Pneumatic Spring or Vibration Insulator for Motor-Cars or other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1896
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Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1897 Accepted, 24th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Pneumatic Spring or Vibration Insulator for Motor-Cars or other
Vehicles.
I, FRANCIS CLAUDE BLAKE, of 97 Fairholt Road, Stoke Newington, in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a pneumatic spring for vehicles, and more especially
for motor-cars-and its object is to provide means for absorbing vibrations caused
by the motion of the vehicle or by that of the motor in propelling it, and for pre-
venting such vibrations from being imparted to the body of the vehicle or to the
occupants thereof.
To attain this object I propose to secure either to the frame, the axle or the
springs of a motor or other vehicle, a vertical pillar carrying a cone shaped piece,
and above this I arrange at a short interval an upper cone of corresponding form
and dimensions, supported upon the upper part of the pillar and free to move
vertically to a limited extent thereon. The central parts of these cones through
which the vertical pillar extends may be formed with horizontal surfaces. The
upper cone is rigidly secured to the body of the vehicle, and so arranged that the
surfaces of the two cones opposite to each other are approximately parallel.
Interposed between the two cones is an air-tight annular shaped tube or sleeve,
of rubber or other suitable flexible material, provided at any convenient part
with a suitable neck having an inwardly opening-valve attached so that air can
be forced or pumped into the space enclosed within the flexible tube or sleeve.
The pressure of such air may be regulated according to the weight or load to be
carried on the vehicle.
From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the pressure of the air
within the tube or sleeve will tend to move the upper cone further apart from the
lower; and that the cushion of air situated between them will receive and absorb
any vibrations imparted through the vertical pillar to the lower cone, before they
can reach the body of the vehicle supported on the upper cones.
The cones may be made to any desired degree of taper, and the flexible air-tight
sleeve or cushion may be formed of a plain pneumatic tube or other suitable
section, and secured to one or both of the cones, or not, as preferred.
I may arrange several cones and sleeves alternately upon the vertical pillar to
forin pneumatic springs, in which case all the cones will be movably mounted upon
the pillar except the lowermost.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Pneumatic Spring or Vibration Insulator for Motor-Cars or other
Vehicles.
I, FRANCIS CLAUDE BLAKE, of 97 Fairholt Road, Stoke Newington, in the
County of London, 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:-
This invention relates to a pneumatic spring for vehicles, and more especially
for motor-cars, its object heing to provide means for absorbing vibrations caused
by the motion of the vehicle or by that of the motor in propelling it, and to pre-
vent such vibrations from being imparted to the body of the vehicle or to the
occupants thereof.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an insulator constructed in accordance with
my invention;
Figure 2 being mainly a sectional elevation of the same on line 1-1 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a method of attaching the insulator to a vehicle, aud
Figure 4 is a modified form of insulator.
In carrying out my invention I secure to the frame or to the axle or to the
springs of a motor-car or other vehicle, a vertical pillar a carrying cone shaped
piece band above this latter I arrange at a short distance an upper cone e which
may be of corresponding form and dimensions and which is supported upon the
upper part of the pillar a; this second cone c is free to move vertically on the
pillar to a limited extent.
The central portions of these cones through which the vertical pillar passes
may, when desired, be formed with horizontal surfaces.
The upper cone c is rigidly secured to or connected with the body of the vehicle,
and the whole is so arranged that the surfaces of the cones apposite to each other
are approximately parallel, being kept in this position and apart by means of an
annular inflated tube or sleeve d. This tube is formed of rubber or other suitable
flexible and air-tight material and is contained within a fabric or other envelope.
It is provided at any convenient part with a suitable valve so that it can be inflated
by means of a pump or otherwise; the pressure of the air within the tube can be
regulated according to the weight or load of the vehicle, and for this purpose a
suitable pressure gauge may be attached to the valve or to another portion of the
tube.
On Figure 1 of the drawings the upper cone is provided with an arch-shaped
scroll-iron or support e by means of which it may be screwed, bolted or otherwise
attached to the frame-work or other convenient portion f of the vehicle. This
arche is pivoted at its extremities to the cone so that slight lateral movement is
thereby obtained; see dotted lines Fig. 2.
The vertical pillar a is screwed at its lower extremity so that the lower cone b
can be secured thereto and adjusted to the desired position. This pillar a is
furnished with a U-shaped head provided with a hoft or rivet for the purpose of
connecting the same to the end of a laminated or other spring supporting the axle
of the vehicle as shewn on Fig. 3.
I have found it advantageous in some cases to form a flange c¹ on the upper
cone e as shewn on Fig. 2, the flange being continued down below the edge of the
lower cone b. The flange in such cases acts as a weather guard and shields the tube
from mud, dust and accident.
The upper cone may be provided with one or
more rubber or dermatine

page_text: washers g as shewn on Fig. 2, where the vertical pillar a passes through it. I
may use more than one layer of compressed air, in which case a number of tubes
and cones will be arranged alternately each cone being mounted movably on the
pillar except the lowermost, as shewn on Fig. 4, a separate valve being provided
for the inflation of each tube. The modified form shewn on Fig. 4 is designed for
use on heavy vehicles, the top cone c being provided with a flange by means of
which it may be secured to the frame or body of the vehicle; the pillar is furnished
with a washer or shoulder a' on which the lower cone is seated, and a T-shaped
foot the latter being connected to, or adapted to form one of the bearings of the
axle.
From the above it will be perceived that the pressure of the air in the tube or
tubes will tend to move the upper cones further apart from the lower, and that the
cushion of air between the top cone and the bottom cone will receive and absorb
any vibration imparted through the vertical pillar to the lower cone, before they
can reach the body of the vehicle supported on the top cone. It is to be noted that
the cones are to a very great extent self-centering-thus most advantageously
utilising the cushion of air.
The cones may be made to any desired degree of taper, and the flexible air-tight
sleeve or cushion may be formed of a plain pneumatic tube or other suitable
section and may, or may not, he secured to, one of the cones or to two adjacent
cones, as preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware
that inflated ari-tubes have been heretofore placed between the framework of the
vehicle and the axle or bearings of the wheels, and I make no claim thereto, but
what I do claim is:-
1. A vibration insulator for motor-cars and other vehicles, comprising a lower
cone attached to a pillar connected to or with the axle of the vehicle, and an upper
cone secured to the frame or body of the vehicle, the cones being separated by
an inflatable air-tube, for the purposes and substantially as described.
2. A vibration insulator for motor-cars and other vehicles, comprising a lower
cone secured on a pillar connected with the axle of the vehicle, two or more upper
cones the uppermost being connected to the vehicle frame, and said cones being
separated by air-tubes, substantially as and for the purposos described.
3. In a vibration insulator for motor-cars and other vehicles, the combination of
an upper cone (or upper cones) c, of a lower cone b, and an air-tube (or air-tubes) d,
substantially as described.
Da red dris toch das of James 1891.
KM
THIS LO
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents