IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR BUFFERS AND BEARINGS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Aldridge Weston, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR BUFFERS AND BEARINGS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Aldridge Weston
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1867.
I, THOMAS ALDRIDGE WESTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR BUFFERS AND BEARINGS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing and arranging springs for buffers and bearings, and for other"
purposes.
My Invention consists in constructing the said springs of a disk or plate of
metal, or of a series of disks or plates of metal, the said disk or disks having,
attached to them or cut from them a series of small springs or tongues.
In constructing a spring according to one form of my Invention I take a
series of plain plates or disks of metal of a figure or outline corresponding to
the space in which the spring is intended to work. Upon the opposed faces
of every pair of these plates or disks I arrange a series of small springs with

page_text: the tongue or free end of each spring bearing upon the base or fixed end of
another spring on the opposite plate or disk, the springs when compressed
lying flat upon each other_and_permitting-the-largest-possible-number-of
springs to be placed between the adjacent faces of any two disks or plates.
Another advantage obtained by this construction is that no injurious pressure
can be brought to bear upon the springs so arranged when compressed into
the flat position described or lying parallel with the faces of the plates or disks
to which they are fixed.
Y
In a spring formed of a series of the said plates or disks with the small
single springs between the adjacent faces of each contiguous pair of disks the
great advantage of a graduated resistance is obtained by making the aggregate
resistance or strength of all the springs between any two disks or plates less
than that of all the springs between the next pair of faces of the said disks or
plates, the latter in like manner less in strength than the springs of the suc-
ceeding pair of faces, and so on. By this means the weaker set of springs on
one pair of faces closing first becomes safe from being injured by the greater
force required to close the next set, and in like manner throughout until the
whole spring is compressed into a compact mass of metal, all the springs and
plates or disks lying flat upon each other in intimate contact. The separate
springs described may be rivetted or otherwise fixed to the plates or disks
carrying them, or in some cases the said springs may be formed from and in
one piece with the said plates or disks. A very effective spring for many
purposes requiring a short range or great strength may be made by taking
one plate only of the kind previously described and forming, or cutting from
the said plate a series of small springs, the tongue or free end of each separate
spring being raised slightly from the plane of the plate, and when compressed
occupying the space in the plate from which it was cut or formed:
I make a spring for locking screw nuts by fixing together back to back
two spring plates of the kind last described, the tongues of the said spring
plates pointing in opposite directions. The separate springs of the plates-áre
made as short and numerous as possible, and are raised very slightly from
the plane of the plate so as to obtain a high resistance when compressed!*
When the separate springs on each disk face are very small, so that it-is
difficult to make the 'tongue of each spring on one disk-face bear fairly upon
the fixed end of the opposite spring in the next disk face I place smooth plain
plates between the springs' of each of the said pairs of disk faces for the free
and of arch sonorate spring tothee

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Thomas Aldridge
Weston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th December 1867:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ALDRIDGE, WESTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said
Thomas Aldridge Weston, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Aldridge
Weston, my executors,, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Aldridge Weston, my executors, administrators, or 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR, BUFFERS. AND BEARINGS, AND FOR OTHER PURposes,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Aldridge Weston,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand.and
seal; 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. And whereas by
an Order under the hand of the Lord High. Chancellor, bearing date the
Twenty-second day of November, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
seven, it was ordered that the said Thomas Aldridge Weston should be allowed
further time for the filing of the said Specification, such further time being
fourteen days from the date of the said Order.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said Thomas Aldridge Weston, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner.the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet, of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
My said Invention relates to improvements in constructing and arranging
springs for buffers and bearings and for other purposes, and consists in con-
.structing the said. springs of a disk or plate of metal or of a series of disks or

page_text: plates of metal, the said disk or disks having attached to them or cut from
them a series of small springs or tongues.
In constructing.a.spring-according to one form of my Invention I take a
series, of plain plates or disks of metal of a figure or outline corresponding to
the space in which the spring is intended to work. Upon the opposed faces
' of
every pair of these plates or disks I arrange a series of small springs with
the tongue or free end of each spring bearing upon the base or fixed end of
another spring on the opposite plate or disk, the springs when compressed
lying flat upon each other and permitting the largest possible number of
springs to be placed between the adjacent-faces-of-any two-disks or plates.
Another advantage obtained by this construction is that no injurious
pressure can be brought to bear upon the springs so arranged when compressed
into the flat position described or lying parallel with the faces of the plates or
disks to which they are fixed.
In a spring formed of a series of the said plates or disks with the small
single springs between the adjacent faces of each contiguous pair. of disks 'the
great advantage of a graduated resistance is obtained by making the aggregate
resistance or strength of all the springs between any two disks or plates less
than that of all the 'springs between the next pair of faces of the said disks
or plates, the latter in like manner less in strength than the springs of the
succeeding pairs of faces, and so on. By this means the weaker set of springs
-on-one pair of faces closing first becomes safe from being injured by the greater
force required to close the next set, and in like manner throughout, until the
whole spring is compressed into a compact mass of metal, all the springs and
plates or disks lying flat upon each other in intimate contact. The separate
springs described may be rivetted or otherwise fixed to the plates or disks
carrying them, or in some cases the said springs may be forined from and in
one piece with the said plates or disks. A very effective spring for many
purposes requiring a short range or great-strength may be made by taking
one pláte only of the kind previously described, and forming or cutting from
the said plate a series of small springs, the tongue or free end of each
separate spring being raised slightly from the plane of the plate, and when
compressed occupying the space in the plate from which it was cut or formed,
for the two series of tongues may be all formed or cut in one plate projecting
from each side of the said plate:
I make a spring for locking screw nuts by fixing together back to back
two-spring plates of the kind last described, the tongues of the said spring
pilates pointing in opposite directions. The separate springs of the plates are
made as short and numerous-as-possible, and are raised very slightly from the

page_text: plane of the plate, so as to obtain a high resistance when compressed. When
the separate springs on each disc face are very small, so that it is difficult to
make the tongue of each spring on one disc face bear fairly upon the fixed
end of the opposite spring in the next disc face, I place smooth plain plates
between the springs of each of the said pairs of disc faces for the free end
of each separate spring to bear upon.
:
And in order.that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose, shall
refer to the several Figures in the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the: corresponding
Figures.
I
I
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent a railway buffer constructed' according...to
one part of my Invention, Figure 1' being a plan of a pair of discs shewing
their adjacent faces; Figure 2 a side elevation of the same, and Figure 3a
side elevation, partly sectional, of the complete buffer attached to the frame of
a railway-carriage or truck.
+
a, b, are two plain discs, and upon their adjacent faces the two series of
springs a, b, are secured by rivets a³, 62; the disc a is placed upon. the
disc b, so that their respective edges a, b,.are..contiguous as shewn in
Figure 2. The tongues or free ends of all the springs of each. disc bear, upon
the bases or fixed ends of all the springs in the other disc as partly shewn.in
Figure 2. A spring of any desired range of action is formed by placing
upon
the pair of discs a, b, as many other similar pairs of discs as are required,
and such a spring may be made to yield a continually increasing resistance as
it is compressed by making the springs of each succeeding pair of disés stronger
than the springs of the next preceding pair.of discs...
,1
The buffer, Figure 3, contains a series of the said pairs. of discs';
although the discs are shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of rectangular outline
adapted to the buffer box C, Figure 3, they may be of almost any required
outline corresponding to the sectional Figure of the space wherein the springs
are required to work, and whatever the configuration of the discs may..be
the whole of their adjacent faces may be utilized and occupied by springs
acting upon each other, as shewn by Figure 2. The: collective strength of
the springs between any pair of discs may be conveniently increased by
reducing the length of the springs and correspondingly increasing their
number. When the springs shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 are compressed to
the utmost they lie flat upon each other and upon the discs: to which they
are fixed, and in this position they are safe from damage by injurious
pressure:
:

page_text: Figures 4 to 10 represent another part of my Invention according to which
the series of springs belonging to each disc is formed by cutting and partly
raising from the material of the said disc each spring of the series, which are
therefore all of a-piece with the discitself, such-springs when compressed to the
utmost again occupy. the space in the body of the disc from which they are
partly cut, and in this position they are safe from injurious pressure.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a pair of such spring discs, the free ends of all
the springs in either one of which bear upon the fixed ends of the springs in
the other, disc in like, manner. to the springs, in Figures; 1. and 2; Figure 4
is a plan of the adjacent faces of the said discs; and Figure 5 an edge view.
When the discs, Figure 4, are placed upon each other, as in Figure 5, the
points def, in-one disc coincide withithe points d; e, f in the other disc..
Figure.6i shews another method of forming the series of springs in the
adjacent faces of a pair of, discs, and when placed upon each other, the
points g, h, j, in each; disc coincide, the springs working point to base, as
herein-before described with reference to Figures 1 to 5; the pair of discs
shewn by Figures 14 to 6 may be repeated by adding other pairs to the series
so as to form a spring of any required range in like manner, to that
described for the springs shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3. To form a spring
disc of very high, resistance the separate springs are made as small, and
numerous as possible; they are made short and raised, but, very slightly, from
the disc of which they are part...
Figures 7, 8, and 9. represent spring discs of this, description which may
be used singly wherever a powerful and very, compact spring of limited, action
is required:
:
Should it be required to increase the range of action-or play of such spring
discs and still retain the high resistance a series of them may be employed
arranged as shewn by the ledge view, Figure 10, in which k,k, k, are spring
discs similar to Figures 7, 8; or 9, the separate springs of which bear with
their free ends upon the plain smooth plates 1, 1, 1, the great number and
smallness of the springsiformed in the discs 7, 8; or 9. rendering it impossible
to arrange them point to: base as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
It is obvious that. the springs.Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 may be of any desired
outline.
To form a spring for retaining screw nuts in their places, and, preventing
them becoming .unscrewed or loose, two of the annular spring dises shewn
in plan, Figure 9, may be firmly attached to each other..by rivets or in any
convenient manner, as shewn on the edge view, Figure 9; the disc m having
its series of springs on the upper side pointing in a reverse direction to the

page_text: springs of the disc m² on the lower side; the double annular disc thus
formed of two single discs back to back may be interposed with good effect
between a screw nut and the surface against which it is forced in the act
of screwing up for the purpose of better retaining the said screw nut in
its place.
My improved springs are also applicable for the bearing springs of
locomotive engines and for many useful purposes where other springs cannot
be used from their want of compactness.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First, the construction of compound springs for the purposes herein-before
described in such a manner as that the tongue or free end of each spring
constituting one of a series of springs attached to or formed upon a plate or
disc shall bear upon the base or fixed end of the opposite spring attached to
or formed upon a corresponding plate or disc.
Second, the construction of a spring by cutting or punching a series of small
tongues or springs from and out of a disc or plate in the manner and for the
purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Aldridge Weston, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THO. A. WESTON.
(L.S.)