IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTB
EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 16, Castle Street, Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of
November, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, my exors, adiiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard
Loradoux Bellford, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and
in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all
Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, an Invention com-
municated to me by a Foreigner residing abroad, for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said Auguste
Edouard Loradoux Bellford, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed,. by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be

page_text: enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto hat, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, do hereby declare that the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
The Invention consists,-
First, in a new arrangement of springs of caoutchouc, applicable to the
suspension of wagons, coaches, and other carriages.
Secondly, in the employment of the same springs of caoutchouc for obtain-
ing elasticity necessary for the cushions of carriages, chairs, &c., &c.
Thirdly, in the employment of the same springs for facilitating the traction
by horses and other animals.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, of the annexed Drawings represent in
elevation and in plan arrangements of springs applicable to the suspension of
wagons, coaches, and other vehicles. Figs. 11 and 12 represent a system of
springs applicable to the suspension of easy carriages. Fig. 13 indicates the
application of my springs of caoutchouc to artillery wagons. Fig. 14 represents
on a larger scale a detail of Fig. 13. Figs. 15 and 16 represent in vertical
section and in plan the application of the springs to the chains of traction.
serving to unite between them railway wagons. Fig. 17 represents another
arrangement of drawing chain. Figs. 18, 19, and 20, 21, and 22 represent
the application of the caoutchouc springs to cushions of wagons, coaches, &c.
Figs. 23 and 24 represent the application of the caoutchouc springs to horse
traces to facilitate their draught upon vehicles or other burdens. Figs. 25 and
26 represent on a larger scale the detached parts of the spring represented
Figs. 5 and 6.
The crank D has at its extremity a
The two cranks D, D', are connected
I proceed to describe these different arrangements. Figs. 1 and 2. The
spring represented in these Figures is composed of a crank D hollow, into
which enters a crank D', a solid rod.
worm destined to receive a screw II.
by a key O. The hollow tube crank D has a groove of a sufficient length in
order to permit the crank D' to have a to and fro motion, which is naturally
limited by the length of the said groove. Against the screw H and the key O
two iron plates are fixed, between which are placed a certain number of

page_text: washers G of vulcanized india-rubber, taking care to separate these washers
by other metallic washers of a greater diameter. To one of these plates is
fixed a metal tube F, which covers all the washers, and which entirely conceals
all the inside of the spring. It will be understood that in drawing in an
opposite direction the extremities free from the cranks D and D', the
caoutchouc will be compressed more or less as the extremity of the cranks is
acted upon with more or less intensity. Here still the compression will be
limited by the length of the grooves in which the key O moves.
The screw H
allows of compressing the caoutchouc, and of operating with a primary com-
pression which gives an equilibrium to the load which the spring should support.
The heads of the two cranks D, D', have cach a pin or shaft c. maintained
in a support B, which is fixed upon the frame or shafts of the carriage. To
each of the extremities of the axle of the roller G is fixed another crank E,
whose other extremity is jointed to a piece of iron fixed upon the grease box.
In consequence of the action of the weight of the carriage, the four cranks E
tend to become lowered and horizontal. In performing this movement they
draw the extremities of the two cranks D, D¹, and consequently compress
the elastic washers. Now every time they are compressed they react, and by
their clasticity produce the effect of a spring. The roller or pin C is intended
to facilitate the lengthening of the two cranks D, D', by changing into a
rolling friction the gliding friction which would exist against the support B if
this roller was not employed. The arrangement represented, Figs. 3 and 4.
differs from the proceeding as far as the springs, properly so called, that is to
say, the tube containing the elastic washers, in place of being constantly
maintained in a horizontal and invariable position, may oscillate around
a fixed joint. Each spring, as the annexed Drawing represents, is composed
of two tubes or boxes A, A, which have at their exterior two axles C, C,
lodging in holes made for this purpose in the supports F, F. These latter are
fixed by bolts upon the framework of the wagon. The tubes or boxes A, A,
are furnished at their interior with caoutchouc washers, placed as those which
I employ and have described in the preceding arrangement; each of these
boxes is crossed by a rod H, H, one of the extremities of which articulates
upon the grease box at the point D, and the other is projecting outside the
box A. This rod is grooved and bears a circular plate B of a diameter a
little smaller than that of the interior of the box A. This plate is held by
means of a screw I, I, screwed upon the rod H, H. It is easily understood
that when the framework under the force of a concussion or a load is lowered,
it compresses the caoutchouc washers enclosed in the tube A, at the samo

page_text: time it brings the rods H, HI, and the boxes A, A, to the horizontal position.
The springs move thus at the same time around the points D, D, and C, C.
The screws 1, I, serve to make the primary pressure vary by permitting the
caoutchouc washers to be compressed at will and by the aid of these plates."
The arrangement of the springs represented, Fig. 5, is applicable to the
suspension of wagons. This spring has the shape of a traperium, and the
caoutchouc washers which are placed upon the largest of the parallel sides
C, F, which may be elongated or shorted at pleasure; the other parallel side
B, D, is of invariable dimensions and serves to strengthen between them the
points of support of the cranks C, B, and F, D, also the grease boxes. The
load of the wagon acts at the points E, and forces the side C, F, to lengthen
by compressing the caoutchouc which forms the suspension. The two oblique
sides B, C, and D, F, have the form of a fork, as may be seen upon the plan
in B, C, C. The Figs. 25 and 26 are, on a greater scale, a plan and view of
the end of this species of spring. These forks are fixed to the framework by
means of manacles fixed upon the stays H, H, which surround the frame-
work inside and outside. These forks are connected by the same axis to the
cranks K, L, and K, L, which bear the washers of caoutchouc, and which
lengthen the framework at the interior and exterior. The support guide M
placed in the midst and underneath the framework serves to maintain the
cross bar of support in a suitable direction. This arrangement of spring may
quite as well be applied to carriages as to wagons. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10,
represent two arrangements of springs entirely analogous to that represented,
Figs 1 and 2; they only differ in this, that in lieu of having two tubes F, F,
containing elastic springs, they have only one place in the middle of the spring.
The Figs. 11 and 12 indicate a new arrangement of springs for the suspension
of carriages. These springs are composed of a fixed part A, B, C, D, firmly
fixed upon the axle, either parallel to it-and in this case one spring is suffi-
cient for each axle-or perpendicularly, and then the two springs are necessary
for each axle. The spring rests at B, C, upon the axle, and the body of the
carriage rests upon the spring at E. The springs in caoutchouc are placed as
indicated by the design in G, D, and A, F. The points G, D, A, F, are
articulations which permit the load of the carriage to perform the compression
of the caoutchouc by the elongation of the dotted line A, F, G, D. In K, K,
are screws and counter screws, which allow the primary pressure of the
apparatus to be regulated according to the load. The form of the
fixed at the points of support and of articulation may vary at will according to
the force which the spring will have to support and the nature of the vehicle to

page_text: which it is applied. Fig. 13 indicates the application of my springs of caout-
chouc to the suspension of suits of artillery waggons. The springs are placed
on C, F, and B, G; they support a band of iron B, C, upon which the seat
rests; their other extremity is articulated with fixed supports E and D placed
upon the fetchel, and permitting the springs to move according as the seat lowers
or rises. Fig. 14 indicates on a larger scale the manner in which the springs
are placed serving to suspend this wagon; they are arranged as may be seen,
however, upon the Drawing annexed, in the same manner as those previously
described. Fig. 15 and 16 represent the application of my caoutchouc springs
to connecting chains serving to unite railway wagons. These chains consist
like ordinary connecting chains of two curved rods C, C, which serve to fix the
chain of traction to the hooks that the frameworks of the wagons bear in a
hollow rod A, A, having a screw thread on the right and another on the left,
and which are put in movement by means of the rod at the extremity of which
is fixed the ball D. The rod A serves, as is known, to press the chain of
traction between the two wagons in order that the concussion occurring from
a sudden movement may be less sensible. The curved rods C, C, are articu-
lated with the plates D, D. These plates D, D, are connected in an invariable
manner with the plates F, F. This connection takes place by means of two
bolts E, E, bearing a shoulder which prevents the plates from changing their
position. The rod A, A, is fixed to the plates I, II, by the screw threads
which bear them, and in which the two hollowed extremities of the rod A, A,
enter. The plates II, II, are furnished with openings, which leave the
bolts E, E, to pass and permit them to be moved, and the plats F, F, may
equally be moved upon the cylindrical part of the plates H, II. Between the
plates Hand F are placed two or more washers of vulcanized caoutchouc which
must be always carefully separated by the metallic washers. This arrange-
ment, as may be seen, permits of avoiding all concussion from the putting in
motion of the wagons, pulls the chain of tension for putting in motion the
following wagon, the elastic washers become compressed between the plates
Hand F, and the putting in motion is effected without concussion, the elastic
washers making a spring. Fig. 17 indicates the application of caoutchouc
springs to the hooks of traction with which wagons are provided. A, A',
represents the two hooks placed exteriorly to the extreme cross pieces of each
wagon. The apparatus serving to connect these two hooks is composed of a
rod B, B', furnished at B' with a mortise for a key of a tube C hollowed at its
extremity; these two pieces form, with the plates of compression, the metallic
washers, and those of caoutchouc, the arrangement of spring which I have

page_text: already described, and represented Figs. 1 and 2. The tube C is fixed to the
hook A by a key G, which renders the two hooks A and A' firm in the
movement of traction of one or the other. The key B and the screw E
permit of making the primary pressure of the caoutchouc vary, and of giving
to the traction the necessary elasticity for avoiding shocks. These rods of
traction may also be applied to ordinary carriages; they are fixed by one of
their extremities to the end of the traces of the horses, and by the other to the
cross pieces of the carriage. Figs. 20, 21, and 22, represent the application
of the springs to the cushions. These Figures represent a cushion in which
the elastic apparatus rises with the cushion itself; it consists of thin sheets of
iron having the form indicated by the letters A, B. C. These sheets of iron
are connected two and two by the cross picces E, which maintain them at a
distance equal to the size of the strap supporting the cushion. The cross
pieces E, E, serve for an axis to the little rollers which facilitate the displace-
ment of the strap. This strap is fixed by its two extremities M, M, (as the
sections Fig. 21 and 22, of Fig. 20, indicate) to the end of the rods of the two
little caoutchouc springs. These springs are entirely similar to those which I
have many times described. I will only remark that one of their extremities is
immoveable and fixed to the iron plates; all the elasticity of the spring is thus
born by the side to which the strap is attached. I could, however, if I
desired, employ only one spring in place of two, the two extremities would then
be moveable, and to each of them could be fixed one of the ends of the strap;
the spring would in this case be maintained by the guides fixed at the bottom
of the cushion, or upon the two little plates of iron. The manner in which
these springs act is very simple; the strap being stretched and horizontal above
the cushion, when it is pressed down the length of the strap will be augmented
and the caoutchouc will be compressed; since it is not by this compression
that the strap may increase in length when the pressure shall cease, the
caoutchouc reacting will bring the strap back to the horizontal position and
the cushion into its former state. A screw which is screwed to the extremity
of the rod II serves to regulate the primary pressure of the spring. In order
to avoid too great a compression, if the load should act on N exclusively,
I place in this point a sheet of iron O, P, R, articulated in P, and fixed by its
extremities upon the rods M, H, M, H, of the springs. The lowering of the
point P occasioning the separation of the points O and R will thus produce
the compression of the elastic washers. As may be seen in the Plan, Fig. 20,
the number of little springs placed in the cushions may be multiplied at will,
and arranged in such a manner that all the parts of the latter may be equally

page_text: being intended to facilitate the traction by animals upon carriages or burdens
to which they are yoked.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.