IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Abel, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Coach-smith, and Frederick Rowlinson Abel, of Wolverhampton, in
the County of Stafford, Coach Spring Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS."
Sealed the 9th March 1880, and dated the 13th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Abel and
Frederick Rowlinson Abel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 13th September 1879.
GEORGE FREDERICK ABEL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Coach-
smith; and FREDERICK ROWLINSON ABEL, of Wolverhampton, iu the County of
Stafford, Coach Spring Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS."
According to this Invention the shackle often used in connecting the end of a
spring with the support or holder is dispensed with, the endway movement of the
spring being provided for by means of a slot or long eye or other long bearing,
either in the end of the spring or in the support or holder. Upon the part of the
joint-pin within the long eye is placed a vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic
roller, having a metal ferrule forming the bush thereof to. turn on the pin as a
bearing. The said roller rolls in the long eye as the spring rises or deflects.
This Invention is applicable to most purposes for which springs are used,
including for instance, carriages, seats, mattresses, &c.
When used for a carriage spring, the end of the spring is connected direct to the
scroll or other holder. The connecting pin passes through a slotted eye either in
the end of the spring or scroll, or as the case may be, and the part of the pin
passing through the said slotted eye has the roller placed thereon. The slotted eye
may be conveniently formed in the end of the spring by curling the metal under.
Instead of the roller being within a slotted eye, it may if desired simply roll against
the underside of a long bearing, the bolt passing through a slot on each side
thereof. The cross-spring at the back of a carriage is attached with cross-shackles,
and between the jaws of each cross-shackle a roller may be placed to revolve on
the pin, the ends of the cross-spring having slotted eyes as before described in
which the rollers roll.
In the case of a spring on the end of which it is desired to have a step formed
(as for instance for a "hansom cab "), the slotted eye may be formed by cutting

page_text: down a strip of metal out of the widened end of the spring and curling it under,
after which the two outside strips left may be bent round and welded to form the
step. The plain eye of such a spring for ordinary connection may obviously be
made in a similar manner. In both cases an opening is thus left for dirt to fall
through.
An elastic roller as described may be connected to one or both ends of a bicycle
or other velocipede spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Frederick Abel and Frederick Rowlinson Abel in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 13th March 1880.
GEORGE FREDERICK ABEL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Coach
Smith, and FREDERICK ROWLINSON ABEL, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Coach Spring Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS."
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2, a sectional plan on line x, x, of
Figure 1 of one modification of our Invention as applied to a carriage spring. The
section is taken through the long eye herein after referred to, but not through the
parts therein; A is the back end of the top plate of the spring; B, a slot or long
eye formed thereon by bending the metal under, as shewn; C is the stump end of
the scroll flattened and bent up, as shewn through a slot b in the bottom of the
long eye B. The stump end C of the scroll is shewn detached by Figure 3, the
view being taken looking in the direction of the, arrow in Figure 1. The stump
end is broken off from the part connected with the carriage for the sake of
simplicity in the Drawing; D, D, are rollers rolling on the centre-pin E, which
passes through the stump end of the scroll C and through slotted holes F, F,
formed in plates G, G, which close in the sides of the long eye B. One of the
plates G, G, is left out in Figure 1 so as to expose the interior of the long eye B.
The plates G, G, are held together by the screws H, H, which are preferably
'countersunk at their heads, and riveted slightly at the screwed points. The said
plates G, G, have their inner faces fitting into the slotted eye B, as shewn, and the
rebates thus formed at the edges of the plates fit on to the edge of the eye B. The
part of the pin E shewn at fis square to fit the slot F, and thus prevent the pin E
from turning. It will now be seen that as the end of the spring moves longi-
tudinally on account of the varying weight, the motion of the slotted eye B causes
the rollers D, D, to roll therein.
.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevation and plan of the back end of the
top plate A of a cab spring formed with a long eye B, as in the last illustration to
receive the rollers, and also with a step; B is the long eye; J, J, J, J, the parts
forming the step. The slotted eye B in this case is formed by cutting down some
of the metal out of the widened end of the part A, and curling it under, as shewn,

page_text: after which the two outside strips or as much of them as desired are bent round
and welded at or about the line a, a, to form the step.
Figure 6 is a cross section of another modification of our Invention as applied
to the end of a carriage spring. The only differences between this and the
modification illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 are that the stump end of the scroll
C instead of being bent up through a slot in the bottom of the long eye B, has
jaws K, K, passing up one on each side of the plates G, G, the pin E passing
through the eyes of the said jaws, and one wide roller D is used instead of two
narrow ones; Figure 7 is a section taken through the stump end of the scroll in
Figure 6 showing one of the jaws K in side elevation.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a cross section through the spring, and a
longitudinal section taken on line y, y, of Figure 8, shewing another modification,
of our Invention as applied to the back end of the top plate of a carriage spring;
C is the stump end of the scroll having jaws K, K, thereon passing up on each side,
of the top plate A of the spring; D and D¹ are rollers rolling respectively upon the
pins E and E. The weight is thrown upon the spring through the roller D, the
roller D being simply a cheque-roller.
The end of the plate A may be bent over, as shewn by dotted lines, Figure 9, to
form the step for a cab, in which case the top M is widened out to give the
required width of step.
.
Figure 10 illustrates in end elevation another modification of our Invention as
applied to the back end of the top plate of a carriage spring. In this case the
stump end C of the scroll is similar to the stump end of the scroll in Figure 1, and
the back end A of the top plate of the spring is similar to that in Figure 9, but is
slotted longitudinally at L to allow of the endway movement of the spring where
the stump end C of the scroll passes through it. The said end A of the top plate
is shewn in cross section. The weight is thrown upon the back end A of the top.
plate of the spring through the medium of the rollers D, D, which roll upon a pin E
passing through them and through the scroll end. The part of the pin E which
passes through the scroll end at e is square, as indicated by crossed dotted lines to
prevent it from turning therein.
Figure 11 is an elevation illustrating a modification of our Invention as applied
to the connection of the cross spring of a carriage. with the side springs.. The
elevation is a combined side elevation of the end of the top plate, A. of the side.
spring and cross section, through the end of the top plate A of the cross spring;
B, B', is a link (preferably of steel), the plane of the upper part B being at right
angles to the plane of the lower part B. The upper plane B passes through a
longitudinal slot (shewn by dotted lines) in the end of the spring A, and the lower
plane B' passes through a corresponding slot in the end of the spring A', the said
end of the spring A' being formed to correspond with the end of the spring A.
Two rollers (one only, lettered D, being shewn in side elevation) are carried above
the spring A, and two rollers D', D', are carried below the spring A', the rollers in
each case being carried similarly to those illustrated by Figure 10.
Figures 12 and 13 are respectively a longitudinal section and a cross section
shewing one manner in which we construct the rollers before referred to. The parts
lettered c, c', are of gun metal or other good wearing metal or compound metal, and
the parts lettered d, d', are preferably of vulcanized indian rubber, but may be of
other correspondingly elastic or noiseless material. The parts d', d', are held in.
annular grooves at the ends of the roller, the middle or larger portion d of the.
indian rubber being held around the octagonal part of the ferrule.
Figure 14 is a cross-section through a long eye B, and shews another manner in
which we construct the rollers before referred to; N is a collar slightly smaller in
diameter than the inside of the eye. The collar N is formed solid with the ferrule.
shewn by dotted lines. The ferrule is preferably octagonal in cross-section on its
outside to hold the indian rubber or other elastic or noiseless material O, O, and
prevent it from turning.
The collars (c, Figure 12, and N, Figure 14), by coming in contact with the

page_text: interior of the eyes as the elastic is greatly compressed prevent the metal ferrules
from cutting the elastic.
Figure 15 illustrates in longitudinal section the method in which we prefer to
form an elastic roller for the above described purposes, when the elastic material
consists of leather; P is a metal ferrule, the outside being preferably octagonal in
cross section; p, p, etc., are washers of leather glued and rivetted together. When
the roller is thus formed it is turned up on a lathe to the required diameter and is
very firm. The rivets may be in short lengths or the whole length of the roller.
Rollers constructed according to either modification illustrated by Figures 12, 13,
14, and 15, may be carried in the ends of the springs by forming the spring ends
as jaws, and bear against the surface from which or to which the weight is
transmitted; or they may be used in any required manner for the fixing and action
of the aforesaid springs.
The rollers rolling within slots are made to fit just easy in diameter, but are a
good fit endways.
The nuts are preferably screwed against shoulders on the pins, so that they may
be tightened up without binding the rollers, or preventing the easy action of the
pins in the slotted openings through which they pass.
The modifications illustrated by Figures 6 and 7, and by Figures 8 and 9
respectively are convenient for use at one (preferably the back) or both ends of a
bicycle or similar velocipede spring, by forming the part C in a manner suitable for
fixture to the back-bone or other part of the framing.
It will readily be seen that this Invention is applicable to most purposes for
which springs consisting of one or more plates in the manner of an ordinary carriage
spring are or may be used, as for instance, for vehicles generally and for seats, etc.
We have illustrated those modifications which at present we prefer to employ, and
will now proceed to point out obvious modifications therefrom, after which any
competent person will be able to apply the Invention to any of the above mentioned
purposes for which he may require it.
The modification illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 may be reversed by forming
the long eye upon the stump end of the scroll, and suitably forming the spring end
either to turn down into the long eye, or to turn down on either side of the long
eye, and thus carry the pin E.
All the roller arrangements described as applied to the back end of a spring may
if preferred be applied to the front or both ends thereof.
The method of forming the step for a cab illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 is
applicable to all the modifications in which the long eye is formed under the end
of the spring, and is applicable also to a spring formed with an eye in the ordinary
way.
The method of forming the step for a cab illustrated by Figure 9 is applicable to
all the modifications in which the roller or rollers are upon the top of the end of the
spring.
The modification illustrated by Figure 11 may be further modified if desired by
having one wide roller in place of either the top or bottom rollers, the end of the
link in this case being formed as a cross-shackle-end to carry the roller instead of
passing through the spring, that is to say, forming one end of the link as a double
jaw to pass down each side of the spring.
Although we have described the rollers as being elastic, and prefer them to be so,
they may if desired be made of hard wood, solid metal, or other suitable non
elastic material.
Sliding rectangular blocks may be used in place of the rollers for sliding in
the long eyes, but we prefer to use the rollers.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention and particularly ascertained the
manner of carrying out the same, we declare that we do not limit ourselves to the
exact details as shewn, but, what we claim as our Invention and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
1st. The improvements for providing for the end-way movement of the spring,

page_text: substantially as and for the purpose herein described and shewn by Figures 1 to 11
inclusive of the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. The elastic rollers, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and shewn by Figures 12 and 13, and by Figure 14 of the accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The elastic roller (of which the elastic material consists of leather),
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by Figure 15 of
the accompanying Drawing.
4th. The methods of forming steps on the ends of the cab springs, substantially
as herein described and illustrated by Figures 4, 5, and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Rowlinson Abel, for myself and on
behalf of the said George Frederick Abel, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
FRED. ROWLINSON ABEL. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY CHILTON,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Wolverhampton.