IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hooper and Joseph Fry, of Mitcham, in the
County of Surrey, and George Nasmyth, of Bucklersbury, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 31st March 1857, and dated the 6th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hooper, Joseph
Fry, and George Nasmyth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents;
with their Petition, on the 6th December 1856.
We, WILLIAM HOOPER and JOSEPH FRY, of Mitcham, in the County of
Surrey, and GEORGE NASMYTH, of Bucklersbury, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS
FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application of vulcanized india-rubber in a
novel and peculiar manner. We take tubes of vulcanized india-rubber of a
suitable diameter and thickness, or we take sections of tubes or of cylinders or
rings, either of circular, square, or other section, or we take balls or spheres,
and we apply them either singly or in combination, in such a manner that the
elasticity is produced by the compression of the cylinders, tubes, balls, or rings
in the direction of its or of their diameter, and where several balls, tubes, or
cylinders are combined, the variation of the position of the parts of the several
rings or other forms, or of the extent of their surfaces in contact, will give
varying or increasing degrees of resistance and of elasticity. These springs
are fitted into cases, or confined between side plates or cheeks. Such forms of

page_text: vulcanized india-rubber articles as herein described may be applied for the
bearing, drawing, or buffing springs of railway carriages, and for other
purposes where either a long or short action and where the introduction of a
governable or controlable elastic body of a permanent character are desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth, in tho
Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HOOPER and JOSEPH FRY, of Mitcham, in the County of Surrey, and GEORGE
NASMYTH, of Bucklersbury, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters,
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the
year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth, Her special licenco.
that we, the said William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth, by an instrument,
in writing under our, or their, or one of their hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the naturo 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and
George Nasmyth, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and,
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and the accompanying
Drawing:-
This Invention relates to the application of that material or those materials

page_text: which are known or generally recognized by the public as vulcanized india-
rubber in a novel and peculiar manner. We take tubes of vulcanized,
mineralized, or otherwise permanently elasticated india-rubber of a suitable
diameter and thickness, or we take sections of tubes or cylinders or rings,
either of circular, square, or other section, and we apply them either singly
or in combination, in such a manner that the elasticity is produced by the
compression of the cylinders, tubes, or rings in the direction of its or of their
diameter, and where several tubes or cylinders are combined, the variation of
the position of the parts of the several rings, or of the extent of their surfaces.
in contact, will give varying or increasing degrees of resistance and of
elasticity. When rings or grunimets are required for purposes where small
force only is applied, we take short lengths of strong tubing and turn it round
and join the ends together, and thus form rings. These springs are fitted into
cases, or confined between two side surfaces. Theso forms of vulcanized
mineralized, or otherwise permanently elasticated india-rubber articles as
herein described may be applied for the bearing, drawing, or buffing springs
of railway carriages, and for other purposes where either a long or a short
action, and where the introduction of a governable or controllable clastic body.
of a permanent character, are desirable.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1 to 5 exhibit details illustrating
some of the forms in which the elastic material is applied.
'
Fig. 1 is a short length of strong tubing.
Fig. 2 shows two pieces, being the longitudinal sections of a tube; these.
pieces may either be combined, as shewn, or the face of one to the back of
the other, with a plate between each.
Fig. 3 exhibits two views of a hollow ring.
Fig. 4, a form of corrugated circular plate.
Fig. 5 is a short length of square tube.
In Figs. 6 to 16 are exhibited various modes of applying the several forms,
in which the material can be made up.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a railway buffer, having several tubes.
of india-rubber applied in the form of rings or grummets, one behind the other,.
with plates introduced between them to equalize the pressure. In this Figure,
as also in other similar Figures, the sections only of the tubes are colored, the.
better to exhibit their form.
Fig 7 is also a buffer, but the form in which the elastic material is made
is that shewn in Fig. 4; a thin plate of metal being introduced, as shewn,
between each thickness of material.
Fig. 8 exhibits the elastic material also applied to the buffing apparatus of
:

page_text: a railway carriage according to this Invention, there being three short pieces
or sections of tubes or rings of india-rubber, cach having a perforation for the
passage of the buffer rod at right angles to and through their axes, and
having plates of metal between each, as shewn; the vertical diameter of each
ring or tube is protected from friction by a hoop or surrounding band of metal.
These rings are fitted on to the short buffer rod, and confined and protected
in suitable cases.
Fig. 9 represents the inner end of a drawrod, which is shewn as fitted with
one ring, but of which there may be several when a longer action or draught
is required, and is suited for cases in which a combined buffing and drawing
apparatus is arranged, and which is shewn with protecting bands, as in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 illustrates the application of the elastic material in longer lengths,
in the form shown at Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 11 illustrates the application of four rings or short lengths of tubing to
a railway carriage buffer, whilst a similarly arranged case fitted with a
through rod and drawhook may be employed for the drawing gear or
apparatus; the extent of action and the power to resist the tractive force
employed may be increased by introducing rings of large size or a greater
number thereof.
Fig. 12 exhibits a sectional elevation and a transverse section of a bearing
spring applied below the frame of a railway carriage, and although one tube
only is shewn in one view, the other view may represent a longitudinal section
thereof, or it may represent a side view of two half tubes, as shewn at Fig. 2,
which arrangement may be substituted, and a greater amount of elasticity may
be obtained by the introduction of several tubes or sections of tubes with
plates between them.
Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation and transverse section of a bearing spring
applied above the carriage frame, in which views two tubes are shewn fitted
within the case.
Fig. 14 exhibits two views, partly in section, of the elastic material applied
to the bearing or supporting springs of a pleasure carriage, the strength of the
springs and the extent of tho play desired being governed as before described.
Fig. 15 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a bearing spring, with six
strong elastic rings fitted in a case or box.
Fig. 16 shews the application of elastic material, according to this Inven-
tion, as springs for heavy goods' waggons and such like carriages, in which case
we apply the rings along the length of the axle, and between the upper side of
the axle or axles and the under side or bottom of the cart or waggon frame or
body; and where greater play or action is required we apply rings of larger

page_text: diameter, or two or more series of rings, one above the other, in which case
we introduce metal plates between them, for the purpose of more uniformly
distributing the action, force, or weight.
Fig. 17 shows a buffing apparatus for a railway carriage with the india-
rubber confined between two metal clips, to prevent the friction of the india-
rubber against the side of the case.
Fig. 18 shows a drawrod for a railway carriage; the india-rubber springs
or cylinders are each fitted into a separate case or frame of a rectangular form,
made of suitablo metal, to work or move on guide rods.
In the illustrative Figures exhibited in the Drawing hereunto annexed wo
have not deemed it necessary to refer to their several parts by the aid of
letters, as the said several Figures clearly illustrate the features of our Inven-
tion, and the several modes in which we apply the elastic material or materials
before referred to for the several purposes, according to our said Invention.
Having already described our Invention in the first part hereof, and illus-
trated it by shewing some of the applicatious for which it is destined to bo
employed, we desire it to be understood that we do not claim the use or
application of vulcanized or otherwise elasticated india-rubber, or india-rubber
material generally, as a substitute for steel springs; but what we claim is, the
construction of springs for various purposes by the employment of india-
rubber, whether vulcanized, mineralized, or otherwise treated, manipulated, or
compounded, for the purpose of giving it an ealastic character, when such
materials or compounds are formed into tubes or sections of tubes, or into
cylinders or rings, either of circular, square, or other section, and whether one
such be applied singly, or several bo used in combination, in the manner
described, when such forms are employed for the purpose of resisting com-
pression by direct pressure, or by tractive force applied in the direction of
their diameter, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nasmyth, have, on behalf of
the said William Hooper, Joseph Fry, and George Nasmyth, hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifte savan
Witness,
WILLIAM SMITH, C.E.,
10, Salisbury St., Adelphi.
GEORGE NASMYTH. (L.s.)