US293824A - William vas - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) l

W. lVAN ANDBN.V

VEHICLE SPRING.

l y YPatented Feb..v 19, 1884.

Jyfz y V UNITED STATES WILLIAM vAN ANDEN, voE NEW Yoan, ln. Y.

vEHloLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NQ. eeaseauated February 19, i884 Application filed December 21, 1883. (No model.) A

.To a/ ZZ whom it may concern..-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM VAN ANDEN,

u of New York city, in the State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvej resented in section.

ments Relating to Carriage-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the invention is to produce ashort and light spring which will give a great amount of elasticity or vibration to the carriage-body, and one that can be easily applied and will occupy but a small flat space. In narrow light buggies or other light vehicles other means have been resorted to* viz., ordinary light springs applied to the body of a wagon at the opposite sides and crossing each other-in order to get sufficient length Vto the spring, so that sufficient vibration may be obtained., With my spring I produce the desired effect by folding the metal in such a manner as to produce a much greater vibration than by an ordinary 1eaf-spring, and it is attached in the same manner to the bottom of a vehicle at any desirable place, one endv to the body andthe other to the side bar or other suitable place. It enables a short-spring to do the work of alongone. The improvement may be applied to heavy wagons and vehicles of nearly every kind; but I deem it more especially desirable for light buggies, and will describe, it as so applied. I fold the steel in horizontal bends, holding the several convolutions out of contact each with the other, and in what I `esteem the most complete form of the invention `make the convolutions greater l as the distance from the supporting-bearing increases. There is a tendency in such springs to concentrate the strain too much in the short bends which are formed. I have devised peculiar means of re-enforcing .the bends. The

folds or bends may be single or duplex. I prethis speciiication, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a rear View, showing two of the springs attached to the body of a wagon and connecting it with longitudinal side bars, rep- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a springE detached. This gure ison a i larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a spring corresponding to Fig. 2. Fig. 3a is a section on the line y y in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is on a still larger scale. It is a cross-section through one ofthe bends with the re-enforcing means applied. Fig. 5 is a diagram intended to show, somewhat exaggerated, the upset condition of the spring at the several folds. The remaining gures represent modications. Fig. 6 is a side elevation; and Fig. 7 a plan View, showing a form in which the spring is made in a single part. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line x x in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, and Fig. l0 a cross-section showing a modication in the means of attaching my single spring to the carriage-body. Fig. l1 is a crossseetion showing a modification in the re-enforcing of the quick bends.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the spring entire, certain portions being distinguished by additional marks, as Al A2, Sto.

A are eyes formed by bending the material around. l

A2 are straight parallel portion.

-A3 are folds of the two parts extending in opposite directions, each being formed by an extension of the material out at right angles to the general line of the spring .to a little distance, then making a quick bend and returning. j. rAare corresponding but longer folds formed in the Asame manner-*that is to say, the material of the two parts of the spring, after being extended out a considerable distance in opposite directions and returned again, make quick bends at the points where they approach -each other and again extend outward, this tin'ie'to a greater distance than before, and again return. There may be a-third pair of folds, or a fourth, if desired, in any case, in each of which the metal is extended out farther than ther last; but I esteem two suffioient for general purposes. After making these several excursions the two parts are brought together and extended outward in the general line of the spring, making a small bend, sufficient to form proper `eyes to re- IOO A, of the spring.

ceive bolts. Vllat I have termed the two parts are formed from one bar of steel con nected at the outer end.

B is the body of the buggy or other carriage to which the improvement is applied.

C C are the side bars, encircled by clips which attach them to arms D, which may be more or less elastic, but which are relied upon mainly to serve as levers to communicate the action of the springs properly. Bolts and nutsE E secure the levers D rigidly to the outer end, Bolts G G secure the eyes A of the spring to a substantial portion of the bottom of the body B. Short bolts and nuts II H are inserted in the several quick bends, as indicated. Each is equipped with a washer, 71 which aids to give a broad bearing on the spring. The head of each bolt is also widely extended, so as to give a broad bearing. The spring is accurately faced on both the upper and lower sides by hammering, rolling, or otherwise, so as to preserve all the strength possible in the spring.

In what I esteem the best form of the invention the metal is slightly upset7 at the several points which are to form the bends, s0 as to afford increased strength at these points. The bolts II, with their broad bearing-heads and washers clamping firmly on the springs at the several bends, re-enforcc and stiften the metal at these points. The increased cross-section of the spring, given by the upsetting, also contributes to this end. By the two means the spring is sufiiciently fortified at these point-s to avoid mischief from the concentration of f the strains on these portions.

motion of the spring to give a considerable motion to the wagon-body B. The action of the spring is mainly torsional. The parallel portions of the folds A3 A each receive the force in a manner tending to twist the material. Torsional strains give nearly equal action to all the particles. Steel is eminently adapted to exert a great resilient force in this manner, and to endure repeated actions. The longer portions contained in the folds A4 yield to a greater extent than the short portions in the folds Ai. The folds AJ are subjected to more leverage, because the fold A* is equivalent in its action on the part A to a corresponding increase in the length of the lever through which the strain is transmitted to A". I equalize the action on the folds by making the folds A shorter than A".

The construction of my spring affords the proper amount of lateral motion by the ability of the folds to open and close slightly. Under ordinary conditions the two parts of each fold stand parallel. When the carriage is subjected to a strong lateral force, the parts may yield by the sides of the folds assuming more or less oblique positions, but the narrowness of the folds limits the amount of lateral yielding. The construction of either spring will allow an indefinite amount of extension, but as the two springs coact on the opposite sides of the carriage, any lateral movement of the body relatively to the runninggear, while it tends to open the folds of one spring tends to close the folds of the other.V The folds are so narrow that only the proper amount of lateral movementis allowed before the parts of the metal touch each other and resist any further lateral movement.

Figs. 6 and 7 represent a modification in which the spring is formed in a single part. The action is substantially the same in this as in the duplex form of spring described, and the strains on the several parts are very similar. By the vertical action of the springs the straight portions of the several folds are subjected to simple torsional forces. By the lateral motions of the wagon-body the folds are alternately expanded and contracted, closing on one side or the other, and resisting further strain by the contact of adjacent faces against each other when the strain becomes excessive. By the forward and backward motions of the wagon-body the several folds are closed at one end and opened at the other. Their contact at the closed end limits the extent of the motion when it tends to become excessive.

\ In the modificationlshown in Figs. 9 and l() the spring iskeyed in abox of malleable castiron or other suitable material, which latter is bolted to the wagon-body.

Fig. l1 shows the washer h developed into a box which nearly incloses the sides of the spring at the bend.

Further modifications may be made. The forms and proportions may be varied within wide limits. I can employ the mode of attachment shown in Figs. 9 and 10 for connecting the duplex spring in Figs. 3 and 4. rIo effect this the part A5 ofthe spring is forged into a parallel tongue and inserted and secured in the box in the same manner as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10.

I claim as my inventionl. The carriage-spring described, having parallel or nearly parallel convolutions A" A, adapted to serve as herein specified.

2. The carriage-spring described, having eonvolutions or folds A: A* increasing in length from the supporting-point A outward, as herein specified. i

3. The carriage-spring described, having convolutions A3 A4, with the bends thickened by upsetting, so as to offer a greater crosssection at those points, substantially as herein specified.

4. A carriage-spring having convolutions IOO IIO

X3-A4; in combination with reenforcing clamps p yIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my; ij;v Hilf; adaptedto serve as herein specified. hand;Y @til-New Yor1city3@ .NeW York, this `5th 5g Thei'cztrriage-spring described, iny two `dayofDecember,1883;intheipresen of two parts, having-'pairs of convolutionsAaeXtendsubscribingWitnesses;

5- ingfinopposite directions and pairs of conp T l T T1 volutionsji; of greater iength, extending also WM* VAB AL DEL' in opposite directions, combined andarranged- Witnesses: to serve' substantially as and for the purposes l THOM'AsrD. STETSON;

herein specified. Y ZITTEIMJL.

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