The spring acts as two things....
it is a wick to carry and drip your waxes back down to coil... and when you draw it forms a tube of the melting wax that helps direct the hit.
My spring stays in place held by a flat plate and a ceramic filter (
NOT the ceramic filter that was hoped wpould help vape weed in this device)
The plate I mentioned is on the end of the screen.
Note:
The sring and the ceramic plug that people remove for a better hit, is there as a spill guard, so that all of your fluids do not run into the mouthpiece...
...if you turn your back for a second, while a friend is doing a hit...
..and you forgot to watch for him to not hold the unit "Groucho Style" (like a cigar)