction B
the length of the largest diameter of the spring, to form a base for suspending
the spring C; the bracket then turns vertically upwards, as at B, until it
reaches the top of the spring S¹, when it again becomes horizontal, so as to
cover with its cap the head of the spring S. After covering the head of
the spring S¹ it is again bent downward to a point parallel with B",
when it is again bent in a horizontal direction to form a base for sustaining
the spring C, as shewn in Fig. 1, by the dotted lines which indicate the con-
tinuation of the spring C¹; the bracket B, B1, B", B, is then turned upwards
and becomes again connected with B at the cup or cap of the spring S. The
two pairs of springs thus arranged stand each in the angle made by the other,
so that their caps are diagonal and at right angles to each other, as shewn at
B, B, D. The two lower springs S, S', stand upon a plate a on the lower
beam, and in order to hold them securely in place, they stand on conical studs
or vertical projecting short pins, as seen at 2, Fig. 2. The lower horizontal
part of the bracket at B" should just be so far above the supporting bar a as
to allow the springs S, S', full play, that is, to shut down upon the spiral coils
and at the same time the cap of the two springs C, C₁, should be so far above
the plate that crowns the springs S, S', as to allow in like manner the spirals
of C, C', to shut down upon each other, so that by this means the whole
length of elastic leverage of the two springs C, S, is attained, while the
vertical space which they would occupy if placed one directly over the other,
is reduced about three-quarters of the height of one of the springs. As a
guard or shield to the springs, a thin iron disc of boiler plate iron is placed
upon the head of each spring, between which disc and the under surface of
the crowning cap is placed thick felting; the cap is flanged to receive the
head of the spring and disc upon it as into an inverted cup, by which means
the springs are held in place at the crowns or top; the upper crown plate is
firmly secured to the proper appendage under the car, for swinging the car
upon the springs.
Another mode of carrying out the same principle of double tiers of springs
within a greatly reduced vertical space is by placing four or more springs in
a series or line upon two grouping lever bars one above the other, between
the pedestals and the ends of the bars, having their bearings in the pedestals,

page_text: as seen in Fig. 5, in position under the car at D and E, the bars being shewn
separately in side elevation in Figures 6 and 7, at D and E. The lower lever
bar E, Fig. 7, is horizontal and straight, except at the ends, where it is bent
obliquely upwards, and again horizontally, so as to enter the pedestals at each
end, and rest upon the top plate of the journal box, as seen at e, e, (Fig. 5.)
It is secured in its place by being let into a recess, or by a projection upon its
under side, and corresponding recess in the pedestal to receive the projection.
Upon the upper surface of the bar E are the vertical conical studs 3, 4, 5,
(Fig. 7,) upon and over which studs are placed the springs 8, 9, 10 (Fig. 5)
in a straight line, and under the side timbers of the truck of the car; this
bar E should be a little thicker at the bent parts to give it strength, as shewn in
the Drawing. Directly above the bar E is hung the other lever bar D (Fig. 5),
bent alternately up and down, as shewn in the Drawing (Figures 5 and 6),
its upper parts resting upon the caps of the springs 8, 9, 10, and its lower
parts forming a base of support to the two upper springs of the group (11)
and 12), which last mentioned springs are over and upon two vertical conical
studs 13 and 14 (Fig. 6), on the bar. The crowns or caps of the upper
springs 11, 12, face the under surface of the side timber of the truck or car,
upon cup castings and dises (as herein-before described), which rest upon the
springs on either side. The last-mentioned bar D has its ends just within the
arms of the pedestals, where it is held so as to have no lateral motion, and so
as to permit the required play within the pedestal up and down, the ends of
the bar being spread to very nearly full the space between the arms of the
pedestal, to avoid lateral motion. The bar D is made thicker and stronger at
the bends between the points d'and " (as shewn in the Drawings), to meet
the strain that comes upon these parts. The two bars D and E are welded
iron. The bars are bent and adjusted at such distance from each other as to
allow the full play of the upper and lower tiers of springs, and secure the
whole length of elastic action of two springs placed one above another, and
double that of two springs placed side by side, while the vertical space
required is less than that of two springs by about three-quarters the height of
one of the springs.
This arrangement and form of the compound grouping bars and springs
greatly economizes the vertical space required for their use; it is easily
adapted to cars already constructed, and it is not liable to get out of order,
and in practical operation combines the action of all the five (or more) springs,
so as to give the car an easy and gentle motion; the blow given to the wheels
and axles while in motion is absorbed and lost in a succession of easy
resistances and yieldings of the springs through the bars from one end to the

page_text: other, so that there is no sudden rebound or jumping of the loaded cars while
running, and the springs used in this combination and arrangement are
required to be of less size and weight of metal and sustaining power than
when placed, as is usually the case, in parallel rows or groups.
Having now described this Invention of "Improvements in the Hanging
and Arranging of Cylindrical, Conical, or Spiral Steel Railroad Springs for
Railway Carriages," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I claim as the Invention which I desire to secure by Letters
Patent, the mode or modes herein set forth of hanging, combining, and
arranging groups of springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)