IMPROVEMENTS IN ELLIPTICAL SPRINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Joynes, of Sheffield, in the West Riding of the
County of York, Spring Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELLIPTICAL SPRINGS."
Sealed the 30th August 1878; in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 22nd February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Joynes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1878.
.
FRANK JOYNES, of Sheffield, in the West Riding of the County of York, Spring
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELLIPTICAL SPRINGS."
This Invention relates to springs for railway, tramway, and road vehicles, and to
springs for similar and other purposes, which said springs are placed in pairs and
are connected together at their ends, and are known as elliptical springs.
My Invention consists in improvements in the ends of the springs, and in the
means or appliances for connecting them together in pairs, that is to say, I so curve
or form the ends of the said springs that when they are inserted in a clip or box;
which said clip is open at one side or open at one side and one or both ends, the
said clip or box will retain the ends of the springs in position, but will form a more
elastic joint than has hitherto been attained, and in practical use my improved
springs will be far more sensitive under light and heavy loads than the springs now
used for similar purposes.
In carrying into effect the principles of my Invention, the following methods can
be adopted, that is to say, I so form the ends of the "back" plate, or the "back"
plate and the next plate thereto, as that when the said "back" plates are brought
into contact the ends thereof will form a circle, ellipsis, diamond, square, or any
form which is a modification of the above forms, and which will carry into effect
the principles of my Invention. The clip with which I surround the ends of these
plates will be made substantially of the same form as that assumed by or given to.
the ends of the said plates when the said plates are brought together; the clip can'

page_text: be of equal thickness throughout, or it can be of varying thickness to cause it to
be elastic in action, or it may have a rib or ribs in the direction of its length for
the extreme ends of the plates to bear against, or the extreme ends of the plates
may bear one against the other, and be flat, or the extreme ends of the plates may
be made concave and convex.
The clip can be so made as to be retained in position by an ordinary bolt and
washers, or can be made so as to dispense with washers by forming the ends
solid with the body of the clip, or the clip may be in two parts, meeting together
(for instance) in the centre.
The plates of my improved springs may be made of the same material and
generally in the same manner as those formerly used, save and except the ends
which are made, as above specified, to carry into effect the principle of my Invention,
and the clip may be made of steel or any other suitable material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Joynes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th September
1878.
FRANK JOYNES, of Sheffield, in the West Riding of the County of York, Spring
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELLIPTICAL SPRINGS."
This Invention consists in so forming the joints of elliptical springs that the same
are elastic instead of rigid, as hitherto constructed.
In carrying my Invention into effect, the ends of the back or top plates are bent
or hooked, and over them are clasped or fitted clips or boxes to which the said ends
of the plates are connected by bolts or bolts and washers, thus forming an elastic
joint.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figs. 1 to 9 show various methods of
constructing my improved elastic joints, all of which I claim as carrying into effect
the principles of my Invention.
Fig. 1 shows a plan of the spring plate, bolt, and nut with a box or solid clip
in section, and also (above) a side view of the ends of the spring plates with the
clip and bolt in cross section; in this construction of joint the two ends of the
plates will be forced into the aperture in the solid clip, and, by the bolt and nut, will
be secured thereto.
Figure 2 shows a plan clip with two plain washers.
Figure 3 shows a clip with grooved edges and two ribbed washers.
Figure 4 shows a box clip in two parts.
Figure 5 shows an elastic plain clip and two washers, the clip being tapered from
the centre towards each end to give it elasticity.
Figure 6 shows a plain clip and two flanged washers.
Figure 7 shows a clip with an internal rib for the ends of the spring plates to
bear against.

page_text: Figure 8 shows the extreme ends of the spring plates projecting one within the
other instead of meeting in the same plane.
Figure 9 shows the extreme ends of the spring plates hollowed out and rounded,
the one working within the other.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, improvements in elliptical springs or the joints thereof, substantially
as herein-before specified, described, and illustrated by the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Joynes, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
FRANK JOYNES. (L.S.)