An Improved Pneumatic Buffer and Bearing Spring..
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pneumatic Buffer and Bearing Spring..
We, STEFAN ZACSEK, of 20 Szvetenay Gasse, Locksmith, and DESIDER
HAJÓS, of 60 Waitzner Boulevard, Banker, both of the City of Budapest in the
Kingdom of Hungary, 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 present invention relates to a pneumatic buffer and bearing spring, the
object of which is to replace the mechanical springs hitherto employed in railway,.
tramway and similar vehicles.
We will explain our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which :-
Figs. 1 and 2 represent in elevation and part section of two constructions of our
improved spring.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line
of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a like section on the line y-y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a detail view on a larger scale.
The pneumatic buffer and bearing spring is composed of two chambers or
compartments a and b, separated from each other by a leather partition c, having
a slight amount of play, and an india-rubber disc c¹, placed under same.
In the lower chamber 6 is an ordinary india-rubber ball d filled with air, said
chamber being charged with suitable liquid, such as water, oil, petroleum, glycerine,
spirit, and the like, said fluid being forced into the chamber under high pressure
corresponding to the desired purpose, through a hollow or bored screw e, closed
interiorly by a back-pressure valve (Fig. 5). Immediately above the leather or
other flexible partition we insert in the upper chamber a an annular body g, con-.
sisting of a large number of rings or a metal coil. Immediately above this annular
body are four or more levers h, so arranged that the one end of same is
hinged on to projections a¹ provided on the wall of the chamber a, whilst the other
ends of said levers reach into the centre of the space g' within the annular body g,.
so as to almost touch each other.
A reciprocating buffer-rod i rests with its head on the inner ends of these
levers h, and transmits the blow or pressure which it receives, to the device..
Charging the lower chamber with liquid under suitable pressure, causes the
india-rubber ball d to take the centre of the chamber, as it is surrounded with the
fluid on which pressure is transmitted. When power or pressure is exerted on
the buffer-rod, the same presses on the ends of the levers h, which in turn press
on the annular body g, and consequently ou the leather partition c, and disc c',.
which are depressed as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The india-rubber ball d,
which has already been somewhat compressed by the liquid under pressure, is
hereby still further compressed so as to take a smaller volume.
In consequence of the expansive force and elasticity of the compressed air in the
ball, the leather partition c, and with it the rubber disc c', will be returned to their
original position as soon as the impact on the buffer-rod i has ceased, or the
pressure on the same decreased, thus attaining the same object as the buffer and
bearing springs hitherto employed.
In the modification shown in Figure 2, the air need not be confined in an india-
rubber ball, but can be forced into a cylindrical cap 1, open at the bottom and
closed at the top, which cap is provided in the chamber or compartment b. This
modification, however, is only used when the device is arranged in an upright
position as shown in Fig. 2.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
case or
1) An improved pneumatic buffer and bearing spring, consisting of a
cylinder divided into two compartments by a leather or other flexible partition,
and an india-rubber disc laid under same, in the one of which compartments is
placed an india-rubber ball filled with air, said compartment being charged with
liquid under high pressure, in such way, that any pressure on or impact against
a sliding buffer-rod resting on the inner ends of levers, whose outer ends are
hinged to the cylinder in the other compartment of same, is transmitted by such
levers to an annular body consisting of rings or a coil of suitable material,
depressing the flexible partitions, and causing compression of the ball filled with
air, whereas, after this pressure on the buffer-rod has been removed or reduced,
the air in the ball again expands, so that all parts are returned to the original
position, substantially as described.
2) A modification of the improved pneumatic buffer and bearing spring, in
which the air is forced into a cap closed at the top and open at the bottom, which
cap is placed in one of the compartments of the cylinder, substantially as described
and shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.
Dated this 11th day of April 1893.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.