IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES VEHICLES HAVING • BODIES OR SUPPORTED BY SPRINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO ADDING PRO
Year: 1883

page_text: - LETTERS PATENT to Robert Spence, junior, of Richmond, in the County of
York, Ironmonger for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
VEHICLES HAVING
•
BODIES
OR
SUPPORTED BY SPRINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO
ADDING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Spence, junior, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1883.
ROBERT SPENCE junior of Richmond in the County of York, Ironmonger,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES HAVING BODIES SUPPORTED BY
SPRINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO VEHICLES HAVING DRAWBAR SPRINGS."
My invention has for object to prevent the body of a carriage, wagon, or vehicle
being by the weight of its contained load depressed more on one side than on the
other. For this purpose, between the axle or parts in connection therewith and
the body of the carriage, wagon or vehicle I interpose an arrangement of apparatus
that whilst admitting of motion in a vertical sense, of the body in relation to the
axle will maintain parallelism between them. Two or more crossed bars, rods, or
levers are joined at or about the centre of their length and are there guided by a
suitable guide attached either to the body of the carriage wagon or vehicle, or to
the axle or other convenient part or parts in connection therewith, in such wise
that the said centre is free to move up and down as required, each bar, rod, or
lever is attached at one of its ends to the body of the carriage wagon or vehicle,
and at the other end to the axle or other convenient part or parts, the connection
is made by means of links to admit of angular or radial movement of the bars, rods,
or levers during compression and relaxation of the springs, as for instance on a
person stepping in or out of the vehicle.
The effect of the above described arrangement is such as to equalize the strain
upon the springs of the vehicle, thus enabling lighter springs to be employed and
ensuring greater safety, the springs being compressed to only half the extent now
usual and there being less liability to fracture. No rolling motion can take
place whether the load be in the centre or to either side of the vehicle. More
than one set of rods, bars or levers may be employed when needful, and my
invention may be applied to existing vehicles of ordinary construction, it may
also be applied for equalizing the strain upon draw-bar springs of railway and
other vehicles,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Spence, Junior, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th September 1883.
ROBERT SPENCE, Junior, of Richmond in the County of York. Ironmonger,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES HAVING BODIES SUPPORTED BY
SPRINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO VEHICLES HAVING DRAWBAR SPRINGS.'
"
My Invention has for object to prevent the body of a carriage, wagon or vehicle
being by the weight of its contained load depressed more on one side than on the
other, For this purpose, between the axle or parts in connection therewith and
the body of the carriage, wagon, or vehicle I interpose an arrangement of apparatus
that whilst admitting of motion in a vertical sense of the body in relation to the
axle, will maintain parallelism between them.
Two or more crossed bars, rods or levers are jointed at or about the centre
of their length, and are there guided by a part or parts forming a suitable
guide attached either to the body of the carriage, wagon or vehicle or to
the axle, or to other convenient part or parts in connection therewith, in such-
wise that the said centre is free to move up and down as required, each
bar, rod or lever is attached at one of its ends to the body of the carriage,
wagon or vehicle, and at the other end to the axle or other convenient
part, the connection is made by means of links to admit of angular or radial
movement of the bars, rods or levers during compression and relaxation of the
springs, as for instance, on a person stepping in or out of the vehicle. The effect
of the above described arrangement is such as to equalize the strain upon the
springs of the vehicle thus enabling lighter springs to be employed and ensuring
greater safety, the springs being compressed to only half the extent now usual and
there being less liability to fracture. No rolling motion can take place whether
the load be in the centre or to either side of the vehicle.-More than one set of
rods, bars or levers may be employed when needful and my invention may be
applied to existing vehicles of ordinary construction
In the accompanying drawings. Fig, 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation,
and Fig. 2, a cross-sectional elevation of a vehicle showing the application of my
invention thereto, a, a 1, are the crossed rods, bars or levers jointed or connected
together at the centre by a centre pin g, their ends a 2. are attached to the body d,
by means of links b, b, and loops 61, and b 2.-the other ends a 3, being attached
to the axle e by means of links c. c, and loops or clips c 1, and c2. which embrace
the axle e. The joint pin g, in passing through the rods, bars or levers a, a 1. also
passes through a pipe or socket c 4, placed between the sides of the rod, bar or
lever a 1. for keeping the sides of the latter apart, the said pipe or socket takes
into the slot in the part f; which is attached, by preference, to the body of the
vehicle and forms a guide for the movement of the body in a vertical sense when
either a person steps into the vehicle or a load or weight is placed therein at
either side. The parallelism of the body d, whilst moving in a downward direction
being maintained by the action of the crossed rods, bars or levers a, a 1. as
indicated by the dotted lines d 1. Each of these, I make (by preference) double,
the two parts of which they are constructed are wide apart at the centre and close
together at the ends, which may if desired be welded together. The rod, bar or
lever a, Fig. 3, is of sufficient width between its parts to admit the corresponding
rod bar or lever a 1, Fig. 4, so that the latter may work freely. therein during the
downward movement of the vehicle on receiving its load or weight or when a
person steps therein as above described. c4, is the socket or pipe for keeping the
sides of a 1. anart.

page_text: The same arrangement of crossed rods, bars or levers may be applied to railway
vehicles having "dead axles" and loose running wheels. When applied to railway
or other vehicles having revolving axles with wheels fixed thereon, the lower
ends a 3, of the crossed rods, bars or levers a, a 1, should be attached to the axle
boxes of the vehicles, and their upper ends a 2, to the body of the vehicle as
previously referred to with respect to the drawings
In my provisional specification I stated that my invention might also be applied
for equalizing the strain upon the drawbar springs of railway and other vehicles,
but I do not now attach importance to this particular application of my invention
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect. I would have it understood that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as secured to me by the
Letters Patent, first herein before in part recited is
In a carriage or vehicle the use of one or more pairs of crossed rods, bars or
levers applied and operating substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated
for equalizing the strain upon the springs and preventing one side of the body
from being depressed more than the other although loaded with a greater weight
as above set forth.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Robert Spence, Junior, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
ROBERT SPENCE JUNIOR (L.S.)
Witness
THOS E CRAVEN CE. Fell. Inst. Patent agents
24 Victoria Chambers
Leeds