IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Emery, of No. 6, King Street, St. James's
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Emery at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
November 1856.
I, RICHARD EMERY, of No. 6, King Street, St. James's Square, in the City
of Westminster, and County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS OF CARRIAGES AND
OTHER VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing of all kinds of metallic springs, com-
monly called leaf springs, by placing between each leaf or steel a thin plate of
metal, either of zinc, tin, copper, or a compound metal formed of two or more
of the above-mentioned metals. Each intervening metal to be secured at the
centre of the spring in the ordinary way by what is technically called the
"clip," and also to have the necessary arrangement to allow free longitudinal
play, and also slots and pins to prevent lateral play, so that when there be
a deflection of the spring the motion between the leaves is kept perfect.

page_text: The object of these before-mentioned leaves of compound or simple metals
intervening between the steel plates is to prevent the corrosion of the steel.
There is a partial galvanic action kept up by the action of the two metals
throwing off origen from the steel, thereby preventing corrosion and ensuring
at all times a free action between the leaves.
Claim. I do not claim the placing of metallic leaves between each leaf of
steel, as that has been done before by plates of iron and steel merely to keep a
space between each succeeding leaf to prevent. contact; but what do claim.
is the intervening plates of simple or compound metals between each leaf of
steel to effect the objects and purposes before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Emery in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on the
12th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
EMERY. of No. 6, King Street, St. James's Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Iler reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Emery, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Emery,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Emery, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPRINGS FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Emery, my executors or adminis
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Richard Emery, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in the constructing of all kinds of metallic springs
(commonly called leaf springs) for carriages and other vehicles, by placing
between each leaf of steel a thin sheet of metal or any other material; but I
prefer the metals either zinc, tin, copper, or compounds of either or any of
these metals in combination, which are generally known under the name of
composition metal, or brass, or any other metals which may be compounded
that may effect the same object herein described.
This Invention is of a two-fold character (viz'):-First, to prevent the
surface of each succeeding leaf of steel from coming into contact; and
secondly, to prevent the surfaces of each succeeding leaf of steel from
corrosion by means of bringing into contact the opposite metal between each
succeeding.leaf, keeping up while in contact a galvanic action, which tends to
throw off and prevent oxigen from acting on the steel, thereby preventing the
decomposition of the surfaces, and ensuring at all times a free action between
each succeeding leaf while the spring is in action, it being a well-ascertained
fact that the cause of breaking in springs for carriages or any other purpose,
which are made up of a succession of layers of steel plates, is the corrosion of
the surfaces, thereby preventing a free action.
The mode of constructing these springs is by placing between each suc-
ceeding leaf of steel an opposite compound or simple metal, which is shown in
the Drawings annexed.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of an ordinary carriage spring,
shewing the intervening layers or plates of compound metal (which are
colored yellow) between each leaf of steel forming the spring. Fig. 3 is
a side view, and Fig. 4 a plan, of the before-mentioned leaf of compound
metal, showing what is technically termed the nicks A, A, which are struck
up out of the metal forming these opposite leaves, for the purpose of keeping
t'iem in their places; these said nicks work into small slots or grooves
made in the steel springs in the ordinary way.
Fig. 5 is an elevation, and Fig. 6 a section, of a strong spring for rail-
way carriages and locomotive steam engines. A, A, is the leaves of steel;
B, B, the intervening leaves of compound or simple metals, as before men-
tioned, made and kept in their places, as before described; C, C, the clip;
D, D, the spring pin; E, E, the links, which are of the ordinary form, and
continue down, and are fastened to the carriage frame.
Claim. What I claim as of my Invention is the placing of leaves of simple
or compound metal alternately between the leaves of steel forming springs for

page_text: carriages and other vehicles, to effect the purposes and objects described in this
Specification, and fully shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Emery, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
RICHARD EMERY. (L.8.)