IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND OTHER PURPOSES." SIMILAR
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Andrew at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April 1876.
WILLIAM HENRY ANDREW, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
SIMILAR
My Invention relates to the construction and manufacture of springs to be cm-
ployed as bearing and drawing springs for railway carriages, wagons, and other
similar purposes, and consist chiefly in the combination with laminated springs of
the usual construction (or of my improved construction) of a spiral spring of a pecu-
liar and novel arrangement or shape as herein-after described.
In carrying out my Invention I form a spiral spring of round, square, or other
approved section of steel the central coils of which (by preference two of such coils)
are of equal diameter to each other and close or nearly close together but of larger
diameter than the other coils, which diminish in diameter from the central ones in
such a proportion that they will close or shut up one within the other, thus forming
a double cone, each of the cones of which can be pressed down and within the larger
coils. This spring may be coiled to a circular, oval, or other convenient shape, and
may be employed either separately or in conjunction with the laminated springs as
I may find desirable.
In order to produce a spring having a greater amount of elasticity or less friction
than those in general use, and of lighter and cheaper construction, I form laminated
springs to be employed in conjunction with the spiral spring of a minimum number
of plates, and I separate the plates by the introduction between each two consecutive
plates of a short plate by which means a freer and more elastic action is gained and
the friction greatly reduced, the spring plates being curved so that they bear on
each other towards the points. On the centre of this laminated spring I fix the
spiral spring either by means a stud passing inside the first coil with a similar
arrangement to the under side of the carriage or waggon, or a bar or rod may pass
completely through the spiral spring, or it may be so adjusted and secured as to
dispense with either of these arrangements, and it acts as an auxiliary spring with
the laminated spring.
According to a modification of the preceding arrangement I make the laminated
spring of two or more plates with or without intermediate short plates, but I so
arrange the plates that each spring plate is held at the ends by a scroll iron or
similar means so that the weight of the carriage is carried by the ends of the spring
[Price 2d.1

page_text: plates, such spring plates being thus maintained apart and out of contact with each
other in order to obviate the friction of the expanding and contracting movements
of the plates which takes place when they lie and work upon each other; the spring
thus constructed I consider to be anti-frictional.
It is obvious that I may employ.in combination with the spiral spring either the
single or double elliptic spring, I also propose to employ spiral springs forming
either a single or double cone or of any other desired shape in combination with
laminated springs.
According to another modification I form what may be designated a double elliptic
spring, but in lieu of the top or upper half being in complete plates like the bottom
half I make it in two parts, or short ends, leaving a space in the centre where the
spiral spring is secured, thus forming two half springs one end of each to be fixed
to the carriage or waggon, and the other secured to the bottom half of the spring;
in this arrangement the short single springs act as the scroll irons or other usual
fastenings.