Improvements in Springs for Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Application, 11th Nov., 189,-Accepted. 13th Dec.
1800
IFICATION.
Improvements in Springs for Vehicles.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE T. GLOVER, of Chicago, in the County
of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America.
1. WILLIAM PHILlips Thompson, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
5 same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The objects of the invention are to provide a compact, simple, economical, durable
and easy riding vehicle spring which shall automatically graduate itself to the weight
and avoid breakage by opposing to the load certain spring resistances which aro
augmented or successively brought int active or increased active service under an
increased load or severe jolt; to attain the maximum spring action in a spring formed
from a comparatively short single bar or spring metal; to utilise substantially the
entire length of said spring bar in a way to attain the aforesaid results; to provide
simple and efficient means for strengthening a double-armed spring at the bend
between its two arms; and to provide in connection with the main spring an auxiliary
or supplemental spring which is brought into an active condition when the main
spring is subjected to an unusually heavy load.
To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends the invention consists
in matters hereinafter set forth an particularly pointed out in the claims.
In carrying out the invention a suitable strip or bar of spring metal is bent at a
point between its ends so as to form a spring comprising a pair of spring arms
united by a curved spring bend, and further said arms are hent or bowed toward
one another at points between the aforesaid middle bend and their outer ends, and
to such extent that under sufficient weight the spring bend or bow of one arm
shall cushion upon the bend or bow of the other arin.
s clipped or clamped by any suitable bearing on the underside of the vehicle
The spring thus formed
ody at a point between its middle bend and the bend in one of its arms, by
which arrangement the arm thus secured to the vehicle body constitutes the upper
r of the double armed spring.
owever free to play along the underside of the vehicle body so as to permit the
The outer end of this upper spring arm is
ent portion of said arm to have a free spring action.
wer spring arm is shackled to one of the side bars so as to permit its bent
The outer end of the
ortion to have suitable spring action.
rtion of the upper spring arm will have a spring action supplemental to or
As a result of the foregoing the bent
-operative with the spring action of the middle bend of the spring.
d is sufficiently heavy to bring the spring arms together, the downwardly bent
When the
wed portion of the upper spring arm will meet and cushion upon the upwardly
nt bowed portion of the lower spring arm, and as a result for such meeting, the
bowed portions will straighten out proportionally to the weight sustained.
As a matter of further improvement Mr. Glover provides in connection with the
ble armed spring, a spring strengthening piece which is applied within the curved
dle bend of the spring so as to afford additional spring resistance between the two
s, and as a matter of still further improvement, he may substantially duplicate
a main spring so as to provide alongside of the same a supplemental spring which
ever in place of being shackled to a side-bar, has the outer end of its lower arm
and arranged to normally stand above the lower arm of the main spring.
way, under a heavy load, the supplemental spring will cushion on the inain spring
In
hence be called into action as a supplemental spring resistance.
[Price]

page_text: In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 represents in elevation a vehicle body and a couple of springs constructed
in accordance with the invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 represents the spring in perspective.
Figure 3 represents the upper arm of the spring provided with a pad.
Figure represents a portion of a clip for holding the spring to the vehicle body.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views illustrating the action of the spring under different
conditions.
Figure 8 represents the spring with a spring strengthening piece applied at its
middle bend.
Figure 9 represents a couple of main springs and couple of companion supple-
mental springs applied to a vehicle body.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of Figure 9 with the vehicle body partially indicated
in dotted lines.
Figure 11 represents in perspective the main spring and a companion supple-
mental spring,
The main spring A is formed from a bar or strip of spring metal which is bent at
a point between its ends so as to provide a spring comprising the lower spring arm a
the upper spring arm, and a part circular or proximately circular spring bend a²
intermediate of said two arms. The spring arms a and a¹ are also bowed or bent
toward one another at points between the bend a² and their outer ends so as to provide
them with spring bends 1 and 2. These spring bends 1 and 2 are formed opposite
one another so that under certain conditions during use they may meet, that is to say-
under a heavy load or sudden jolt the depression of the upper spring arm will cause
its downwardly bent portion 2 to be brought down upon the upwardly bent portion 1
of the lower spring arm. The upper spring arm is attached to the vehicle hody B
by a clip at a point between its bend 2 and the bend a² which is intermediate of
the spring bends 1 and 2, and the outer end of the lower spring arm is connected
with one of the end or side bars DD by a suitable shackle as at E, the free end 3 of
the upper spring arm bears against the vehicle body (or what is the same thing any
suitable bar or plate or other bearing surface on the body) and is free to slip or slide
therein.
The upper spring arm is normally in contact with the body at two points, to wit;
at its outer free end 3 and at the point where it is attached to the body by the clip C.
When the weight tends to depress the upper spring arm the bent portion of the
spring will oppose to the same a yielding spring resistance which is supplemental
by a general flexure on the part of the entire spring, and regardless of whatever
flexure may take place in the lower spring arm, there will also be a distinct and
serviceable flexure in the bowed portion 2 of the upper arm which will cominence
to straighten out before it cushions upon said lower arm. This flexure of the down-
wardly bent portion of the upper spring arm is permitted by reason of its end 3
being free to play along the underside of the vehicle box or body, and is illustrated
by a comparison of Figure 6 with Figure 5. Thus, in Figure 5, the spring is shown
in its normal condition, while in Figure 6 the arms are somewhat closer together
and the bowed portion of the upper arm is to some extent straightened out.
This flexure of the bowed portion of the upper spring arm will take place although
the spring is at a point between its bends a² and 2 clipped tightly against the box
or body.
As a means for facilitating this flexure of the upper spring arm it is
preferable to round the side c of the clip which is drawn against the spring and
hence, while permitting the requisite movement of the spring at both sides of the
point whereat it is clamped, a bearing is also provided of suitable size for the fasten-
ing bolts.
The spring arm a² may be tapere toward its end or made thinner
toward such end, so as to increase its efficiency.
When the oppositely arranged bends 1 and 2 of the spring arms meet by reason
of a sudden jolt or heavy load, each bend will tend to straighten out proportionally
to the weight, and hence each bowed spring will form a spring cushion, for the other
howed spring arni, as illustrated in Figure 7.

page_text: With a spring of the foregoing construction, the entire length of the spring ma
be utilized, and the maximum advantage derived from a comparatively short piec
of spring metal. Breakage of said spring is practically impossible. Thus the weight
of a load not sufficient to bring the cushioning portions 1 and 2 of the spring arms
together, will be prominently opposed both by the resistance of the spring bend a² to
flexure and the resistance of the spring bend 2 to flexure tending to straighten it
These said portions of the spring will however, both yield to a weight not
sufficient to bring the spring arms together.
out.
When, however, the spring is subjected to a heavier load, the bent portions 1 and 2
of the spring arms will meet and cushion at a time proper to relieve the bend a²
from such strain and flexure as might tend to break or impair it.
conditions the spring portions 1 and 2 practically take the weight and straighten out
Under these said
to a degree proportionally to the same, thereby automatically increasing the spring
resistance and supplementing the spring action of bend a² with a new development
of spring resistance. It will also be seen that whether or not the load is sufficient
to force the spring bend 2 of the upper arm down upon the spring bend 1 of the
lower arm so as to practically cushion one spring bend upon the other, the upper
arm in place of remaining inert will supplement the bend a² by its individual spring
action.
As a desirable arrangement a pair of these springs can be arranged at each end of
the vehicle body and shackled to the side bars as in Figure 1 wherein two of such
springs are shown. As a matter of course, however, the springs could be arranged
longitudinally with relation to the length of the body-frame and the ends of their
lower arms shackled to cross-bars at the ends of the vehicle. It will therefore be
herein understood that the term side-bars includes bars at either of the four sides
of the vehicle.
In connection with the spring, upon either of the bends 1 and 2 may be arranged
a pad or cushion of leather, rubber or the like so as to receive the impact when the
arms are brought together and thus prevent any rattling sound which might other-
wise be incident to frequent meeting of said arms.
spring A is provided with a pad F of such character, although the same may be
In Figure 3 the upper arm of the
applied to the lower arm.
For all ordinary purposes Mr. Glover deems the spring action of a set of
springs A (say four in number) as sufficient, but he also finds it desirable at times
to augment or add to the spring resistance involved in a set of such springs.
As a means for reinforcing the spring at its middle bend a spring strengthening
piece G is provided which is bent into circular or substantially circular form, but
made of a length to leave a gap or space between its ends, as in Figure 8. This
pring piece G is arranged within the middle bend of the main spring, and prefer-
bly with the gap between its ends opposite the middle point of the Lend a².
pring piece G is held in place by clips C and C which are applied to the upper
The
nd lower spring arms at points to engage the spring piece back of its ends. The
pring piece serves to strengthen the main spring at its bend, and prevents breakage
hen the main spring rebounds. The spring piece also permits the main spring
have in effect a wrapping action about it and thereby prevents breakage under
heavy load or jolt, since the strain in place of coming at any one point along the
end a will he distributed along the saine.
Where however, the springs A are to be used in a vehicle having a large or
avy body designed for carrying heavy loads each main spring A inay be supple-
ented with a supplemental spring A', which is called into action when the main
ring has to a considerable extent yielded to the weight sustained. The application
this supplemental spring is illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11, wherein the main
ring A is arranged and applied as herein before set forth, and a supplemental or
xiliary correspondingly shaped spring A' arranged alongside the same.
plemental spring is formed like the spring A and has its several corresponding
This
tions correspondingly lettered and numbered. The upper arm of the supplemental
ing is like the corresponding arm of spring A secured to the vehicle by a

page_text: clip as at C. The lower arm of the supplemental spring is however made somewhat
shorter than the arm of the main spring A and has its free end portion formed some-
what straighter than the end portion 5 of the main spring or bent up to some extent
so that its said end shall normally stand somewhat higher than the end portion 5 of
the main spring.
The supplemental spring has however, its free end portion adapted to engage or
cushion upon the outer end portion 5 of the main spring when the springs are subject
to an unusually heavy load. As a simple mode of forming the outer ends of the
springs they are each bent to form an eye a³. By such arrangement the eye of the
main spring can receive the bolt of a shackle by which it is attached to the side
bars D. On the other hand the eye at the free end of the supplemental spring can
hold a bolt H which extends beyond one end of the eye so as to receive and carry a
small roll I.
This roll will strike upon the main spring when the springs are subjected to
sufficient weight and will readily move along the said main spring, in which way, the
supplemental spring may have at its free end a temporary sliding or movable connec-
tion with the main spring.
The double armed spring A adapted to cushion upon itself substantially as herein
described constitutes the most important feature of the invention, and a buggy or
light road wagon or cart may be provided with a set of such springs without using
either the spring piece G or the supplemental spring A¹. The spring piece G may
however he used with good results in all instances since even a light vehicle
may at
times be heavily loaded. At any or all times each main spring A may be provided
with a companion supplemental spring A', and with further regard to the spring
piece G, and supplemental spring A', either or both may be used in connection with
à double armed main spring having a straight upper arm secured to the vehicle
body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
--
1. The double armed spring having its arms adapted to cushion upon one another
substantially as set forth."
2. The double armed cushioning main spring held by a clip and shackle sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. The spring strengthening piece applied to a double armed spring substantially
as set forth.
4. The supplemental spring arranged to cushion upon the main spring so as to
have an action supplementary to the main spring substantially as set forth.
5. The double armed spring provided with a pad, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of November 1890.
WM. F. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.