IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS AND DRAW AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Horner and Richard Bagley, both of Sheffield,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS
AND DRAW AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Horner and Richard
Bagley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 12th March 1856.
We, HENRY HORNER and RICHARD BAGLEY, both of Sheffield, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUFFERS AND DRAW AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES,
to be as follows:-
It consists of a compound helical or spiral and conical metallic spring, made
of round, flat, or oval steel, or other metallic substance, and is formed by
twisting one end of the said round, flat, or oval steel into a parallel spiral;
returning the other end back inside into a cone. This compound spring is
placed in a metallic cylindrical case in which works freely a hollow piston,
which piston first comes in contact with the spiral end, and when partly
compressed, the conical end is brought into action and forms a resisting
medium. Full Drawings will accompany complete Specification.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Horner and Richard Bagley in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
HORNER and RICHARD BAGLEY, both of Sheffield, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year. of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the cighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Henry Horner and Richard Bagley, Her special licence that we, the said
Henry Horner and Richard Bagley, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Henry Horner and Richard Bagley, our exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS AND DRAW AND
BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES, upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Henry Horner and Richard Bagley, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Horner and Richard Bagley,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement
Our Invention consists in buffer, draw, and bearing springs; for railway and
other purposes, which Invention will prevent injury to passengers and property,.
and also prove valuable in protecting railway carriages, trucks, and engines
from sudden concussion, to which they are so much exposed. This great object
is effected in a more economical, convenient, and effective manner than has
hitherto been accomplished, as follows, viz, by means of a compound helical or
spiral and conical metallic spring made of round, square, flat, or oval steel, or
other metallic substance, and is formed by twisting or coiling one end of the
said round, square, flat, or oval steel, into a parallel spiral, returning the other

page_text: end back inside to a conical or helical form, to any distances circumstances
may require, which said compound or double spring is placed into a metallic
cylindrical case or box, in which works freely (after the form of a telescope) a
compound or double hollow plunger or ram, the outer and longer coils of tho
said spring filling the whole length of the box and plunger, the inner and
shorter coil of the said spring only occupying part of the space between the
end of the inner plunger, and bottom of the metal box or case.
In order more fully to explain this, reference is required to the Drawings
annexed, showing how they may be applied as buffers on railway engines,
carriages, or trucks. Fig. 1 represents the buffer complete, ready to be fixed
on the buffer plank. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the buffer, showing the
compound spring and plunger, with the bolt and cotter for holding the same
together.
No. 1 is the metal buffer, box, or case; Nos. 2 & 3 is the metal compound
ram and plunger; No. 4 is the wood buffer head, fastened on ram by rivets or
screws; Nos. 5 & 6 is the compound steel spring; No. 7, the bolt and cotter.
The action of the buffer is as follows:-When the plunger or ram is forced into
the metal box the outer portion of the compound spring 5 will, in the first
instance, be the resisting medium, as that takes its bearing directly under the
plunger head 4 and the bottom of the box 1; but if the plunger is forced
further into the box the coils of the outer spring are closed, and the inner
plunger 3 comes into contact with the inner spring. 6, which forms a most
powerful resisting medium.
The advantages of this Invention will be obvious to the most cursory
observer. Firstly, by the compound spring and plunger, we secure a very
easy and gentle resisting medium for slight shocks; secondly, we get tre-
mendous power, gradually brought to bear, in cases of severe shocks;
thirdly, a larger compass or motion is attained than by the ordinary buffer;
and, fourthly, we secure durability, as the spring is placed directly behind
the plunger head, by which means the sides of the plunger are relieved from
any strain and only have to guide the ram into the box, and when driven right
home serves as a cover or protection to the spring, and does not strike the
spring as is the case when the spring works at the end of a solid plunger. It
will also be seen that this compound spring, or two springs in one, in connection
with the compound or double ram is applicable and can be used to great
advantage for many other purposes for which springs are used.
(Not herein specially named, and for most purposes.)
What we claim as our Invention is the compound or double spring, two
springs in one, one coiled inside the other, also the compound or double plunger

page_text: as shewn and described, but we wish it to be particularly understood that we
do not confine, ourselves to any particular or precise length, breadth, strength;
or thickness of spring or other part or parts, neither is it intended that the
inner. spring should necessarily be shorter or lower than the outer one, as they
may both be: the same length or the inner one may be longer, or stand in
advance of the outer onc.
Having now described and. particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner. in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the precise materials, details, or arrangements, which we have had
occasion to describe or refer to; as many variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of our said Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Horner and Richard Bagley,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
HENRY HORNER.
(L.S.)
RICHARD BAGLEY. (L.S.)
HENRY HORNER.
(L.S.)
RICHARD BAGLEY. (LS.)