IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE SPRINGS AND AXLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VEHICLE SPRINGS AND AXLES." A communication from abroad by Samuel
Warwick Ludlow, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE SPRINGS AND AXLES." [A communication
from abroad by Samuel Warwick Ludlow, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of
America.]
This Invention of improvements in vehicle springs and axles consists in the first
part of a spring frame for vehicles, consisting of an axle or rigid bar with axle ends
for the wheels, a spring lying in the same direction as the axle and coupled thereto
at the ends, and a guiding bar secured to the spring and body of the vehicle, and
adapted to move freely at the ends in or on ways or guides sustained by the axle
to protect the spring from lateral strains.
The Invention consists in the second part in the provision upon the rigid bar
which connects the axle ends of guiding sockets by which the ends of the springs
or couplings thereof are encompassed and protected against forward and backward
play in the progress of the vehicle.
The Invention further consists in combining with the guide sockets of the axle
ends suspension links or couplings, to which the ends of the spring are coupled or
connected, the links being guided by the said sockets, and in turn serving to guide
the ends of the spring.

page_text: Where one spring only is used the rigid bar may have the sockets forged at the
side of it; then the axles for the wheels, the spring, and the flexible bar are all in
one vertical plane. The flexible bar or upper spring may then work in the socket,
and the true spring be attached at the socket ends by couplings; or the flexible bar
may be jointed; or the guide bar may be replaced by a coupling pole connected
with a socket on the spring, and the pole may be assisted with side braces from the
axle ends, thus confining the spring to vertical play.
In some cases the guide bar is rigid, but arranged to play vertically in the guide
sockets; the ends between the links of the spring, and in some cases the ends
of the spring, are curled round to attach to or hook on to pins formed in the
sockets, and to dispense with links or couplings.
In some cases the axle has sockets on either side of it, and then two springs and
two bars are fitted on either side of it in close proximity to the axle, which s
then in a plane midway between the two planes of one bar and one spring each.
The body of the vehicles rests upon the top of the springs, or upon them and the
interposed bar, by any of the well-known means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th June 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers 2
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitto,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE SPRINGS AND AXLES." A communication
from abroad by Samuel Warwick Ludlow, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of
America.
This Invention of improvements in vehicle springs and axles consists in the first 2
part of a spring frame for vehicles, consisting of an axle or rigid bar with axle ends
for the wheels, a spring lying in the same direction as the axle and coupled thereto
at the ends, and a guiding bar secured to the spring and body of the vehicle, and
adapted to move freely at the ends in or on ways or guides sustained by the axle
to protect the spring from lateral strains.
The Invention consists in the second part in the provision upon the rigid bar
which connects the axle ends of guiding sockets by which the ends of the spring
or couplings thereof are encompassed and protected against forward and backward
play in the progress of the vehicle.
The Invention further consists in combining with the guide sockets of the axle
ends suspension links or couplings, to which the ends of the spring are coupled or
connected, the links being guided by the said sockets, and in turn serving to guide
the ends of the springs.

page_text: A, A', represent the axle ends, upon which the carriage wheels rotate, and B is a
rigid bar or axle located preferably as shown outside of the axes of the axle ends,
so that the spring may be in the same vertical plane as the axes, and this bar
rigidly secures the axle ends A, A', together in all of the modifications shown; C is
the spring; it is as shown in the same vertical plane as the axes of the wheels, and
its ends are coupled below said axes, so that the body of the vehicle may be
extremely low down, and yet the spring may have a great range of motion. The
axle ends at their junction with the bar B have each a guide socket D, and in these
sockets links E, E, are suspended, and between these links the ends of the spring
are coupled as shown. The sockets D prevent the backward and forward play of
the spring, the sockets inclosing the links, and the links in turn embracing the
spring.
In order to effectually prevent any backward and forward play of the spring at
the centre, there is combined with the spring C, bar B, and axle ends a guide bar F,
whose ends rest and move in the sockets D or other equivalent guiding device,
either endwise, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or vertically between the links, as
shown in Figure 4.
Where the bar F is omitted, the coupling pole G of the carriage is connected to it
at the middle, and the pole is braced by side braces H to the axle ends, and this
serves to confine the spring to vertical play.
In place of linking the spring as shown, its ends may slido endwise in the
sockets D in the same way as the flexible bar F does in Figure 1; or it may be
suspended at the ends on single bolts without links, the spring being in that case
so extremely curved at the ends as to have the desired flexibility without expansion
and contraction in length between the points of suspension as shown in Figure 5.
The body of the vehicle rests upon the top of the springs C, and is there secured by
any of the well-known means.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,-
First. A spring frame for vehicles, consisting of an axle or rigid bar with axlo
ends for the wheels, a spring lying in the same direction as the axle, and coupled
thereto at the ends, and a guiding bar secured to the spring and body of the
vehicle, and adapted to move freely at the ends in or on ways or guides sustained
by the axle to protect the spring from lateral strains as specified, substantially as
described.
Second. In combination with the axle endsA, A', and rigid bar B, the sockets D

page_text: for receiving the ends of the spring or guide bar, or both, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with the axle ends A, A¹, spring C, and bar B, having
sockets D, the links E, E¹, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)