Improvements in Buffers for Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffers for Vessels.
I, JOHAN CIOCKI, a citizen of the United States, residing at 126 East
3rd Street, in the City, County and State of New York, U.S.A. Mechanic, 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 :-
This invention relates to buffers for vessels, and the object thereof, is to provide
devices of this class, which are adapted to be connected with or secured to the
bow of a vessel, and to serve as buffers to prevent the injury which would other-
wise be occasioned, to another vessel in case of a collision.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which ;-
Fig. 1, is a central longitudinal section of my improved buffer ;
Figs. 2 and 3, are plan view of packing rings which I employ, in connection
therewith; and
Fig. 4, a plan view of my device attached to or connected with the bow of a
vessel.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, A, represents the bow of a
vessel, and in practice, I secure thereto, a buffer, a part of which consists of a tube
or cylinder B, which is, closed at the inner end, and provided with two plates, b,
which are arranged in the form of a triangle, and are adapted to fit the bow of
the vessel, as shown in Fig. 4, and said plates are provided with copper packing 62;
on the inner sides thereof, and formed in said plates are transversed slots or
openings, 63, through which bolts or screws are passed, in securing the devices to
the vessel, and these openings 6 3, are oblong in form so as to provide for a slight.
movement thereof.
The tube or cylinder B, is provided at the inner end thereof, with an opening C,
in which is placed a screw threaded plug D, to the outer end of which is secured;
in practice, a cap d, provided with a pin which passes therethrough and through a
central bore d 2, in the plug D, and at the inner end of which is a button or
valve E, and between said button or valve E, and the end of the plug D, is a spiral
spring H.
Secured to the outer end of the tube or cylinder B, is a cap G, which may be
secured to said tube in any desired manner, and passing through said cap is a
shaft K, and placed around said shaft directly inside of the cap G, is a divided
packing ring k, which is composed of soft copper and which is adapted to rest in
an annular groove k 2, formed in the outer end of the tube or cylinder B.
The outer end of the shaft K, is provided with a head L, and mounted thereon,
adjacent to said head is a washer or bushing M, composed of soft copper, and the
outer side of said head is provided with an annular chamber, in which is placed a
copper bushing or buffer head O, which is also composed of soft copper, and'
which is designed to come in contact with the vessel struck, if a collision should
occur.
Within the tube or cylinder B, is mounted a packing ring P, which is made of
brass, and which is composed of two similar parts as shown in Fig. 2, and the
separate sections thereof, are connected by means of a spiral spring P 2, which is
adapted to press. the separate sections of said ring outwardly, and said spiral
spring is enclosed in the tube P 3, which is of substantially the same length

page_text: thereof.
as the smaller diameter of said ring, but which is not connected with either side
Mounted within the ring P, is a supplemental packing ring R, which is also
composed of two equal parts, as shown in Fig. 3, and constructed of brass, and the
separate sections thereof, are united by a spiral spring R 2, which is enclosed by a
tube R 3, which is also not connected with either part of said ring.
On referring to Fig. 1, of the drawing, it will be seen that the outer ring P, is
wider or deeper than the inner ring R, and that the end of the shaft K, extends
into the ring P, and is connected therewith by projections or shoulders S, which
are formed thereon, and which are adapted to enter corresponding notches or
recesses formed in the ring P, and the ring R, is provided with corresponding
shoulders or projections T, which are adapted to enter corresponding notches or
recesses formed in the ring P, and by means of this construction, when the
shaft K, is driven inward, the packing rings P, and R, are also forced inward, and
said packing rings are expanded by means of the air within the tube or cylinder B,
and in case of a collision, the buffer head O, and the end of the shaft K, will first
receive the force of the blow, and the shaft K, will be driven inward, and the
force of said blow will thus be broken and will be taken up by the air cushion
formed within the tube.
It will be apparent that any desired number of these buffers may be connected
with the bow of a vessel, and the operation will be readily understood from the
foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.
If a vessel provided with my improved buffer should come in collision with or
strike another vessel, the force of the blow would be received by the buffer head
or bushing O, at the end of the shaft K, and said shaft would be driven inward
into the tube or cylinder, B, and would thus yield' so that the force of the blow
would not be sufficient to create or produce any material injury to the vessel struck,
and in this operation, a slight amount of the air would be driven from the tube or
cylinder B, through the central bore in the plug D, and this tube may be kept full
of air at all times or refilled with air under pressure by means of an air pump, if
the same should become necessary, or in any desired manner, and the plug D, may
be provided with an air valve of any desired form or construction, and one which
will operate to admit air under atmospheric pressure, to the tube or cylinder B,
but which will close so as to prevent air from being forced from said tube, and thus
a natural air cushion would be provided within said tube at all times.
It is evident that changes in, and modifications of this construction may be made
without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages,
and I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes in and modifications of
said construction, as fairly come within the scope of the invention.
It will be observed that the divided packing rings P and R, are connected with
the shaft K, so as to be forced inwardly thereby, but said rings, are expanded by
the air within the cylinder or tube B, and thus caused to form a close fit and
perfect packing, and the pressure of the inner ring upon the end of the shaft K, will
be such as to prevent any considerable amount of air from passing above said ring,
and means may be provided for the escape of any air that should by any possibility
pass through said rings and enter the outer part of the tube or cylinder B.
Having, now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. 1. declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A vessel provided with a buffer connected with the bow thereof, and which is
adapted to receive the force of a blow occasioned by a collision, said buffer being
composed of a tube which is connected with the bow of the vessel at one end, and
which is closed by a cap at the other, through which passes a shaft the inner end
of which is provided with two packing rings, one of which is enclosed within the
other, and each of which is composed of separate sections, said packing rings
being adapted to be forced inwardly by said shaft and to expand so as to closely

page_text: pack the tube or cylinder in which they are located, substantially as shown and
described.
2. A vessel provided with a buffer connected with the bow thereof, and which is
adapted to receive the force of a blow occasioned by a collision, said buffer being
composed of a tube which is connected with the bow of the vessel at one end, and
which is closed by a cap at the other, through which passes a shaft, the inner end
of which is provided with two packing rings, one of which is enclosed within the
other, and each of which is composed of separate sections, said packing rings.
being adapted to be forced inwardly by said shaft and to expand so as to closely
pack the tube or cylinder in which they are located, and said shaft being provided
at its outer end with a head, and a buffer head mounted thereon, which is composed
of soft copper, and with a washer or bushing ring which is mounted thereon,.
between said buffer head and the head of the cylinder substantially as shown and
described.
3. A vessel provided with a buffer connected with the bow thereof, and which is
adapted to receive the force of a blow occasioned by a collision, said buffer being
composed of a tube which is connected with the bow of the vessel at one end, and
which is closed by a cap at the other, through which passes a shaft, the inner end
of which is provided with two packing rings, one of which is enclosed within the
other, and each of which is composed of separate sections, said packing rings being
adapted to be forced inwardly by said shaft, and to expand so as to closely pack
the tube or cylinder in which they are located, and said shaft being provided at
its outer end with a head, and a buffer head mounted thereon, which is composed
of soft copper, and with a washer or bushing ring which is mounted thereon,
between said buffer head and the head of the cylinder, and said shaft being also
provided within the cylinder with a divided packing ring which is also composed of
soft copper and which is supported in an annular groove formed in the end of the
tube or cylinder, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 10th day of April 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.