IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wharton, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES."
Sealed the 22nd April 1862, and dated the 25th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wharton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
October 1861...
I, WILLIAM WHARTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER
VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
I propose to make or construct a metal spring, say, with, first, a bed plate
of the full length of the spring required, with ends suitable for the ordinary
attachments to the vehicle, the second plate will overlap at its edges, so as to
enclose the edge of the bed or bottom plate and receive the upper or third
plate, forming a T edge on both sides, all the additional plates to be fitted in
the same manner, the length of each spring plate to be governed by the ordinary
calculations; or I make the bed plate with turned-up edges, the second plate
to rest on the bed between its edges, which are turned up the thickness of the
second plate or thereabouts, each alternate plate having edges similar to the
bed plate and receiving and securing an intermediate plate; or I combine the

page_text: springs before described, making the bed plate to turn up at edges, and
each alternate plate to have T edges, as first mentioned; and I propose
otherwise to modify the arrangement of the spring plates, but without the
introduction of plates differently formed than those herein mentioned. My
springs will not work by means of slot and pin, as those of ordinary construc-
tion, but the whole spring will play freely longitudinally, being held in position
laterally by the edging of the plates as described, and by the usual metal
bands where the spring is attached to the framing or other part of the vehicle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wharton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WHARTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Wharton, Her special licence that I, the said 'William
Wharton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Wharton, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Wharton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wharton, 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

page_text: statement, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereto
annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, and to the Diagrams drawn
thereon, shewing several different formations of spring and combinations of
plates used in their construction:-
The object of my Invention is to produce springs which, while capable of
the same resisting or supporting power, shall be (considering the weight or
traction) much lighter and more secure than those hitherto in use, as buffing,
bearing, or other description of springs; for example, I construct a spring,
according to my improvements, as follows:-I first take a bed plate of suitable
material of the full length of the spring required, its ends being turned into a
solid, or rolled eye or loop suitable for the ordinary attachments. I take a
second plate, which overlaps or turns downwards, enclosing the edge of the
bed or bottom plate, and upwards to receive and enfold the edges of the upper
or third plate, forming a T edge on both sides of the plate. All the additional
plates used in making this spring are fitted consecutively, as just explained, or
in the same manner; the length of each of the plates used in making the
"spring is governed by the ordinary calculations.
The various combinations I make of spring plates in the construction of my
improved springs will be better understood by reference to the Drawing than
by any further detail, but I would here mention, that the slot and pin used on
or in springs of ordinary construction are dispensed with in springs constructed
according to my improvements, thus my springs play longitudinally to any
required extent, and are held in position laterally by the peculiar formation of
their edges only, and not by any extraneous means, no securing contrivance
being necessary, except (as in the case of buffer and other springs) at their
centres in order to attach the spring to the framing or other part of the
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a buffer spring shewing the plates with their
edges turned up and down in the form of a T; Figure 2, plan view, one half
being plan of inverted spring; Figure 3, a transverse vertical section taken
through the centre of Figure 1; Figure 1ª, transverse section through centre
of spring drawn to an enlarged scale; Figure 4, side elevation of bearing
spring; Figure 5, plan view of the same, one half being inverted; and,
Figure 6, transverse vertical section taken through the centre of Figure 4;
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, are transverse sections of various arrangements of
plates constituting springs drawn to an enlarged scale; Figures 1, 3, and 1ª,
shew buffer springs formed of plates having their edges turned in the shape of

page_text: a T, so that the inner plates fit within the bent edges and slide therein, instead
of the old method of pins and slots or grooves; the whole of the plates being
.kept in their places by a centre band, as shewn. The bearing spring, Figure 4,
is arranged in a similar manner to the buffer spring, the upper and longest
plate being provided with eyes at its extremities, but in this instance the plates
are secured together by means of a bolt passing through the centre of each, as
at Figure 6; Figures 7 and 8 shew sections of springs having the edge of the
plates turned only on one side, the sides thereof forming recesses or trays into
which other plates are inserted, the sides of the trays representing the letter L.
Figure 10 shews another form of spring, the plates of which are partially
enclosed by an inverted tray, the edges being turned only one way, L shaped.
A similar tray may also be placed beneath the plates, or both trays may in
some cases be used (where great strength is required), thus enclosing the
whole of the inner plates as it were in a box.
.. Figure 9 shews a spring of T edges, but having their upper surfaces slightly
concaved or dished.
And, Figure 11 shews another arrangement of narrow T edges, the inner
plates between each being only half the substance of the edges of the outer
plates, the centres of these outer plates being of the same substance as the
.inner ones, as shewn.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and shewn the means by
which it is carried into practical effect, I would here observe, that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein given or to the combinations shewn
in the different Figures in the annexed Drawing, as such may be and indeed
must be varied to suit the circumstances of particular cases, and can be so
varied without departure from the essential principle I have herein explained
and in part illustrated in the Drawing; but what I do claim as of my Invention
is a combination of spring plates secured together or embedded with each
other by the peculiar form or forms of the edges thereof, such plates not being
dependant on slots and pins or studs to secure them in position laterally.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wharton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our
. Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM WHARTON. (L.S.)