Improvements in Devices for Supporting the Bodies of Vehicles, such as Railway-cars, Waggons, Carriages, or Sledges
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
"Improvements in Devices for Supporting the Bodies of Vehicles,
such as Railway-cars, Waggons, Carriages, or Sledges."
I, JOHAN AUGUST JANSSON, of Hagalund near Stockholm, Sweden, Manufac-
turer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a supporting-frame composed of levers and springs
and adapted for vehicles, such as railway cars, waggons, carriages, sledges and
the like, having for its purpose that, in variations of the load of the vehicle body,
said body may sink and rise parallel to itself, independently of the position of
the load upon the body. Such a device is of special importance in railway cars,
because it prevents an otherwise easily occuring undue straining of the coupling,
and it is also valuable in other vehicles since it causes the weight of the load
to be evenly disposed upon the axes of the vehicle. The levers, which have arms
of unequal length, may be arranged somewhat differently, but preferably so that
their fulcrums are the vehicle axles and so that the body of the vehicle is sup-
ported by them at four points at least, two on each side, rather near or adjacent
to the ends of the vehicle. If the vehicle is not very long, it is suitable to use
fcur levers, two over each axle, and with the shorter ends that are connected
with the body of the vehicle directed outwards towards the ends of the vehicle.
The other ends of the levers, which may meet at a point under the middle of
the vehicle, press against one or more springs, which are situated between said
ends and the body of the vehicle. The latter will thus be steadily supported so
that it cannot rock sideways, and at the same time it will obtain or have an elastic
bedding, without being in a slanting position in case it is not loaded 'evenly.
As applied to a railway car the short arms of the levers embrace a transverse
axle fastened under the car body or they are in some other suitable manner jointed
to the body, but the longer arms of the levers are at the end fastened together
two by two and united by a bolt. Above the lever ends thus united there is a
strong spring which goes straight across under the body and at the ends is united
to the same by means of links. In loading the car or waggon, the spring is
compressed by the levers which, pressed down at their outer ends, all move in
the same manner and to an equal degree till there is an equilibrium. As will
be understood, the car body sinks parallel to itself. The relation of the lever-
arms to each other may suitably be taken as 1 to 2, so that the pressure on the
spring will be equal to one third of the weight of the load.
If the vehicle is very long, several pairs of levers may be used, arranged, the
one pair after the other. In such case and as applied to a bogie car there are
used four pairs of levers having arms of equal length and of which the two outer
pairs have their outer ends connected with the bogie, while their other ends are
connected to the outer ends of the next pair of levers, which in their turn act
on springs which latter may be three or more placed beside each other.
The invention may be applied to an ordinary road carriage furnished with the
same lever-system, but the levers do not rest directly upon the axles but on other

page_text: fixed points in the frame of the carriage. The system may also be used in part
i.e. that the pairs of levers may be used at a time but separated from each other,
or that the one pair of levers may be used alone.
As applied to a cab, the body rests on the outer ends of the two levers against
the other ends of which a spring presses.
Dated this 16th day of Wa
1907
"Improvements in Devices for Supporting the Bodies of Vehicles,
such as Railway-cars, Waggons, Carriages, or Sledges."
I, JOHAN AUGUST JANSSON, of Hagaland, near Stockholm, Sweden, Manufac-
turer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to a supporting arrangement for the bodies of railway
and other carriages, composed of levers and springs, and designed to cause the
carriage body to move up and down parallel to itself, as the load varies, regardless
of the position of said load upon the carriage. Such an arrangement is of great
importance in railway cars, since it prevents bending or twisting stresses, which
might otherwise easily arise at the coupling, besides being of advantage, by
effecting an even distribution of the load on the carriage axles.
The levers which have unequal arms may vary in arrangement, though the
same are in some cases and as hereafter described fulcrummed on the carriage-
axles, and so arranged as to support the body at four points at least, two on each
side quite near the ends of the carriage. If the length of the carriage is not
too great, four levers are conveniently used for the purpose, two of them located
over each carriage axle, and their short ends being connected to the carriage
body, and directed outward toward the ends of the carriage. The other ends of
the levers may meet at a point under the carriage and be arranged to exert a
pressure on one or more springs placed between them and the carriage body. On
the other hand, if the length of the carriage is very great several pairs of levers
are employed arranged in succession.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 8 shew a short railway
carriage viewed in cross section, side-elevation and plan, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6
represent one of a longer type viewed from one side, endwise and in plan. Figs. 7,
8 and 9 likewise shew a wagon, and Figs. 10, 11 and 12 a fourwheeled road
vehicle.
Referring to Figs. 1-3, it will be seen that underneath the carriage-body there
are four levers, one at each side at the respective ends of the carriage. The short
arms of said levers are indicated by the letter A and the long arms by B. The
shorter arms A of the levers which run in the direction of the ends of the carriage
embrace a shaft D, fixed transversely beneath the body of the carriage C, or are
jointed to the carriage-body in any other suitable manner, while the longer arms
Bare fastened together, in such manner that those situated at the same end of
the carriage are united one to the other, both being for this purpose bent inward
toward the middle of the carriage, as shewn in Fig. 3. The pairs of levers thus
formed are further jointed to each other by means of a pin E. Arranged above
all the inner lever-ends thus united, there is placed a strong spring F transversely
under the body of the carriage, said spring at its ends being attached to the latter

page_text: by links or the like. When the carriage body is loaded the spring F will be com-
pressed by the levers.
As the journals of the wheel axles always are at a fixed elevation and form the
fulcrum of the levers while the inner ends of the levers are coupled, it is evident
that any resulting motion will be the same for all the levers until equilibrium.
is brought about. When a load is placed on the carriage-body the outer ends of
all four levers consequently descend by the same amount, thus causing the carriage
body to descend parallel to itself whether it be viewed from one side or endwise.
The ratio of the lever-arms A and B can be suitably taken as 1 to 2 making the
pressure on the spring equal to one third of the load.
In some cases the levers may be joined as described, but crosswise with refer-
ence to the carriage, and each of the pairs of levers thus separated may be caused
to act with their inner ends upon a separate spring or separate springs. Of course,
the carriage body when thus mounted will be able to assume an inclined position
viewed from one side, but when viewed from its end it will still be under the
necessity of rising and descending parallel to itself. The latter is of the greater
importance, since the plane on which the carriage-body is supported, owing to the
extended form of the carriage, has but slight width as compared with its length.
According to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 which represent a so-called bogie-carriage, four
equiarmed levers are introduced longitudinally, there being two at each end of the
carriage, and these latter levers H have their outer ends connected to the bogie
while their other ends are .connected to the outer end of the next lever I. The
latter lever I which like the former H, is fulcrummed on the body of the carriage,
acts with its inner end upon the springs K which may be two or more in number,
placed side by side. The inner ends of the levers I, may be united or placed at
a distance from each other.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 shew an ordinary waggon or road vehicle provided with the
same system of levers as shewn in Fig. 1, the levers, however, not being supported
directly on the carriage axles, but from fixed points on the frame L of the
wagon.
It has already been mentioned that the pairs of levers may be separated and
each made to act upon a distinct spring 'F; it is moreover possible to use one pair
only of the levers referred to. This arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 10-12
which represent for example a four-wheeled cab having its body resting on the
outer ends of two levers Li, the other ends of which are acted upon by a spring N
bearing against the body of the carriage. Instead of joining the inner ends of
the levers, as previously shewn, the levers are in this case coupled together by
means of the carriage-axle itself, being rigidly secured to the latter. The mode
of action will evidently be the same as before, i.e. the carriage body, viewed from
one end, will descend parallel to the axle it being impossible for the levers to
assume different positions, since they are firmly united with the axle, which is, of
course, made movable so as to allow of the levers turning with it. The fore-part
of the cab rests on springs M as usual. The system described is also applicable
to two-wheeled vehicles (compare the lever-arrangement of the cab just explained)
as well as for sleighs, since the wheels may be assumed to be replaced by or placed
on runners.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An arrangement for supporting the bodies of railway carriages, and other
vehicles, consisting of levers (A B) arranged at the respective sides of the carriage,
wagon, etc, so as to be supported by the carriage axles, or other fixed part of the
carriage frame, said levers being at one end united with the carriage body while
their other ends are united with each other, and one or more springs arranged
under the carriage body so as to be compressed by the latter united ends of the
levers, for the purpose of causing the carriage body to rise and descend parallel
to the carriage axles, even if the load be placed one sided in the carriage.

page_text: 2. An arrangement for supporting the bodies of railway carriages and other
vehicles, consisting of levers (A B) arranged at the respective sides of the carriage,
wagon, etc., so as to be supported by the carriage axles, or other fixed part of the
carriage frame, said levers being at one end united with the carriage body while
their other ends are bent toward the middle of the carriage and there united, and
of one or more springs arranged under the carriage body so as to be compressed
by the latter united ends of the levers, for the purpose of causing the carriage
body to rise and descend parallel to the carriage axle even if the load be placed
one sided in the carriage.
3. Railway carriages and other vehicles, as specified in claim 1; the arrange-
ment however comprising two levers provided at each end of the carriage, one at
each side of the latter, the inner united ends of these levers all acting upon springs,
located under the carriage body, while their outer ends are connected to the
carriage body, for the purposes of causing the said body to rise and descend
parallel to itself, when viewed from one side.
4. Railway carriages and other vehicles provided with an arrangement as
specified in claim 1, the arrangement however comprising two levers arranged
at each end of the carriage, one at each side of the latter, said levers, however,
which bear against the carriage body being connected at their ends with the bogie
carriage frame, while their inner ends are connected to a second lever (I) attached
to the carriage body and in its turn acting on springs located under the carriage
body (Fig. 4).
5. In an arrangement of the kind specified in claim 1: the construction where-
in the levers are coupled together by means of or on the axle, being rigidly
secured to the latter, while acting with their free ends upon a spring located
under the body of the carriage (Fig. 11).
Dated this 16th day of November 1897.
BREWER & SON.
London & Leeds Agents for the Applicant.