IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING Arn Conze
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Bell, of 21, Cannon Street West, in the City
of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
Arn Conze"
Sealed the 24th April 1855, and dated the 26th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th January
1855.
I, GEORGE BELL, of 21, Cannon Street West, in the City of London,.
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CONSTRUCTING AIR SPRINGS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object means of constructing air springs for
carriages and other uses, and consists of employing water or other fluid,
together with flexible covers (of waterproof fabric or material) to the enclosed
metal chambers wherein the air is confined, in such manner that the water or
other fluid employed, coming between the air and flexible covers, keeps the air
from coming in contact with the flexible covers, and also from coming near
the openings where the air is introduced, and also from the joints of the
chambers where the covers are fixed; hence the air will be enclosed on all
sides except where it is in contact with the water or other fluid in a metallic
chamber, in such manner as to prevent leakage, and thus will greatly improved
air springs be produced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, med
by the said George Bell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July
1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BELL, of 21, Cannon Street West, in the City of London, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight. hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Bell, Her special licence that I; the said George Bell, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Bell, 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 CONSTRUCTING
AIR SPRINGS," a communication; upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said George Bell, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly 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..
.1
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said George Bell, do liereby, 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 (that is to say):
Figure 1. is a vertical section of a spring on the improved plan; and
Figure 2; a bottom-view thereof.. The same letters-indicate like parts in
all the Figures.. The object of the. Invention is, by a peculiar arrangement
of apparatus; together with a liquid, to render available the elasticity of air or
aeriform fluids in the construction of springs for railway and other carriages
and for other purposes requiring the interposition of springs.
The highly elastic nature of atmospheric or other air or aeriform body has
long since led to the suggestion of employing it as springs, but so far as I have
been able to ascertain, without practical success. The difficulty of confining
aeriform bodies has, I believe, been the cause of failure in every attempt

page_text: heretofore made. The present Invention consists in interposing a liquid sub-
stance between the confined air and a flexible substance, by the bending of
which the capacity of the containing vessel is increased or diminished, thereby
effectually preventing all escape of air, either through the pores of the flexible,
substance or through the joints of the containing vessel. In the accompanying
Drawings, a represents a inetallic vessel, which may be of any desired form;
b is a flanch, all around the lower edge of the vessel. To the lower surface
of this flanch is fitted a diaphragm, which I prefer to make of one lamina of
vulcanized caoutchouc c, and another of strong canvas d, which are embraced
between the flanch and a metallic ring c by a series of screw bolts f passing
through, the flanch, the diaphragm, and the ring. There is in some cases a
hole made in the centre of this diaphragm, to which is fitted a metallic stem g,
secured thereto a flanch h above and a screw nut i below, and the stem is
fitted to slide freely in a hollow guiding cylinder j at the inside of the top of
the metallic vessel, but this may be dispensed with where such guiding is not
required. A hole is made through the flanch b, and it is provided with a screw
plug m, with a valve n on the inner opening, to prevent the escape of any of
the contained fluids until the solid screw can be fitted in its place, through
which air and water, or other liquid or semi-liquid substance can be introduced
into the vessel under any desired pressure. The liquid or semi-liquid substance
should be sufficient in quantity to extend at all times above the junction of
the diaphragm and flanch of the vessel a, and the inner opening of the screw
plug m, through which air is introduced, as indicated by the line 'k, the acriform
substance occupying the whole space above. In this way it will be seen that
the liquid or semi-liquid substance interposed between the elastic aeriform
substance and the flexible diaphragm and all the joints prevent all possible
escape of the air.
If the diaphragm be forced upwards or the vessel be forced downwards, the
space within the vessel and diaphragm will be reduced in capacity, which will
result in compressing the confined air, thus rendering available its elastic pro-
perty. The external form of the vessel and diaphragm can be varied at pleasure
to suit the purpose to which the spring is to be applied. Instead of the guide
attached to the top of
stem attached to the diaphragm, a guide stem may be
the case, and the diaphragm may rest on a bed, which, if desired, may be made
semi-spherical, so that it will continue in a concentric position after forcing
inwards the centre of the diaphragm.
If the spring is to be applied in a horizontal position, as in the case of a
buffer, or in any other position which would cause the liquid by gravity to
change from the position indicated, then an auxiliary thin flexible diaphragm o,

page_text: shewn in Fig. 3, should be interposed between the aeriform and liquid-sub-
stances, and secured to the inside of the vessel, for the purpose of confining the
liquid to the same relative position as when the compressing diaphragm is at
the bottom. I usually construct the containing vessel of cast iron, and if.it
is to be subject to very great pressure I line it with tin; or the containing
vessel may be of other materials, care being observed that the vessel will
resist the passage of air or aeriform bodies under pressure. I have thus
explained the character which distinguishes the Invention from all other things
before known when attempting to use air or aeriform bodies in the construction
of springs. What I claim as the Invention is, the combination of appa-
ratus, and the interposing a liquid or semi-liquid substance between the
aeriform fluid and the several joints and the flexible diaphragm, by which the
spring-like action of air is developed, substantially as herein described, whereby
all escape of the aeriform fluid is effectually prevented.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Bell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
HENRY WILLIAM CARPMAEL.
GEO. BELL. (L.S.)