IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO RAILROAD OR STREET CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Horace Brandon, of No. 13, Rue
Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO RAILROAD OR
STREET CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication from John
Webster Cochran, residing at New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 18th January 1870, and dated the 21st July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Horace
Brandon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st July 1869.
I, ALEXANDER HORACE BRANDON, of No. 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in
5 the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO RAILROAD
OR STREET CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES," communicated to me by John Webster

page_text: Cochran, a person resident at New York, United States of America, to
be as follows:-
The Invention consists in a certain combination or combinations of
telescopic tubes or sections of tubes arranged to form walls or supports
to a ocntral spiral spring and surrounding rubber spring of annular
form, whereby while the combination spring thus produced is of a hollow
or tubular character the springs are restrained from doubling or being
bent out of axial line, and are stiffened and supported yet free to act
independently and in concert without contact of the spiral spring and
rubber or danger of the former cutting or bursting the latter, and a
powerful yet easy operating spring is produced. These telescopic tubes
vary in number according to the kind of spring it is desired to produce,
and the combination springs thus constructed may either be used singly
or in clusters by arranging them at their ends on or around pin like
projections entering their central cavities and within recesses made in
suitable end plates, the one of which may be a fixed bed plate and the
other a follower or both followers according to the purpose the spring is
designed to be applied to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Horace Brandon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
HORACE BRANDON, of No. 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire of
France, Civil Engineer, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-.
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Horace
Brandon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
sluring the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britan
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO RAILROAD OR STREET CARS AND OTHER
PURPOSES," a communication to me by John Webster Cochran, a person
resident at New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in a certain combination or combinations of
telescopic tubes or sections of tubes arranged to form walls or supports
to a central spiral spring and surrounding rubber spring of annular form,
whereby while the combination spring thus produced is of a hollow or
tubular character the springs are restrained from doubling or being
bent out of axial line, and are stiffened and supported yet free to act
independently and in concert without contact of the spiral spring and
rubber, or danger of the former cutting or bursting the latter, and a
powerful yet easy operating spring is produced. These telescopic tubes
vary in number according to the kind of spring it is desired to produce,
and the combination springs thus constructed may either be used singly
or in clusters by arranging them at their ends on or around pin like
projections entering their central cavities and within recesses made in
suitable end plates, the one of which may be a fixed bed plate and the.
other a follower or both followers according to the purpose the spring.is
designed to be applied to.
And in order that the improvements be clearly understood I will
proceed to describe them conjointly with the cleven Figures. of the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the five first have reference
to a first application of the Invention, the sixth to a second application,
and the five latter to a third application of the same.

page_text: First application, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.-Figure 1 is an external
elevation, Figure 2 a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 a transverse
section of one of the combination springs, in which a represents a spiral
steel spring arranged centrally within and throughout a cylindrical india-
rubber spring b, with which it does not however form a close fit; c, c, arc
in a
telescopic sleeves or tubes surrounding the said spiral spring a
free and loose manner both as regards it and the india-rubber spring b
within which they lie; these sleeves can extend freely to the length
of the combined spring and are connected with the same at its ends,
so as to close one within the other when the springs are compressed
and to draw out with the latter when extended; similar telescopic sleeves
d, d, are arranged for the like operation within the spiral spring ".
These several telescopic sleeves, which may be made of sheet iron, are
in no way designed to operate as springs but to act the part of walls
or supports to the springs a and b, and to provide for the expansion
and contraction of said springs in a transverse direction according as
they are compressed or allowed to relax. The said sleeves c, c, and d, d,
are divided in the direction of their length and preferably made to
overlap where they are divided, or more than one such division may be
made, so that the telescopic sleeves thus made up in sections or longi-
tudinal divisions constitute as it were staves to support the springs a
and b without objectionably restricting the transverse expansion or
contraction of the said springs, which they not only stiffen whilst
securing freedom of action, but maintain apart and keep from rubbing
against or cutting the one into the other, and whereby any lateral
pressure of the springs is spread in an uniform manner over an extended
surface without any possibility of the springs doubling or bending under
pressure applied to them, and a comparatively frictionless or easy action
is thus secured to them. A combination spring thus constructed is at
once both powerful, strong, and durable. Additional telescopic tubes
e, e, may also be arranged outside the spring 6 in contact with both
ends of said rubber by means of flanges, the diameter of these tubes
being of such a size as to leave sufficient space between it and the india-
rubber in order to release the latter of lateral friction or contact with
them, except when the closing pressure is being applied to the spring,
for then such outer sleeve or case serves to gradually stiffen the whole
spring, and on extreme pressure being applied to bind or hold the rubber
as it were at its set, and to restrain the spiral spring from shutting or

page_text: bumping, whereby injury to or breakage of the springs is avoided. It
is preferred also that the sleeves e, e, .should not be divided or slit
longitudinally. Figures 4 and 5 represent combination springs con-
structed on this principle, the same being arranged in clusters on their
ends and set upon projecting pins entering their central cavities and
within recesses made in suitable end plates, the one of which may be a
fixed bed plate and the other a follower or both followers according to
the purpose the spring is designed to be applied to.
Second arrangement, Figure 6.-Figure 6 is a partly sectional elevation
of the second arrangement of springs, in which is employed in the first
place a central spiral steel spring f placed within, in the second place
telescopic sleeves g, g, in the third place a cylindrical spring of india-
rubber or other elastic material & surrounding the sleeves g, g, in the
fourth place a second set of telescopic tubes i, i, in the fifth place
an external spiral steel spring j surrounding these latter sleeves or
tubes i, i, and in the sixth case the compressing plates k, k, connected
by the central rod l. As in the first arrangement described (Figures 1
and 3) a certain space should be left for the expansion of the india-
rubber spring between the sleeves g, g, and i, i, and it is preferred,
as above stated, that these sleeves should be slit or divided longitudinally
so as to avoid offering too great a rigidity to the elastic materials during
their compression. The construction of this spring may be modified by
suppressing the sleeves g, g, and i, i. A spring thus modified is therefore
composed of the three concentric parts, f, the central metallic spring;
h, the intermediate india-rubber spring; and j, the external metallic
spring.
Third arrangement, Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.-Figure 7 is a
longitudinal elevation, Figure 8 a similar elevation in section, Figure 9
an end elevation, and Figure 10 a transverse section of the arrangement
of the Invention composing a buffer spring; and Figure 11 a longi-
tudinal sectional elevation of a similar arrangement for a bearing spring.
This application consists in a hollow cylinder or tube of india-rubber m
placed within a cylinder or box of iron or other metal n, in the mouth
or open end of which is fitted a sliding follower o bearing against or
A central rod p
serving as a bearing for the india-rubber cylinder m.
passes through the above mentioned parts, as well as the cross timbers
q, q, in the carriage frame, for supporting the buffer spring. On pressure

page_text: the modification of the said parts with the view of adapting the same for
a bearing spring, as described and illustrated by Figure 11.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
ALEXANDER HORACE BRANDON. (L.S.)
Witness,
D. H. BRANDON,
13, Rue Gaillon,
Paris.