IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF SPRINGS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Willford, of Southampton Buildings, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SPRINGS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 19th September 1879, and dated the 22nd March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Willford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1879.
GEORGE WILLIAM WILLFORD, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS, AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of "plate" or "leaf"
springs, and to machinery or apparatus employed in the said manufacture.
The manufacture of "plate or "leaf springs from bars or strips of steel is
commonly divided into two distinct processes, namely, the "forging" and "fitting"
processes, and this Invention relates to improvements in the latter or process of
fitting, and to machinery or apparatus therefor. The said machinery and
apparatus being applicable to the production of improved forms of spring plates
during the operation of curving or fitting together the said plates.
Hitherto "leaf" or "plate" springs have been fitted by hand only (from the
forged plates), that is to say, the plates have been curved by hand and then closely
"fitted" together by hand labor, or they have been curved by machinery separately
and then fitted closely together by hand labor, and it has been proposed to bend
one plate of a spring in a press by dies and harden the said plate while under
pressure from the said dies, the said plates remaining in the shape in which they
were hardened when hooped or otherwise bound together to form a complete
spring.
'
This Invention is an improvement on what has hitherto been accomplished, and
has for its object the production of "leaf," "plate," or "laminated" springs at a
less cost than that at which they have been produced hitherto by the processes and

page_text: apparatus indicated above, the improved process dispensing with hand “fitting
altogether.
"
This Invention consists in making or "fitting" one complete spring (from the so
called forged plates) at one operation by means of machinery or apparatus con-
structed according to the following general description, by which the plates would
be subjected to blows or impact as well as pressure, that is to say,
The framing of the machine will carry a set of bottom dies and also an inverted
steam cylinder with piston, piston rod, and crosshead; to the said crosshead will be
fixed or fitted a set of dies (the top dies) which will be made to descend and ascend
by the action of the steam in the cylinder, the rising and falling of the said piston
and dies connected therewith being governed by a valve or valves in the ordinary
manner.
The crossheads will reciprocate in or be guided by vertical slides or guide bars.
The said framing of the machine or base plate forming part of the machine will
carry or be fitted with the said set of bottom dies. The top and bottom dies will
be of the form required to be given to the top (or long) plate, and the bottom (or
short) plate of the spring, or the top dies will be of the form required to be given
to the bottom (or short) plate, and the bottom dies will be of the form required to
be given to the top (or long) plate of the spring. The top and bottom dies will be
so constructed and fitted to the top crosshead and the bottom frame or base plate
as that the centre part or parts thereof can be drawn back from the regular face or
curved face of the dies, so as to leave a cavity between the centre portion of the
spring (or the top and bottom plates of the spring) and the said dies, and so that
the said dies can exert pressure on the extreme ends only of the spring plates
which are being operated upon, and so as to allow the centre portion of the said
plates which are being operated upon to set up from or spring clear of one another
to such an extent as that water can be forced or passed between each of the said
plates for the purpose of cooling the said plates, whilst they are thus set up clear of
each other in the centre, or whilst bearing upon one another at the extreme ends
only; or packing pieces may be placed between each of the flat spring plates before
and while being curved, in order to produce the setting up or setting out of the
plates from one another, the said packing pieces being taken out before cooling and
hardening the said plates or otherwise; or instead of flat packing pieces being
inserted between the spring plates composing one spring, the said plates may be
first curved in the said machine and curved packing pieces then inserted between
each plate, after which the said plates (with the packing pieces between them) will
be operated on by the dies for the purpose of setting up the spring plates clear of
each other. The bottom dies will be fixed in or upon a tank, in which said tank
the spring will be cooled or hardened, the said tank being connected with a water
supply main of ordinary or extraordinary pressure, and the said tank may be open
or may be so made as to be capable of being closed and secured so that a great
pressure of water may be maintained therein. In the event of the bottom dies
being fixed, on a tank, suitable lowering and lifting gear will be provided for
lowering the spring into and raising it from the said tank; or instead of the tank
being made and fitted as above described the said tank may be so. constructed and
fitted to the apparatus as that it will rise and fall whilst the spring is being held
by the top and bottom dies; or instead of the tank above described or in combina-
tion therewith an arrangement of water pipes can be employed, from which jets or
streams of water will be forced on to and between the said plates.
As a modification of the above described apparatus the bottom dies may be made
to reciprocate as well to the top dies; or the bottom dies may be made to recipro-
cate and the top dies be fixed, and the pairs of fixed and reciprocating dies or the
pair of reciprocating dies may form part of an apparatus of the above general con-
struction as above detailed, in which said apparatus the dies. would be or move in a
horizontal. direction instead of in a vertical direction as.firstly described, and in
this modification of machinery or apparatus working horizontally the rod to which

page_text: the die is attached may work through a stuffing box in the side of the tank, and
act in conjunction with a fixed die or in conjunction with a second moving die and
rod, both actuated directly by a piston moved by steam, or indirectly by other well
known mechanical powers.
In order to give an improved from to the spring plates during or after the
operation of curving, packing pieces as matrices (of the required form) would be
inserted between each spring plate, and the said plates (with the said matrices
between them) would be subjected to blows or pressure in the above described
apparatus until the plates were curved by the dies and impressed with and by the
form of the said matrices.
In using the above described apparatus the spring plates, composing one complete
spring, in their forged state (as flat bars) would be heated and placed between the
dies, and motion being imparted to one or both of the said dies the flat plates
would all be so hammered or pressed (or pressed and hammered) as that they
would all be curved thereby at (so to say) one operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George William Willford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
September 1879.
GEORGE WILLIAM WILLFORD, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPRINGS, AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention consists in making or "fitting" one complete spring (from the so
called forged plates) at one operation by means of machinery or apparatus con-
structed according to the following general description, by which the plates would
be subjected to blows or impact as well as pressure, that is to say,-
The framing of the machine will carry a set of bottom dies and also an inverted
steam cylinder with piston, piston rod, and crosshead; to the said crosshead will be
fixed or fitted a set of dies (the top dies) which will be made to descend and ascend
by the action of the steain in the cylinder, the rising and falling of the said piston
and dies connected there with being governed by a valve or valves in the ordinary
manner.
The crosshead will reciprocate in or be guided by vertical slides or guide bars.
The said framing of the machine or a base plate forming part of the machine will
carry or be fitted with the said set of bottom dies. The top and bottom dies will
be of the form required to be given to the top (or long) plate and the bottom (or
short) plate of the spring; or the top dies will be of the form required to be given
to the bottom (or short) plate, and the bottom dies will be of the form required to
be given to the top (or long) plate of the spring. The top and bottom dies will be
so constructed and fitted to the top crosshead and the bottom frame or base plate
as that the centre part or parts thereof can be drawn back from the regular face or
curved face of the dies so as to leave a cavity between the centre portion of the
spring (or the top and bottom plates of the spring) and the said dies, and so that
the said dies can exert pressure on the extreme ends only of the spring plates which
are being operated upon, and so as to allow the centre portion of the said plates
which are being operated upon to set up from or spring clear of one another to such
an extent as that water can be forced or passed between each of the said plates, for
the purpose of cooling the said plates whilst they are thus set up clear of each other
in the centre, or whilst bearing upon one another at the extreme ends only; or
packing pieces may be placed between each of the flat spring plates before and
while being curved, in order to produce the setting up or setting out of the plates
from one another; or instead of flat packing pieces being inserted between the
spring plates composing the spring, the said plates may be first curved in the said
machine and curved packing pieces then inserted between each plate, after which
the said plates (with the packing pieces between them) will be operated on by the
dies for the purpose of setting up the spring plates clear of each other, the said
packing pieces being taken out before cooling and hardening the said plates. The
bottom dies will be fixed in or upon a tank, in which said tank the spring will be
cooled or hardened, the said tank being connected with a water supply main, of
ordinary or extraordinary pressure, and the said tank may be open or may be so
made as to be capable of being closed and secured, so that a great pressure of water
may be maintained therein. In the event of the bottom dies being fixed on a tank,
suitable lowering and lifting gear will be provided for lowering the spring into
and raising it from the said tank; or, instead of the tank being made and fitted as
above described, the said tank may be so constructed and fitted to the apparatus as
that it will rise and fall whilst the spring is being held by the top and bottom dies;
or, instead of the tanks above described or in conbination therewith, an arrange-

page_text: ment of water pipes can be employed, from which jets or streams of water will be
forced on to and between the said plates.
As a modification of the above described apparatus, the bottom dies may be made
to reciprocate as well as the top dies, or the bottom dies may be made to reciprocate
and the top dies be fixed, and the pair of fixed and reciprocating dies or the pair of
reciprocating dies may form part of an apparatus of the general construction as
above detailed, in which said apparatus the dies would be or move in a horizontal
direction instead of in a vertical direction as firstly described, and in this modifi-
cation of machinery or apparatus working horizontally, the rod to which the die is
attached may work through a stuffing box in the side of the tank and act in
conjunction with a fixed die or in conjunction with a second moving die and rod,
both actuated directly by a piston moved by steam, or indirectly by other well
known mechanical powers.
In order to give an improved form to the spring plates during or after the
operation of curving and fitting, packing pieces, as matrices of the required form,
would be inserted between each spring plate, and the said plates (with the said
matrices between them) would be subjected to blows or pressure in the above
described apparatus until the plates were curved by the dies, and impressed with
and by the form of the said matrices.
In using the above described apparatus the spring plates composing one complete
spring in their forged state (as flat bars) would be heated and placed between the
dies, and motion being imparted to one or both of the said dies, the flat plates
would all be so hammered or pressed (or pressed and hammered) as that they would
all be curved thereby at (so to say) one operation.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation, and
Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of a spring making or spring fitting machine in
which my improvements as above firstly described are carried into effect. A, A, A,
are the top dies carried by the crosshead C; B, B, are the bottom dies carried by
the plate D; E is the tank containing the water for cooling or hardening the
spring F; G is the steam cylinder; H, the piston rod carrying the crosshead C;
J, J, the rods which guide the crosshead C; K, K, the pillars which support the
cylinder G; L, L, are eccentrics and handles which draw back the bottom dies B, B,
from the spring F.
In making a spring with the above described machine, the spring plates F in
their forged and flat state are placed between the top and bottom dies A and B,
and the piston rod, crosshead, and dies, H, C, A, being forced down by the pressure
of steam in the cylinder G the spring plates F are thereby curved (as shown in
Fig. 1 of the Drawings), the bottom dies B, B, are then drawn back from the
spring F by turning round the handles and eccentrics L, L, thereby allowing the
spring plates to set out clear of each other in the centre so that water can pass
between the said plates, pressure being exerted only at the extreme ends thereof.
The piston rod H, crosshead C, dies A, B, spring F, and plate D, are then lowered
into the water in the tank E, and the spring thereby hardened, after which
operation the spring dies, &c., are raised, and the spring is removed, being then
ready for hooping without any further fitting by hand.
Eccentrics and handles L, L, can be fitted to the top dies as well as the bottom
dies when it is desirable to set out the spring plates frome one another to a greater
extent than would be the case when the bottom dies only are drawn back from the
centre of the spring plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, and specified in what manner the same is to be or may be performed
and carried into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent,-.
Improvements in the manufacture of springs, and in machinery or apparatus
therefor, wherein moveable dies or their equivalents are employed for the purpose
of setting out the spring plates from one another in the centre parts thereof, and
i

page_text: hardening the said plates whilst so set out from each other, together with the
employment of matrices for shaping the spring plates, as herein before specified and
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings."
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Willford, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
GEORGE WILLIAM WILLFORD. (L.S.)