IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BUFFERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Howard, of 155, Fenchurch Street, in the
City of London, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY BUFFERS."
Sealed the 5th September 1879, and dated the 19th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Howard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1879.
JOHN WILLIAM HOWARD, of 155, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Mechanical Engineer. * IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BUFFERS."
My improvements in railway buffers are especially directed to secure effectually
the plunger-rod in the buffer-case without having recourse to the use of nuts, bolts,
cotters, or any other fastening having a doubtful permanent security.
Near the inner end of the plunger-rod I form a groove, and also a narrow
shoulder behind and in connection with the groove. The push-plate is constructed
of two halves or segments fitted together, which at the centre of their junction are
made to clip the aforesaid groove. Between this push-plate and the front end of
the buffer-case is placed a locking-plate, and upon the outer circumference of the
said locking-plate any suitable number of projections (prolongations of the locking-
plate) are formed. Now, as the interior of the buffer-case usually assumes the form
of a frustum of a cone, when the plunger-rod is advanced towards the larger end of
the buffer-case sufficient space will be afforded to admit of the adjustment of the
locking-plate with its projections to the shoulder aforesaid, as well as of the push-
plate in the groove aforesaid. The projections on the locking-plate, with the parts
of the plate in the immediate vicinity of the projections, having been heated to a
suitable temperature (if deemed necessary), the locking-plate and the push-plate,
fitted as already described upon the plunger-rod, are forced into the front or
smaller extremity of the buffer-case, and by this action the projections on the
locking-plate are constrained to bend and clip the push-plate so as to secure it
firmly in its groove, and to become permanently combined with it. Thus, when
the buffer-spring is in its place, the locking-plate and the push-plate constitute in
SD S21

page_text: effect a solid collar on the plunger-rod, thereby securing the rod in its proper
position in the case.
Secondly. By lessening the diameter of a certain calculated length of the lower
portion of the plunger-rod, I am able to form a shoulder on the rod and to contract
the aperture by which the end of the rod enters the interior of the buffer-case. By
these means, when the spring has achieved the proper limit of its action, tho
shoulder on the buffer-rod, formed as aforesaid, comes in contact with the part of
the buffer-case around the contracted opening made for inserting the diminished
end of the buffer-rod, and thus prevents any over-compression of the spring.
Other dangers and damage are also avoided, for at present, when the spring is over-
strained, if the buffer-rod escapes bending damage is done either to the buffer-head
or to the back-plate of the case.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John William Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th September 1879.
JOHN WILLIAM HOWARD, of 155, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BUFFERS."
My improvements in railway buffers are especially directed to secure effectually.
the plunger-rod in the buffer-case, and may be epitomized as follows :—
Within and upon a groove or neck turned or otherwise formed upon that end
of the plunger-rod which works inside the buffer-case is fitted a push-plate con-
structed in two halves, which are firmly secured together by means of a novel
contrivance which I call a locking-piece, thus forming on the plunger-rod a
permanently fixed compound collar. In order that the traverse of the plunger-rod
may be restrained within limits regulated by the compass or play of the buffer-
spring, a portion of the length of the rod is reduced in diameter, so that a shoulder
may be formed upon the said rod. By contracting, in conformity with the reduced
end of the plunger-rod, the inner end of the throat of the buffer-case through
which the plunger-rod is admitted into the spring-chamber, the aforesaid shoulder
prevents more than a certain length of the plunger-rod from entering the said
chamber, and by this means obviates numerous dangers which are at present of
frequent occurrence. This contraction in the throat of the buffer-case serves more-
over to supply a second support or bearing to the plunger-rod, and thus prevents
any twist or deflection of the said rod to which it is now liable owing in great
measure to the weight of the buffer-head.
That my Invention may be more fully understood, I will now minutely describe
its various parts and forms, and to perfect this detailed description, I will refer to
an illustration of my Invention on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, wherein the
samo letters of reference on all the Figures occupying the Sheet indicate identical
parts.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a buffer-case and spring, and view of a plunger-
rod. It also prevents a cross section of a push-plate and of a locking-piece; Fig. 2
is a plan of a push-plate; Fig. 3 is a modified plan of a locking-piece fully
extended; Fig. 4 is a modification, shown in section, of a push-plate and locking-
piece; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent certain other methods for securing the plates
forming the compound collar.
Firstly. The part of my Invention which I term a push-plate, and which is
designated on the Sheet of Drawings by the letter A, is composed of two halves, as
shown in its plan, Fig. 2, by the divisional line B. I prepare the position which
this plate is designed to occupy, when in connection with the plunger-rod C, by
diminishing the sizo of the said rod a certain portion of its length from the end
which enters the buffer-case D. The object for which the greater part of this
diminution is intended, so far as its length is affected, will be described hereafter.
It is only that part of the rod very near its extremity which is at present in
question. A few inches of this part are subjected to a further diminution in
diameter, so as to form a narrow shoulder e on the rod, for a purpose which will
also be explained later. Immediately below and in connection with this shoulder
I form in the rod a groove or neck f, equal in width to the thickness of the push-
plate. At the centre of the junction of the two halves of the push-plate, a circular
hole is made, the diameter of which must correspond with the diameter of the
rod at the groove f, within which are to be fitted the said halves which constitute
the push-plate A
I
Secondly. The locking-piece H is shown in section in Figs. 1 and 4. Its plan
would simply be a circular plate perforated in the centre with a round hole, having
♫ diameter equal to that presented by the rod where lessened to form the shoulder e.

page_text: The chief objects of the locking-piece being to strengthen, sustain, and hold firmly
together the halves of the push-plate when acting upon the buffer-spring, it follows
that a perfect and stablo union of these two parts of my Invention is indispensable.
I purpose to effect the desired union in the following manner :-I make use of a
flat piece of metal (in this instance circular in shape) of any convenient thickness,
and having a diameter greater than that of the push-plate. Seeing however that
the push-plate covers nearly the entire surface presented by the end of the buffer-
case, it would physically preclude the interposition at that point of any plate or
But as, in this
other piece having a diameter exceeding that of the push-plate.
application of my Invention, the buffer-caso is conically formed, I am able by
thrusting to the fullest extent of the stroke the end of the plunger-rod into the
buffer-caso to place the locking-piece and the halves of the push-plate in their
destined position. Thus adjusted, the locking piece is maintained on its inner side
by means of the shoulder e formed immediately behind the groove ƒ on the plunger-
rod. As a preliminary however to this operation it may be found convenient to
heat up to a certain temperature more or less of the outermost part of the locking-
piece. Thus partially heated the locking-piece is to be placed against the shoulder e,
whilst the parts of the push-plate are immediately to follow and to be fitted into
the groove f. A result of these several adjustments is to bring into close contact
the locking-piece and the push-plate. The compound collar thus formed is then to
be forced up to and against the end of the buffer-case. Now, seeing the relative
inequality of the areas presented by the locking-piece and the end of the buffer-
case, the former being considerably in excess of the latter, it follows as a con-
sequence of the operation just described that the part of the locking-piece which
overlaps the push-plate will be forced to bend over and clip the push-plate, thus
not only securing it firmly in its groove, but becoming inseparably combined with
it, the union being greatly aided by the contraction consequent upon the cooling of
the previously heated metal.
A plan of the locking-piece is shown in Fig. 3. It will there be seen that from
that part, or a little more than that part of the locking-piece which extends beyond
the push-plate there has been taken at intervals a certain amount of metal.
The openings thus made may be of any form or size, and are intended to obviate
the probable buckling or corrugating of the metal of the locking-piece when it
is made to clip the push-plate.
Another alight but important modification of the locking-piece in relation to the
push-plate is presented in section in Fig. 4. If this section of the locking-piece be
compared with that of the said piece in Fig. 1, it will be seen that instead of that
part of the locking-piece which is bent over the edge of the push-plate having an
inclination less than a right angle, as it appears in the latter Figure, or even equal
to a right angle, it is shown inflected to a much greater degree; the edge of the
push-plate being shaped in conformity with such a change in the angle of
inclination. The heated parts at and near the extremity of the locking-piece are
made to cover the reverse cone of the push-plate by means of a dio or other suitable
applianco.
A more decided modification of my Invention is shown in Fig. 5, where it will
be seen that the push plate A, in two halves, is turned or stamped out in such
fashion that the front and back shall present different diameters. In this way
there is formed towards the inner surface of the push-plato or rim i, against which
there is to abut the edge of a metal hoop K fitted over that part of the push-plate
having the smaller diameter. A cover plate P is then passed over the end of the
plunger-rod and adjusted to the external edge of the hoop K, which is thus
prevented from getting loose, whilst the cover-plate itself is held in its position by
the continuous pressure of the spring against it.
Thirdly. The plunger rod C, as already observed, is at a certain part about its
middle to be lessened in diameter. This diminution should extend from the end
which enters the buffer-case to that point on the length of the rod, which exactly
measures the legitimate play of the spring S in the buffer-case, and thus at the

page_text: said point a shoulder m is formed. Now as the diameter of the aperture o made
in the buffer-case corresponds with that of the diminished end of the plunger-rod,
it follows that when the said rod has performed a certain fixed traverse or length
of stroke, and would exceed the safe limit of pressure upon the spring, it is arrested
by the shoulder m, which then comes in contact with that part of the buffer-case
immediately around the aperture o. By this means both the buffer-case and the
spring escape injury.
As modifications of or rather as additions to the illustration I have just given
of my Invention, I may specify certain other compound push-plates or collars held
together by rivets, screws, or pins, and adapted to my construction of buffer-rod and
case. Fig. 6 shows a collar of this description composed of two plates R, T, riveted
together as shown, the external plate T being divided in two halves. Fig. 7 shows
a collar composed of two plates U, V, similar to the preceding. In this case the
plates are held together by screws or pins, which are maintained in their place by
means of a cover plate Z, which in its turn is supported by the pressure of the
buffer-spring.
Having thus described my Invention, I conclude by observing that I do not
restrict myself to the precise forms and details herein before set forth, but that
what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. A push-plate acting upon the spring in the buffer-case, formed and
fitted substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. A locking-piece for holding together, supporting, and permanently
adhering to the component parts of the push-plate formed and fitted, substantially
as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The combination of the aforesaid push-plate and locking-piece for the
purpose of forming a permanent collar on the plunger-rod, as herein before
described.
Fourthly. The lessening of the diameter of the plunger-rod, and a corresponding
diminution of the diameter of the throat of the buffer-case, for the purposes herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Howard, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
WANITA