IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1886

page_text: I LOUIS STERNE of the Crown Iron Works, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark
North Britain Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The objects of my Invention are to provide a cheap powerful and durable India
rubber spring.
With these objects in view I take an India rubber ring of any suitable shape
and size and place a plate made of wrought or cast or malleable Iron or any other
metal on the top and bottom of this ring of Rubber. These plates are thickened in
the centre or "bossed up" & a hole of any diameter made in the boss for a bar or
rod to pass through it. The object of this boss is threefold.
1. It gives a long wearing surface round the rod which passes through it.
2. It prevents the India rubber from coming in contact with the rod passing
it and therefore allows the India rubber to expand inwards without touching the
rod when the ring is compressed.
3. The two bosses of the two end plates are made deep or thick enough to meet
together when the India rubber has had a sufficient compression put upon it, not
exceeding its elasticity and thus the India-rubber ring is preserved from being
crushed and destroyed.
Where it is advisable or necessary I have a boss on the outside of each plate as
well as on the inside of same depth or thickness as the inner bosses so that the
outer and inner bosses come in contact simultaneously and give additional strength
to resist any extraordinary blows or shocks.
I may where it is advisable have the end plates dished instead of bossed up and
so that the dished edges shall meet for the purposes described above.
Where more than one India rubber ring is used I prefer to make the plate that
separates any two rings with a boss on both sides so as to use one plate instead of
two. The thickness or depth of the bossed or dished projections can be varied to
suit the thickness and breadth of the India rubber ring between the plates and
also its limit of elasticity and the breadth of the bosses or dishes (from the edge of
Den 231

page_text: the hole to the India rubber) and their position (if any) on the outside of the plates
can be varied to suit the size and shape of the India rubber and its resistance and
range.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section of a spring made according to my Invention. The same
letters of reference refer to both figures of the Drawing. a, a are the India rubber
rings 6, 6 the outer plates and c the plate which separates the two rings a, a
d, d are the inner bosses on the top and bottom plates and the boss on the centre
plate c. In case one ring only is used the centre plate is dispensed with and the
two end plates are used alone with one ring of India rubber.
Figure 2 is also a section and has bosses on the outside of the plates as well as
on the inner side. f. f are the outer bosses on the top and bottom plates and g
the outer boss on the centre plate a
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The construction of the plates in connection with the ring or rings of India
rubber substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.