IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE SPRINGS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE SPRINGS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Hiram Quincy Sanderson, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 10th October 1872, and dated the 15th August 1872.
Declaration, on the 15th August 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build--
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN-
RAILWAY CARRIAGE-SPRINGS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant

page_text: In Figures 1 and 2 the end cross bars or fulcrums are represented as
T formed, and with a gog or shoulder a at each end, both at the top and
bottom. The central connecting cross bars or fulcrums are of a rect-
angular form in their transverse section, and also have a gog or shoulder b
at both their ends to hold the plates transversely. The hooks ċ by
clasping the end cross bars or fulcrums hold the spring together longi-
tudinally.
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To arrange the plates A, A², A², A³, the lower plates A are placed"
upon the lower central cross bar or fulcrum C. The end cross bars or
fulcrums B, B, are placed upon the ends of the plates A. The second
plates A' rest on the cross bars B, B, and their ends fit into the upper.
shouldered recesses of the same. The cross bar C' is placed on tho
plates A', and upon this,cross bar the plates A' are placed, their ends.
fitting into the shouldered recesses of the end bars B³, B². The hooks c
must be placed alternately in their proper positions, as before described.
The plates A® and cross bars B³, B*, are added. On the top of the plates A*
the central, cross bar O' is placed, and upon this bar the incumbent weight
is placed or attached, to be sustained by the spring. By continuing to
add plates and cross bars, as described, a spring of any desired volume
may be produced.
i
The springs have thus far been described as made in two pieces, or,
double, but they may be made in single pieces, and be confined together
by the hooks c connecting at the ends of the cross bars instead of con-
necting at their centres.
In Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, a modification of the spring just described.
is shewn. The difference in the construction here adopted is the for-:
mation of a teat or lug f, Figure 5, on each side of the plates, and of:
recesses for the same to fit into in the central cross bars A, and also of a:
semicircular projection S on the end cross bars, or fulcrums B³, B³, B³, B',:
which in this case are round; there are corresponding open slots in the
ends of the plates, which ends are bent in the form of a quadrant so as
to fit the cross bars and hold-them together, thus- dispensing with the
hooks and annular shouldered recesses, shewn in Figure 4.
India-rubber or other suitable packing e, e, is introduced between the '
plates and the central cross bars C, Figure 7, by means of which the
action of the plates upon the cross bars or bearings is materially softened:
as the bearing becomes extended or enlarged by the spreading or yielding

page_text: of the packing under the increased pressure, and the packing being let
into recesses formed in the cross bars or bearings for the purpose, as
represented, is securely held in place.
By arranging metallic spring plates and the cross bars or fulcrums in
the manner described, short plates of about from ten to sixteen inches 5
in length may be used; by this arrangement also the whole strength of
the plate is retained, for it is not necessary to pass bolts through them,
neither is any part of the spring in contact with a surface, whereby a
sliding motion or lateral friction or abrasion will be produced.
The bearings of the plates upon the cross bars being at right angles to 1
the plates they will work freely over or under the cross bars or fulcrums,
and the said cross bars or fulcrums have no oscillating motion, but act
or serve as pivots or rests over and under which the plates deflect when
the spring is in motion or action.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figure 10 is a side elevation of a railway l
carriage truck shewing the application of rubber balls as fulcrums;
Figure 11 is a vertical transverse section of the same; Figure 12 is a
plan or top view with the bolster of the carriage body detached; and
Figure 13 is a vertical transverse section, shewing additional fulcrums or
springs and plates for the same, placed on each side of the bolt at the 20
centre of the truck.
"
A represents the bolster of a carriage body, and B the central beam of
the truck frame. On the lower side of the bolster and the upper side
of the beam the concave plates C, O, are fastened, and at the centre the
hollow transom plates D are placed. Between the plates C are placed 25
the spherical springs composed of india-rubber or other suitable material,
and the cylindrical rubber I is placed in or between the transom plates D,
as shown in Figure 11. In Figure 13, the india-rubber balls E, and the
metallic concave plates C are used instead of the cylindrical rubber F.
Figure 12 also shows the concave side or face of the plates C with the 30
grooves O, O, the object of which is to control the balls E when the
truck swivels in running on a curve or otherwise.
It will be perceived that the rubber balls arranged as herein-before
described act at once as springs and friction rollers, as springs at all
times when the carriage is in motion, and as friction rollers whenever 3:
the carriage is running on a curve. The bolster A may also serve as a
base and support for the plate spring, shown in Sheet 1, when a spring

page_text: of great elasticity is required, in which case the rubber balls will answer
the purpose of auxiliary springs and friction rollers, upon which the
plate spring will rest.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent; and the manner in which the same
is to be performed, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A carriage spring composed of plates held apart by the above
described arrangement of fulcrums, when the parts are constructed to
hold' each other in place without bolts, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with metallic spring plates of the central
cross bar or bearing, and its india-rubber or elastic packing e, e,
substantially as described.
Third. The use in the construction of railway carriages of india-rubber,
balls resting on the truck and supporting the carriage body, and held
between concave plates, substantially. as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two...
Witness,
W. ROBT. LAKE.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)