Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec., 1887
I, WILLIAM ELGER FRITH of Hague Lane Sheffield in the County of York Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a novel construction of spring for the pistons of Steam
Engines, Pumps and other like pistons; the object being to produce a spring, simple
in its construction, and having great elasticity; and also capable of exerting the
required vertical and lateral pressure upon the piston rings.
I construct my improved spring of wire or rods of any suitable material, and made
to any suitable cross section, but by preference of round steel.
It consists in bending the wire into a series of coils or rings, each set or cluster of
coils being divided by a loop of the same continuous wire, the said loops projecting
alternately on the right and left of the coil.
For example, I take a length of steel wire, say one eighth of an inch diameter, and
I make three coils of say one inch in diameter, I then bend the wire sideways so as to
form a loop and coil it three times in the opposite direction to the first coils and again
form a loop on the opposite side of the coils to that first made; this operation is
repeated until a sufficient length is obtained for the required diameter of piston.
The loops project on each side of the coil and a cross section of the spring would
somewhat resemble the combination of the letter O placed inside the letter U, the top
of the loops being the same height as the top of the coil.
The inside of the piston rings are turned out square or thereabouts, thus dispensing
with the oblique faces so generally used, and the spring is placed in position with the
ends of the loops pointing outwards, and so that the piston rings when forced together
compress them towards each other. It will thus be understood that when used in an
upright cylinder, the reaction of the compressed loops will give the vertical pressure
and the body of the spring will give the horizontal or lateral pressure.
I do not bind myself to the number of coils in each cluster, and I may vary the
shape of the loop as desired, and use them with or without slide blocks or slippers.
Dated the 8th day of Al 1007
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM ELGER FRITH of Hague Lane, Sheffield in the County of York
Engineer 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:-
My invention relates to a novel construction of spring to be used in the Pistons of
Engines, Pumps, and other like pistons; the object being to produce a spring of simple
construction and great elasticity; and also capable of exerting the required vertical
and lateral pressure upon the piston rings.
And to enable my specification to be fully understood, I have annexed a sheet of
drawings representing the spring and a modification of same.
Figs. 1 & 2, represent a side and end view of a portion of one of my springs.
Figs. 3 & 4, show a modification in the construction of the loops or fingers.
I construct my improved spring of any suitable metal, made in the shape of wire
or rods, and being of any suitable cross section; but I prefer to use round steel wire
or rods.
In carrying my invention into practice, I bend the said wire into a number of
coils A, each set or series of coils being divided by a loop (or finger) B, made from
the same continuous length of wire, and projecting alternately from the top and bottom
of the coils.
For example I take a length of steel wire an eighth of an inch diameter, and I make
three coils A, of one inch diameter as shown in Fig. 1, I then bend the wire sideways
so as to form a loop B, projecting beyond the diameter of the coils, and I then coil
it three times in the opposite direction to the first three coils, and again bend the wire
into a loop C, which projects from the bottom of the coils, and I repeat this operation
until a sufficient length of coiled spring is obtained for the required diameter of
piston.
The loops B, and C, are preferably made to diverge from each other as shown in
Figs. 2 and 4, and the spring is bent into a circle with the loops or fingers projecting
from the outside.
The piston rings are turned out square or thereabouts, thus dispensing with oblique
faces which are objectionable, and the spring is placed in position with the ends of the
loops against the two members of the piston rings as indicated in Fig. 2.
It will therefore be understood by those who are conversant with such matters, that
the spring will be compressed in diameter when it is put into the rings and will exert
its reactive power to expand the said rings; also that when the rings are forced
together between the piston and cover the loops or fingers will be compressed towards
each other, and their direct reaction will be in the exact required direction.
Thus in a vertical cylinder the compressed spring gives the horizontal or lateral
pressure, and the loops or fingers give the vertical pressure.

page_text: I do not bind myself to the number of coils in each cluster or series, and I may vary
the shape of the loops, as for example, I may form the ends into an eye as shown in
Fig. 3, and attach thereto a shoe or slide block to bear on the piston rings, and to be
removed when worn, in this manner the spring may be preserved from wear, and the
rings may also be kept from being worn by the action of the spring.
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:―
1-A piston spring for the purpose specified, and constructed substantially as herein-
before described and shown.
2-A spring for Pistons consisting of a series of alternate right and left hand coils
with intermediate loops or fingers projecting alternately from the top and bottom of
the coils, for the purpose specified, and substantially as described and illustrated.
1
1
O 1007
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.