IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gordon Donaldson Peters, of Bunhill Row, in the City of
London, Merchant and Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND
FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 9th April 1877..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gordon Donaldson Peters at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1877.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the novel construction of springs, and the arrangement
of the same within a frame to form a spring seat.
The said Invention is chiefly designed for application to railway carriage seats
or cushions, but may be employed in scats or cushions for sofas, couches, chairs,
and for other like purposes, in all cases where it is desirable to have a convenient,
comfortable, and permanently elastic seat or cushion.
My improved springs or spring frames are constructed as follows, that is to
say:
Each spring is composed of a straight longitudinal rigid bar which has attached
to it a series of transverse strips of elastic metal, preferably steel, bent into an
elliptical shape, and enclosed between the said bar and a longitudinal strip of steel
of a semi-elliptic or bow shape, which is attached to the ends of the said bar, and
to each of the aforesaid transverse strips.
The said Invention comprises among its novel features the use of the aforesaid
longitudinal metal strip, which connects the series of transverse strips and the
peculiar shape of the same.
Also the forming of the said transverse strips in such a manner that the centre
strip is wider than those adjacent to it, and the latter are wider and longer than
the end or outer strips, so that the outline or configuration of the entire spring is
oval or elliptical, or approximately so.
The said Invention also comprises the employment of peculiarly constructeḍ

page_text: metal socket pieces, which are fitted on the end of the aforesaid straight bar, and
formed with a curved bracket, around which the end of the said longitudinal strip
is bent, its extremity being fitted between two lips or flanges on the said sockets,
and secured by nails, screws, or other fastenings to the end of the said longitudinal
bar. These socket pieces also have projecting lugs, which serve for attachment of
the springs to the frames by means of screws or otherwise.
Each of the said transverse elastic strips is secured to the longitudinal bar by a
small metal clip. The said clips are attached to the said bar.
The ends of the transverse strips are dovetailed together and placed within the
said clips. The latter are then bent or folded down upon these dovetailed ends, and
thereby keep the said transverse strips securely in place.
The springs constructed as above described, with a straight bar on one side, aro
semi-elliptic in form, but in some instances I modify the construction of my Invention
by placing a longitudinal strip and transverse strips of elastic metal on both sides
of the straight bar, or construct the spring with transverse strips secured to longi-
tudinal strips by clastic metal, on both sides of the same, thereby forming elliptic
or oval springs..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gordon Donaldson Peters in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1877.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the novel construction of springs, and the arrangement
of the same within a frame to form a spring seat.
The said Invention is chiefly designed for application to railway carriage seats or
cushions, but may be employed in seats or cushions for sofas, couches, chairs, and for
other like purposes, in all cases where it is desirable to have a convenient, com-
fortable, and permanently elastic seat or cushion.
My improved springs are constructed as shown in the accompanying Drawing,
in which,
-
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of one of my springs; Figure 2 is a side elevation;
and Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 4 shows a detached portion of the said spring.
Like letters indicate the saine parts throughout the Drawing.
Each spring is composed of a straight longitudinal rigid bar a, which has attached
to it a series of transverse strips b, 61, 6, of clastic metal, preferably steel, bent into
an elliptical or nearly elliptical or oval shape, and enclosed between the said bar a
and a longitudinal strip c of steel, of a semi-elliptic or bow shape, which is attached
to the ends of the said bar a, and to each of the aforesaid transverse strips b, b1, b2
The said Invention comprises among its novel features the use of the aforesaid
longitudinal metal strip c, which connects the series of transverse strips and the
peculiar shape of the same.
Also the forming of the said transverse strips in such a manner that the centre
strip bis larger than the strips b¹ adjacent to it, and the latter are larger than the
strips b², so that the outline or configuration of the entire spring is oval or elliptical,
or approximately so.
The said Invention also comprises the employment of peculiarly constructed
metal socket or end pieces d, which are fitted on the ends of the aforesaid straight
bar. Each socket is formed with a curved extension or bracket d¹, around which
the end of the said longitudinal strip c is bent, as shewn in Figure 2. The extremity
of the curved portion of the strip c is fitted between two lips or flanges d² on the
said sockets or end pieces, and secured at e by nails, screws, or other fastenings to

page_text: the end of the said longitudinal bar a. These socket pieces d also have projecting
lugs d³, which serve for the attachment of the springs to their frames or holders by
means of screws or otherwise.
Each of the said transverse elastic strips b, 61, 62, is secured to the longitudinal
bar a by a small metal clip f. The clips f are attached to the said bar a by nails
or screws g.
The ends of the transverse strips are dovetailed or rivetted together, and placed
within the said clips fas clearly shewn in Figure 4. The clips are then bent or
folded down upon these dovetailed ends, and thereby keep the said transverse strips
securely in place.
It will be obvious that I'may use any desired number of these transverse strips for
each spring, and some or all of thein may consist of two or more thicknesses instead
of a single thickness.
The springs constructed as above described with a straight bar on one side are
semi-elliptic in form, but in some instances I modify the construction of my Inven-
tion by placing a longitudinal strip and transverse strips of elastic metal on both
sides of the straight bar a, or construct the spring with transverse strips secured to
longitudinal strips of elastic metal on both sides of the same, thereby forming
elliptic or oval springs.
The said springs are intended to be placed in any desired number within a frame
of wood or other material, the transverse strips of one lying between those of the
adjacent springs.
Each frame or series of springs may be covered with leather, cloth, or other
suitable material.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim, -
First. A spring composed of a series of transverse elastic metal strips of an
elliptical or nearly elliptical form, secured on one side to a rigid bar of wood or
other material, and connected at the other side to a longitudinal semi-elliptical or
bow shaped elastic inetal strip, whose ends are secured to the said rigid bar, all as
above set forth.
Second. The peculiarly constructed metal socket pieces fitted and secured on the
ends of the said rigid bar, and having the ends of the said longitudinal metal strip
secured to them as above set forth.
Third. Attaching the said transverse metal strips to the said rigid bar by dove-
tailing or rivetting the ends of the said strips together, and covering them by a clip
fixed on the said rigid bar as above set forth.
Fourth. A spring composed of a series of transverse elliptical metal strips, or two
series of such strips and a longitudinal elastic metal strip, either with or without
the rigid bar, and with its parts so formed and arranged as to give the entire spring
an approximately oval or elliptical shape, and the arrangement of a series of such
springs within a frame, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gordon Donaldson Peters, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.