IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Joseph Stokes Williams, of
Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th February 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPRINGS
FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES." [A communication from abroad by Joseph
Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to springs constructed of a series of elastic plates which
have their ends free to move in pedestals, which springs are applicable to railway
and other vehicles, and are adapted to sustain the weight, as hereinafter set forth.
In carrying my Invention into practice I provide a plank, upon which the
pedestals are supported, or the said pedestals may be cast with a base on them, and
in some cases I employ inverted sockets for the reception of the ends of the spring-
plates. Each of the said pedestals is provided on its upper surface with a recess
into which is fitted a follower provided with pockets within which the ends of the
spring-plates rest. The under surface of this follower is curved in order to permit
the follower to rock or roll on its support. When I employ inverted sockets they
are also provided with rocking followers. The spring is formed of a series or pile of
flat plates of rhomboidal or other form which have the broadest or greatest
surface at or near their centres, and are secured by means of a clamp open at
opposite sides, through which the ends of the springs project, and having the inner
faces of its sides corresponding in shape or contour with the portion of the spring
within the clamp. The inner faces of the top and bottom of the clamp are convex,
the crowns resting on the respective faces of the spring, the convexity or curvature
being greater than any curvature which the spring may assume.
By constructing the spring-plates of rhomboidal or equivalent form, as above
specified, when the said plates, from long use or otherwise, are set out of a straight
line they may be removed and reversed, thus rendering them fit for further

page_text: service, and avoiding the displacement of the plates for straightening and tempering
purposes.
The clamp provided with inner faces of the same configuration as the part of
the spring-plates inserted in the said clamp prevents the shifting or displacement
of the said plates, and the said plates can play throughout their entire length as
there is but a small point of contact at the top and bottom of the clamp with the
outer plates of the spring.
The degree of resiliency of the spring may be regulated by increasing or decreasing
the number of plates and the breadth thereof, the rhomboidal or equivalent formi
of the plates being preserved.
I construct and arrange the spring so that it can be interposed between the body
of the vehicle and the axle, the portion of the spring which has the broadest.or
greatest surface being nearly or directly over the said axle. Or I, in some cases,
interpose the spring between a movable frame connected or combined with the body
of the vehicle and the axle or axles secured in connection with said frames.
By the above described arrangement of the clamp and the spring-plates the load
is transmitted from the said clamp to the central or widest part of the spring-plates,
thus deflecting and shortening the springs and causing the followers to rock and
conform to the motions of the ends of the same.
My improved springs are applicable to carts, drays, and other vehicles for running
on common roads, as well as for vehicles employed on railways. The arrangements
for placing and securing the springs in various kinds of vehicles may be modified
as required, and the springs may be formed of a single plate or a series of plates,
the said plates being secured in position by the pedestals or sockets, which are
retained in their proper relation to each other by the plank or framing with which
they are connected.

page_text: апи
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 shews, on a reduced scale, a bar of metal from which the plates
employed in the construction of my improved springs may be cut or otherwise
removed, and
Figure 4 shews one of the plates cut from the said bar detached.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying this Invention into practice I provide a plank a, upon which
pedestals b are supported, or the said pedestals may be cast with a base on them.
Each of these pedestals b is provided with a recess c, into which is fitted a rocker or
follower d provided with a pocket at d', within which the ends of the spring
plates e rest. The surface d of this follower is curved in order to permit the
follower to rock or roll on the surface b' of the pedestal. In some cases I employ
pedestals or sockets arranged above the plank a and provided with rocking followers.
The spring is formed of the series or pile of flat plates e of rhomboidal or other
equivalent form which have the broadest or greatest surface at or near their centres,
and are secured by means of a clamp or box f open at opposite sides. Through these
openings the ends of the spring-plates e project, and the inner faces of the sides
of the said clamp correspond in shape or contour with the portion of the spring
within the same. The inner faces of the top and bottom of the clamp are convex,
as shewn at f, the crowns resting on the respective faces of the spring, as in
Figure 2; this convexity or curvature is greater than any curvature which the spring
may assume.
By constructing the spring-plates e of rhomboidal or equivalent form, as above
specified, when the said plates, from long use or otherwise, are set out of a straight
line they may be removed and reversed, thus rendering them fit for further
service, and avoiding the displacement of the plates for straightening and tempering
purposes.
The clamp provided with inner faces of the same configuration as the part of
the spring plates inserted in the said clamp prevents the shifting or displacement
of the said plates, and the latter can play throughout their entire length as there
is but a small point of contact at the top and bottom of the clamp with the outer
plates of the spring.
The degree of resiliency of the spring may be regulated by increasing or decreasing
the number of plates and the breadth thereof, the rhomboidal or equivalent form
of the plates being preserved.
I construct and arrange the spring so that it can be interposed between the
body of the vehicle and the axle, the portion of the spring which has the broadest
or greatest surface being nearly or directly over the said axle. Or I, in some cases,
nterpose the spring between a movable frame connected or combined with the
body of the vehicle and the axle or axles secured in connection with the said frames.

page_text: By the above described arrangement of the clamp and the spring-plates the load is
transmitted from the said clamp as a bearer to the central or widest part of the spring-
plates, thus deflecting and shortening the springs, and causing the followers to rock
and conform to the motion of the ends of the same.
My improved springs are applicable to carts, drays, and other vehicles for running
on common roads, as well as for vehicles employed on railways. The arrangements
for placing and securing the springs upon various kinds of vehicles may be modified
as required, and the springs may be formed of a single plate or a series of plates,
the said plates being secured in position by the pedestals or sockets, which are
retained in their proper relation to each other by the plank or framing with which
they are connected, as above described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In the construction of a spring for railway or other vehicles the employ-
ment of rhomboidal plates combined with the clamp or box, so that the said plates
may be reversed, substantially as described with reference to the Drawing, and for
the purpose specified.
Second. The rocking followers and pedestals in combination with the subject
matter of the preceding claim, substantially as described with reference to the
Drawing, and for the purposes specified.
Third. The employment of a spring constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as described with reference to the Drawing, and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)