IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication
from abroad by Allen Middleton, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1880.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Allen Middleton, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of springs in which spirals
are combined with and interpose between plates, or are contained in a box
provided with a top plate which bears on the springs, and the main object of the
Invention is to make springs of this class more economically than heretofore.
The
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention there are interposed
between the top plate and the bottom plate of the spring two spirals, which are
arranged at reverse but otherwise similar angles in respect to a vertical line.
two plates are connected together by rods in such a manner that the upper plate
can yield under pressure to the extent desired.
On the under-side of the upper plate and the upper side of the bottom plate are
formed proper bearing surfaces for the ends of the spirals, and on both plates are
projections, which, fitting freely within the said spirals, tend to maintain the same
in their proper inclined positions.
It will be seen that greater steadiness in the direction of the arrows is assured
when the spirals are arranged in this manner than when they are vertical, but the
most important result attained is the increased strength imparted to the spring by
inclining the spirals.
It is not essential that the spirals of the spring should be inclined upwards and
inward toward each other, for precisely the same results will be attained if the
spirals are inclined upwards and outward; or in other words, the spring herein before

page_text: described might be placed upside down without any change in the result, but it is
preferred to adopt the former arrangement.
The Invention may be carried into effect by the construction of springs with
any desired number of inclined spirals, for instance, there is a class of springs in
which a box with an upper plate is combined with a large number of small spirals
made of iron or steel wire.
In applying the Invention to this kind of spring the following method is
adopted: A box is provided having at the bottom projections over which fit the
lower ends of, say, twenty spirals arranged in rows, there being in this case twenty
similar projections in the top of the box for entering the upper ends of the
spirals.
These projections (or sockets may be used in their place) are so arranged in the
bottom of the box and on the underside of the top of the same, that one row of
springs will be inclined in one direction, the next in the reverse direction, and so
on, so that one set of spirals will resist the tendency of the other set to impart a
lateral movement to the top of the box when pressure is applied to the same, as in
the spring first hereinbefore described.
Other modifications of springs with inclined spirals will readily suggest them-
selves to those familiar with springs of the class to which the Invention relates.
Spirals arranged one within the other may be used, or spirals arranged in tiers ;
indeed the Invention may be applied to almost any of the springs of this class now
in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
December 1880.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Allen Middleton, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
The said Invention relates to improvements in that class of springs in which
spirals are combined with and interposed between plates, or are contained in
a box provided with a top plate which bears on the springs, and the main object of
the Invention is to make springs of this class more economically than heretofore.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a vertical section of one form
of spring in which the said Invention is embodied.
Figure 2 is a plan of the bottom plate from which the spirals have been
removed.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a spring showing a modified arrangement of
spirals; and
Figure 4 is a plan of the box (Figure 3) as it appears after the removal of the
spirals.
Figures 1 and 2 represent on a scale of half the actual size a railway carriage
spring, which has been constructed with a view of testing its capacity in comparison
with a spring having precisely similar spirals, but arranged vertically in the usual
manner.
A is the top plate, and B the bottom plate of the spring, and between the two
plates are interposed the two spirals D, D, which are arranged at reverse but
otherwise similar angles in respect to a vertical line x. The two plates are
connected together by rods a, a, in such a manner as to admit of the upper plate
yielding under pressure to the extent desired.
On the under side of the upper plate and the upper side of the bottom plate
are formed proper bearing surfaces for the ends of the spirals, and on both plates
are projections b, which, fitting freely within the said spirals, tend to maintain
the same in their proper inclined positions.
It will be seen that greater steadiness in the direction of the arrows is assured
when the spirals are arranged in this manner than when they are vertical, but the
most important result attained is the increased strength imparted to the spring by
inclining the spirals, so that by the use of the improved spring a considerable
saving of material is effected.
It is not essential that the spirals of the spring should be inclined upwards and
inward towards each other, for precisely the same results will be attained if the
spirals are inclined upwards and outward, or in other words the spring, shown in
Figure 1, may be inverted without any change in the result, but it is preferred to
adopt the arrangement of spirals shown in that Figure.
The Invention may be carried into effect by the construction of springs with
any desired number of inclined spirals, for instance, there is a class of springs in
which a box with an upper plate is combined with a large number of small spirals
made of iron or steel wire.
In applying the Invention to this description of spring, the plan shown in
Figures 3 and 4 is adopted. In these Figures, B¹ is a box, having at the bottom

page_text: projections over which fit the lower ends of twenty spirals arranged in rows, there
being twenty similar projections in the top A' of the box for entering the upper
ends of the spirals.
These projections (or sockets may be used in their place) are so arranged in the
bottom of the box and on the underside of the top of the same that one row of
springs will be inclined in one direction, the next in the reverse direction, and so
on, so that one set of spirals will resist the tendency of the other set to impart a
lateral movement to the top of the box when pressure is applied to the same, as in
the spring shown in Figure 1.
Other modifications of springs with inclined spirals will readily suggest them-
selves to those familiar with springs of the class to which the Invention relates.
Spirals arranged one within the other may be used, or spirals arranged in tiers;
indeed the Invention may be applied to almost any of the springs of this class now
in use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,--
A spring in which inclined spirals are combined with and interposed between
plates, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)