AN IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENING THE ENDS OF SPRINGS MADE OF INDIA-RUBBER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Edward Hodges, of Southampton
Row, Russell Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
Sealed the 28th December 1853, and dated the 2nd November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Edward
Hodges at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his.
Petition, on the 2nd November 1853.
I, RICHARD EDWARD HODGES, of Southampton Row, Russell Square,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENING THE ENDS OF SPRINGS
MADE OF INDIA-RUBBER" to be as follows:-
It is well known that there has been found great difficulty in fixing
the ends of vulcanized or permanently elastic india-rubber springs to
metal and to other matters, and I believe the best means yet in use are
those described by me in the Specification of my former Patent, which
consisted of binding such matter when in a stretched and extended

page_text: state. Now my present improvement consists of employing a tube or
ring or orifice of very small diameter compared with the diameter
of the solid or hollow spring of vulcanized india-rubber, the end of
which is required to be held; and in order to pass the end of the spring
through the small passage in which it is to be held the india-rubber is
extended till its diameter is small enough for the holder to pass on,
and then, when the india-rubber on being released contracts in length
and expands in diameter, it will be tightly held in the small passage,
and the holding may be made more secure by turning the end of the
spring, if it be tubular, over the end of the holder; by having a filling
piece introduced into the hollow end, and when the spring is solid
the holding may be increased by a cap or instrument pressing on its
outer end.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Edward Hodges in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD EDWARD HODGES, of Southampton Row, Russell Square,
in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Edward Hodges, Her
special licence that I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, my execu
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Edward Hodges, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENING THE ENDS OF SPRINGS MADE

page_text: OF INDIA-RUBBER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Edward Hodges, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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 thereof (that is to say):
It is well known that there has been found great difficulty in fixing
the ends of vulcanized or permanently elastic india-rubber springs to
metal and to other matters, and I believe the best means yet in use
are those described by me in the Specification of my former Patent,
which consisted of binding such matter when in a stretched and
extended state. Now my present improvement consists of employing a
tube or ring or orifice of very small diameter compared with the
diameter of the solid or hollow spring of vulcanized india-rubber, the
end of which is required to be held; and in order to pass the end of
the spring through the small passage in which it is to be held the
india-rubber is extended till its diameter is small enough for the
holder to pass on, and then, when the india-rubber on being released
contracts in length and expands in diameter, it will be tightly held in
the small passage, and the holding may be made more secure by
turning the end of the spring, if it be tubular, over the end of the
holder, or by having a filling piece introduced into the hollow end, and
when the spring is solid the holding may be increased by a cap or
instrument pressing on its outer end.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner in which I perform the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.

page_text: same.
a, is a portion of a cylindrical solid spring, one end being
securely held by the tubular holder b. The holder is filled at top by a
plug c; and d, is a shackle by which it may be applied or suspended.
Figure 3, shows a section of a tubular spring a, which is passed through
and fixed in the holder b. The upper part of the spring is turned over
the end of the holder and bound with twine, as shewn, in order to
obtain a better holding of the end of the spring. Figure 4, shews a
section of a tubular holder b, to a spring a, which may be solid or
hollow. In each of these cases the spring is drawn out or extended so
as to reduce its diameter, and so as to bring the diameter to a some-
what less size than the interior of the holder, as shewn at a', which is
the part of the spring drawn within the holders b. The exterior forms
of the holders may be varied, depending on the purpose to which the
springs are to be applied, and those shown by the Drawing are simply
intended as examples. In applying holders to springs the springs in all
cases are to be extended to reduce the diameter, and when so reduced the
holders are to be placed on them so as to embrace the same, by which,
when the springs are again allowed to contract in length and expand in
diameter; they will when in use not readily be drawn out of the holders.
I prefer each holder to be of one piece in the form of a tube or ring of
small internal diameter as compared with the natural diameter of the
vulcanized india-rubber spring, and as the application or threading of
the springs through the holders offers some difficulty when the holders
are recommended each in one piece, I will describe how several
holders may be placed on a suitable length of india-rubber for making
several springs, for which purpose I take any length of either solid or
hollow vulcanized india-rubber, and I cut one end somewhat tapering;
I then hold it in a vice or other instrument very near the pointed end,
and I draw out such end and bind it round with waxed thread; I then
take hold of it further from the end, and again draw out the end and
continue the binding; and in this manner, by degrees, I get a consi-
derable length of the india-rubber in an extended and bound state as
is shewn at a in Figure 5. On to this end I thread on the holders b,
and I stretch the whole length of india-rubber so as to reduce the
diaineter of the whole length till the same will admit of the holders b

page_text: being slided along to their desired positions, when, on allowing the
india-rubber to contract, it will, except where surrounded by holders,
expand in diameter and assume its natural form, and it will require
very considerable force to slide the holders or to draw out the part of
cach spring which is within a holder, and the holding of the part 6 will
consequently be sufficient to admit of the part a being used as a spring.
When the holders have been threaded on to and placed correctly on
a length of india-rubber, as above explained, the india-rubber is to be
cut into the desired lengths.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I would have it
understood that what I claim is, the mode herein described of fastening
the ends of india-rubber springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
R. E. HODGES. (L.S.)