USRE9975E - Vehicle-spring - Google Patents

Description

2 SheetS-Sh'et 1.

G; E. HARRIS.

VEHICLE SPRING.-

Reissued Dec. 20 1881.

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EHICLE SPRING.

Reissued Dec. 20 1881 WI TJV'ESSES mVEwoR .dttarneys UNITED STATES PATENT -Oriucnu GEORGE E. HARRIS, OF LAWRENCEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 9,975, dated December 20, 1881.

Original No. 234,403, dated November 16, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HARRIS, of Lawrenceville, in the county of Tioga and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part .of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of vehicles in which the body is supported upon side springs, secured at their extremities to end springs mounted upon and secured to the front and hind axles, and has for its object to provide improved means for supporting said body, bracing the springs, and preventing noise and rattling of parts.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the parts to which my improvements relate. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and S are detail views.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like letters of reference.

E E are the side springs, which are connected with the end springs, l) D, by means of eyes or thimbles c c, fitting over the rounded ends or spindles of the latter and secured thereon by nuts or pins. Attached to said side springs, near their middle portions, are iron body-supports G G, with which the body is connected, it being secured to wooden bars or blocks H H, placed transversely and secured to said supports. The bars or body-supports G G are connected with the side springs by means of shackles or yokes.

To the ends of the transverse bars H are secured depending brackets 1, formed at their lower ends with thimbles 122, within which are placed perforated blocks a, of rubber or similar elastic packing material, ofsufiicientlength to project at each end.

A transverse bar, K, mounted between the thimbles, is held by means ofthreaded bolts 0, passing through the packing-blocks and into the ends of the bar. Between the heads of the bolts and the packing-blocks n are placed washers 19. Upon screwing up the bolts 0 a projecting rim of packing material will be Application for reissue filed November 7, 1881.

at the heads of the bolts, completely isolating said thimbles from contact with either metal or Wood surfaces.

Thehind spring, D, is firmly bolted or clipped to the hind axle at a a, and the front spring, D, at e c, to the block or plate 0, (shown in Fig. 4,) composing the head-block or upper part of the fifth-wheel.

Firmly connected with the bar K by means of clips are steel braces L L, extending backward, and secured rigidly to the rear axle, B, at their hind end's. A similar brace, L, is extended forward to the front axle. These braces serve as a reach.

Braces L L, which, as also brace L, maybe flat, round, or of other suitable shape, are firmly connected by their bolts or clips with the rear axle, B, at points below the ends of spring D, and with the bar K at points intermediate to its middle and ends.

Brace L, which. may consist either of one bar connected with the middle of the transverse bar K oroftwo bars connected at different points, and extended forward in V-shape, cxtends forward under the central portion of the front axle, A, to which it is secured by the king-bolt O passing through it and the yoke N, which extends over the top of the front spring, D, and has depending arms passing through holes in brace L in front and rear of the front axle. Nuts on the arms of the yoke above and below the brace L firmly secure the latter.

The brackets I, secured to the bars H, extend downward from the centers of springs E E to substantially the same distance below them as exists between the ends of the side springs and the rear. ends of braces L L and the forward end of brace L. Consequently the braces follow a line substantially parallel with the line of curve of the side springs. By this construction I provide an effective connection, capable of holding the front and rear axles and end springs in proper vertical position, and of preventing the springs from unequally settling under aload.

The braces yield to accommodate any elongation of springs E E caused by straightening out when supporting a load, for, being bent to substantially the same extent as springs E E, and connected rigidly at their inner ends to the middle portions of the springs, so that they are depressed at that point and straightened out correspondingly with the springs, the braces straighten and bend to the same degree as the springs. By this means the proper vertical position and parallelism ofthe front and rear axles and end springs are maintained, and an elastic or yielding movement is permitted in the axles and end springs. An easy-going vehicleis thereby provided, joltin g and jarring, caused by passing over irregularities in the road, being obviated. The springs yield when the vehicle strikes a stone or the side of a rut, and thereby the wheels,in stead of sh akin g and jarring the vehicle by striking rigidly, are drawn or pulled gradually over or out without shock. There is no play between the ends of the braces and the barK or axles, the connections being made perfectly rigid. This'does not interfere, however, with the necessary yielding movements of the side springs, for the resiliency of the braces readily accommodates the movements of the springs. In this respect I believe my construction presents features of advantage over all similar existing arrangements.

In all the constructions of carriage runninggear with which I am familiar having coupling-braces connected with the axles and side springs the braces are attached by hinge or pivot joints to the other parts. This is open to several objections-among others, liability to Wear and rattle and danger of breakage. These I seek to remove.

To still further provide for securing a sidespring conveyance which shall be exemptfrom 'IllB rumbling and roaring sounds so troublesome in vehicles, I secure against any looseness or rattling of cross-bar K and arms I by means of the thimbles m and packing-blocks n, having their cushioning ends projecting from the thimbles, as previously described. The rubber or other packing, being a non-conductor of sound, will absorb the vibrations of the wheels and lower parts of the-gearin g, and thereby prevent them from reaching the body. Troublesome rumbling and rearing, very frequently experienced, due to the soundingboard-like action of the body, are thereby prevented. By permitting no actual contact of metallic or hard surfaces wear of parts and noise due to their vibration and contact are also prevented. I

The fifth-wheel is composed of a lower plate, 0, (shown in Fig. 5,) secured to the front axle, and an upper plate or block, 0, attached to the front spring, I). Part C is formed with suitable bearing-surfaces for the upper plate, and has a vertical perforated stud or nipple, 72., which is adapted to project upward through a hole, i, in plate 0, and thus serves as a pivot forthe latter. The king-bolt 0 passes through the nipple h and is relieved of all strain.

To provide a connection for the ends of the side and end springs that will fit tightly in use and not become loose by wear, I construct the eyes or thimbles on the ends of the side springs with enlarged apertures of an elliptical torm. Within the aperture'ot' each thimble, and in the upper portion thereof, I place a concave block or plate of metal, a, whose face, in connection with the lower portion of the thimble, forms a circular bearing for the spindle at the extremity of the end spring.

Upwardly-projecting ears d of the bearingplates are received in grooves cin the ends of the thimble, and maintain the bearingplates in position. Above the bearing-plate is a packingblock, b, the expansion of which presses the plate downward firmly upon the spindle of the end spring, holding the same tightly and forming a tight bearing not liable to rattle. The compression of the packingbloek when the wagon receives its load, although slight, gives an easy yielding movement, while the expansibility of the packing keeps the bearing-plate closely pressed against the spindle at all times, and compensates for any wear. Elastic washers w are placed on each side of the thimble, and the whole is tightened up by means of the nut e. The elastic washers and packing in this case also perform the function of absorbing vibrations and noise.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a vehicle running-gear having the side springs and end springs arranged substantially as described, the braces L L and L, connected rigidly to the front and rear axles and to the central transverse equalizing-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vehicle running-gear, the side springs having depending brackets I, supporting the transverse equalizing-bar K, the end springs connected to the side springs and supported upon the axles, and the braces L L L, rigidly connected to the equalizing-bar and axles, substantially as set forth.

3. In a vehicle runninggear, the reach formed by elastic braces rigidly connected to the axles and to a central transverse equalizing-bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with axles A B, end springs, D D, and side springs, E E, of supportsG, bars H, brackets I, equalizing-bar K, and braces L L and L, substantially as described.

5. The thimblesm, having perforated packin g-blocks projecting at each end of said thimbles, so as to form elastic cushions between the said thimbles and the ends of the equalizing-bar and heads of the securing-bolts, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the axles and side springs connected thereto, of the brackets depending from the middle of said springs, the equalizing-bar supported thereby, and the front and rear braces having rigid connections with the axles and equalizing-bar, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. The side springs having elliptical eyes or apertures provided with concave blocks or In testimony that I claim the foregoing I plates, and packing cushions to form bearings have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of for the spindles of the end springs, substan- October, 1881. tially as set forth.

5 8. The side springs having thirnbles pro- GEORGE E. HARRIS.

vided with grooves o and elliptical apertures, concave bearing-plate a, having ears d, and Witnesses:

packing-cushions to form bearings for the spin- J. R. LITTELL, dies of the end springs, substantially as de- C. K. ALLEN. IO scribed. Y

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