Improvements in Buffers, suitable for Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffers, suitable for Railway and like Vehicles.
I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77, Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:--
My invention has reference to the construction of buffers such that the buffer
heads can be moved into and secured in a backward position so as to be out of the
way when not required for use, as for instance is the case with buffers applied
in the ordinary standard positions to railway vehicles that are provided also with
central gangways and couplings which contain buffing arrangements in themselves,
but which vehicles are required sometimes to be coupled to ordinary stock.
An object of my invention is the construction of buffers of the kind referred to
in such wise as to obviate disadvantages which obtain in known arrangements.
According to my invention the huffer rod is arranged in two parts, namely, an
outer one and an inner one, the outer one for a portion or the whole of its length
being hollow, and the inner one being arranged partly within or so as to be able to
enter partly into the outer one, and the arrangement being such that when the buffer is
in use the buffer head carried at the outer end of the inner rod will occupy its
outermost position in relation to the outer rod, and when pressure is applied to the
buffer head the inner rod will through a cotter or lateral projection communicate the
thrust to and through the outer rod to the springs, which may be of any suitable kind,
either metallic or india rubber or both, but preferring such as are well known as
George Spencer's or George Spencer Moulton & Co.'s india rubber buffer springs,
arranged behind the head stock, which at its outer side carries a guide casing for
guiding either the outer buffer rod or the inner one.
Buffers according to my invention as above set forth may be variously constructed.
According to one arrangement the inner rod whose outer end carries the buffer
head is at its outer end of larger diameter than at its inner end, and passes entirely
through the outer rod, which, for part of its length, has through it a hole of a
diameter adapted to freely receive the smaller part of the inner rod, whilst another
portion of the outer rod is of an internal diameter suitable to receive the larger
portion of the inner rod. The springs are arranged around the smaller portion of the
outer rod between a suitable plate or washer against which bears a shoulder of the
outer rod and a fixed plate or frame or bar through which the inner end of the outer
rod works. The inner end of the outer rod is screw threaded and provided with a
nut or nuts for tightening the springs, between which nut or nuts and the fixed plate
or frame or bar a metal and an elastic washer are provided. The inner end of the
inner rod projects beyond the inner end of the outer rod and is slotted to receive a
cotter to prevent excessive outward movement of the inner rod. Slots are formed
through the inner and outer rods for the reception of a cotter, which may be secured
by a chain or otherwise to the head stock or guide casing so as not to be lost. When
the inner and outer rods are connected by the cotter the buffer head will be in a
position for use. When the buffer is not required to be used, the cotter is withdrawn,
the inner buffer rod is slidden within the outer one until the buffer head touches the
outer end of the outer rod, and then by some suitable connection between an eye or
staple carried by the buffer head and another carried by the head stock, the buffer
head is held in its inoperative position. The outer rod in this arrangement works

page_text: through a guide casing between which and the head stock there is or may be an india
rubber pad, and the inward stroke of the buffer is limited by an annular projection on
the outer rod.
According to another arrangement, that portion of the outer rod that is surrounded
by the springs is solid, and that portion nearer the head stock is hollow, being in the
form of a socket which internally is wider in one direction than in another direction,
there being at or near the inner end of the inner rod a projection or projections or
enlargement such that at this part a cross section of the inner rod corresponds or
approximately so to the internal configuration in cross section of the hollow part of
the outer rod. Conveniently the internal form of the hollow part of the outer rod
may be oblong and rectangular and the cross sectional form of the enlarged part of
the inner portion of the inner rod similar. Thus it will be understood that when the
enlargement of the inner portion of the inner rod corresponds in position to the
interior of the hollow part of the outer rod, the inner end of the inner rod will be able
to be moved into the outer rod, and when so moved inward the buffer head will be in
an inoperative position, but, on the other hand, when the enlargement of the inner
portion of the inner rod is not within the outer rod, if then the inner rod be partly
rotated, portions of the enlargement will be opposite the outer end of the wall
constituting the hollow portion of the outer rod and will communicate any thrust to
it and through it to the springs. In order to guide and retain the inner rod in
operative position there is formed in it a longitudinal groove of sufficient length to
permit the desired working stroke, and through an opening in the guide casing there
projects into the said longitudinal slot a hinged or pivoted guide provided with means
to hold it in place. In another portion of the circumference of the inner rod there is
a second groove adapted to come opposite to and receive the same hinged or pivoted
guide when the inner rod occupies its innermost position in relation to the outer rod,
at which time the hinged or pivoted guide constitutes a lock or catch that retains the
inner rod and buffer head in the inoperative position.
I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention has reference to the construction of buffers such that the buffer heads
can be moved into and secured in a backward position so as to be out of the way
when not required for use, as for instance is the case with buffers applied in the
ordinary standard positions to railway vehicles that are provided also with central
gangways and couplings which contain buffing arrangements in themselves, but
which vehicles are required sometimes to be coupled to ordinary stock.
An object of my invention is the construction of buffers of the kind referred to
in such wise as to obviate disadvantages which obtain in known arrangements.
According to my invention the buffer rod is arranged in two parts, namely, an
outer one and an inner one, the outer one for a portion or the whole of its length
being hollow, and the inner one being arranged partly within or so as to be able to
enter partly into the outer one, and the arrangement being such that when the buffer

page_text: is in use the buffer head carried at the outer end of the inner rod will occupy its
outermost position in relation to the outer rod, and when pressure is applied to the
buffer head the inner rod will through a cotter or lateral projection communicate the
thrust to and through the outer rod to the springs, which may be of any suitable
kind, either metallic or india rubber or both, but preferring such as are well known
as George Spencer's or George Spencer Moulton & Co.'s india rubber buffer springs,
arranged behind the headstock, which at its outer side carries a guide casing for
guiding either the outer buffer rod or the inner one.
Buffers according to my invention as above set forth may be variously constructed.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings shows, partly in plan and
partly in horizontal section, an arrangement wherein the inner rod whose outer end 1
carries the buffer head 2 is at its outer end 1 of larger diameter than at its inner
end 3, and passes entirely through the outer rod, which, for part of its length (4),
has through it a hole of a diameter adapted to freely receive the smaller part 3 of the
inner rod, whilst another portion (5) of the outer rod is of an internal diameter
suitable to receive the larger portion 1 of the inner rod. The springs 6 are arranged
around the smaller portion 4 of the outer rod, between a suitable plate or washer 7,
against which bears a shoulder 8 of the outer rod and a fixed plate or frame or
bar 9 through which the inner end 4 of the outer rod works. The inner end of
the outer rod is scrow threaded (at 10) and provided with a nut 11 (or nuts) for
tightening the springs, between which nut (or nuts) and the fixed plate or frame or
bar a metal washer 13 and an elastic washer 14 are provided. The inner end
of the inner rod projects beyond the inner end of the outer rod and is slotted to
receive a cotter 15 to prevent excessive outward movement of the inner rod.
Slots are formed through the inner and outer rods for the reception of a cotter 16,
which may be secured by a chain or otherwise to the headstock or guide casing so as
not to be lost. When the inner and outer rods are connected by the cotter 16, the
buffer head will be in a position for use, as represented in the drawing. When the
buffer is not required to be used, the cotter 16 is withdrawn, the inner buffer rod is
slidden within the outer one until the buffer head touches the outer end of the outer
rod, and then, by some suitable connection between an eye or staple 17 carried by
the buffer head and another (18) carried by the headstock 19, the buffer head is
held in its inoperative position. The outer rod in this arrangement works through
a guide casing 20 between which and the headstock 19 there is or may be an india
rubber pad 21, and the inward stroke of the buffer is limited by an annular
projection 22 on the outer rod.
Fig. 2 of the drawings shows, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section
another arrangement and Fig. 3 shows in elevation the outer end of the outer rod
with the inner end of the inner rod in cross section. In this arrangement, that
portion (4) of the outer rod that is surrounded by the springs 6 is solid, and that
portion (5) nearer the headstock 19 is hollow, being in the form of a socket which,
internally, is wider in one direction than in another direction there being at or
near the inner end 3 of the inner rod a projection or projections or enlargement
such that at this part a cross section of the inner rod corresponds or approximately
so to the internal configuration in cross section of the hollow part of the outer
rod. Conveniently, the internal form of the hollow part (5) of the outer rod may be
oblong and rectangular and the cross sectional form of the enlarged part 3 of the
inner portion of the inner rod similar, as represented in Fig. 3. Thus, it will be
understood that when the enlargement 3 of the inner portion 8 of the inner rod
corresponds in position to the interior of the hollow part 5 of the outer rod, the inner
end 3 of the inner rod will be able to be moved into the outer rod, and when so moved
inward the buffer head 2 will be in an inoperative position, but, on the other hand,
when the enlargement 3 of the inner portion 3 of the inner rod is not within the
outer rod, if then the inner rod bo partly rotated, portions of the enlargement 3* will
(as represented in the drawings) be opposite the outer end of the wall constituting the
hollow portion 5 of the outer rod, and will communicate any thrust to it, and through
it to the springs 6. In order to guide the inner rod and retain it in operative position,

page_text: there is or are formed in it a longitudinal groove or grooves (23) of sufficient length
to permit the desired working stroke, and through an opening in the guide casing 20
there projects into the said longitudinal slot (or into one such slot) a guide 24,
hinged or pivoted at 25 and provided with means to hold it in place. The means
illustrated comprise a bifurcated eye on the guide casing, an eye 26 on the guide, and
a pin 27 passing through both. In another portion of the circumference of the
inner rod there is a second groove 28, adapted to come opposite to and receive the
same hinged or pivoted guide 24 when the inner rod occupies its innermost position
in relation to the outer rod, at which time the hinged or pivoted guide constitutes a
lock or catch that retains the inner rod and buffer head in the inoperative position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :--
1. A buffer of the kind referred to constructed with a rod comprising an outer
part made hollow and an inner part provided with a buffer head and arranged partly
within the outer part in such a way that when the parts are in the relative positions
for use the buffer head occupies its outermost position in relation to the outer rod,
and if then pressure is applied to the buffer head the inner rot through a cotter
communicates the thrust to and through the outer rod to the springs in the manner
set forth.
2. My improved buffer as described with reference to and illustrated in Fig. 1
of the accompanying drawings.
3. A buffer of the kind referred to constructed with a rod comprising an outer part
made hollow for a part of its length and an inner part provided with a buffer head
and arranged so as to be able to enter partly into the outer part, such inner part
having at or near its inner end a projection or projections or enlargement such that in
one angular position of the inner rod in relation to the outer one end wise movement
of the inner part will be communicated to the outer part, but that in another relative
position the inner part if moved end wise towards the outer part will be caused to
enter or move further into it, means being provided for guiding the inner rod in
its longitudinal movements as also for locking it and the buffer head in the
inoperative position as set forth.
4. My improved buffer as described with reference to and illustrated in Figs. 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of Fahmua 1907