An Improved Arrangement of Buffer and Coupling Apparatus for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1892-Accepted 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Arrangement of Buffer and Coupling Apparatus for
Railway Vehicles.
I, FELIX ALEXANDRE GAIN, of 40 Rue de L'Arcade Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved arrangement of buffer and coupling
apparatus for railway vehicles and is designed to maintain constant contact between
the buffers of adjacent vehicles whether the train be travelling on a straight part
of the line or on a curve.
To this end the improved arrangement comprises a traction spring subject to the
pull of the draw bar, à buffer spring, and an oscillating beam interposed between
the said buffer and traction springs, theso springs and beam being combined and
connected with the buffers and draw bar in such a manner as to allow, when the
train is on a curve, the traction spring to move about a fixed centre, and also the
buffer spring and the beam to move about a common pivot or centre connected to
the coupling apparatus, and located behind the traction spring.
The two springs are connected together by means of straps sliding between
guides and impart to each other reciprocally their initial tension, that of the
traction spring being maintained by the oscillating beam when the buffer spring is
working alone. The buffer spring and the beam are as stated, capable of rotation
about a common pivot and the traction spring is pivoted forward of the pivot of
the buffer spring. Thus it will be understood that the arrangement comprises two
pivots located in the longitudinal axis of the under frame of the vehícle, about
which respectively move the buffer spring and the traction spring.
The impact of the buffers, and the force of traction are borne by a bracket or
Bupport carried by guides secured to the frame of the vehicle.
The annexed drawing illustrates by way of example a construction of apparatus
according to this invention applicable to a sleeping car.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the end of the underframe, showing the parts of the apparatus
in the position occupied when the vehicle is on a straight track.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the longitudinal axis of the portion of
the underframe shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the dotted line 1-2-3—4, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the end of the under-frame and part of an adjacent vehicle
with the parts in the positions occupied during the passage of the vehicles round a
curve of small radius.
Fig. 5 is an explanatory view.
a is the traction spring; and the buffer spring. The ends of the spring b are
freely connected each to one of a pair of lugs c, c¹ on the inner ends of the bars d, d'
respectively; each bar is connected at its forward end to one end of a cross-bar e.
To this cross-bar are connected the buffer rods ff as shown. Between the
traction spring a and the buffer spring is interposed the oscillating beam g.. The
traction spring a is held at the centre by a strap or collar h seo Fig. 2 which bears
by means of shoulders, h¹ on supports k, fixed to two longitudinal guides 1, l'
which are firmly attached to the frame. The supporta k, k, and the shoulders h¹
are of semicircular form or nearly so and have a common radius and centre, in
such a manner as to constitute an arrangement somewhat resembling a knee joint,
whose centre of motion a. is located in the longitudinal axis of the under-frame of
he vehicle. The beam g bears at its centre upon the pivot pin o which passes

page_text: '
through the recessed end of a strap m which holds the buffer spring b. The beam
is also jointed in knee cap fashion on the pivot pin o.
The pivot pin o also connects the strap m with the cheeks of the link piece
whose opposite end is connected by the pivot pin n to the draw barr of the coupling
hook ¹.
g
As above stated, the two springs a and b impart to each other reciprocally their
initial tension, and that of the traction spring a is maintained by the free beam
when the buffer spring is working alone. The traction spring a can thus move
about the centre, and the buffer spring b as well as the beam g, can move about
the centre o.
By the above described arrangement the following advantages are secured, viż. :—
1. Constant contact of the buffers of adjacent vehicles.
It will be seen that for a movement of the coupling hook ', there corresponds
an equal movement of the buffers so that the buffer heads will remain always in
contact.
2. Constant contact and pressure of the buffer heads on each side when the
train is travelling on curves. The buffer spring and the beam g are capable of
rotation about a common axis o; consequently, when one of the buffer rods moves
outward the other will move inward, thus maintaining an equal pressure upon each
buffer head.
3. Resistance to lateral oscillation of the vehicles, which is an important feature
of my arrangement. Independently of the friction produced in other known
systems, is to be considered as the main and chief feature of this invention, that
the resistance to lateral oscillation increases the load on the traction spring; and
also causes a resisting moment the leverage A of which varies with the extent of
the oscillation, the force of this moment being equal to the initial tension of the
traction spring a. These resistances are not merely theoretical but are found to
exist on vehicles in regular service.
Dated this 11th dex of Jul 1901
F. A. GAIN,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Arrangement of Buffer and Coupling Apparatus for
Railway Vehioles.
I, FELIX ALEXANDRE GAIN, of 40 Rue de L'Arcade, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described in and by tho
following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved arrangement of buffer and coupling
apparatus for railway vehicles, and is designed to maintain constant contact
between the buffers of adjacent vehicles whether the train be travelling on a
straight part of the line, or on a curve.
To this end the improved arrangement comprises a traction spring subject.to the
pull of the draw bar, a buffer spring, and an oscillating beam interposed between
the said buffer and traction springs, these springs and beam being combined and
connected with the buffers and draw bar in such a manner as to allow the traction
spring, when the train is on a curve, to move about a fixed centre, and also the
buffer spring and the beam to move about a common pivot or centre connected to
the coupling apparatus, and located behind the centre of motion of the traction
spring.
The two springs are connected together by means of straps sliding between
guides, and impart to each other reciprocally their initial tension, that of the
traction spring being maintained by the oscillating beam when the buffer spring is
working alone. The buffer spring and the beam are, as stated, capable of rotation

page_text: about a common pivot, and the traction spring is pivoted forward of the pivot of
the buffer spring. Thus it will be understood that in the arrangement described
there are two pivots located in the longitudinal axis of the under frame of the
vehicle, and about which respectively move the buffer spring and the traction
spring.
The impact of the buffers, and the force of traction are borne by a bracket or
support carried by guides secured to the frame of the vehicle.
The drawings left with my Provisional Specification illustrate by way of
example, a construction of buffer and coupling apparatus according to this invention,
applicable to a sleeping car.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the end of the underframe, showing the parts of the apparatus
in the position occupied when the vehicle is on a straight track.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the longitudinal axis of the portion of
the underframe shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the dotted line 1-2-3-4, -Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the end of the underframe and part of an adjacent vehicle,
with the parts in the positions they occupy during the passage of the vehicles round
a curve of small radius.
Fig. 5 is a detail view to a larger scale.
bar e.
b
'
a is the traction spring; and 6 the buffer spring. The ends of the spring bare
freely connected each to one of the lugs c or c on the inner ends of the bars d, d'
respectively, each of which is connected at its forward end to one end of a cross-
To this cross bar are connected the buffer rods ff as shown. Between the
traction spring a and the buffer spring 6 is interposed the oscillating beam g. The
traction spring a is held at the centre by a strap or collar (see Fig. 2) which bears
by means of shoulders, hon supports k, k fixed to two longitudinal guides 1, 11
which are firmly attached to the frame. The supports kk, and the shoulders h¹
are of semi-circular form or nearly so where they are in contact with each other, and
have a common radius and centre, in such a manner as to constitute an arrangement
somewhat resembling a knee joint, whose centre of motion a is located in the
longitudinal axis of the underframe of the vehicle. The beam g bears at its centre
upon the pivot pin o which passes through the recessed end of a strap m which
holds the buffer spring b. The beam g is also jointed in knee cap fashion on the
pivot pin o. The pivot pin o also connects the strap m with the cheeks of the link
piece p whose opposite end is connected by the pivot pin n to the draw bar r of
the coupling hook r¹.
As above stated, the two springs a and b impart to each other reciprocally their
initial tension, and that of the traction spring a is maintained by the beam g
when the buffer spring b is working alone. The traction spring a can thus turn
about the centre (Fig. 5) and the buffer spring b as well as the beam g can turn
about the centre o.
By the above described arrangement the following advantages are obtained, viz. :—
1. Constant contact of the buffers of adjacent vehicles, because as will be readily
seen, for a movement of the coupling hook, there will be an equal movement of
the buffers so that the buffer heads will remain always in contact."
2. Constant contact and pressure of the buffer heads at each side of the vehicle
when the train is travelling on curves. This result is obtained owing to the buffer
spring band the beam g being capable of rotation about a common axis o; con-
sequently when one of the buffer rods moves outward the other will move inward,
thus maintaining an equal pressure upon cach buffer head.
3. Resistance to lateral oscillation or movement of the vehicles, which is an
important feature of my arrangement. Independently of the friction inherent in
the arrangement described, as in other known systems, it is to be noted that the
main and chief feature of the present arrangement is that the resistance offered
thereby to lateral oscillation or movement of the vehicles, increases the load on the
traction spring; and that a resisting monent is produced the leverage A of which
varies with the extent of the lateral oscillation or movement, the amount of this

page_text: moment being dependent upon the initial tension given to the traction spring a. These
resistances are not merely theoretical bit are found to exist on vehicles in regular
Bervice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Buffer and coupling apparatus for railway vehicles, wherein a traction spring
such as a, a buffer spring such as b, and an oscillating beam g interposed between
the said traction and buffer springs, are so combined and arranged in relation to
each other that during movement of the-vehicle to which the apparatus is applied,.
round a curve, the traction spring a can rotate about a fixed centre x, and the
buffer spring band also the beam g can rotate about a common centre o connected,
to the drawing apparatus and located at the rear of the centre of the traction
spring, substantially as hereinbefore described for the purposes specified.
2. My improved buffer and coupling apparatus for railway vehicles substantially
as described and shown.
F. A. GAIN,
By L. W., per F. B.