Improvements in Buffers for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1887
Complete Left, 13th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
Improvements in Buffers for Railway Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM BOUCHER, Bulls Pill, near Newnham, in the County of Gloucester,
Railway Wagon Builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a rectangular or round buffer, which may
be used instead of the ordinary spring buffer, or affixed to the dead or block buffer
now generally used on coal and mineral wagons.
The case of the buffer is made of iron or other suitable material by casting or
welding. It is fitted over and attached to the block buffer, or secured to the head-
stock of the wagon through arms extending outwards, which are either cast in one
piece with the case, or welded on to it. A solid back may be made to the case, or a
foose plate may be inserted within the case to rest against the block buffer or
headstock.
The plunger is made of similar material to the case, and consists of a shaft and
head made in the usual way. It is attached to the back of the case or to the loose
plate within the case. When the plunger is round it is advisable to screw the
back plate into it and to attach the shaft to the vehicle. In this case the shaft passes
through the back plate. The spring of the plunger is in preference contained in an
inner chamber within the plunger.

page_text: I, WILLIAM BOUCHER of Bulls Pill, near Newnham in the County of Gloucester,
Railway Wagon Builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to construct a buffer which shall carry its cushioning
springs within itself and shall be altogether independent of the vehicle to which it
may afterwards be attached. The said buffer may be made either round, square,
rectangular oval, or of any other suitable shape and may be attached to any vehicle
or placed over the end of a stationary dead or block buffer as required.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figs. 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved buffer.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan through y, y, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a sectional plan of the box E (Fig. 1)
And Figs. 4-11 shew modifications of my invention.
I will first describe the invention with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 in which it is
shewn as designed to be placed over the stationary dead or block buffer.
The plunger A is provided with a shaft B which is screwed therein and fastened
by means of a nut or cotter G (Fig. 1). The back of the said plunger A is recesso l'
and works into the socket D.
The springs C cushion on to the back of the plunger A and also on to the bottom
plate of the socket D. The shaft B, slides in and out of the two or four sided box E
which is intended to be affixed in any convenient manner to the stationary dead or
block buffer.
•
Figs. 4 to 7 shew a modification of the invention as designed to be placed over the
stationary dead or block buffer the essential parts are similar to those described and
illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the only difference in detail being that the shaft B is
embedded in any convenient way into the head of the plunger A, and suitably
adjusted by means of the nut or cotter F behind the back plate of the socket D as
shewn in Figs. 4 and 6.
In Figs. 8 to 11 is shewn a modification of the invention as designed to be attached
to a vehicle. The essential parts are similar to those already described and illustrated
the only difference in detail being that the shaft B passes through the back end of
-the plunger, the said back end being secured to the plunger in any convenient
manner and the said plunger working over the shaft (see Fig. 8).
If the back plate K and the flanges L and M are removed from the invention as
shewn in Figs. 8 to 11 the buffer could be placed over a stationary dead or block
buffer. By removing the square box E, fig. 1, the invention as described and illustrated
in Figs. 1 to 3, could be attached to the head stock or buffer beam of a vehicle.

page_text: And, if the extending arms of the socket D as shewn in Figs. 4 and 6 were removed,
the invention as described and illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 could be attached to the
head stock or buffer beam by angle irons or in any other suitable manner.
will be seen that the modifications are interchangeable.
So that it
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
The construction of a buffer of any suitable shape, carrying its cushioning springs
within itself to be interchangeable so that it can be placed over the end of a stationary
dead or block buffer, or attached to the head-stock or buffer beam of a vehicle,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in the
drawings.