IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BUFFERS
Year: 1874

page_text: :
LETTERS PATENT to George Turton, of Hanover Street, Sheffield, in
the County of York, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
BUFFERS."
Sealed the 2nd June 1874, and dated the 28th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Turton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th March 1874.
I, GEORGE TURTON, of Hanover Street, Sheffield, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY BUFFERS," to be as follows:-
t
My said Invention relates to the novel construction of buffers for
railway purposes, and is designed to furnish a buffer which shall be
stronger and more durable than ordinary buffers which shall be very
cheap and simple to manufacture and is not liable to derangement.
My said Invention is carried into practise as follows: -I take a plato
of boiler iron of suitable thickness and turn or bend the same upon a
'

page_text: mandril or otherwise, and weld its edges together, thereby form a taper
or cylindrical box or case for the piston or plunger of the buffer and the
spring. Within the said box or case and at its forward end I fit a
bushing of malleable cast iron or other suitable metal to guide and
support the said piston or plunger. I prefer that the said piston or
plunger should be a rod or bar with a solid collar inside the said case for
the spring to act upon, therefore the said bushing is made longitudinally
in two halves or segments which are fitted together inside the said box or
case, and secured therein by pins passing through the said case and the two
parts of the bushing. Or I may form the latter with small lugs which
are secured by rivets inside the case. Or I form' a circular channel or
indentation around the case or box to enter and fit a groove or channel
formed around the bushing, and strengthen the case or box by shrinking
a wrought-iron hoop or ring around the same. Or I may weld the
bushing inside the case, or may use any other suitable contrivances for
securing the said bushing in the case or box, and if desired the said
piston or plunger may have a loose or separate collar secured thereon by
screwing, rivetting, or otherwise, instead of a solid collar inside the case
or box, and then the bushing will be made solid instead of in separato
halves or segments as above specified. I prefer that the forward end of
the said box or case should be turned or bent inward to form a flango
for supporting the bushing against the outward thrust or recoil of the
spring and to give a neat and finished appearance to the buffer. The
back end of the said case or box is formed with an external flange or
rim whereby it may be bolted to a metal plate on the engine or carriage.
Or the said case or box may be secured in any other suitable and con-
vénient manner on the engine or carriage.
Instead of using a piston or plunger in the form of a rod with a solid
or separate collar on its inner end, as above described, I may adapt the
aforesaid wrought-iron case or box provided with bushing, as described,
to the hollow piston or plunger commonly used for railway buffers. The
bushing must be fitted to the cylindrical part of the said hollow plunger,
and the latter must be provided with a solid collar or flange on its innor
end.
When my improved buffer is to be used on a locomotive, or in other
cases where it is required to have a spring of great length I form
the back plate to which the box or case is secured with a central tube or
sleeve to receive and guide the inner end of the plunger or piston, which

page_text: end is extended beyond the aforesaid collar. By this construction I
obviate the necessity for the cutting away of the woodwork of the engine
or carriage heretofore necessary to permit a long travel of the piston or
plunger.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Turton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TURTON, of Hanover Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Turton, Her special licence that I,
the said George Turton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Turton, my executors, administrators,;
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 RAILWAY BUFFers,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Turton, 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 immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Turton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
forming a part of this Specification:-
My said Invention relates to the novel construction of buffers for

page_text: railway purposes, and is designed to furnish a buffer, which shall be
stronger and more durable than ordinary buffers, and which shall be
very chicap and simple to manufacture and not liable to derangement.
.
My said Invention is carried into practice as follows:-I take a plate
of boiler iron of suitable thickness and turn or bend the same upon a
mandril or otherwise and weld or rivet its edges together, thereby
forming a taper or cylindrical box or case for the piston or pluger of the
buffer and the spring. Within or to the said box or case and at its
forward cnd I fit a bushing of malleable cast iron or other suitable
metal to guide and support the said piston or plunger. I prefer that
the said piston or plunger should be a rod or bar with a solid collar inside
the said case for the spring to act upon, therefore the said bushing is
made longitudinally in two halves or segments which are fitted together
inside the said box or case and secured therein by pins passing through,
the said case and the two parts of the bushing. Or I may form the
latter with small lugs which are secured by rivets inside the case. Or I'
form a circular channel or indentation around the case or box to enter
and fit a groove or channel formed around the bushing, and fix the same
by crimping rolls or otherwise, and strengthen the case or box by
shrinking a wrought-iron hoop or ring around the same. Or I may weld
the bushing inside the case, or I may use any other suitable contrivances
for securing the said bushing in the case or box. I prefer that the
forward end of the said box or case should be turned or bent inward to
form a flange for supporting the bushing against the outward thrust or
recoil of the spring, and to give a neat and finished appearance to the
buffer. The back end of the said case or box is formed with an external
flange or rim whereby it may be bolted to a metal plate on the engine or
carriage, or the said case or box may be secured in any other suitable
and convenient manner on the engine or carriage.
In the accompanying Drawings in which I have illustrated my Inven-
tion it will be seen that the same is capable of adaptation to various
forms of buffers, and I wish it distinctly understood that I do not limit
myself to any particular form, construction, or kind of buffer, although
the buffers shown are those to which the said Invention is most par-
ticularly applicable.
In all of the Figures of the Drawings herein-after described similar

page_text: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section illustrating one form of my said
Invention with the spring removed; Figure 2 is an end view partly in
section of a portion of Figure 1.. Figures 3 and 4 show detached
portions of the same. a. is the aforesaid box or case; 6 is the buffer
3 head and the stem or rod of the plunger or piston with the solid
collar ; c is the bushing made in two parts, one of which is shown
detached in Figures 3 and 4. The two parts of the bushing are secured
together and in the box or case a by the keys or pins d. The front end
of the said box or case is turned or bent inward, as shown at a¹, to form
a flange for supporting the said bushing against the outward thrust or
recoil of the spring shown at e, Figure 14. The back flange a² of the
said box or case is secured to the wrought-iron plate ƒ which is placed
and secured upon the buffer beam of the carriage.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, arc similar views illustrating slight modifications of
thic buffer first above described. These modifications are, first, the con-
struction of the bushing c with lugs or extensions c¹ whereby it is riveted
or bolted to the case a, as shown; and secondly, the formation of a
short stud upon the inner side of the aforesaid solid collar b³, the
plunger head b, the plunger ', the collar and the stud being one
solid piece or one forging.
Figures 9 and 10 show partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal
section other buffers differing very slightly from that shown in Figure 5.
Figure 10 shows the case a¹ tapered in a reverse manner at its forward
end and closed over after the bushing c and the plunger b, b¹, b³, 6³, have
5 been inserted.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 are similar views of other buffers; Figure 11
shows the bushing c secured by forming an indentation in the same and
around the case a at a*.
Figure 12 shows a slight modification of Figure 11, the outer end of
the case a is turned into a groove or channel c* in the bushing c, and a
hoop or ring is placed around the said end of the case in the groove or
channel c*.
g
1
In Figure 13 the contrivance of securing the bushing c by indenting.
or corrugating the case and bushing is more prominently illustrated,
there being a number of grooves or channels around the same. These
grooves or channels are preferably formed in a rolling mill with three

page_text: rölls but may be produced by other means; they will obviously form
very secure mcans for retaining the bushing c in place in the case a and
will obviate the use of screws, rivets, or other like fastenings.
Another modification of the above described contrivances for securing
the bushing.c in the case a is illustrated in Figure 14 and will be found
in practice a very advantageous method of carrying my said Invention
into practice. In this instance the bushing c is made slightly larger at
its inner portion 1 than at its outer portion 2. When it is inserted in
the case a, the latter whose outer portion is of corresponding form and
diameter is heated till its expansion permits the large end of the bushing
to be passed through the opening in the end of the case; the latter
as it cools and contracts will then bind and secure the bushing c in
its place beyond the possibility of displacement without fracturing the
case. The security of thic fastening is further increased by shrinking a
ring or hoop g around the outer end of the case a, as shown. The said
bushing is preferably formed with an outer flange or rim c³.
When my improved buffer is to be used on a locomotive, or in other
cases where it is required to have a spring or stroke of great length I
form the back plate fto which the box or case a is secured with a central
tube or sleeve f, as shown in Figure 15, to receive and guide the inner
end of the plunger or piston, which end is extended beyond the afore-
said collar, as shewn at *; by this construction I obviate the necessity
for the cutting away of the woodwork of the engine or carriage heretofore
necessary to permit a long travel or stroke of the piston or plunger. This
buffer is shewn with its bushing c secured by means of an indentation or
corrugation in the case a and bushing c, and with a ring or hoop shrunk
around the same, but if desired any other of the herein described means
for securing the said bushing may be applied to the said buffer.
'
In Figure 16 the bushing c is secured by passing bolts or rivets h
through the said bushing and the turned in flange or rim a¹ of case a.
The buffer shown in Figure 17 differs from those shown in the above
described Figures of the Drawing chiefly in the formation of thic
bushing c which in this instance has a flange or rim c outside of the
case a and studs I riveted or screwed through the case a into the
bush c. Figure 18 also illustrates a similar construction of the bushing
with the further modification of widening the flange c³ and securing it.
to a corresponding flange on the end of the case a by bolts or rivets.

page_text: In all of the above illustrations I have shown my improved buffers
with a collar or flange formed solidly upon or in one piece with the
piston or plunger. But although the construction of the piston or
plunger with the buffer head, the stem, and the collar, solid or in one
piece, is an important feature of my Invention, yet in some instances if
desired the said piston or plunger may have a loose or separate collar
secured thereon by welding, screwing, riveting, or otherwise, as shewn in
Figures 19 and 20, instead of a solid collar inside the case or box, and
then the bushing will be made undivided or in one piece instead of in
separate halves or segments, as above specified. In this instance tho
bush will be placed on the piston before the collar 6* is put on the same,
the said collar being then secured as aforesaid.
The above description relates to buffers which have a plunger or
piston with a solid rod or stem, but in Figures 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25,
I have shown in what manner I adapt the aforesaid wrought-iron caso
or box provided with a bushing, as described, to the hollow piston or
plunger commonly used for railway buffers. The bushing must be fitted.
to the cylindrical part of the said hollow plunger and the latter must be-
provided with a solid collar or flange on its inner end. In these Figures
the bushing c is preferably secured in the case a in the same manner as
described in connection with Figure 14, and the hollow pistons or
plungers have a solid collar or flange 6. Figure 22 sliews one of these
buffers especially constructed for a locomotive; and Figure 23 shows the
bushing of a hollow plunger buffer fixed or further strengthened by.
riveting or securing, after the said bushing and hollow plunger havo
been inserted into the case and fixed by contraction, as explained in
connection with Figure 14, rivets or screws can be inserted from the
inside of the hollow plunger through the holes & left in the said. hollow
plunger.
Figure 25 shows a very short buffer; the inside of the hollow plunger
at its forward end is filled up with wood or other material to suit any
length or kind of spring. The spring being inside the said hollow
plunger the latter abuts against the back or base plate and thereby
prevents the crushing of the spring when the plunger is forced inward..
In Figure 26 I have shown another buffer in which the bushing c is'
formed with an enlarged conical portion of and with a screw thread
fitted with a nut c' at its outer end whereby the said bushing is very-
firmly and solidly secured in the case a.

page_text: Figures 27, 28, 29, 30, show my Invention applied to buffers with
curved boxes or cases a; Figure 27 shows the said buffer with a voluto
metal spring; and Figure 29 shows an india-rubber spring.
I prefer that in all of the buffers to which my Invention is applied, as
above specified, the case or box a should be formed of wrought iron
worked into the required shape and welded, riveted, or otherwise united,
as above specified, and secured to a separate base plate of wrought iron
at the rear of the buffer; as shown; but if desired the said case and basc
plate may be formed of cast iron and in one piece. The springs
employed in my buffers are of the kind ordinarily used for this
"
purpose, 1
and I may use either metal or india-rubber springs, and my Invention
does not in anywise relate to the construction of the said springs.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A railway buffer which has a solid plunger or piston with its 1
head; its rod, and its collar forged or otherwise formed of one piece of
metal.
Second. The combination of the said solid plunger or piston with a
bushing in the end of the buffer case or box, for the purpose specificd.
Third. The method of fitting the said bushing in the case or box by. 2
making the same in two halves or picces and securing them by bolts,
rivets, screws, or other like fastenings, as herein set forth.
Fourth. The method of securing the said bushing in the case or box
by grooving, indenting, flanging, or corrugating the same either with or
without the external hoops or bands, as herein set forth.
Fifth. The method of securing the said bushing by forming the same
and the outer case, as shown in Figure 14 of the Drawing, and shrinking.
the case upon the bushing, as herein set forth.
:
Sixth. The method of securing the said bushing by forming the same
with an enlargement at its inner end and providing its outer end with a 3
screw thread and nut, as shown in Figure 26 of the Drawings.
Seventh. The base plate constructed with a sleeve or tube which receives
and guides an extension on the stem or rod of the piston, as described, in
connection with Figure 15 of the Drawings, and for the purpose specified."

page_text: Eighth. The combination of a bushing made in one piece and secured
in the case a, as herein described, with a piston or plunger whose collar
is formed separately and secured upon the end of the said piston or
plunger, as herein set forth.
Ninth. The adaptation of my Invention of the combination of a
bushing with a collar or flange formed solidly upon the inner end of the
plunger or piston to the hollow piston buffers, as described in connection
with Figures 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Turton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.