Improvements in Spring Pedestal Bearings for Vehicle Axles and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Pedestal Bearings for Vehicle Axles and
the like.
I, THOMAS HILL of 48, Railroad Avenue. Jersey City, in the County of Hudson,
and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pedestal bearings for supporting vehicle bodies.
The improved pedestal generally comprises a base plate connected with the running
gear shafts or body of the vehicle, as the case may be, provided with tubular pillars
and with annular flanges concentric therewith, the base plate tubular pillars and flanges
making one integral casting. About the pillars there are coiled springs which are
confined between the base plate and a crosshead or bearing plate adapted to receive the
side trunnion or pivot of a tilting vehicle body or the axle of the cart or vehicle, as
the case may be, the ends of the bearing plate being fitted to slide on the tubular
pillars by which the bearing plate is guided, the springs being received at one end in
the said annular flanges of the base plate and at the other in recesses in the bearing
plate whereby any undue spreading of such spring ends is prevented. To retain the
bearing plate on the pillars, a cap plate is secured to the ends of the pillars by bolts
passing through the part of the running gear to which the base plate is attached and
through the tubular pillars and cap plate. An exceedingly stable support is thus
provided for the bearing plate inasmuch as the casting of the tubular pillars integral
with the base plate and the staying of the same by the bolts and cap plate ensures at
all times the perfect alignment and rigidity of said pillars and consequently the perfect
action of the bearing plate and springs.
The flanges of the base plate and bearing plate may be of sufficient length to fit
and slide telescopically within one another so as to completely house and protect the
springs. To adapt the pedestal for use in connection with vehicle bodies that are
supported directly from the axle journals, the plate has four tubular pillars, instead of
two, and the bearing plate is provided with a main plate and a removable section
bolted thereto and provided with a grease journal bearing held hetween the box
closed by a cap or cover and communicating with the journal aperture. This
construction and arrangement is more particularly adapted for use with railway cars,
either passenger or freight, and provides a reliable device for its purpose having all
the advantages herein before set forth for carts or road vehicles. If the pedestal be
used to support the vehicle body directly above and from the axle, the bearing plate
would be provided with a rectangular recess to receive the axle body, the plate being
held to the axle by a cap plate. If the pedestal be intended to be applied to light
vehicles, such as carts, the chief parts would be composed of gas pipes joined together
by means of the usual screw couplings. The axle is secured by a strap to the cross
plate which rises and falls upon the tubular pillars around which are springs which
carry the weight of the vehicle.
A somewhat similar arrangement would be used for children's perambulators.
Dated this 18th day of Fahru 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Pedestal Bearings for Vehicle Axles and
the like.
I, THOMAS HILL of 48, Railroad Avenue, Jersey City, in the County of Hudson
and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 pedestals of the class employed to support vehicle bodies ;
the invention consisting of certain novel constructions arrangements and combinations
of elements to be hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
specification, in which
Figure 1 is a side view,
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, and
Figure 3 is a plan view, of the improved pedestal.
Figure 4 is a side view of a modified construction.
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the construction illustrated in
Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view on line - Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a side view of a further modification, the parts in this instance being
represented as they appear when arranged to support a vehicle body directly from the
axle journals.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view on line y-y Figure 9.
Figure 9 is an inverted plan view of the parts as they appear when the supporting
cap and its bolts are removed.
Figure 10 is a side view of a modified construction.
Figure 11 is a horizontal section on line 3, 3 Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a side sectional elevation shewing the adaptation of my invention to
light vehicles, such as carts, in which the frame of the vehicle or portions thereof are
made of ordinary pipes and pipe couplings; and
Figure 13 is a side sectional elevation shewing the adaptation of my invention to
small vehicles, such as children's carriages.
Similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
Referring now to the construction shewn on sheet 1 of the drawings, 10 represents
a base plate that is arranged for connection with the running gear of a vehicle, the
base plate being formed or provided with upwardly-extending tubular projections 11
and with annular flanges 12 that are preferably concentric with the projections 11, the
plate 10 tubular projections 11 and flanges 12 making one integral casting. Abont
the projections 11 there are coiled springs 13 the lower ends of the springs resting in
the annular recesses a between the outer peripheral faces of the projections 11 and
the inner faces of the flanges 12. The springs 13 support a bearing plate 14 that is
centrally and horizontally apertured at b to receive the side trunnion or pivot of a
dumping vehicle body and vertically apertured near the ends to receive the upper
ends of the tubular projections 11 by which the bearing plate is guided, the under
face of the bearing plate being recessed at c and c¹ to receive the upper ends of the
springs 13, the recesses c c¹ serving to confine the upper ends of the springs and prevent-
ing any undue spreading of such spring ends while the flanges 12 prevent any undue
spreading of the lower ends of the springs. To prevent all accidental displacement of
the bearing plate 14, I provide a retaining plate or keeper 15 said plate being apertured
to permit the passage of bolts 17 which extend through the butt ends of the shafts or
booms or other sections of the running gear to which the plate 10 is secured through
the tubular projections 11 and keeper 15, as is clearly shewn in Figure 2. It will be
seen, from the construction and arrangement of parts which has just been described,
that an exceedingly stable support is provided for the bearing plate 14, inasmuch as
the casting of the tubular projections 11 integral with the base plate 10 and the

page_text: staying of the same by the bolts 17 and plate 15 which is clamped upon the upper
ends of the projections secures at all times the perfect alignment and rigidity of said
projections, ensuring the perfect action of the bearing plate and springs.
It is to be understood that, instead of securing the plate 10 above the shafts or
running gear, as illustrated, to receive the trunnions of a dumping cart body, the said
plate may be secured beneath the shafts, gear or body in a manner similar to that
illustrated in Figure 10 which figure however shews a modified form of bearing plate
so that the projections 11 and attached parts depend therefrom, to receive in the
horizontal aperture of the bearing plate the axle of the cart or other vehicle.
In the construction shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the bearing plate 14 is provided
with downwardly extending flanges 18 and the plate 10 is provided with auxiliary
flanges 19 the flanges 18 fitting telescopically within the flanges 19 as represented.
By this construction, I provide for the perfect housing and protection of the springs,
the construction otherwise being identical with that shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
In Figures 7, 8, and 9, I illustrate a construction by means of which my pedestal is
adapted for use in connection with vehicle bodies that are supported directly from the
axle journals. In this construction the plate 10 is provided with four tubular pro-
jections 11 and the plate is secured to the under side of the sill 30 or other convenient
part of the vehicle body, as represented in the drawings; the construction illustrated
being identical with that shewn in Figures 1 and 2 but it might be the same as
illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. In the construction under consideration, the bearing
plate 14 which is provided with four vertical apertures to receive the four projections 11
is provided with a box-like structure 31 adapted to receive a lubricating material,
the structure being normally closed by a cap or cover and communication between
the journal aperture and the interior of the structure 31 being secured by means
of a slot or passage e. Any proper journal box would be arranged in connection
with the bearing plate 14 and in order that the box and journal may be locked to
place, I form the plate with a removable section 14 that is bolted to the main plate 14,
as shewn. The bolts 17 by which the retaining plate 15 is held to place would, in
this case, be passed downward through the silis 30, as shewn. This construction
and arrangement is more particularly adapted for use with railway cars, either
passenger or freight, and provides a reliable device for its purpose, having all the
advantages herein before set forth for carts or road vehicles.
In Figures 10 and 11, I have shewn a modified form, and my pedestal as. it
would appear when arranged for use so as to support the vehicle body directly above
and from the axle, the bearing plate 14 in this case being provided with a rectangular
recess d to receive the axle body, the plate being held to the axle by a binding plate 32
that is suitably bolted to place on the plate.
In Figure 12, I shew an arrangement of parts for a pedestal intended to be applied
to light vehicles, such as carts. The chief parts are composed of gas pipes joined
together by means of the usual screw couplings as shewn. The axle X is secured by
clip to the cross bar B which is apertured at its ends and rises and falls upon the
tubes N around which are springs 13 which carry the weight of the vehicle.
Figure 13 shews an application, to a child's carriage, of parts much the same in
arrangement as in Figure 12.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion und in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is ;-
1. In a vehicle pedestal, the base plate 10 formed with integral tubular projections,
substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a vehicle pedestal, the combination, with the base plate formed with integral
tubular projections, of a bearing plate formed in one piece and apertured to receive
said projections, a retaining plate, bolts passing through the tubular projections and
the bearing and retaining plates and springs interposed between the base plate and
bearing plate, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In a vehicle pedestal, a base plate formed with integral tubular projections and

page_text: annular flanges surrounding said projections in combination with a bearing plate
having apertures to receive the tubular projections of the base plate and annular
flanges surrounding said apertures, said flanges of the base and bearing plates being
adapted to telescope, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In a vehicle pedestal, the combination with a base plate having integral tubular
projections, of a bearing plate having vertical apertures to receive said projections and
a horizontal bearing provided with a cap plate, substantially as shewn and described.
5. The combination, with a base plate formed with annular flanges 12 and provided
with integral tubular projections 11, of a bearing plate apertured to receive the
projections 11 and formed with recesses cand e springs that are coiled about the
projections 11 and rest within the recesses cand c₁ at one end and between the pro-
jections 11 and the inner faces of the flanges 12 at the other end, a keeper and retaining
bolts, substantially as described.
6. The combination, with a base plate formed or provided with tubular projections 11
and flanges 19, of a bearing plate apertured to receive the projections 11 and formed
with flanges 18 which fit telescopically within the flanges 19, springs coiled about the
projections 11, and abutting against the base and bearing plates, a keeper and
retaining bolts, substantially as described.
7. The combination, with a base plate formed or provided with integral projections 11,
of a bearing plate provided with a box-like structure which forms a lubricant receptacle,
the bearing plate being apertured to receive the projections, springs coiled about the
projections and arranged to bear against the base and bearing plates, a keeper, and
retaining bolts, substantially as described.
8. The combination, with a base plate formed or provided with integral tubular
projections 11, of a bearing plate centrally provided with a bearing having a cap plate
and being provided with a box-like structure which forms a lubricant receptacle, the
bearing plate being apertured to receive the projections, springs coiled about the
projections and arranged to bear against the base and bearing plates, a keeper, and
retaining bolts, substantially as described.
9. A pedestal for vehicles, constructed and operated substantially as herein shewn
and described.
Dated this 18th day of Annet 1800
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.