IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gordon Donaldson Peters, of Bunhill Row, in the City
of London, Merchant and Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS,
AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES.”.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gordon Donaldson Peters at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1880.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING ΤΟ SPRINGS FOR
RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the springs
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, dated the 9th day of April,
A.D. 1877, No. 1389. My improved springs are 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, comfortable, and permanently elastic seat or cushion.
It has been found in practice, that the springs constructed according to the
Specification of the said former Letters Patent are defective in their operation, and
are very subject to straining and breakage at the part where the longitudinal, semi-
elliptic, or bow shaped strip of steel connecting the transverse strips, is bent over
or around the sockets or end pieces at the ends of the longitudinal rigid bar, which
is secured to the frame or holder. This breakage is due to the wearing away of
the said longitudinal steel strip, caused by the friction between the same and the
metal sockets, and also to the moisture which enters between these metal surfaces,
and thereby causes rust. Moreover much rattling takes place at these points, which
rattling is a source of annoyance to the occupant or occupants of the seat.
According to my present Invention however, I obviate these defects, and for this
purpose I interpose between the ends of the aforesaid longitudinal steel strip and
the sockets or end pieces a piece of felt or other suitable flexible, and preferably
absorbent, material. This flexible material tends to obviate any rattling or wearing
away of the parts, as it prevents any contact of the said steel strip and the sockets

page_text: where the friction ordinarily occurs. This packing material morcover will absorb.
any moisture which frequently enters between these parts; it is preferably clamped
and held securely in place between the sockets and the ends of the longitudinal
steel strip by a metal clip surrounding the same, or by any other suitable device.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved method of securing the
said springs to their frame or holder, and is designed to prevent the rocking motion,
and consequent straining or breakage, which frequently occurs when the spring as
heretofore constructed is subjected to a sudden severe strain. For this purpose
instead of providing the metal sockets or end pieces with a single lug, only secured
by a screw or otherwise to the frame and extending in a longitudinal direction, as
in the spring constructed according to the said former Specification, I provide each
of the said sockets with two laterally projecting lugs, which are firmly secured by
screws or otherwise to the frame.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved method of connecting the
ends of the transverse, elliptical, or oval strips of elastic metal, preferably steel, and
the manner of securing them in the metal clips attached to the rigid bar upon which
the sockets are fitted. For this purpose before inserting the said transverse strips
into the metal clips, I pass through openings in the meeting or lapping ends of each
of the said strips a small pin or stud, which connects and prevents any lateral
displacement of the said ends. I then place the said ends within the metal clip,
and by folding or bending down the same against the projecting end of the said
pin or stud the said transverse strips are held securely in place.
.
Instead of employing flat-steel for the transverse and longitudinal strips in the
construction of the said springs, I in some cases employ rods or bars of steel of
round, square, hexagonal, or other suitable shape in transverse section.

page_text: 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
14th January 1881.
I
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of-Bunhill Row, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer.. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING. TO SPRINGS
RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER SEATS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
'
FOR
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the springs
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, dated the 9th day of April,
A.D. 1877, No. 1389. My improved springs are chiefly designed for application to
railway carriage seats or cushions, but may be employed in seats, seat-backs, 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 support.
My improved springs are constructed as shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in
which.
+
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of one of my improved springs, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the said spring on the line x, x,
Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the said spring on the line y, y, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a top view of a portion of the said spring detached.
Like letters indicate the same parts in all of the Figures.
Each spring is composed of a rigid longitudinal bar a, of wood or other material,
which has attached to it a series of transverse strips b of elastic material, preferably
steel bent into an elliptical, or nearly elliptical or oval shape, and confined between
the said bar a and a longitudinal strip c of steel, of a semi-elliptic or bow shape,
which connects the strips b, and is combined with the bar a through the medium of
metal sockets or end pieces d.
It has been found in practice that when the strip c is bent directly around or.
over the curved extensions d' of the sockets d, as described in the Specification of
the said former Letters Patent, the springs are defective in their operation, and are
very subject to straining and breakage at the part where this longitudinal strip o is
so bent. This breakage is due to the wearing away and consequent weakening, of
the said strip by the friction between the same and the said sockets, and also to
moisture which enters between these metal surfaces and causes them to rust.
Moreover in railway vehicles at these points there is considerable rattling, which is
a source of annoyance to the occupants of the seats.
According to my present Invention however I obviate these defects, and for this
purpose I interpose between the ends of the aforesaid longitudinal strip c and the
sockets or end pieces d, a piece e of felt or other suitable flexible, and preferably
absorbent material, as clearly shewn in Figure 3. This flexible material tends to
obviate the wearing away, and also the rattling of the parts, as it prevents any
contact of the strip c with the extension d' of the socket d. This packing material
moreover will absorb the moisture which frequently enters between these parts; it
is clamped and held securely in place between the socket and the end of the
longitudinal steel strip, preferably by a metal clip ƒ surrounding the same, or by
any other suitable device."
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved method of securing the said
springs to their frame or holder, and is designed to prevent the rocking motion and
consequent straining or breakage, which frequently occurs when the spring as
heretofore constructed is subjected to a sudden severe strain. For this purpose
instead of providing the metal socket or end piece d with a single lug secured by a
screw or otherwise to the frame, and extending in a longitudinal direction, as in the

page_text: .
spring constructed according to the said former Specification, I provide the said
socket with two laterally projecting lugs d², as shewn in Figure 1; these lugs are
firmly secured by screws or otherwise to the frame.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved method of connecting the
ends of the transverse strips b and the manner of securing them in the metal clips g
attached to the rigid bar a. For this purpose before inserting the said transverse
strips into the said metal clips g, I pass through openings in the meeting or lapping
ends of each of the said strips a small pin or stud h, which connects the said ends
and prevents any lateral displacement or disconnection of the same. I then place
the said ends within the metal clip g, and by folding or bending down the same
against the projecting end of the said pin or stud, as shewn in Figure 5, the said
transverse strips are held securely in place.
Instead of employing flat-steel for the transverse and longitudinal strips in the
construction of the said springs, I in some cases employ rods or bars of steel, of
round, square, hexagonal, or other suitable shape in transverse section:
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
In a spring constructed as above set forth, the improvements comprising,
The insertion between the end of the longitudinal elastic metal strip and the
the socket or end piece to which it is secured of a strip or piece of flexible, and
preferably absorbent, material,
Also the socket or end piece provided with laterally projecting lugs.
Also the device for connecting and preventing the displacement of the ends of
the transverse strips, 'consisting of the pin in combination with the metal clip
attached to the rigid longitudinal bar.
All substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gordon Donaldson Peters, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.