IMPROVE- MENTS IN BUFFING APPARATUSES AND IN DRAW SPRINGS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BUFFING APPARATUSES AND IN DRAW SPRINGS."--A communica-
tion from abroad by Richard Dover Chatterton, of Coburg, Canada
West
Sealed the 10th October 1862, and dated the 17th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1862.
1. RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN. of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFING APPARATUSES AND IN DRAW SPRINGS," (communicated
to me from abroad by Richard Dover Chatterton, of Coburg, Canada West),
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the employment of wedge-shaped blocks con-
nected to the buffer heads through their rods, and a cross bar or otherwise,
and to the draw rods, which wedge-shaped blocks are pressed upon by springs
directly, or by jaws acted upon by springs, in order that the ends of the
Price Sd]

page_text: Springs of of the jaws may be kept contact with the sides of the wedge-
shaped blocks.
There are various means of applying this Invention, for instance, first,
a wedge or wedge-shaped block may be fixed on the back of the buffer head,
and two rods or jaws may be fitted under the carriages with the division
between the two outer ends of such jaws opposite or in a line with the point
of the wedge, and with springs pressing upon the jaws and exerting their
force to keep the jaws closed until overcome by the superior pressure applied
upon the buffer heads, when the wedge will gradually force the jaws apart. In
some cases the wedge may be in the form of a spear head, and studs may be
applied on the inner ends of the jaws in order to enter behind the spear head
and prevent the back action of the springs, a source of mischief in cases of
collision from buffer apparatuses as now generally constructed. Second, for
some purposes instead of having two buffer heads and appurtenances at the
end of each carriage, sometimes employ only one buffer head extending
across the end of the carriage frame, and fif one wedge or wedge-shaped
block at the back and in the centre thereof. 1.then only employ one set of
jaws and springs. Again, I form draw springs by applying at the back of
the draw hook a similar wedge or wedge block and jaws and springs, but
in such case the point of the wedge is placed in the reverse direction. Some-
times combine both draw spring and buffer apparatus in one by the employ-
ment of a double wedge or double wedge-shaped block with a set of jaws and
springs for each wedge or block. Again, sometimes make one set of springs
act upon the buffers and draw hooks at both ends of the carriage: 1 connect
the inner ends of the buffer rods at each end of the carriage to a cross bar
through the centre of which the draw rods pass, and I connect each of such
cross bars and draw rods to a double wedge block; then fix two strong
elliptical plate springs in such a position that the ends thereof shall enter
the narrow parts of the two double wedge blocks and exert their pressure
thereon. Thus, whether the draw hooks be drawn outwards, or the buffers be
pressed inwards, the springs exert their whole pressure, prevent any evil
effects and shocks, whether from the pull of the draw hooks or the-thrust of
the buffers. The buffing apparatuses may be used for stationary purposes as
well as for carriages.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that 1, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as 1, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 BUFFING APPARATUSES AND IN DRAW
SPRINGS," (communicated to me from abroad by Richard Dover Chatterton.
of Coburg. Canada West,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, 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 inume-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in the employment of wedge-shaped blocks con-
nected to the buffer heads through their rods and a cross bar, or otherwise,
and to the draw rods, which wedge-shaped blocks are pressed upon by springs
directly, or by jaws acted upon by springs, in order that the ends of the springs
or of the jaws may be kept in contact with the sides of the wedge-shaped
blocks.
There are various moons of annlving this Invention for instance

page_text: First, a wedge or wedge-shaped block may be fixed on the back of the buffer
head, and two rods or jaws may be fitted under the carriages with the division
between the two outer ends of such jaw, opposite or in a line with the point of
the wedge, and with springs pressing upon the jaws and exerting their force to
keep the jaws closed until overcome by the superior pressure applied upon the
buffer heads, when the wedge will gradually force the jaws apart. In some
cases the wedge may be in the form of a spear head, and studs may be applied
on the inner ends of the jaws, in order to enter behind the spear head and
prevent the back action of the springs, a source of mischief in cases of collision
from buffer apparatuses, as now generally constructed.
Second, for some purposes, instead of having two buffer heads and appurte-
nances at the end of each carriage, I sometimes employ only one buffer head
extending across the end of the carriage frame, and fit one wedge or wedge-
shaped block at the back and in the centre thereof. I then only employ one set
of jaws and springs.
Again, form draw springs by applying at the back of the draw hook a
similar wedge or wedge block, and jaws, and springs, but in such case the
point of the wedge is placed in the reverse direction.
Sometimes I combine both draw spring and buffer apparatus in one by the
employment of a double wedge or double wedge-shaped block with a set of
jaws and springs for each wedge or block.
Again, I sometimes make one set of springs act upon the buffers and draw
hooks at both ends of the carriage. 1 connect the inner ends of the buffer
rods at each end of the carriage to a cross bar, through the centre of which
the draw rods pass, and 1 connect each of such cross bars and draw rods to a
double wedge block, 1 then fix to strong elliptical plate springs in such
a position that the ends thereof shall enter the narrow parts of the two double
wedge blocks and exert their pressure thereon. Thus, whether the draw hooks
be drawn outwards or the buffers be pressed inwards, the springs exert their
whole pressure and prevent any evil effects and shocks, whether from the pull
of the draw hooks, or the thrust of the buffers. The buffing apparatuses may
be used for stationary purposes as well as for carriages.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a view, in plan, of one arrange-
ment of buffing apparatus constructed according to this Invention. a. a, are
wedge-shaped blocks fitted to the buffer heads b, b; c, c, c', c', are jaws fitted to
the under side of the carriage, the outer ends of which are pressed into contact
with the points of the wedges a, a, by the elliptical springs d. The jaws are
free to move about the bolts e, e, e, c'.
Figure 2 is a view, in plan, of an arrangement, in which a double wedge

page_text: or wedge-shaped block is employed to serve for both draw springs and buffers.
a. a. are the double wedge-shaped blocks; the portions a, a, being added to
the blocks described with reference to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view. in section. of a buffer head wedge-shaped block and
spring, the full lines showing the Invention applied to a buffing apparatus, and
the dotted lines the additions required when applied to a draw hook. a is the
wedge-shaped block secured to the framing of the carriage b; c is the buffer
head connected to a rod c which is secured to the carriage, or prevented from
running out by a nut f. The buffer head c carries strong springs g. which
when the buffing takes place slide up the inclined planes of the wedges a. For
the draw spring the draw hook is connected to or formed in a piece with the
rod e, which when the drawing takes place causes the spring to travel up the
inclined planes of the wedges. Instead of the spring travelling over the wedge-
shaped block, as described. the wedges may be fitted to the buffer rod e, and
the springs to the carriage, so that when the buffing takes place the wedge
may move inwards up between the jaws of the spring. A similar arrangement.
is also applicable to the draw hook.
Figure 4 is a view in plan of an, apparatus in which springs are caused to
act directly upon wedge block's connected to the buffers and draw hooks at
each end of the carriage. a, a', are the double-wedge blocks united to cross
bars b, b, carrying the buffer rods and draw bar: c. c. are the springs held to
the framing by links d, d', and bearing on the wedge blocks a, a¹. When the
buffing takes place the springs travel up the part a' of the wedge blocks, and
when the drawing takes place the springs are drawn over the part a of the
said blocks, and this action takes place at one or both ends of the carriage at
one and the same time.
Figure 5 shews the double wedge-shaped block applied to a gun carriage,
for the purpose of counteracting the effect of recoil and for returning the
gun to position. a is the gun mounted on a carriage, the wheels of which
are free to travel on rails; b is the double wedge block fitted to the carriage.
and against which the jaws c, c, bear; d is a spring between the jaws. As the
gun recoils the jaws c, c, run up the wedge block until stopped by the action of
the spring d, and as the spring expands the jaws c, c, return, and with them
the gun to their original position.
Buffing apparatuses constructed as before described are applicable in all cases
where buffing is necessary, and especially as an auxiliary buffing power in
railway carriages in combination with any other buffing appliances throughout
the whole train. By attaching to the front of an engine a buffing carriage

page_text: fitted as before described with double wedge-shaped blocks, accidents from
collision may be entirely or partially. prevented.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the employ-
meni in buffing apparatuses and draw springs of wedge-shaped blocks acted on
by springs, or by jaws. rods, and springs, substantially in manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-two.
R. A. BROOMAN. (1..s.)