US415415A - Vehicle-spring - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. F. MORSE.

VEHIGLE SPRING.

Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

I" v v WITNESSES.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet 2.

E. P. MORSE.

VEHICLE SPRING.

N0. 415,415. Patented NOV. 19 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVERE' I F. MORSE, OF TRUMANSBURG, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,415, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed May 6, 1889. SerialNo. 309,783. (No model.)

To all whom it nmy concern.-

Be it known that I, EVERETT F. MORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trumansburg, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Springs and Gears, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide means for adjusting the flexibility of the spring to suit its different loads, to provide an improved bearing for vehicle-springs, and to effect certain improvements in the details of the spring described in my application, Serial No. 2%),857, filed September 1t, 1887. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a bottom view of a vehicle-gear with myimprovements attached. Fig. 2 is an end view of the front end of the same, having a portion broken away and showing parts in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the central part of my spring. Fig. at is a detail view of the step-arm, showing the manner of attaching it and the springs to the side bars. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the adjusting mechanism. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of my improved bearings and the manner of attaching them to the torsion-rods. Fig. 9 shows cross-sections of the part of the spring-rods subjected to torsion. Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the side bar,.showing the manner of attaching the spring-arm to same.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the adjusting-nuts, showing the manner of retaining them in place. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal view of my improved bearing and means for securing the same to the side bar in alignment with the other bearings. Fig. 13 is a partially-sectional detail view of the bearings under the forward end of the body. Figs. 14: and 15 are sectional views of modified forms of my knife edge bearings, showing the knife-edges with broader bases than in the preceding views.

Si milarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A is the front axle, B the rear axle, D D the side bars, and A the bol ster, all of which are arranged and constructed in the usual way, and connected together as shown.

O is the body, hung to the side bars by my improved springs. The upper end of steparm R is divided into two curved branches, Fig. 4, one B of which, extending backward, is attached to the side bar by a clip for that purpose; but the branch R, extending forward, is flattened near its end and extends between sidebar D andhanger b to the forward spring, whereby when the hanger b is firmly attached to the side bar by clip D the branch R is also rigidly secured thereto. By this arrangement only one extra clip is required to very firmly attach the step-arm to the side bar. Arms R, which extend laterally from step-arms R at any desired point of their lengths, curve downward and are provided with suitable shoulders near their free ends, which are threaded to receive retaining-nuts, and provide means for securely attaching the staying-rods m and a to the steparms at any desired distance below the body and in a graceful manner.

It is very desirable that the bearings or joints of vehicle-springs should work quietly and freely at all times without the aid of lubricants. I attain this end by a peculiar form of knife-edge bearing, consisting of a grooved seat-pin i and knife-edge 2'', arranged as shown in Figs. 10, 12, and 14, so as to replace the ordinary joint-pin of the common bearing. In its simplest form and as applied to the present spring the bearing is illustrated, in Fig. 7 showing an end sectional view of the joint when adapted to connect the spring to the body, in Fig. 10 showing an end view of the joint adapted to connect one of the spring-arms b with the side bar D, but having one of the retaining-screws 2' Fig.

2, removed, and in Fig.12 showing a longitudi nal sectional view of the same. The seat-pin i, which forms the supports for the knife-edge i, is supported at its ends by the arms of swinging hanger b, as shown in Fig. 12, or similarly by the arms of hanger c, and is adjusted in its supports so that the groove which extends lengthwise of it faces the force the pin is to resist, and is rest-rained from moving in its supports by the screws '5 Fig. 12, which extend into the groove of the seat-pin i and have their threads engage partly with the seat-pin and partly with the arms of the supporting hanger. The tubular portion b loosely encircles the pin 1' between its terminal supports and rests on the knife-edge t", which lies lengthwise in the groove of seat-pin i.

In Fig. 14 a bearing is illustrated in which the seat-pin i and knife-edge 1'', although having a more complicated form, possesses some advantages over the one heretofore described. In this bearing the knife-edge is provided with a much broader base by the curved ribs projecting from either side of the sectoral part, and, the seat-pin 11 has the portion below its horizontal diameter corresponding in size to the tubular portion f and the portion above this diameter smaller, thus providing room for the curved ribs between the upper part of the pin and the tubular portion of the bearing. With this construction the radii of the knife-edge and seat-pin can be made equal and to nicely fit the tubular part of the bearing, and the larger base of the knife-edge restrains it more securely to its proper position in the tubular part.

In the bearings connecting the springs to the side bars above described the knife-edge seats face upward and are evidently more likely to retain grit than those in the bearings connecting the springs and body when the grooves in pins 2' face downward.

In Fig. 15 a bearing is shown having the seat for the knife-edge provided on the knifeedge pin 1" and the knife-edge projecting from the seat-pin 2'. The seat for the knifeedge can thus be made to face downward in the bearings connecting the springs and side bars.

In the operation of these bearings the oscillating motion of the parts due to any ordinary working of the spring is effected by the knife-edge pin t" rocking on the, seat-pin 2', and any angular motion exceeding the amount thus provided for is permitted by the tubular part turning on the knife-edge pin as it would on the ordinary joint-pin. This unlimited angular motion would not, of course, be permitted were the tubular parts and knife-edge restrained to their proper positions by being rigidly connected together.

The difference in the curvature of the side bars of the various manufacturers makes it desirable that means should be provided for adjusting the bearings connecting the springarms and side bars into alignment. I attain this end by interposin g the adjusting-blocks 12*, Figs. 4 and 12, having a curved lower surface, between the side bars D and hanger b the upper surface of the latter being curved to fit the curvature of block 11 as shown in Figs. 4 and 12. By altering the position of the adjusting-blocks b lengthwise of the side bar and relatively to the hanger 6 said hanger will be tipped either forward or backward, as may be desired, and when in the right position the hanger and block are firmly bolted to the side bar by the clip D.

Hangers b are provided with stops b, which project from their ends into the paths ofthe swinging shackles b and restrain these I shackles from swinging outward far enough to permit the body to strike the side bars.

The springs to which my improvements are shown to be applied are fully described in my application, Serial No. 249,857, filed September 16, 1887, and consist briefly of elastic metallic rods bent so as to form the supporting-arms Z), the side torsional branches at, the semicircular parts a under the middle of the body, and the central torsional branches 6 e. Arms 1) extending transversely of and under the body have their outer ends pivotally connected to the side bars, as heretofore described. The side torsional branches at leading from these arms are pivotally connected to the bottom of the body near said arms by hangers c o, and to the central part of the body by boxes 0 and clamps d, which latter securely bind together the semicircular parts a of the front and rear springs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The adjoining ends of the central torsional branches 6 e and semicircular parts a have their faces properly formed to act as teeth of spur-gears, and the spring-rods are formed and. arranged so that these parts overlap and engage with each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. By this arrangement the angular motion of the semicircular ,parts a are restrained to equality and each of the central torsional branches to support alike all parts of. the body.

The bearings which connect my spring to the central part of the body consist of box 0 a sectional view of which is shown in Fig. 3. This box is provided with an open side, toward which two bearing-surfaces provided within said box diverge. The lower one of these surfaces 0 is an integral part of the box, but the upper one, which is movable; is formed by the 'lower face of the wedgeshaped block 9, which is arranged to slide on ways g, attached to or integral with the box, as shown in Fig. 3. A set-screw ciextending through the side of the. box opposite to its open side, is adapted to screw against the block g and force it along ways g toward the open side of the box. Between the diverging surfaces thus formed a flexible lining 9 preferably of leather, is inserted. The par-- tially-cylindrical end of clamp d is arranged Within the box and between this flexible lining. As the lining becomes worn the slack can be taken up by screwing the set-screw farther into the box. and thus forcing the block g nearer the lower bearing-surface. When the springs are worked, the angular motion of the semicircular parts imparts a vertical vibratory motion to the adjoining ends of the central torsional branchese c. It is desirable that the opposite ends of these branches 6 6' should be relieved of this motion, so that they may be attached closely to the bottom of the body. To attain this end,

the branches 6 e 'extend from the semicircular parts a obliquely toward, or nearly toward, and to their respective axes of motion in the bearings connecting the springs with the body. The central branches 6 6, extending divergingly backward, have their rear ends restrained from turning by being integrally joined together by the connecting part c, and are restrained from vibrating by clip 6 attaching the connecting part c to the body, as shown in Fig. l.

The vertical flexibility of my spring is adjusted by throwing one or both of the re-enforcing torsional branches 6 into or out of supporting action. For doing this I have provided the following mechanism: The free ends of the re-enforcing branches are pivotally connected to the forward end of the body-bottom by hangers 6 6 an enlarged sectional view of which is shown in Fig. 13, and are provided with integrally-connected arms 6, extending toward the longitudinal central line of the body-bottom. Adjustingbolts m, which extend through the forward sill G of the body, are supported by the adjusting-nuts p, which receive their upper threaded ends and rest. on the sill G between the foot-rest u and front board of the body. The lower portions of these bolts are made square and pass through square holes in plate 0 to restrain them from turning, and their lower ends are provided with hooks which project into the paths of the free ends of arms 9 as they turn about their pivotal connections 6 e Adjusting-nuts p are restrained from raising off the sill by spring 3, Figs. 5 and 11,of which the opposite ends extend into the circumferential grooves in the lower ends of nuts 1), and the intermediate portion bears against the box m, which incloses it and the lower ends of nuts 19, and is securely bolted to sill G. lVhen the adjusting-bolts m are screwed down, the hooks on their lower ends are removed out of the way of the ends of, arm 6 and the re-enforcing branches e can turn freely as the spring is depressed, and the body and its load are then supported wholly by the rear central branches 6, and the spring has its maximum flexibility. lVith one adjusting-bolt m screwed down and the other up,as shown bythe dotted lines in Fig. 2, one re-euforcing branch 6 is restrained from turning at its forward end, While the other is permitted to turn. The stiffness of the spring is thus re-enforced, and the load is supported by three central torsional branches and the spring yields its medium flexibility. \Yith both adj Listing-bolts screwed upthe stiffness of the spring is still further increased by both re-enforcing branches being restrained from turning. The load is then supported by all four central branches e e, and the spring has its maximum stiffness. Thus by simply turning the adjusting-nuts p the catches on bolts m can be removed from, as much as desired, the paths of the free ends of arms 6 as they turn in the bearings e a and the flexibility of the spring adjusted to suit the load. The peculiar position of the adjusting-nuts is such that they can be conveniently operated by a person either in or out of the vehicle, and are at the same time entirely out of the way, being protected by the foot-rest u from the feet of the occupants of the vehicle. By restrainin g the central torsional branches in the manner heretofore described to support all parts of the body alike, and from yielding any flexibility to the bodies tipping either sidewise or endwise, the vertical flexibility alone is increased by releasing one or more of the re-enforcing branches 6', and that is increased uniformly under all parts of the body.

The elastic rods forming my springs have rectangular forms throughout the parts subjected mainly to strains due to flexion, consisting of the supporting-arms and the various parts connecting the torsional branches; but these latter, being subjected mainly to strains due to torsion, are given a form designed to be well adapted to these particular strains and at the same time to differ from the original rectangular forms in such a manner that the change can be readily made under the rolls or hammer. In these torsional branches the rectangular rods are divided into two heavy parts M, Fig. 9, by a longitudinal groove in the middle of the wider sides. These grooves may extend entirely through the rods, as shown in the top cross-section of Fig. 10, or be of such a depth as to leave a thin web connecting the heavy parts a as shown in the lower cross-secti0ns. This latter is an easier form to make, and the web restrains the parts a to the same relative positions while the rods are being tempered, while it is so thin that it interferes very little with the independent action of the heavy parts as torsion-rods. For economic reasons the heavy parts are given a quite or nearly circular form. A cross-section of increased resilience may thus be obtained having approximately the same strength to resist torsional strains as the rectangular supportingarms have to resist transverse strains. The tubular portions of the knife-edge bearings connecting the springs with the body have two arms 0 extending from them adapted to press either side of the spring-rod a, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

To adapt thearms c to grasp the rod a firmly, their inner surfaces are made the one with a sharper and the other with the same or sharper curvature than the respective faces of the bar they are to bear against. In the present case, where the rods a have plane faces, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the inner surface of the one arm may be straight or plane and the other curved toward the rod, as shown. lVh'en the arms thus formed are forcibly drawn together by the bolt 0, the bar is grasped at its edges on one side and at or near its middle on the other in a very secure manner. In the present case the bearin g receives a downward pressure. Therefore the upper arm should be the one adapted to bear against the edges of the bar.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a side-bar wagon, the combination, with the side bars and spring-hangers attached thereto, of an adjusting-block provided with a curved or angular face, said hanger having its upper end adapted to bear against the curved or angular side of said block, and the adj usting-block arranged between the side bar and hanger,- whereby the axis of the spring-hanger can be tipped either way by moving the adjusting-block endwise relatively to the hanger, substantially as described. p

2..A vehicle-spring bearing consisting of a seat-pin supported at its ends, a tubular portion surrounding the seat-pin between its supports, and a knife-edge pin extending lengthwise within said tubular portion and adapted to rock on said seat-pin, substantially as described.

3. A vehicle-spring bearing consisting of a grooved seat-pin having its ends supported in the arms of a hanger, a tubular portion surrounding the seat-pin between said arms, and a knife-edge pin arranged lengthwise within 'said tubular portion and adapted to rock on its edge in the groove of the seat-pin, said seat-pin being restrained from moving in its supports by 'a screw extending into its groove, and having its threads engaged partly with the seat-pin and partly with the supportinghanger, substantially as described.

4. A vehicle-spring consisting of supporting-arms and torsional rods formed from continuous pieces of metal, the cross-sections of the arms being substantially rectangular, and the cross-sections of the torsional rods being similar to the figure 8 and formed by longitudinal groove extending along the middle of its wider sides, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a vehicle-spring consisting of supporting-arms, side torsional branches extending from said arms, central torsionalbranches rigidly connected with said side branches, the central torsional branches extending from said connections with the side branches obliquely toward or obliquely nearly toward and to their respective axes of motion in the bearings connecting the springs with the body, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a vehicle-spring consisting of su pporting-arms, torsional branches rigidly connected thereto, means for restraining said torsional branches to equal angular motion under the middle of the body, torsional rods connected rigidly with said torsional branches at one end and provided with transverselyextending arms and pivotally connected to the body at the other end, and means for throwing said arms into and out of restraint against of a vehicle-spring a re-enforcing torsional rod having one end securely attached to said spring, so as to be restrained to turn as the body is depressed and the other end pivotally connected to the body and provided with a transversely-extending arm, in combination with a bolt extending through the body-bottom and provided with a hook at its lower end adapted to extend into the path of the free end of said arm as it turns about its pivotal connection and having a nut screwed on its upper end, whereby said bolt can be raised and made to restrain said rod from turning, or lowered so that the hook on its lower end shall be removed out of the way of said arm, and thus allow said re-enforcing rod to turn freely as the body is depressed, substantially as described.

9. A vehicle-spring consisting of supporting-arms and torsion-rods, the cross-section of said rods consisting of two large portions a connected by a thin web, substantially as described.

10. A bearing for a vehicle-spring, consisting of a box provided with two diverging in ner surfaces, in combination with arm d,having a partially-cylindrical end arranged between and against said bearing-surfaces, su bstantially as described.

11. A bearing for vehicle-springs, consisting of a box having two diverging inner surfaces, in combination with a flexible lining inserted within said box against said surfaces and adapted to receivefbetween its adjacent faces the -partially-cylindrical end of clamp (1, substantially as described.

12. A vehicle-sprin g bearing consisting of a box provided with a fixed bearing-surface, in combination with a wedged-shaped block arranged to slide against ways fixed to said box, so that one of its faces which forms a movable bearing-surface extends opposite to said fixed bearing-surface, andra screw passing through one side of said box and'screwing against said wedged-shaped block in the direction to move said surfaces nearer together, substantially as described.

EVERETT F. MORSE.

Witnesses:

SANFORD C. CONDE, CHAUNCY P. GRUGG.

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