AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS WHEN INDIA-RUBBER IS USED
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Eaton, of 2, Sussex Terrace, New Road,
Battersea, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS WHEN INDIA-RUBBER IS USED."
Sealed the 3rd February 1857, and dated the 8th December 1850.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Eaton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1856.
I, RICHARD EATON, of 2, Sussex. Terrace, New Road, Battersea, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS WHEN INDIA-RUBBER IS USED," to be as follows:--
This Invention has for its object an improvement in the manufacture of
springs when india-rubber is used. For this purpose thin sheet vulcanized
india-rubber (that is, india-rubber rendered permanently elastic by heat and
sulphur,) is used-of less thickness than half an inch. It is preferred that the
sheets of india-rubber used should not exceed aquarter of an inch in thickness,
and in making up a spring several thicknesses of india-rubber are used
together with sheets of metal or thicknesses of metal.
This Invention is founded on a peculiar property which I have discovered in
regard to vulcanized india-rubber, which is, that when a given weight of india-
rubber is used in making a spring, that if such quantity be subdivided into
sheets of less thickness than half an inch it will sustain a far greater weight
and still offer the requisite elasticity for a spring than if the whole quantity be
ГР.П

page_text: used in one mass, or if the mass be subdivided into thicknesses of half an inch
or more, and each piece separated by a plate of metal from the next piece.
And I have found that this property of increased capability of resistance
improves as the thicknesses of the india-rubber are reduced below a half inch,
hence, the advantage of dividing each half inch of india-rubber used in a spring
into several parts. By this Invention, springs required to resist a given
weight or force may be made to occupy less space, and require a considerably
less quantity of india-rubber. I would remark, that it is not new to employ
several blocks of vulcanized india-rubber between dividing or separating plates
in making up springs, but heretofore the thicknesses used have far exceeded
half an inch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Eaton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the Sth
June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
EATON, of No. 2, Sussex Terrace, New Road, Battersea, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
ine, the said Richard Eaton, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Eaton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Eaton, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS WHEN INDIA-RUBBER IS USED," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Eaton, 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 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Richard Eaton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object an improvement in the manufacture of
springs when india-rubber is used. For this purpose thin sheet vulcanized
india-rubber (that is, india-rubber rendered permanently elastic by heat and
sulphur,) is used of less thickness than half an inch. It is preferred that the
sheets of india-rubber used should not exceed aquarter of an inch in thickness,
and in making up a spring, several thicknesses of india-rubber are used!
together with sheets of metal or thickness of metal.
This Invention is founded upona peculiar property which I have discovered
in regard to vulcanized india-rubber, which is, that when a given weight of
india-rubber is used in making a spring, that if such quantity be subdivided
into sheets of less thickness than half an inch it will sustain a far greater
weight and still offer the requisite elasticity for a spring than if the wholo
quantity be used in one mass, or if the mass be subdivided into thicknesses of
half an inch or more, and each piece separated by a plate of metal from the.
next piece; and 1 have found that this property of increased capability of
resistance improves as the thicknesses of the india-rubber are reduced below.
half an inch, hence, the advantage of dividing each half inch of india-rubber
used in a spring into several parts..
By this Invention springs required to resist a given weight or force may
be
made to occupy less space, and require a considerably less quantity of india-
rubber than heretofore. I would remark that it is not new to employ several
blocks of vulcanized india-rubber between dividing or separating plates in
making up springs; but heretofore the thicknesses used have far exceeded
half an inch.
Some of the applications of my Invention to various useful purposes are
shewn upon the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and I will now proceed to
describe them in detail, premising that Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 14
are bearing springs; Figures 13, 15, 16 and 17 buffing, drawing, and lifting
springs; Figures S, 10, and 18 auxiliary springs to the ordinary flat steel
springs; Figures 10,18, 18 and 19 cushion springs to the ordinary flat steel
springs; Figures 10, 11 and 12 shew the application of the laminated india-
rubber in combination with the ordinary flat steel springs; and Figure 20isa
Drawing upon an enlarged scale of a spring constructed upon my plan, and
which I consider to be a type of all the other applications, and which I shall
hereafter call a laminated spring.

page_text: Figure 20 shews' what may be called the type or original spring constituting
my Invention, and consisting of a series of india-rubber lamina 1, 1, 1, each
being by preference a quarter of an inch in' thickness, and piled alternately
with separating plates of metal 2, 2, 2. The spring is contained between the
upper and lower plates B, C, and the whole are guided and retained by the
central suspension bolt A. The dividing or separating plates are perforated so
as to slide freely upon the central guide bolt A; but the central apertures in
the lamina of india-rubber are larger than the bolt, and the space is partially
filled up by metal washers 4, 4, which are about half the thickness of the
lamina, and like the separating plates slide freely upon the central guide A.
When the metal washers are not used I prefer that the centre of each piece or
disc of india-rubber should be pierced with a circular hole when for a square
bolt, and with a square hole when for a cylindrical bolt, in order that the discs
of india-rubber may only touch the bolt at intervals.
To obtain economy of material, very thin separating plates are shewn; but
in building up a spring, I use at convenient intervals separating plates of
greater strength, which prevent any tendency to distortion, and one of such
strengthening plates 3 is shewn at centre of spring.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan, of a laminated bearing
spring, suitable for a locomotive engine, consisting of one lower B, and two
upper springs A, A', formed of square plates or lamina 1, 1, of india-rubber;
and corresponding intervening or separating plates 2, 2, the whole being
guided and retained by the square central spindle 7 and suspending bolt 12.
Each of the two upper springs A, A', is loaded with equal and separate
weights, by means of the arrangement comprising the central spindle or
pillar 7, sustaining bolts 5, 5, and top and bottom plates 6, 10, 14, and 15.
The spindle is round where it passes through the guide bracket 8, and square
where it passes through the springs, and is provided with suitable shoulders or
collars for supporting the several bottom plates 10 and 15 of springs. A
certain portion of the weight of the engine is transferred to the spring A by
means of the sustaining bolts 5, 5, and cap plate 6, and to the spring A¹
by means of the metal tubes or ferrules 11, 11, which press upon the cap
plate 14 of spring A¹. The lower spring B receives its portion of weight
through the cross bar D, and cap plate 16, and is suspended to the axle
box E by means of the square-shanked bolt 12 and the bottom plate 13.
: Figure 3 is an elevation, and Figure 4 a plan, shewing a double laminated
spring suitable for a locomotive engine, wherein A, A, are the springs; E, the
framing; C, the axle box; 7, the spring pin or pillar, surmounted by an
elastic beam 9, formed of thin flat steel plates; 5, 5, are the suspending bolts;

page_text: 6, the upper cross bar, connecting such bolts with the springs; 'and 4, 4, are
guidė spindles, which may either be fixed into the beam and slide freely
through holes in the cap, or vice versa...
;
. :
The plan, Figure 4, shews square shaped lamina and intervening plates, but
any other convenient shape may be used. The lower spring B is contrived for
the purpose of preventing any sudden recoil of the upper springs, and to this
end the lower spindle 12, which is fixed to the axle box C, thrusts upon the
spring B by means of the plate or collar 13. The spring is attached to the
horn plate by means of the box or frame 14, and the pressure upon it is
regulated by the screws 15.
Figure 5 is an elevation, and Figure 6 a plan, shewing a bearing spring
suitable for a carriage or wagon upon railways, wherein A and A are similar
laminated springs, which are partly contained in chambers D and E, cast in
one piece with or firmly bolted to the axle box C. The springs are guided
by central square spindles 3, 4, which are fixed to the cap plates 5, 6, and
slide freely through suitable holes in the bottom of chambers D and E. In
some cases I use a supplementary spring to prevent recoil; and the arrange-
ment consists in a laminated spring F, which is attached to the framing by
means of the strap or box G, and by means of the spindle 7, which is secured
at its lower end to the axle box C, and provided at top with an adjusting nut;
any required compression can be put upon the spring.
Figures 7 and 7, shew a simple mode of applying the laminated spring to
a coal or other ordinary wagon upon railways, wherein the spring A is placed
immediately between the axle box B and framing C, the said spring being
guided by the central spindle 3.
Figure 8 shews another mode of applying the laminated spring to railway
vehicles, wherein A and B are two springs contained in the chambers or
boxes D and E, and the thrust or strain from the axle box C is transferred to
the spring by means of the jointed links 1, 2, which are attached by one end
to the axle box, and by the other end to the caps 3, 4, which press upon the
laminated springs. As a means of preventing friction between the caps 3, 4,
and boxes D, E, the vibrating links 5, 6, are used; and in some cases I also
use the supplementary spring F, the construction of which is so obvious as to
render further description unnecessary, and its object is to relieve the others
from severe jolts and strains.
Figure 9 shews another modification of my laminated spring applied to
railway wagons or carriages, in which the springs A, B, are contained in and
supported by the chambers D and E, each of which is hinged to the other
and to the axle box C, as shown. The weight or thrust upon the spring is

page_text: transformed to the framing F by means of the links or spindles 3, 4, which are
attached at their outer ends to the brackets 1, 2, and at their inner ends to
thic caps 5, 6, which press upon the springs A, B. The central guide spindles
for such springs are fixed to the bottom of their respective chambers, and the
spindles 3, 4, are bored to receive them.
Figures 15 and 15 shew my laminated springs applied to the buffers and
lifting springs of the hoisting cages used in coal mines. I represents the
lower wooden framing strongly plated with iron; E, one of the rails upon
which the small truck containing the coals is placed; Fand G, two of the four
iron stanchions which form the body of the cage, and sustain the strain in
hoisting; H, H, are two of the four buffer irons (one being placed at each
corner), and which irons act upon corresponding laminated springs I,K, which
are fixed into or under the iron plates or bars forming the sides of cage to
prevent undue concussions or strains upon the rope or chain when lifting.
A laminated spring A is attached to the upper part of cage, the connection
to the rope or chain being effected by the eye bolt B. In some cases I use
the arrangement as shewn by Figure 15, wherein three buffers A, B, C,
having laminated springs, are attached to the lower part of a mine bucket;
one of the buffers C is shewn in section, and shewing a double laminated
spring with a protecting plate for the weaker spring. By another modification
I fix similar buffers to the stage or floor from which the buckets or cages are
worked.
'
a
Figure 14 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 14 plan, showing
quadruple laminated spring applied to a vehicle or carriage upon common
roads. The springs A, B, C, D, are enclosed in separate chambers 1, 2, 3, 4,
which are surmounted by four hollow caps 5, 6, 7, 8, and these caps are
provided (as shewn) with spherical recesses and sideslots to receive the rounded
extremities of the four horizontal arms belonging to the forked lever or
standard E, which same lever is also provided with an upright stem 10, having
a rounded top fitting into a corresponding cap or recess formed in the bracket
The action of the apparat us
F, which is attached to the body of carriage (+.
is as follows-The weight of a certain portion of the carriage is borne by the
forked lever E, and equally distributed upon the four springs A, B, C, D, and
should any momentum or lurch be communicated to the body of the carriage
in the direction of the arrow, the side slots in the caps 6 and 8 form fulcra or
bearings for the corresponding arms of forked lever E, and the momentum is
thrown upon the outermost spring D, which after having absorbed the shock
returns to its original position. When a lurch takes place either in the
opposite direction to the arrow, or at right angles to it, the strain or shock is

page_text: thrown upon the corresponding springs, and thus the body of the carriage is
saved from shocks, and can swing easily in any direction: The casting con-
taining the spring is shewn as being fixed upon the upper part of framing,
but it may be fixed either under such framing, or in any other convenient
situation; also three or any other number of such quadruple springs may be
used to support the vehicle, and in some cases I purpose to use the arrange-
ment of quadruple springs to railway vehicles.
Figures 13, 16, and 17 shew the laminated springs applied to the draw
springs and coupling links of railway carriages, Figure 13 being a double, and
Figure 17 a single draw spring; and I purpose to use similar laminated springs
to the standing rigging and cables of vessels, and to hoisting and towing
purposes, and wherever necessary they may be enclosed in suitable metal
boxes.
:
Figures 10, 11, and 12 shew the application of the laminated india-rubber
springs to neutralize the shocks, vibrations, and strains to which the ordinary
flat steel springs are liable when running at high velocitics, or over bad roads,
wherein H, H, is an ordinary steel spring for a railway carriage, having thin
lamina of india-rubber inserted between the plates thereof, as shewn, and
such lamina may either be simply laid between the steel plates, and be
retained by the tongues or projections usually formed upon such springs, and
shewn by Figure 12; or the laminated india-rubber may be laid between
intervening plates, which have their edges turned up to embrace the steel, and
thereby retain and protect the lamina, as shewn by Figure il; or by another
mode the lamina may be retained by small studs fixed into the plates.
In some cases, instead of using the lamina to the full length of and
throughout the whole spring, I apply it between only a certain number of the
plates, and in other cases I divide the lamina into short lengths, and use any
convenient number thereof between the plates. I also purpose to use thin
india-rubber washers of any suitable shape and number between the plates, as
above described. The shape, size, and number of the lamina may be varied
to suit all the various kinds of steel springs, and I purpose to apply the
arrangement shewn by Figures 10, 11, and 12 to the steel springs of all
vehicles upon common roads. Figures 10 and 18 shew auxiliary laminated
springs B, C, applied to the ordinary steel springs in order to relieve the same
from being too severely strained when the engine or carriage is overloaded, and
from the strain and concussions produced when passing over a bad road.
Figures 10, 18, 18, and 19 shew the application of the laminated springs
A, A, A, as cushion springs to the extremities of the ordinary steel springs of
locomotive engines and other railway vehicles, which are used in like manner

page_text: to that in which other cushion springs formed from the ordinary thick cylinders
of india-rubber have before been applied. Figure 18* shews the employment
of a central laminated cushion spring c in combination with those at the
extremities, and the steel spring is thereby perfectly protected from concussions
whether produced by the road or by the vehicle. The distinction between the
cushion and auxiliary springs is, that the cushion springs do not relieve the
spring from any actual weight which would come upon them in the event of
the vehicle being overloaded, or when passing over a bad road. I also propose
to apply the laminated cushion springs to the ordinary steel springs used to
vehicles upon common roads.
Figure 21 shews the laminated spring applied to an ordinary wagon buffer,
wherein A is the buffer case; B, the moveable plunger; C, the laminated
spring; and D, the central guide bolt, which also serves to retain the plunger.
The laminated spring in one or more columns is readily applicable to all kinds
of buffers.
Having described the construction and various applications of what I have
called my laminated springs, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not
confine myself to the several applications shewn, nor do I confine myself to the
details of construction, inasmuch as the laminated spring can be varied in
the details, nor do I make any claim to the several mechanical parts combined
with my laminated springs in order to apply the same to the various purposes
above explained, and I have only shown such applications as illustrations of
applications of my said laminated springs. But what I claim is, the con-
struction of laminated springs of thin vulcanized india-rubber kept separate by
metal plates or divisions, the vulcanized india-rubber not exceeding half an
inch in thickness, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Eaton, havchereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
'One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
RICHARD EATON. (L.S.)