IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE SPRINGS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE SPRINGS." -A
communication from abroad by Hiram Quincy Sanderson, of the
City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 29th October 1872, and dated the 22nd August 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd August 1872.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," South-
ampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
SPRINGS," a communication, to be as follows:-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd August 1872.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," South-
ampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
SPRINGS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to the springs upon which railway carriages
or trucks are hung or supported.
I apply to steel spring plates double fulcrn of india-rubber or other
elastic substance for the central parts of the said plates to rest upon. I

page_text: arrange a series of cups, made of metal, upon the ends of a bolster or other
suitable part of the truck frame. The cups are so constructed that they
shall receive within them india-rubber or other clastic material con-
forming nearly to the shape of the said cups, and of width sufficient to
receive the ends of the spring plates. I thus relieve the latter from the
wear and abrasion consequent upon contact with a metallic surface, and
also add to the sustaining power of the spring.
I construct and arrange a follower frame to be applied to the upper
and lower surfaces of the spring in such a manner as to have only two
bearing surfaces upon the spring, the said surfaces being yielding or
movable in order to adapt themselves to the curvature of the spring. I
combine the steel plate springs with end clasps, and interpose auxiliary
india-rubber springs to obtain the maximum elasticity and sustaining
capacity of the materials employed; and I combine the plates of the
steel plate spring by means of end bearings and iron frames.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build-
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of August, in the year of
.our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Haseltine, Her special licence that
I, the said George Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Haseltine, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
CARRIAGE SPRINGS,' a communication to me from abroad by Hiram
Quincy Sanderson, of the City and State of New York, United States
"

page_text: of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Haseltine, my exccutors or administrators, 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 George Haseltine, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what mauner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
forming a part of this Specification :-
0
These improvements relate to constructing steel plate springs in such
a manner as to obtain the maximum clasticity and sustaining capacity of
the material employed, and consist in a series of combinations and
arrangements of parts which will be more readily understood by the aid
of the accompanying Drawings
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The part of the said Invention illustrated in Sheet 1 consists in the ap-
plication to steel spring plates of double fulcrums of india-rubber or other
elastic substances for the central parts of said plates to rest and freely
vibrate upon, while the said plates and rubbers are held firmly in position
by means of a metallic band that covers and encloses about one-third of
the spring plates. The said rubber and plates are held firmly and
securely in position within the said band by means of wooden or other'
wedges; the plates are also rivetted together centrally, the rivet having
a projecting head that enters a hole of corresponding size on the under
side of the band. On the top side of the said band a hole is made for
the reception of a screw that fastens firmly the wedges, band, and plates
together. By lengthening or shortening this band, the sustaining power
of the spring can be graduated to the various forms of construction of
the carriages, and their varied weights." -
. It further consists in the arrangement upon the ends of a bolster or
other suitable part of the truck frame of a series of cups made of metal,
so constructed that they shall receive within them rubber or other
elastic material, conforming nearly to the shape of such cups, and of a

page_text: width sufficient to receive the ends of the spring plates, thus relieving
the latter from wear and abrasion consequent upon contact with a
metallic surface; they also add to the sustaining power of the
spring.
Figure 1 is a top view; and Figure 2, a longitudinal section, in
which A represents the bolster or frame of a railway carriage; B, B,
are the metallic cups; C, C, are pieces of india-rubber fitting into
and approximating in form to the cups B; D represents the spring
plates of graduated lengths, and of a width corresponding with the
cups B, and resting upon the rubber C within the said cups; E, E,
are picces of rubber or other clastic material, cach being in width
about one-third of the length of the band H; the space between these
picces of rubber is filled, or nearly so, by a projection formed on the
lower side of the wedge F, which wedge may be either of wood or
metal; G is a wedge driven in between the top of the band Hand
wedge F.
On the under side of the spring plates D is placed the rubber I or other
clastic substance, and all of the above spring plates, rubber, and wedges
are enclosed and surrounded by the metallic band H. A rivet K holds
the spring plates firmly together, and projects downward through the
rubber I into and through the lower side of the band H. A screw Lis
applied to the upper portion of the band, running into the two wedges
F and G, and holding them firmly in position.
When the spring is thus adjusted it is set in and rests upon the rubber
contained in the cups aforesaid, and is ready for use. The plates may
be of any desired length, breadth, or thickness, but for freight waggons
they are preferably from twenty-four to thirty-six inches in length, made
of steel six inches wide and one-quarter inch in thickness, graduating
the length of said plates from the point where the upper one projects
from the band to the outer ends of the spring. The plates should also be
nearly straight, as shown in the Drawings, so that when the spring is
working, or in operation, it will be contracted and expanded as little as
possible.
Figures 3 and 4 show another modification of this spring, Figure 3
being a top view or plan, and Figure 4, a longitudinal section on the
linc y, y, Figure 3. The principal feature in this modification is the
construction and arrangement of a follower or frame E', to be applied to

page_text: the upper surface of the spring in such a manner as to have only two
bearing surfaces upon such spring, the said surfaces being yielding or
movable in order to adapt themselves to the curvature of the spring.
The frame E' applied to the upper side of the springs D, and is cɔn-
structed very much like the lower frame A; it is formed of metal, and
has cast upon its ends cups F, conforming in size and shape to tho
cups B, and within which is placed pieces of rubber G. This frame E'
is about one-half the length of the frame A, and is placed centrally upon
it, so that the bearing surface or fulcrums may be equally distributed
upon the spring. The weight of the carriage resting upon the top of
the frame E' has four points of contact upon the spring, to wit, two
points upon the ends of the spring, and two points at about one-quarter
of the distance from each end of the same when the spring is in its
normal position. The upper frame E' is confined to the lower frame or
bolster A by means of a suitable bolt or bolts arranged to allow the free
action of the spring.
When the carriage is heavily laden the springs may become so much
ḍepressed in the centre as to come in contact with the frame A, and
therefore a piece of rubber or other clastic material H' is placed upon
the centre of the lower frame in order to form an elastic medium for the
superincumbent weight.
:
Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line x, x, Figure 4, and is intended
to illustrate the construction of the bearing surface of the cup F³, the
bearing surface of the cup B being made in the same manner. a. a,
represent the corrugations of such bearing surface, and may be either
square or curved in form, the latter being preferable, as it will not be so
liable to cut or fracture the rubber. These corrugations may be either
straight across the surface, or angular, each alternate corrugation being
wider than the other, which allows a greater expansion of the rubber
within the cup, and equalizes the pressure upon the rubber when the
spring is deflected.
In the construction of the spring shown on Sheet 2 two sets of spring
plates are used.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a spring more particularly adapted for

page_text: and Figure 8 shows the central housing and its india-rubber bearings.
E, E, are two sets of steel spring plates, forming together a spring of
elliptic form, the plates being held in position at their central parts
by the cast-iron housings D³, and at their ends by the wrought-iron
clasps B².
The housings D' have india-rubber bearings C interposed between
them and the spring plates, and which are held in place by recesses
formed in the castings for that purpose. These housings are secured to
the plate springs by the bolts G which pass through spaces between
the inner edges of the plates, and also through washers resting or bearing
upon the plate springs, and thus secure them from spreading outwards.
The end clasps B² are of wrought iron, and have an iron bolt passing
through them, as shown at F, Figure 7; the ends of this bolt are rivetted
or hurred up to secure the clamps together. These bolts also form
bearings for the ends of both the upper and under plate springs to rest
against. There is also a second bolt passing through these clasps which
serve as carriers for the india-rubber auxilliary springs A² between and
near the ends of the plate springs E. These auxilliary springs being
within the end bearings or bolts F* have the effect of shortening the
plate springs when they are loaded or submitted to sudden or severe
strains, and thus greatly increase the sustaining capacity of the plate
springs.
The end clasps B² may be composed of two pieces of plate iron secured
together by the bolt or rivet F, or, if preferred, they may be formed of
a single piece of plate iron, and have a central washer on the bolt F to
separate the spring plates.
In
Figures 9, 10, and 11 show another mode of construction of this
spring, more particularly adapted for use upon goods waggons.
Figure 9 the upper and lower springs are curved to form an elliptic
spring, and in Figure 10, both upper and lower springs are straight. The
ends of these springs rest in bearings formed in the end clasps A³, as
shewn at a in Figure 11, which is a vertical longitudinal section of
Figure 10. The ouds of these clasps embrace the springs, and they have
projecting lips at the ends to hold the plates in place. These end clasps
are held to each other by the wrought-iron frame C, which fits into and
rests in a hollow groove made lengthwise in the clasps for that
purpose.

page_text: At the centre of the spring, above and below, are cast-iron housings D'
baving à projecting lip at each end to cover the edges of the plates, and
also having india-rubber bearings C³ interposed between them and the
plates secured by recesses formed in the castings for this purpose. The
bousings D³ may also have short studs o on their outer side, as shown, to
retain them in place when mounted on the truck.
The spring plates and housings may be secured to cach other by screw
bolts passing through the housings and through the space between the
two sets of spring plates, and, if preferred, the end clasps may be secured
to each other by bolts passing through them, instead of by the iron.
frame C³.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. The construction and arrangement of a plate spring having.
fulcrums of india-rubber or other elastic material, contained within and
surrounded by a metallic band, in the manner and for the purpose herein
described.
.
Second. The combination of the band H with the plate spring D,
rubber E, and wedges F and G, and rubber I, in the manner and for the
-purpose herein described.
.
Third. The combination of the spring plates with the cups B and
rubber C, or other elastic material, in the manner and for the purposo..
described.
Fourth. The above described method of fastening the spring plates by
the rivet K. when the same projects downward into the band II, thereby
preventing lateral displacement, as herein specified...
Fifth. The construction and arrangement of a spring in such a manner
that the bearing surfaces of the upper frame E shall have only two
> points of contact upon the spring D, when the said points of contact are
yielding or movable, and allow the full free action of the spring, in the
manner and for the purpose herein described.
Sixth. The cups B and F¹ having formed upon their bearing surfaces
the corrugations a, in the manner and for the purpose described.
Seventh. The combination of the frame E', cups F', and rubber G'
with the springs D, frame or bolster A, cups B, and rubber C, in the
manner and for the purposo described.

page_text: Eighth. The frames A and E', having formed upon them the cups B
and F, when each of the said frames and cups is cast in one piece, or
when the said frames are made of wood and have secured to them the
cups B and F, as herein described.
Ninth. The combination of the spring plates E³, constructed as 5
described, with the end clasps 12, and bolts or rivets F, in the manner
and for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The use of the auxilliary springs A² between the ends of the
plate springs E³, arranged in the manner and for the purpose described.
Eleventh. The combination of the spring plates E with the end 1
clasps B² and holding frame C³, in the manner and for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twentieth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy- 1
three.
Witness,
JAMES EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)