IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS, GREASE BOXES, AXLE BOXES, AND SPRINGS, AND IN APPENDAGES TO RAILWAY ENGINES AND CARRIAGES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
VIGURS, of Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, in the fifteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Vigurs, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Henry Vigurs, my
exors, adiiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Vigurs, my
exors, admiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein.
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS, GREASE BOXES, AXLE BOXES, AND SPRINGS, AND IN
APPENDAGES TO RAILWAY ENGINES AND CARRIAGES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that I, the said Henry Vigurs, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Vigurs, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:
My Invention of improvements in buffers is shewn at Figure 1 of the
accompanying Drawings, which is a plan of so much of the under framing of
a railway carriage as is necessary to shew the nature and application of my
improvements. A, A', are the buffer heads, and a, a', the buffer rods, as
ordinarily employed in railway carriages.
My improvement consists in making the buffer rods a, a', to abut against
the opposite extremities of two cross levers B and C, connected with a
powerful coiled spring D, the inner end of which is made fast to the lever B,
which turns upon a central axis in plates or bearings affixed to the framing of
the carriage, while the outer end of the spring D is bolted to the lever C.
The tendency of the spring D to uncoil itself causes the ends of the levers B
and C to press with a certain determinate amount of force against the buffer
rods a, a, and keeps the buffer heads A, A', projected to their full extent
beyond the carriage framing. Whenever the buffer heads come into contact
with any resisting body with a force superior to that exerted by the spring D
in its quiescent state, then the buffer rods a, a', are driven inward, and the
levers B and C turned so as to tighten the coil of the spring D, and offer an
increasing resistance to the inward motion of the buffer rods. So soon as the
opposing force is withdrawn the spring D and the buffer heads A, A', return
into their original position.
What I claim as new, and constituting my Invention of improvements
in buffers, is the employment of a coiled spring applied to railway buffers
in the manner herein-before described, and shewn by Figure 1.
My improvements in grease boxes and axle boxes are shewn by the
accompanying Drawings Figures 2 to 8 inclusive.
Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, shew the first of these improvements.
Figure 2
is a front elevation of an axle box, with the front plate removed to shew its
interior construction; Figure 3 is a bind (or back) elevation; Figure 4, a
longitudinal section; and Figure 5, a cross section of the same. E, E, is the
body of the axle box, which may be externally similar in form and dimensions
to those in ordinary use. F is a top covering plate, with an opening G,
through which the grease is supplied. H is the lid or cover to this opening,
hinged at 9. The lower (female) member of the hinge g is not cast with the

page_text: covering plate, but is made separately, and inserted into a recess left for its
reception in the casting, and secured in its place by a screw h. A back
spring serves to keep the lid H in position, whether open or closed. Kis
the channel down which the grease flows to the journal or bearing brass L.
The brass L is slid into a dovetailed groove cast in the axle box, as shewn
in the cross section, Figure 5, being slid in from the front thereof. There are
a number of vertical slots or openings 1, 1, 1, through the bearing brass L, for
the passage of grease to the axle; these openings or passages I fill with
sponge, tow, cotton, or other similar material, the first-named substance being
preferred. I also interpose a strip of sponge, or a wad of tow, cotton, or other
similar material, between the recess or groove f, in the top covering plate F,
and the channel K. By this means the supply of grease to the axle is mode-
rated and filtered, so as to keep back all impurities. The upper edge or lip k
of the channel K is also elevated above the flooring of the grease chamber, so
that any grit or other injurious matters entering the grease box will not pass
.down through the bearing brass to the axle, but will settle upon the flow of the
grease chamber, from whence they can at any time be removed. N, N, are
pockets on each side of the axle box for collecting any grease that may pass
off from the axle; these pockets, as well as the space above them, I pack
with sponge, tow, cotton, or other similar material, for the purpose of taking
up and redistributing the grease over the axle. In Figure 4, c. c, shews the
front plate of the axle box, with an inner projection e for keeping the sliding
bearing brass L in its proper place. O is a metal washer fitting a shoulder on
the axle, and free to slide vertically within a recess p at the back part of the
axle box, so as to prevent the escape of grease therefrom. As the bearing
brass L becomes worn, and lets the axle box down upon the axle, the
washer O moves up within the recess p, and maintains a nearly grease-tight
joint.
My second improvement in grease boxes and axle boxes is shewn at
Figures 6, 7, and 8; Figure 6 being a front elevation of an axle box con-
structed agreeably to this my improvement, with the front plate removed
to shew its internal arrangement. Figure 7 is a back elevation, and
Figure 8 a cross section of the same. E is the body of the axle box. G³,
the opening through which grease is supplied to the grease chamber G³, from
whence the grease passes down through the two side channels b, b, in the
direction of the arrows, to the axle. Lis the bearing brass slid from the front
into a dovetailed groove in the axle box, and formed double, so as to present
two bearing surfaces m', m². When the first surface m¹ is worn out the
brass L can be drawn out of the groove in the axle box, turned upside down,

page_text: and replaced, presenting the fresh bearing surface m² for usc. Qis an outside
metal washer, fitting a journal on the shoulder of the axle, and free to move
vertically with it (as the bearing brass becomes worn) upon two dovetailed
studs q, q, on the back of the axle box, so as to prevent the escape of grease
therefrom.
What I claim as new and of my Invention, and constituting my improve-
ments in grease boxes and axle boxes, is,-
Firstly, the general internal arrangement of the grease chamber and
passages, as herein-before described, and shewn by Figures 4, 5, and 8.
Secondly, the general arrangement, combination, and adaptation of parts for
regulating, filtering, and supplying grease to the axle through openings in or
at the side of the bearing brass, as herein-before described, and shewn
by Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Thirdly, the mode of constructing the cover of the grease box with a separate
binge, as herein-before described, and shewn by Figures 3 and 4.
:
Fourthly, constructing bearing brasses to slide into axle boxes, from the.
front.
Fifthly, constructing bearing brasses with two wearing surfaces; and,
Sixthly, the application of a metal washer sliding vertically, either inter-
nally or externally, at the back of the axle box, to prevent the escape of grease
therefrom, as herein-before described, and shewn by Figures 3, 4, and 7.
My improvement in springs consists in forming metal springs of two or
more parts laid together, or of several rods or wires twisted or stranded as a
rope, and then bent up into a spiral form suited to the purpose for which the
spring is required. Figure 9 shews a spring composed of a number of steel
rods or wires, either with or without a central rod or core, twisted or stranded
like a rope, welded together at the two extremities, and bent into a spiral
cylindrical form suitable for the draw spring of railway carriages, and after-
wards hardened and tempered in the usual manner. Figure 10 shews the
same principle of construction as applied to the formation of a conical spiral
spring suitable for the buffer spring of railway carriages. In some cases I
prefer to make the buffer spring with a central rod or core of a taper form,
keeping the larger part at the base of the spring, and the smaller part at the
apex thereof, whereby a more equable motion of the conical spring is obtained.
Figure 11 shews a conical spiral buffer spring for railway carriages composed
of two half-round rods of steel welded together at the ends, and bent into the
required form.
I also construct similar springs of two, three, or more square
or flat bars of metal laid together and welded or soldered at the two
extremities, and then bent up into a spiral forn.-Note, that I do not claim

page_text: the spiral cylindrical or spiral conical form of spring, except when the same
is composed of two or more parts laid or twisted together, as herein-before
described.
What I claim as new and of my Invention is, the construction of springs
generally, composed of several rods or wires of steel, brass, or other suitable
metal, either with or without a central rod or core, twisted or stranded as a
rope, welded or soldered together at the two extremities, and bent-up into a
spiral form, as herein-before described, and shewn by Figures 9 and 10.
I also claim the construction of springs of two or more plates or bars of
steel, brass, or other suitable metal laid together, and welded or soldered at
the ends, and bent up into a spiral form, as herein-before described, and shewn
by Figure 11.
My improvements in appendages to railway engines and carriages have
reference,
Firstly, to break blocks; and,
Secondly, to sanding apparatus.
My improvement in break blocks is shewn at Figures 12 and 13, Figure 12
being a side elevation of a break block of the usual material, form, and dimen-
sions; Figure 13 is an edge view thereof. My improvement consists in
plugging the bearing surface R, R, with a number of plugs s, s, s, of a harder
wood than that of which the block itself is composed, or with plugs of metal.
Thus, for instance, break blocks are mostly composed of elm or poplar, and
the plugs may be of oak, beech, or other harder wood, or of tin, lead, pewter,
&c., by which means the durability of the wearing surface is greatly increased
without percepibly diminishing its holding or friction-giving power.
What I claim as new and of my Invention is, the insertion into the bearing
surface of break blocks of plugs of wood harder than that of which the block
itself is composed, or of plugs of metal, as herein-before described, and shewn
by Figures 12 and 13.
My improvements in sanding apparatus. is shewn at Figures 14 and 15,
Figure 14 being a front elevation, and Figure 15 a side view thereof. T is a
chest or reservoir for containing sand, attached to some convenient part
beneath or in front of a locomotive engine. V is a hopper communicating
with the chest T, and terminating in two tubes or spouts w, w, the lower
orifices of which come immediately over the rails Z, Z. The communication
between the hopper V and the sand chest T is opened or closed by a slide
valve kept closed by the balance weight X, or opened by drawing back the rod
Y. The apparatus being affixed to the locomotive engine in such manner
that the spouts w, w, are over the rails, and slightly in advance of the driving

page_text: wheels, it is ready for use. Whenever the engine driver finds the rails are
slippery, and the adhesion of the wheels insufficient, he draws back the rod Y,
which opens the slide valve, and permits the sand to flow through the spouts
w, w, on to the rails, which increases the grip of the driving wheels thereon,
and prevents slipping. When the sanding is not required the rod Y is
released, and the weight X is permitted to close the slide valve, and stop the
escape of the sand.
What I claim as new and of my Invention under this head of my improve-
ments is, the arrangement of a sanding apparatus, as herein-before described,
and shewn by Figures 14 and 15.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Vigurs, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.