US375411A - Vehicle-spring - Google Patents

Description

('No Model.)

A. .'000PER.

VEHICLE SPRING.

Patented Dec. 27, 1887 w tfnesses.

N. PEYQR; Pholwlimc m har. Washington, D. c.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

ALFRED J. COOPER, OF DURYEA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHl CLE-SPRlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,411, dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed July 2 8, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. COOPER, of Duryea, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs; and I do hereby declare the following-to be a full, elear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures andletters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates particularly to that class of carriages popularly known as side-bar or backboard carriagessuch, for instance, as shown in my prior patent, No. 351,581, dated October 26, 1886; and the said invention consists in certain details of const-ruction and novel improvements on the device shown in the aforesaid patent, whereby the costof manufacture is reduced, the adj ustment rendered easier and more efficient, and the vehicle caused to ride over obstructions more evenly and comfortably, all as will be hereinafter described, arid pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a carriage, showing the spring constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the rod upon which the body pivots with its connections. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the connection between the central spring and front bolster or rear axle. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of a modification.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A indicates the body of the carriage; B B, the side bars, and G the bar or rod extending from the center of one side bar to the center of the other, and upon which the body pivots. In my previously-patented device this bar 0 was fastened rigidly to the cured to the side bars.

body and took its hearings in metal clips se- In the present instance I prefer' to make the cross-rod fast to the side bars, and locate the hearings on the under side of the carriage-body, as will now be described. The bar or rod is preferably manufactured in two parts, one end, 0, of each section being flat and with a screw-thread, (2, formed adjacent thereto. Clips D, having screwthreads therein corresponding to the threads on the rods, are now screwed .on them and the two sections of the rod welded together. This construction, it will be seen, permits the clips D on the screw-threaded portions cl to be located such a distance apart as to fit under the sills or frame-work of the body at a point most favorable for hearing the load, no matter what the width of the body may be, all as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The flattened ends of the rod have suitable holes therein for the accommodation of the ends of the clips E, which pass over and around the side bars at approximately their centers, it being necessary to employ but'one of these clips on each side.

Below the center of the body is a spring or springs, G,secured thereto, preferably through the medium of a short spring or springs, g,

which take their hearings on cross-pieces f, running from-side to side of the body, although it is perfectly obvious that, if desired, any other suitable connection may be interposed between the spring G and body, or the spring may be connected directly thereto.

The ends of the spring are connected, one

to the front bolster and the other to the rear axle, as follows: Suitable clips, H, are located, one on said bolster, the other on the rear axle, and hinged'to these clips,preferably by a yokeandlug connection similar to those in my prior patent, are screw-threaded rods I, over which are adapted to fit loose sleeves or collars K, secured .to the ends of the spring G. Now, in order to secure these loose sleeves adjustably to the rods I, nuts k are located above and below them, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The ends of the sleeves are preferably recessed conically, and the nuts are, preferably, conical nuts, so as to prevent the sleeve resting on the screw-threads, as well as to take up all wear and prevent the device from rat tling.

In-Figs. 4t and 5 is illustrated a modification of the side bar and connections, in which it will be seen that the rod 0 is securely fastened to the body, as in my former patent, and

has its ends screw-threaded and inserted in From the above description it will be seen that the body is pivoted at the center on the rod 0, the bearings of which are screw-threaded, thus doing away with all nuts, and, on account of the very little friction and motion at this point, forming a much tighter and better bearing, less liable to rattle, and at the same time holding the parts firmly in position.

The carriage-body, by being pivoted in the center and held from tilting either forward or backward by the spring beneath the same, is maintained level, or comparativelylevel,even

. though one or both the front or hind wheels be suddenly raised or depressed, as in passing over a stone or into a rut, which could not be the case were the body connected to the side bars at two or more points, as in that case the body would partake of their motion.

The devices for adjusting the tension of the spring independently at eitherend enable the level or inclination of the body to be adjusted to suit the convenience of the user, and should either end of the spring sag for any cause it may be readily compensated for. It will also be observed that I do away entirely with the swivel on the connecting-rod, and that I employ but a single clip to secure the cross-rod to the side bars, thus obtaining the full spring of the latter.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the side bars of a carriage or wagon, of a rod connecting said side bars at the center, the ends of the rod be ing secured fixedly to the side bars, the body pivoting in bearings upon said rod, so as to be supported by the side bars, and the spring for holding the body in upright position, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the two side bars, of a rod for connecting them together at approximately the center upon which the body pivots, the bearings for said body being screwthreaded, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the two side bars and rod connecting them rigidly together at approximately the center, of screw-threaded bearings on said rod, intermediate the side bars upon which the body pivots, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the body pivoted to the side bars, of the central spring secured to the body, the sleeve on the spring fitting over the screw-threaded rods on the front bolster and rear axle, and independent nuts on said rods for adjusting the position of the sleeve therein, and the level or inclination of the body, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the side bars, the body pivoted at or near the middleto the side bars, of the spring secured to the body, the sleeves on said spring fitting loosely over the rods on the front bolster and rear axle, having recesses in their ends, and nuts having projections for fitting said recesses in the sleeves for adjusting the position of the sleeves and the inclination of the body, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the body, of the metal spring side bars having screw-threaded bearings thereon in which the body pivots, and a spring for holding the body in upright position, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the pivoted body and the central spring, of the sleeves on said spring having conical recesses in their ends, and the conical nuts fitting said recesses for adjusting the position of the sleeves and taking up wear, substantially as described.

ALFRED J. COOPER.

\Vitnesses:

A. S. STEUART, CHAS. R. BURR.

Images