AN IMPROVED SYSTEM
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugène Marius Desprez of Boulevard Saint Denis N° 1
at Paris, Doctor of Medicine for an Invention of " AN IMPROVED SYSTEM
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugène Marius Desprez
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1882.
EUGENE MARIUS DESPREZ of Boulevard Saint Denis N° 1 at Paris, Doctor
of Medicine AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF SUSPENSION FOR CARRIAGES WAGONS
AND OTHER SIMILAR APPLICATIONS "
The object of my Invention is a better system than the springs generally
employed for diminishing the jolting of a carriage or vehicle on a rough road.
When the wheels strike a stone or other obstacle the first effect is to bend the
springs which then at once resume their former position the result being that the
carriage seat is jolted. If a contrary force diminished or retarded the action of
the springs so as to bring back the seat gently to its former position, the shock felt
by the occupant would be greatly lessened. Now it is the interposition of a
contrary force when the springs are resuming their position which constitutes the
basis of my Invention.
.
For simplicity let us suppose a seat reduced to its indispensable elements viz
a bench on which the traveller sits and a board connected in a fixed manner to
the bench on which he puts his feet. I fix on the axle a horizontal frame of wood
or metal which serves as a support to the whole apparatus. This frame may if
thought desirable be strengthened by cross pieces which connect the opposite
corners. It may be placed according to the height of the seat, either above or
below the axle, the essential point is that it be firmly connected to the axle.
At each of the 4 corners of this frame is an upright of wood or metal solid or
hollow;
there are thus two uprights at each side of the carriage (for heavy carriages
there may be more) Around each upright is a spiral spring for supporting the
seat, the strength varying according to the weight of the seat; the 4 springs have
[Price 6d1

page_text: their points of support on the frame or preferably on nuts at the lower part of
each upright so that the height of the springs may be adjusted according to the
load, the uprights being threaded for the purpose. In the seat are four holes corre-
sponding to the uprights, or the seat may have iron pieces at the corners, formed
with eyes through which the uprights can pass; the seat will thus be supported
by the four springs. I have now to introduce the force for retarding the expansion
of the springs after they have been compressed by a shock. For this purpose
I extend the uprights above the level of the seat and on the extended portion
of each I place a second spiral spring which I call the compensating spring; this
spring bears on a fixed stop at the upper part such as a nut screwed on the
upright; the result is that the action of the compensating springs is the reverse
of that of the bearing springs.
Thus the first effect of a shock will be, as in carriages with ordinary springs, to
compress the bearing springs, but during this movement the compensating springs
which in the normal state of equilibrium of the seat have a certain tension are
on the contrary expanded. When the compressed bearing springs return to their
former position and lift the seat while expanding they are obliged to overcome the
resistance of the compensating springs by compressing them; their expansion is
thus retarded and the jolt is diminished
In order to lessen the weight on the bearing springs the apparatus may be
surrounded by a casing resting on the axle and supporting the hood if there is one.
Or if it be preferred not to change the usual forms the whole body may be
supported on the springs; the springs rise at each side of the body and the point
of support should be on the sides instead of below on account.of the height of the
springs. For 4 wheeled vehicles my apparatus will be applied to each axle.
Instead of placing the compensating springs above the bearing springs as already
described they may be otherwise arranged so long as their action is the reverse of
that of the bearing springs, being compressed as the latter expand.
Although I have described that I employ spiral springs and prefer this form of
spring other forms may be used.
The Invention is applicable not only to carriages and wagons, but also to beds,
seats and similar articles fitted in carriages, and to other apparatus used for
transport

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Eugène Marius Desprez in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th January 1883.
EUGENE MARIUS DESPREZ of Boulevard Saint Denis N° 1 at Paris, Doctor
of Medicine "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF SUSPENSION FOR CARRIAGES, WAGONS
AND OTHER SIMILAR APPLICATIONS
"
The object of my Invention is a better system than the springs generally
employed for diminishing the jolting of a carriage or vehicle on a rough road.
When the wheels strike a stone or other obstacle the first effect is to bend the
springs which then at once resume their former position the result being that the
carriage seat is jolted. If a contrary force diminished or retarded the action of
the springs so as to bring back the seat gently to its former position, the shock
felt by the occupant would be greatly lessened. Now it is the interposition of
a contrary force when the springs are resuming their position which constitutes
the basis of my invention.
For simplicity let us suppose a seat reduced to its indispensable elements viz:
a bench on which the traveller sits and a board connected in a fixed manner to
the bench on which he puts his feet. I fix on the axle a (see the annexed
drawings Figure 1 of which is a side view, and Figure 2 a back view of a
carriage), a horizontal frame b of wood or metal which serves as a support to the
whole apparatus. This frame b may if thought desirable be strengthened by cross
pieces which connect the opposite corners. It may be placed according to the
height of the seat, either above or below the axle, the essential point is that it
be firmly connected to the axle. At each of the four corners of this frame is an
upright c of wood or metal, solid or hollow; there are thus two uprights c c at
each side of the carriage (for heavy carriages there may be more). Around each
upright is a spiral spring d for supporting the seat the strength varying
according to the weight of the seat; the four springs d d have their points of support
on the frame b or preferably on nuts g at the lower part of each upright c so that
the height of the springs may be adjusted according to the load, the uprights c
being threaded for the purpose. In the seat are four holes corresponding to the
uprights, or the seat may have iron pieces h at the corners formed with eyes i
through which the uprights can pass; the seat f will thus be supported by the
4 springs dd. I have now to introduce the force for retarding the expansion of
the springs d d after they have been compressed by a shock. For this purpose
I extend the uprights c c above the level of the seat fand on the extended portion
of each I place a second spiral spring which I call the compensator spring; this
spring bears on a stop at the upper part such as a nut / screwed on the upright c;
the result is that the action of the compensator springs is the reverse of that of
the bearing springs d d.
Thus the first effect of a shock will be as in carriages with ordinary springs
to compress the bearing springs, but during this movement the compensator springs
which in the normal state of equilibrium of the seat have a certain tension are
on the contrary expanded. When the compressed bearing springs return to their
former position and lift the seat while expanding they are obliged to overcome
the resistance of the compensator springs by compressing them; their expansion is
thus retarded and the jolt is diminished.
In order to lessen the weight on the bearing springs the apparatus may be
surrounded by a casing resting on the axle and supporting the hood if there is
Or if it be preferred not to change the usual forms the whole body may be
one.

page_text: supported on the springs; the springs rise at each side of the body and the point
of support should be on the sides instead of below on account of the height
of the springs. For four wheeled vehicles my apparatus will be applied to
each axle.
Instead of placing the compensator springs above the bearing springs as already
described they may be otherwise arranged so long as their action is the reverse
of that of the bearing springs, being compressed as the latter expand; for example
two compensator springs may be arranged one on each side of a bearing spring
and placed below the point of suspension of the body so as to give less height to
the set of springs; or the compensator springs may be placed inside the uprights.
The nuts g and allow of the tension of the springs being regulated according to
the load by varying the space occupied by the two sets of springs.
Although I have described that I employ spiral springs and prefer this form
of spring, other forms may be used.
The invention is applicable not only to carriages and wagons but also to beds,
seats and similar articles fitted in carriages and to other apparatus used for
transport.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
The combination with the bearing springs (d d) of compensating springs (17)
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Eugène Marius Desprez have hereunto set
my hand and seal this thirteenth day of January One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
Witness;
ALBERT CAHEN
Civil Engineer
of Boulevard St Denis 1
at Paris.
E. M. DESPREZ (L.S.)