IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES, AND FOR THE CUSHIONS OF CARRIAGES, CHAIRS, MATTRASSES, BEDS,, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Norgate Hooper and William Hooper, of the
Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex, Carriage Builders, for the. In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES, AND FOR THE CUSHIONS
OF CARRIAGES, CHAIRS, MATTRASSES, BEDS,, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Sealed the 18th July 1856, and dated the 1st February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Norgate Hooper
and William Hooper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st February 1856.
We, GEORGE NORGATE HOOPER and WILLIAM HOOPER; of the Haymarket,
in the County of Middlesex, Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES AND POR
THE CUSHIONS OF CARRIAGES, CHAIRS, MATTRASSES, BEDS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the employment of india-rubber springs in com-
bination with the steel bearing springs of carriages and vehicles of all kinds,
and also to the employment of india-rubber springs for suspending the cushions
of carriages, chairs, beds, mattrasses, and other similar articles, in such a
manner that a compensation action is obtained in proportion to the weight or
load to be carried or supported.
The improvements consist in applying india-rubber springs in the form of

page_text: endless bands or rings, or in straight lengths, in combination with the steel
springs, for carriages with or without perches, and in using them in such a
manner that the springs shall be brought either into simultaneous or into
successive action, according to the weight of the load which is placed upon
them; that is to say, when carrying the weight of one person a part only of
the springs would be acted upon; when two persons are carried, the increased
weight will bring into action a fresh set of springs; and on receiving the
full load, the whole or nearly the whole of the springs will be brought
into action; the carriage or vehicle thus rendered easy at all times, whether
carrying the whole or part only of the load.
The compensating effect is obtained by employing india-rubber springs of
different lengths, so that the shorter ones will come into action first, and then
the longer ones, and finally, the whole or nearly the whole of the springs with
the steel spring to which they are connected. Cushions and other similar
articles are suspended by several india-rubber springs of different lengths, or by
the supports being of varying lengths, so that the same compensating effect will
be obtained as that described with regard to the bearing springs. It will be
obvious that the compensating or auxiliary india-rubber springs may be applied
in various ways, according to the various arrangements of bearings, springs, and
modes of suspending carriages and vehicles generally; but the same principle
of compensation, however, is adhered to in all the different arrangements or
modifications to which the compensation springs may be applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Norgate Hooper and William Hooper in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
NORGATE HOOPER and WILLIAM HOOPER, of the Haymarket, in the County of
Middlesex, Carriage Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George Norgate Hooper and William Hooper, Her special license
that we, the said George Norgate Hooper and William Hooper, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Norgate
Hooper and William Hooper, our executors, administrators, or assigns, should

page_text: 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES, AND FOR THE CUSHIONS OF CARRIAGES,
CHAIRS, MATTRASSES, BEDS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition-
(amongst others) that we, the said George Norgate Hooper and William
Hooper, by an instrument in writing under our hand and seal, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertaiu:
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Norgate Hooper and William
Hooper, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
Our said Invention relates to the employment of india-rubber springs in
combination with the steel bearing springs of carriages and vehicles of all
kinds, and also to the employment of india-rubber springs for suspending the
cushions of carriages and chairs, and for the suspension of beds, mattrasses,
and other similar articles, in such a manner that a compensation action is
obtained in proportion to the weight or load to be carried or supported.
The improvements consist in applying india-rubber springs in the form of
endless bands or rings, or in straight lengths, in combination with the steel
springs, for carriages with or without perches, and in using them in such a
manner that the springs shall be brought successively into action according to
the weight of the load which is placed upon them; that is to say, when
carrying the weight of one person a part only of the springs would be
acted upon; when two persons are carried, the increased weight will
bring into action a fresh set of springs; and on receiving the full load,
the whole or nearly the whole of the springs will be brought into action;
the carriage or vehicle is thus rendered easy at all times, whether carrying
the whole or part only of the load. The compensating effect is obtained by
employing india-rubber springs of different lengths, so that the shorter ones
will come into action first, then the longer ones, and finally, the whole or nearly
the whole of the springs, with the steel spring with which they may be con-

page_text: nected. Cushions, and other similar articles, are suspended by several india-
rubber springs of different lengths, or by supports of varying lengths, so that
the same compensating effect will be obtained as that described with regard
to the bearing springs.
.
It will be obvious that the compensating or auxiliary india-rubber springs
may be applied in various ways, according to the various arrangements of
bearing springs, and modes of suspending carriages and vehicles generally; but
the same principle of compensation, however, is adhered to in all the different
arrangements or modifications to which the compensation springs may be
applied.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose we shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all
the Figures.
Figures 1 to 15 inclusive, on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, represent
several of the arrangements of springs which are well-known to practical
carriage builders, such arrangement being shewn as fitted with our additional
springs, which we term "compensating springs."
These compensating springs, which are marked A throughout all the
Figures on the Sheet of Drawings, consist either of straight lengths or strips of
vulcanized india-rubber, or of endless bands or rings, as shown in the
Figures herein-before referred to, such rings or strips being of different sizes or
lengths and made to embrace two studs or pins B, C, shewn clearly in Figure 1.
The pin B is connected with the lower steel spring D, and the other pin C with
the upper steel spring E, such connection being formed by suitable brackets
or stay irons F, F', rivetted or otherwise secured to the springs D and E
respectively.
This mode of attachment or adaptation of the compensating springs may be
varied or modified to almost any extent, as shewn by the several modifications
on the Sheet of Drawings, according to the forms and constructions of the
steel springs to which the compensating springs are to be applied; but the
same principle is observed throughout all such modifications, namely, the com-
pensating springs are connected with the upper and lower steel springs where
a double elliptical spring or compound spring is used, as shewn in Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 15, or with the single steel spring and the body of the
vehicle where a demi-elliptical spring is used, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8.
The effect of this arrangement is, that when the steel springs are called into
play or deflected, they bring into action successively one or more of the com

page_text: pensating springs, by pulling or stretching them out between the pins Band C;
and as the compensating springs are of gradually increasing or decreasing
lengths or diameters, it follows that the shorter or smaller ones will be called
into play first, then the next larger ones, and so on, until the whole of them,
whatever their number, may be brought into action. In Figure 2, two sets
of compensating springs are shewn, one set being immediately under the
axle K, and the other set forming the connection between the side springs D
and the transverse spring D¹.
Figure 9 represents the application of a double set of compensating springs
to the springs of a chariot, one set being applied to the double elliptical or
under springs D, E, and another set applied to the " springs" E¹, the body
loop G in this case being extended beyond the point I, where it is slung by
the braces I in the ordinary manner up to the point J, where it is connected
to the set of compensating springs A, the springs themselves being suspended
from the ends of the " C springs," and will be clearly understood on referring
to the Drawing.
Figure 10 represents a back elevation of a portion of an omnibus fitted
with our compensating springs, which are suspended from pins on the under
side of the axle or axles K; the same letter indicating the axle in all
other Figures. L, L, are a series of stays or brackets, secured to the under
side of the vehicle, and furnished at their lower ends with pins, which project
inside the rings A, forming the compensating springs. As these rings are
of different sizes, it follows that the smaller ones will come into action
first, as shewn, by the two extreme rings near the ends of the axle, which
are represented as partially distended, whilst the rest are not as yet brought
into play.
Figure 11 represents a side elevation of a portion of an omnibus wherein
the compensating springs A are applied to the steel springs, the mode of
applying them being similar to that shewn at Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 12 shews the application of the compensating springs A to a set of
four demi-elliptical springs arranged rectangularly. The ends of the springs D
being connected by braces or shackles, or by compensating springs, as in
Figure 2, with the ends of the cross or transverse springs M, M.
The compensating springs A, in Figure 12, are suspended from a pin which
is hung by a brace or shackle to the ends of the cross springs, and they
embrace the pins or studs which are contained in the lower ends of the fixed
brackets F¹, F¹, secured to the shafts or body of the vehicle.
Figure 13 represents a somewhat similar arrangement of steel springs, with
the compensating springs A carried between the shafts or body of the vehicle

page_text: and the side springs. The brackets F and F¹ are respectively secured to the
axle K, and to the shafts or frame of the vehicle.
In Figure 14 two sets of compensating springs A are applied to each side
steel spring, somewhat after the manner shewn at Figures 3, 4, and 6, all
which Figures represent different modes of arranging double sets of steel and
compensating springs.
In Figure 15 the compensating springs A are shewn applied to an elliptical
spring, but in place of their being applied beneath the steel springs, as in
Figure 1, they are situated between the upper and lower steel springs.
Figures 16 and 17 represent two views of an arrangement wherein steel
springs are altogether dispensed with, the vehicle being entirely suspended on
compensating springs A, of various lengths or diameters, in the manner
herein-before described. The axle K is fitted with two cross heads or bars
N, N, which carry anti-friction or guide rollers O, O, either of india-rubber
or of metal covered with india-rubber, as shewn in Figure 17, for the purpose
of allowing the body to play along the fixed guiding brackets F', F', between
the lower ends of which brackets and the axle are fitted the compensating
springs A, A. The upright rod L is attached to the axle, and works through
a hole in the metal stay or bracket M, the hole being lined with wood or
some other material to prevent a rattle; this rod and stay or bracket, or an
arrangement to answer the same purpose, are necessary in order to prevent
the axle from turning over instead of remaining in its proper position.
Figures 18 and 19 represent respectively a vertical section and under side
plan of a seat suspended on compensating springs, such arrangement being
applicable to seats or beds and mattrasses for ordinary use, as well as to
the seats of carriages. A, A, are the compensating springs, which may
consist, as above described, of vulcanized caoutchouc rings, or of straight
lengths of caoutchouc of different sizes. Each ring is connected at one side
with a strap Q, secured to the backboard R, and the other side with a
second strap S, attached to the back portion of the board T, which forms the
foundation of the seat. This board is suspended at the front edge by caout-
chouc rings A, or straight lengths of different sizes, so that the entire seat will
adjust itself perfectly to any greater or less load which may be placed upon it.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which we have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of our said Invention ; but what.

page_text: we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general constructions, arrangements, and combinations of com-
pensating springs for carriages, cushions, chairs, mattrasses, beds, and other
similar purposes, as herein-before described.
Second, the application of compensating springs, composed of rings or strips
of vulcanized india-rubber of different sizes or lengths to the ordinary steel
springs of vehicles, for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the application of compensating springs, composed of rings or strips
of vulcanized india-rubber of different sizes or lengths, to the seats of carriages
and chairs, and to mattrasses, beds, and other similar articles of furniture, for
the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Norgate Hooper, on behalf of
myself and the said William Hooper, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the First day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six.
GEORGE NORGATE HOOPER. (L.S.)