Improvements in Springs for use in connection with Railway- buffers, and for other purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date: of Application, 19th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Springs for use in connection with Railway-
buffers, and for other purposes.
We, GEORGE TURTON and WILLIAM PLATTS both of the firm of George
Turton Platts & Co., Engineers, Savile Street, Sheffield, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to springs chiefly designed for use in connection with
railway-buffers.
In making our improved springs we proceed as follows, viz. :-We take two or
more metal bars of any suitable form in transverse section and place them side by
side and weld them together at one end; we then coil the said bars so as to form a
volute conical or spiral spring or a combined conical and spiral spring as may be
desired. We find it advantageous, in some cases, to make the said bars of different
length so that they will terminate at different points in the length or circumference
of the spring in order to afford a bearing on both sides of the spring at its wider
end, or so that the shorter bar may form an extra load spring. Moreover we prefer
to make the welded end of the spring bevelled or taper. The said bars are free to
move relatively to each other in a direction parallel to the axis of the spring,
except at or near the welded end. We sometimes so arrange the said bars that the
outer bar more or less overlaps the inner bar.
We can, with more or less advantage, weld the bars together at any other part of
their length instead of at the end. Moreover, instead of welding the bars, we sometimes
secure them together at any desired part of their length by means of bolts, rivets or
the like.
By fastening the bars together as above mentioned we provide for preventing
displacement of the said bars relatively to each other.
We sometimes make the spring of two or more bars in such a manner that
relative displacement of the said bars will be prevented without welding or bolting
them together. For this purpose we take flat bars tapered at both ends, and
we place them side by side and coil them simultaneously in such a manner as to
produce a volute or other spring and so that they are held together without the
necessity for any fastening devices.
According to a further modification of our invention, we make springs in such
a manner as to preserve the advantages of the conical or volute springs whilst
obviating the necessity of employing a dished washer for supporting the open end
of the spring.
For this purpose we make a taper or conical spring with an extension at its
smaller end in the form of a parallel or cylindrical spiral, which will more or less
accurately fit the stem or spindle of a railway-buffer plunger; this parallel or
cylindrical portion of the spring will maintain the spring on the shank or spindle in
the required horizontal position without the aid of a dished washer or similar device
at the open end or base of the tapered portion or cone. These springs can be made
of bars of any desired form in transverse section; they are more elastic than the
ordinary spiral springs, and the taper or conical part affords the advantages of a
volute spring whilst the said springs produce less friction than the ordinary spiral
springs.
These springs are chiefly designed to be used in connection with buffers the
shanks of which extend through the frame of the vehicle. Our improved springs
can, however, be used for other purposes; for instance as draw-bar springs or as
bolster-springs for bogies.

page_text: In some cases we make the spring with the parallel or cylindrical spiral portion
within the taper or conical portion instead of extending from the end thereof.
Dated this 19th day of Mayy 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Springs for use in connection with Railway-
buffers, and for other purposes.
We, GEORGE TURTON and WILLIAM PLATTS, both of the firm of George
Turton, Platts & Co., Engineers, Savile Street, Sheffield, in the County of York,
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:--
Our invention relates to springs chiefly designed for use in railway-buffers. Our
improved springs are, however, also applicable for other purposes.
The principal feature of our invention cousists in making a compound or multiple
spring, that is to say, a spring composed of two or more bars which are united at
one point in their length or are so shaped and wound or coiled that they will
be properly held together or interlocked without being united.
:—
In making our improved springs according to one method, we proceed as follows,
viz. We take two or more metal bars of any suitable form and dimensions in
transverse section and place the said bars side by side and weld them together at one
end; we then coil the said bars so as to form a volute, conical or spiral spring, or
a combined conical and spiral spring as may be desired. We find it advantageous,
in some cases, to make the said bars of such length that they will terminate
at different points in the circumference of the spring in order to afford a bearing on
both sides of the spring at its wider end, and thus give greater steadiness or stability
to the spring. In other cases we make them in such a manner that they will
terminate at different points in the length of the spring, so that the shorter bar may
form an extra load spring. Moreover we prefer to make one or both ends of the
bars bevelled or taper. The said bars are free to move relatively to each other in
a direction parallel to the axis of the spring, except at or near the welded or united
part. We sometimes so arrange the said bars that, when coiled, the outer bar more
or less overlaps the inner bar.
We can, with more or less advantage, weld the bars together at any other part of
their length instead of at the end. Moreover, instead of welding the bars, we
sometimes secure them together at any desired part of their length by means of
bolts, studs, rivets or the like.
By fastening the bars together at any suitable point in their length as above
mentioned, we provide for preventing displacement of the said bars relatively to
each other. Moreover a spring thus made of two or more bars has greater
resiliency than an ordinary spring of the same weight, and can be more effectively
tempered.
We sometimes make the spring of two or more coils interlocked in such a
manner that relative displacement of the said coils will be prevented without
uniting them by welding, bolting or otherwise. For this purpose, we take suitably
shaped bars tapered at one or both ends, and we place the said bars side by side
and coil them simultaneously in such a manner as to produce a volute or conical
spring, and so form them that they interlock without being rigidly united. And in
other instances we coil the bars separately and then weld the same together or
interlock them.
According to a further modification of our invention, we make springs in such a

page_text: manner as to preserve the advantages of the conical or volute springs whilst
obviating the necessity of employing a dished washer for supporting the open end
of the spring.
For this purpose, we make a taper or conical spring with an extension at its
smaller end in the form of a parallel or cylindrical spiral, which will more or less
accurately fit the stem or spindle of a railway-buffer plunger, or other rod or spindle
on which it is to be used; this parallel or cylindrical portion of the spring will
maintain the spring on the rod or spindle in the required horizontal position without
the aid of a dished washer or similar device at the open end or base of the tapered
portion or cone. These springs can be made of bars of any desired form in trans-
verse section; they are more elastic than the ordinary spiral springs, and the taper
or conical part affords the advantages of a volute or conical spring, whilst the said
springs produce less friction than the ordinary spiral springs.
These springs are chiefly designed to be used in buffers the shanks of which
extend through the frame of the vehicle. Our improved springs can, however, be
used for other purposes; for instance as draw-bar springs or as bolster-springs for
bogies.
In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated various forms or modifications
of our said invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section, and Figure 2 an end elevation of a
compound or multiple volute buffer-spring constructed in accordance with our said
invention. In this form of our spring, two flat bars b, c, of half the thickness
ordinarily used, are welded together at the end a of the said spring and are tapered
at both ends; they are then coiled into the required form. The said bars b, c are
of such relative length that the ends ', c' of the said bars terminate at opposite
points of the circumference of the large end or base of the volute spring. More-
over the said bars b, c are so coiled as to partly overlap each other, that is to say,
so that the outer bar does not completely cover the inner bar c.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal central section, of a compound
or double cylindrical spiral spring suitable for use as a buffer-spring or for other
purposes. The two bars b, c of which it is composed are welded together at the
end a of the spring and coiled together, one coil or section being outside of and
concentric with the other coil or section.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a spring designed for use in connection with
draw-bars; this spring has its outer coil or section heavier and stronger than its
inner coil or section, but in other respects is similar in construction to the spring
shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of another draw-bar spring for use
in a frame or cradle such as is frequently used in connection with draw-bars. The
construction of this spring is somewhat similar to that of the springs shown in
Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal central section, and Figure 7 an end elevation of a
compound or double volute buffer-spring which differs somewhat from the spring
shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer surface of the outer bar 6 being slightly convex
in transverse section.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 9 an end elevation of a compound
volute spring similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the
inner bar c is provided with a flange which projects over the outer bar b.
Figures 10 to 19 are longitudinal central sections showing further modifications
of our invention.
In Figure 10 we have shown a compound cylindrical spiral spring the inner coil
or section c of which is shorter than the outer coil or section b and acts as an extra-
load spring, that is to say, a spring which only comes into action when the pressure
applied to the spring is excessive and the outer coil is partially compressed.
Figure 11 shows a spring similar to that shown in Figure 10, with the exception
that both coils are of the same length and the inner and outer coils are of different
shape and size in transverse section.

page_text: Figure 12 shows a compound spring, having a conical or taper portion A-B, and
at the smaller end of the same a parallel or cylindrical portion A-C, the interior
coil of the parallel part being arranged to fit the stem or spindle of a buffer-plunger
or the like so as to provide a suitable support for the spring, without the use of a
dished washer or the like.
Figures 13 and 134 show a compound cylindrical spiral spring, in which the bars b
and care of circular form but of different area in transverse section, the two coils
being of equal length.
Figure 14 shows a compound spring, the outer barb of which is so coiled as to
form a conical portion A-B, and a parallel part A-C, at the smaller end thereof,
and the inner bar c is shorter than the outer bar b, and forms an extra-load spring,
and is coiled cylindrically so as to fit, more or less accurately, the stem or spindle
of a buffer-plunger or the like.
In Figure 15, the spring is composed of two bars b, c which are taper from end
to end, and are welded together at their thinner ends, and coiled together so that
the interior of the said spring is cylindrical, while the exterior is conical.
Figure 16 shows a compound volute spring, provided with flanges or lugs d at its
larger end, by means of which it can be secured by holts or the like to a suitable
support. This spring may be inverted, if desired, and may be used for various
purposes.
Figure 17 is a compound spring the outer bar 6 of which is coiled conically, and
the inner bar c cylindrically, the inner coil being shorter than the outer coil, and the
latter being provided with a flange d or with lugs at its larger end for securing it to
a suitable support.
Figure 18 shows a compound spiral spring, the two bars b, c of which are welded
together at or about the middle of their length, and the two coils or sections of
which are of the same diameter.
Figure 19 shows a spring similar to that shown in Figure 3, except that the two
bars b, c are welded together at or about the middle of their length, instead of at
one end.
Instead of welding the two bars together as above described, we sometimes unite
them by means of rivets at any desired part of their length as shown in Figure 20,
or by means of bolts and nuts as shown in Figure 21.
Figure 22 is an end elevation, partly in section, of a compound volute spring,
and
Figures 23 and 24 are transverse sections of the smaller ends of compound volute
springs, in which the bars b, c are not welded together, but other suitable devices
are provided for retaining the coils or sections in their proper relative position.
For instance, in Figure 22, a projection e is formed on the outside of one end of the
inner bar c, which projection fits into a corresponding hole in the end of the outer
bar b.
In Figure 23, a tubular projection e is formed on the inner bar c and fits into a
countersunk hole in the end of the outer bar b, the projection e being then
expanded or clinched over by driving into it a taper punch or other suitable tool.
In Figure 24, the ends of the bars b, c are connected by a rivet at a.
Figure 25 is a longitudinal central section of a compound cylindrical spiral spring
in which the bars b, c are welded together at one end as at a, and the coils or
sections are of equal diameter and of equal sectional area.
Figures 26 and 28 are longitudinal central sections of compound safety-valve
springs made in accordance with our said invention, the two bars being welded.
together at one or both ends.
Figure 27 is an end view of the spring shown in Figure 26.
Figure 29 is a sectional elevation, and
Figure 30 an end elevation of a compound cylindrical spiral spring in which the
two coils or sections are of an opposite pitch to each other and are united at a, the
interior coil c being shorter than the outer coil b and forming an extra load spring.
Figure 31 is a longitudinal central section of a cylindrical spiral spring in which

page_text: the outer coil b is made shorter than the inner coil c so that it will act as an extra-
load spring.
In Figure 32 we have shown various combinations of bars of different form in
transverse section, which may be advantageously used in the manufacture of our
improved springs, the said bars, if desired, being welded or otherwise united at any
suitable point in their length, or being suitably interlocked.
In Figure 33 we have illustrated various other combinations of bars of such
form in transverse section that when properly placed together and coiled or wound,
they will retain their proper relative position without the necessity of welding or
otherwise rigidly uniting them.
Figure 34 is a longitudinal central section of a spiral spring formed of only one
bar or rod, and having a conical or taper portion A-B, and a parallel or
cylindrical portion A-C the interior of which is of such diameter that it will fit
more or less accurately the stem or spindle of a buffer-plunger or the like so as to
be supported by the same.
Figure 35 shows various forms of coiled bars b, c one of which is provided with
a tongue fitting into a groove in the other bar in such a manner as to prevent
relative displacement of the said bars, but not made of dovetail form so as to
rigidly connect the bars. These bars, in either case, may be arranged either one
above another as shown, or side by side.
Figure 36 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, and
Figure 37 a vertical central section showing another form of compound volute
spring in which the bars b, c are united by means of a projection e formed on one
bar and fitted into a hole in the other bar, which projection is afterwards clinched
over as shown.
Figure 38 is a plan, and
Figure 39 a vertical central section showing another form of compound spring in
which the coils b, c are welded together at a. Or the two coils may be formed from
a single bar bent or folded and suitably tapered at a.
Figure 40 is an end view of a compound spiral spring in which the coils b, c are
united by twisting the ends together.
Figures 41 and 42 are end views showing two forms of spiral spring in which the
ends of the coil c are turned over the ends of the coil b, in such a manner that they
interlock and thus relative displacement of the coils is prevented.
Figure 43 is an end view of a spiral spring in which the coils b, c are united by
a rivet.
Figure 44 is an end view of two compound or multiple spiral springs so con-
structed and combined that the outer coil b of each of the said compound springs is
united to the inner coil c of the other compound spring.
We sometimes make a watch or clock spring according to our invention with two
or more coils united at one end as shown in Figure 45, which spring may be arranged
to act upon the barrel at two or more points in its circumference.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is ;-
First. A spring consisting of two or more coils united or interlocked at any
suitable point in their length, substantially as herein before described and for the
purposes specified.
Second. The manufacture of a compound or multiple spring by welding or other-
wise uniting or interlocking two or more bars at any suitable point and then coiling
the said bars in such a manner as to form two or more coils or sections, substantially
as herein before described and for the purposes specified.
Third. The manufacture of a compound or multiple spring by bending or folding
a single bar and coiling it so as to form two coils or sections, for the purposes above
specified.
Fourth. The manufacture of a compound or multiple spring by coiling two or

page_text: more bars separately and then welding or interlocking them, substantially as herein-
before described and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. A compound or multiple spring consisting of two or more coils united or
interlocked substantially as described, and formed of bars of such relative length
that they terminate at different points in the circumference of the spring, or in the
length thereof, for the purposes above specified.
Sixth. A compound or multiple spring consisting of two or more coils formed of
bars of different shape or size in transverse section and united or interlocked,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Seventh. A compound or multiple spring consisting of two or more coiled bars
one of which is provided with a tongue fitting into a groove in the other and which
are united or interlocked, substantially as herein before described.
Eighth. A spring consisting of one or more bars coiled in such a manner as to
form a conical or taper portion and a parallel or cylindrical portion at the smaller
end thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Ninth. The improved spring constructed substantially as described with reference
to either of the forms or modifications shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 20th day of February 1802
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.