IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Joseph Stokes Williams, of
Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th February 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES." [A communication from abroad by
Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to springs constructed of elastic plates which have their
ends free to move with or in bearings, which springs are applicable to railway and
other vehicles and are adapted to sustain the weight thereof, as hereinafter more
fully set forth.
In carrying my Invention into practice I employ a series of spring or elastic
plates, of rhomboidal or other form, so that they will have the broadest or greatest
surface at or near their centre, the said plates being produced from strips or pieces
of metal by cutting, punching, or otherwise dividing the same diagonally at
intervals. According to one part of my Invention I prefer to employ two series
of the said spring plates in constructing a spring, the said spring plates being
secured in their proper relative positions by a frame, and in some instances centrally
and additionally by means of clamps, saddles, or boxes, which permit the placing
of the said rhomboidal spring plates in position; by constructing these boxes with
inner faces of the shape or contour of the spring plates to be inserted in the said
boxes any displacement of the same is prevented. The face of the box or clamp
in contact with the spring plates is convex or angular; the spring plates rest firmly
against such convex or angular surfaces, the convexity, curvature, or angularity
being sufficient to allow of any curvature which the spring may assume.
In some cases I insert between the said saddles or boxes and the contiguous
spring plates a piece or pieces of india-rubber, felt, or other elastic material. The

page_text: outer ends of the spring plates are fitted in sockets or end pieces, one of which is
arranged at each end of the spring plates of each of the series, the inner faces of
the said sockets or recesses conforming in shape to the ends of the spring plates
inserted in the same, and these faces in connection with other parts serve to prevent
longitudinal displacement of the said spring plates. These sockets are secured to
or in connection with a plate or bar, or a series of the same, of malleable metal, by
means of bolting, rivetting, or otherwise clamping, or by casting the sockets on
such plates, or the said sockets and plate or bar may be cast in one piece. Between
the spring plates, and between the aforesaid boxes and the said plate or bar I
sometimes arrange blocks of india-rubber or other elastic material to further
strengthen the said spring.
Between the face of each series of spring plates and the said sockets or end
pieces I arrange followers of such shape as to fit in the recesses in the said sockets,
and the said followers are provided with curved or inclined surfaces in order to
allow the said followers to rock or roll in the sockets and conform to the motions
of the end of the spring plates, the ends of the said springs resting on the
said followers. These followers facilitate the motion of the spring plates and
prevent to a great extent the rubbing and wearing action of the same upon the
said followers and of the followers upon the sockets, thereby increasing the
durability of the spring.
When the springs from long use or otherwise acquire an improper set they may
be removed and reversed with facility and again replaced in the supports upon the
followers, and the necessity of straightening the said plates previous to replacing
the same is thereby avoided.
The spring plates may be fo, red of malleable iron, hard rolled steel, or other
metal, and in some cases may be e-nt or set in one direction further than they will
be allowed to spring or bend in service or otherwise in the other direction. The
surface of one side of the spring plate is then stretched, and the plate being then
allowed or caused to assume a nearly flat form or condition, receives a set which
prevents the undue setting or the spring or permanent stretching when under
compression or bearing a load of its surface which has the shortest length, thereby
obviating the necessity of subsequent tempering, the spring remaining strong,
elastic, and not liable to break or to be affected by variations in temperature.
I sometimes employ spring plates or greater width at or near their centre, which
are set or curved when in their normal position, and arranged in combination with
suitable framework.
The degree of resiliency of the springs may be varied by increasing or decreasing
the number of spring plates, or by employing spring plates of greater or less width,
the rhomboidal or other form being preserved to ensure a great width of the metal
at or near the centre.
The clamps or saddles, herein before referred to, may be connected by bolts
passing loosely through the same, the heads of the said bolts preventing the
separation of the said clamps or saddles.
Instead of employing rocking followers, as above described, the surface upon
which the ends of the spring plates rest may be provided with convex, curved, or
inclined surfaces, detachable or otherwise, or such plates may be provided with
convex surfaces at their ends, or projections may be formed upon or attached to the
spring plates or otherwise secured in position, so as to obviate the wear of the said
plates where they are in contact with the sockets; or elastic supports may be used
at the ends of the spring plates.
In some cases I construct and arrange the spring so that it can be interposed
between the body of the vehicle and the axle; the portion of the spring which has
the broadest or greatest surface is therefore nearly or directly over the said axle.
In other cases I interpose the spring between a movable frame connected or
combined with the body of the vehicle and the axle or axles secured in connection
with said frames.

page_text: By the above described arrangement of the boxes or saddles and the spring
plates the saddles serve to bear the load, which is transmitted from the said saddles
to the central or widest part of the spring plates, thus deflecting and shortening
the springs and causing the followers to rock and conform to the motions of the
ends of the same.
In some cases I so arrange a cap, clamp, or stop, in combination with the socket,
as to prevent the displacement of the ends of the spring plates from the recesses in
which they are placed.
My improved springs are applicable to carts, drays, and other vehicles for
running on common roads, as well as for vehicles employed on railways. The
arrangements for placing and securing the springs in the different vehicles may be
modified if required, and the springs may be formed of a single plate, or a set of
plates, or of several sets of such plates, the said plates being secured in position
by the end pieces or sockets, which are retained in their proper relation to each
other by the frame-work to which they are connected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
August 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by
Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.
This Invention relates to springs which are constructed of elastic plates whose
ends are free to move with or on bearings, and which springs are applicable to
railway and other vehicles, and are adapted to sustain the weight or pressure ]
thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of one form of my improved spring, in the construction of
which two series of spring plates are employed, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the said spring on the line x, x,
Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a plan of the sockets and connecting bar employed in the construction
of the said spring.
Figure 5 is a plan of one of the boxes or clamps, hereinafter described, and
Figure 6 represents a plan and side view of one of the followers.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the said spring, shewing the application of
elastic blocks, as hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a spring, in whose construction spring plates
which are "set" or curved are employed.
Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the "setting" or curvature of the said
plates.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of a spring consisting of one series of spring
plates only, and
Figure 11 is a like view of a similar spring, in the construction of which curved
spring plates are employed.
Figure 12 shews one of the spring plates of rhomboidal form, drawn to a reduced
scale.
Figure 13 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway carriage, shewing the
application of the spring to the same.
Figure 14 is a side view of a portion of a railway carriage, shewing the
application to the same of a spring consisting of one set or serios of spring plates
only.
Figure 15 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway carriage which is supported
upon a bogie frame, and shewing the said springs applied to the same, and
Figure 16 is a transverse section of a portion of the said bogie frame and
adjacent parts.
Figure 17 is a side view of a road vehicle, shewing the application to the same
of one of the said springs.
Figures 18, 19, and 20, shew modified forms of the spring plates.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
In the Drawings, a, a, represent the plates employed in the construction of my
improved springs; b, b, are saddles or boxes; c, c, are sockets or end pieces, and d, d,
are followers; e is a longitudinal plate or bar connecting the sockets c.
In carrying my Invention into practice, as shewn in Figures 1 to 6, I employ

page_text: two series of spring-plates a which have their broadest or greatest surface at or
near their centre. The said spring-plates are secured in their proper relative
positions by means of the end pieces c and bar e, and also by the clamps, saddles,
or boxes b. By constructing these boxes with inner faces b₁, as in Figure 5, of
the shape or contour of the spring-plates a, to be inserted in the said boxes, any
undue lateral or longitudinal displacement of the said plates is prevented. To
allow for the deflection of the spring the boxes b are formed with angular or
convex surfaces, as shewn at 62 in Figure 3, and the spring-plates a rest against
such angular or convex surfaces, the convexity, curvature, or angularity of such
surfaces being sufficient for any curvature which the spring may assume. When
curved spring-plates are used the boxes b need not be provided with angular or
convex surfaces, or may have surfaces more nearly flat than those shewn in
Figure 3.
In some cases I insert between the said curved or angular surfaces b² of the
saddles or boxes and the contiguous spring-plates, a piece or pieces of india-rubber,
felt, or other elastic material. The ends of the spring-plates a are fitted in the
sockets or end pieces c, one of which is arranged at each end of the spring-plates
of each of the series. The inner faces c¹ of these sockets or recesses conform in
shape to the ends of the spring-plates to be inserted in the same, as shewn in
Figure 4, and the said faces serve in connection with the other parts to prevent
undue longitudinal displacement of the said spring-plates. These sockets or end
pieces are secured to or in connection with the plate or bar e, or a series of plates
or bars of malleable metal by means of bolting, rivetting, or otherwise clamping,
or by casting the sockets on such plates, or the said sockets and plate or bar may
be cast in one piece. The end pieces are provided with openings or recesses c³,
within which and between the face of each series of spring plates a and the plate e
I I arrange the followers d of such a shape as to fit in the said recesses c², and the
said followers have a curved or inclined surface, as shewn, to permit them to
rock or roll in the end pieces c, and conform to the motions of the ends of the
spring-plates, which ends rest on the said followers. These followers provide for the
easy and necessary movement of the spring-plates, and prevent to a great extent
the rubbing and wearing action of the latter upon the said followers, and of the
followers upon the sockets c, thereby increasing the durability of the spring. By
the employment of followers d which support the spring-plates at their ends, and
as near as practicable at their narrowest or weakest parts, or which have their
greatest depth at or near the small ends of the spring-plates, as shewn at d¹, the
assisting or supporting power of the spring increases as the weight or load upon
the same increases without in any way detracting from the efficiency and elasticity
of the said spring.
When the springs from long use or otherwise acquire an improper set they may
be removed and reversed with facility, and again replaced in the supports upon the
followers, and the necessity of straightening the said plates previous to replacing
the same is thereby avoided.
In Figure 7 I have shewn a spring constructed as above described provided with
cushions or blocks f of india-rubber or other flexible material between the spring
plates a and the plate or bar e, to further strengthen and prevent undue deflection
or jarring of the said spring.
Figure 8 shews a spring whose plates a are curved or set, that is to say, each
of the said plates is curved or set in one direction, further than it will be allowed
to spring or bend in use in the other direction. One method of effecting the
"set" or "setting" is explained by the diagram Figure 9. The full lines in this
Figure represent a plate which is to be set. For this purpose the said plate is
bent or sprung into the position and to the curvature shewn by the dotted
lines 1, 1; it is thus curved to such a degree that the distance of the central
point of its curvature from a horizontal line 2, 2, (which represents the horizontal
centre line of the spring-plate when flat) is greater than the distance of the said
Line 2, 2, from the line 3, 3, which represents the surface of the bar or plate e.

page_text: The outer surface of the said spring-plate is thereby stretched, and the inner
surface of the same compressed, and the plate being then allowed or caused to
assume the desired form, condition, or "set," as shewn by the dotted lines 4, 4,
this will prevent the spring, when under compression or bearing a load, from
receiving a permanent stretching of its surface, which has the shortest length
when the same is sprung towards or in contact with a stop or the plate e, as
shewn by the dotted lines 5, 5, thereby obviating the necessity of subsequent
tempering, the spring remaining strong and elastic and not liable to break or be
seriously affected by variations in temperature.
Figure 10 shews a spring composed of a single series of plates of rhomboidal
form combined with a box b, end pieces c, and followers d, constructed as above
described, and Figure 11 shews a similar spring, in whose construction plates a
which are curved when in their normal position or are provided with a
« set" as
above described are employed, these plates being arranged in combination with a
framework in which the followers d are arranged, and upon which the said spring-
plates rest.
The spring-plates a may be retained in position at their ends by means of links,
caps, plates, clips, or lugs. In Figures 1, 2, and 3 I have shewn the said plates
retained in position at their ends by the plates and the connecting bolts or
rods c, and in order to clamp or hold the spring-plates at their centre I employ a
bar or plate 63 which is combined with the clamps or saddles b; or the clamps or
Baddles 6 may be connected by bolts 6* passing loosely through the same, as shewn
in Figure 8, the heads of the said bolts preventing the separation of the
said clamps or saddles, and retaining the spring-plates in the sockets c. c*, c*,
Figure 10, represents lugs or projections upon the end pieces c to prevent any
vertical displacement of the spring-plates a.
When the spring-plates of a double or duplex spring are combined with each
other at their ends so as to prevent any undue endwise movement of the same, or
the displacement of the followers or supports the plate e extending from end to
end of the spring may be dispensed with by the ends of the springs being secured
or combined in proper relation to each other by clips, plates, or lugs in such a
manner as to allow of the free movement of the ends of the spring-plates and the
followers or supports combined with or attached thereto.
Instead of employing the rocking followers d, as above described, the surface
upon which the ends of the spring-plates a rest can be provided with convex curved
or inclined surfaces detachable or otherwise, or such plates a may be provided with
convex surfaces at their ends, or projections may be formed upon or attached to
the said spring-plates or otherwise secured in position so as to change the support
for the spring-plates at their ends, and reduce the distance between the points of
bearing in proportion to the weight or pressure upon the spring, thereby securing
the benefit accrueing from the increasing breadth of the plates at or towards their
centres; or elastic supports may be used at the ends of the spring-plates a.
The degree of resiliency of the springs may be varied by increasing or decreasing
the number of spring-plates, or by employing spring-plates of greater or less breadth,
the rhomboidal or equivalent form being preserved to ensure a great width of metal
at or near the centre.
In Figures 13 to 16 I have shewn convenient means of arranging the said springs
upon a railway-carriage. In these Figures, A represents the body of the carriage ;
B, the frame of the same; C, the axle-box; D, the wheels, and E the springs con-
structed as hereinbefore described.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 13, wherein the carriage-body is rigidly
supported upon its framing B, my improved spring E is provided with two sets of
spring plates and is interposed between the body of the said vehicle and the axle-
box C; the portion of the spring which has the broadest or greatest surface is
therefore nearly or directly over the said axle-box.
In Figure 14 the spring is shewn as consisting of one series of plates only, and
applied to a carriage. In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 15 and 16, wherein

page_text: the carriage-body A is mounted upon a bogie-frame F, the springs are shewn as
interposed between the said movable or bogie-frame connected or combined with
the body of the vehicle A and the axle-box or axle-boxes secured in connection
with the said frames.
In Figure 17 a spring E, consisting of a series of spring-plates as above described,
is shewn applied to an ordinary road wagon.
By the above described arrangement of the boxes or saddles 6 and the spring-
plates these saddles serve to bear the load which is transmitted from the said
saddles as bearers to the central or widest part of the sets of spring plates a, thus
deflecting and shortening the springs and causing the followers d to rock and
conform to the motions of the ends of the same.
My improved springs, as above described, are applicable to carts, drays, or other
vehicles for running on common roads, as well as to vehicles employed on railways.
The arrangements for placing the springs upon and securing them to various kinds
of vehicles may be modified, and the springs may be formed of a single plate or a
set of plates, or of several sets of such plates, the said plates being secured in position
by the end pieces or sockets which are retained in their proper relation to each
other by the framework to which they are connected.
By the construction and arrangements of the spring-plates and other parts, as
above described, when the spring is in its normal position or supporting only a
small amount of weight it is at its most elastic point, and is therefore susceptible of
acting as a spring should act under a small amount of weight, but as the pressure of.
the spring is increased the followers suit themselves to the deflection of the plates
in proportion to the weight or pressure to be borne, and thus change the point of
support for the spring-plates so as to reduce the distance between the bearing points
of the same, I thereby practically equalize the benefit accrueing from the increasing.
breadth of the plates towards their centres. It will therefore be readily understood.
that with a light load the spring is delicate and very elastic, but as the super-addition
of the vertical pressure or weight increases the inert power of the spring is augmented
to meet the strain without practically losing any of its elasticity; unlike the elliptic
and spiral springs, as at present constructed, whose greatest strength is the strength of
their weakest parts, as the strength of the old elliptic or laminated spring is dependent
upon the strength of the section of metal at the thinnest part of the longest plate,
and the strength of the spiral spring upon the section of the coil at its thinnest
part, and is represented by the tenacity of the steel in respect to the superfices of
the section, and in no way can their power of resisting extra pressure that may be
brought to bear upon them be altered or increased; but, as above described, these
defects of the elliptic or spiral spring are entirely obviated by the herein described
improvements, for by constructing the follower so as to form the support at or near
the end of the spring-plates the strength of the spring is at its minimum when the
vertical pressure is the least, yet from the form of curve adopted for the bottom
of the follower its power of resistance increases, and may (if so desired) be augmented
until it is represented by the tensile strain of the quality of steel used per square
inch of superfices at the spring's widest or strongest part, and, in fact, would render
it practically impossible to break the spring without crushing and breaking
everything in connection therewith.
communicated to me by my
Having thus fully described the said Invention as
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I do not claim broadly or irrespectively of the herein described novel features
of the Invention, the employment in the construction of springs of rhomboidal
plates provided with central clamps and supported at their ends upon or by rocking
followers, but I claim,―
First. The employment of spring-plates of such a form and so arranged in
combination with followers or supports as to constitute a spring which adapts itself
to a light or heavy load, substantially as described with reference to the Drawings
and for the purposes specified.
Second. In the constructiom of a spring for railway or other vehicles the employ-

page_text: ment of sets of spring plates, each of which sets consists of a plate or a pile or series
of plates separated from the other set or sets, substantially as described with
reference to the Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Third. The construction and arrangement of the sockets and followers so that
they conform to or correspond in shape with the ends of the spring-plates,
substantially as described with reference to the Drawings and for the purposes
specified.
Fourth. In the construction of a spring for railway or other vehicles the employ-
ment of two or more series or sets of spring-plates in combination with the sockets
and the connecting plate, and with or without followers, substantially as described
with reference to the Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In the construction of a spring for railway or other vehicles the employ-
ment of two or more reversible or curved sets or series of spring-plates in combination
with the clamps, boxes, or saddles and the end sockets, and with or without the
followers, substantially as described with reference to the Drawings and for the
purposes specified.
Sixth. In the construction of a spring for railway or other vehicles the employ-
ment of a spring-plate or of spring-plates which have their greatest width at or near
their centre, and which are curved or set, substantially as described with reference
to the Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Seventh. The caps, plates, or lugs, for retaining the spring plates in position,
substantially as described with reference to the Drawings.
Eighth. A spring for railway or other vehicles, consisting of a set or sets of
spring-plates such as are herein described in combination with india-rubber or other
elastic material placed and secured in such a manner as to prevent undue deflection
or movement or jarring of the said spring-plates, substantially as above set
forth.
Ninth. A spring consisting of the parts constructed, combined, and operating,
when applied to railway or other vehicles, substantially as described with reference
to the Drawings and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WH. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)