Improvements in Bogie Trucks for Rolling Stock.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bogie Trucks for Rolling Stock.
1, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77 Cannon Street in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of bogie trucks for rolling stock in
which the bolster is supported by springs carried by a transverse girder suspended
to the bogie frame with or without the interposition of supplementary springs the
object being to lessen vibration disagreeable to travellers.
I provide supporting springs not only near the respective ends of the bolster but
also at or near its centre; these springs may be of various constructions such as
elliptical steel springs, laminated steel springs, spiral steel springs or india rubber
springs of any suitable construction, and there may be two or more of the end springs
and one or more of the centre springs. I make the end springs of such working
resistance as to nearly support the aggregate weight of the bolster and the load it
bears when the vehicle is empty and I adapt the centre springs to act after the
manner of relief springs when the vehicle is partially or fully loaded.
The supplementary springs between the transverse girder and its suspending
links are applied, when desired, to render the motion of the vehicle body
additionally easy, by affording a further means of absorbing any shocks and
vibration, as for instance such as experienced when passing over points and
crossings and when entering or leaving curves. The end springs are made capable
of adjustment.
Stirrup-like guides are carried by the bolster in the neighbourhood of the
respective end springs and those extend down to below and under the girder.
I arrange that the resisting points of the hanging swing links shall be spread out
to the greatest practicable width, their lower ends being further out than their
upper ends and the transverse girder being made of corresponding length, and by
this arrangement in conjunction with the use of the centre spring or springs to the
bolster I am enabled to reduce practically to a minimum the rolling and vibrating
motion experienced by travellers, at the same time retaining the swing motion
principle of the bogie.
n 15th day of March 1895.

page_text: Improvements in Bogie Trucks for Rolling Stock.
I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77, Cannon Street, in the City 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 :-
My invention relates to the construction of bogie-trucks for rolling-stock in
which the bolster is supported by springs carried by a transverse girder suspended
to the bogie-frame with or without the interposition of supplementary springs, the
object being to lessen vibration disagreeable to travellers.
I provide supporting springs not only near the respective ends of the bolster
but also at or near its centre; these springs may be of various constructions such
as elliptical steel springs, laminated steel springs, spiral steel' springs, or india
rubber springs of any suitable construction, and there may be two or more of the
end springs and one or more of the centre springs. I make the end springs of such
working resistance as to nearly support the aggregate weight of the bolster and
the load it bears when the vehicle is empty, and I adapt the centre springs
to act after the manner of relief springs when the vehicle is partially or fully.
loaded:
The supplementary springs between the transverse girder and its suspending
links are applied, when desired, to render the motion of the vehicle body additionally
easy, hy affording a further means of absorbing any shock and vibration as for
instance, such as is experienced when passing over points and crossings and when
entering or leaving curves.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are respectively a partial side elevation, a partial longitudinal
section, and a cross section, showing a bogie-truck according to this invention
provided with spiral steel supporting springs.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views of such a truck provided with laminated steel
supporting springs.
1 is the bolster and 2 the transverse girder suspended from the bogie-frame 3.
4 are the end supporting springs, arranged between the bolster and girder and of
which two are used at each end in the example represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and
three are employed at each end in that represented in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. 4ª are the
central supporting springs arranged between the central portions of the bolster and
girder and two of which are used in each of the examples shown. 5 are supple-
mentary coiled springs between the suspending links 6, and the ends of the stirrups 7:
by which they carry the transverse girder 2. The end springs 4 may be adjusted
by means of the nuts 8 of the links 6 as usual, or in any other suitable way.
Safety stirrups 17 (Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6) are carried by the cross stays 3ª at the
sides of bolster 1 in the neighbourhood of the respective end springs 3 and extend
down to below and under the girder 2.
I arrange that the resisting points of the hanging swing-links 6 (ie. in the
examples shown, the stirrups 7, which engage in shoes 7* secured to the underside
of the girder 2) shall be spread out to the greatest practicable width, their lower
ends being further out than their upper ends, and the transverse girder 2 being
made of corresponding length. By this arrangement, in conjunction with the
application of the centre spring or springs 4" to the bolster, 1 am enabled to
reduce, practically to a minimum, the rolling and vibrating motion experienced
by travellers, at the same time retaining the swing-motion principle of the bogie.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a bogie truck for rolling stock in which the bolster is supported by
springs carried by a transverse girder, the use in combination with the girder,
the bolster and supporting springs arranged near the respective ends of the
bolster, of one or more additional springs carried by the said girder and arranged
at or near the centre of the bolster, so as to support the bolster at this part,
substantially as herein described for the purpose specified.
2. Bogie trucks, of the kind referred to constructed as hereinbefore described
with reference to and shown respectively in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and in Figs. 4 to 6
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of December 1805