IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUFFER BOXES AND PLUNGERS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Eyre, of 167, Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Manager of Buffer Department, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUFFER BOXES AND PLUNGERS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Eyro at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th October 1880.
WALTER EYRE, of 167, Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manager of Buffer Department. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
BUFFER BOXES AND PLUNGERS."
My Invention has for its object the manufacture of buffer boxes and plungers in
such a manner as to dispense with the ordinary use of rivets for fixing the parts
together, and thereby rendering the work more durable, as well as saving the time
occupied by riveting.
And my Invention consists in forging buffer boxes and plungers by means of an
improved die, in the manner, hereinafter stated.
In order to make a buffer box there is taken a rectangular plate of any suitable
size and thickness, which plate is bent round into the form of a tube, and welded
up or along the seam. The plate so bent and welded is then heated at one end,
and while hot is put into a die and bent outwards, in order to form a flange. This
flange having been heated to a welding heat the tube is put into my improved die,
consisting of a block of iron or steel formed in one or more pieces, with a centre piece
(adapted to support the base as required), and a piece of iron to form the base; also
heated to a welding heat, is then dropped or placed upon the flange, and struck
with the hammer in the ordinary way. The said centre piece of this improved die
by coming against the inside of the base will prevent it from being forced into the
inside of the box by the blow of the hammer while the base and the flange are
being welded together, and at the same time will keep the base of one uniform
thickness.
A similar improved die is used for making plungers, but should the plunger be
required with a centre rod the die is made with a hole or passage through its centre
piece to receive such centre rod.

page_text: By using the above improved die for this part of the work the head and rod
formed in one piece is kept quite central with the outer barrel, when the head and
flange of the outer barrel are welded together at the parts at which rivets have
heretofore been used.
And my Invention consists further in making the plunger with a centre piece
inside the barrel, such centre picce having a hole or passage through it, which is
smaller at the inner end. When the buffer is put together a bolt is inserted in the
said hole from the outside or head of the plunger, the head of such bolt resting on
the metal round the small part of the hole, while the other end of the bolt is
screwed or riveted into the base of the box, thereby holding the parts together.
By this means when the plunger is forced into the box the bolt is enabled to work
within the said hole in the centre piece, instead of projecting at the back of the box
as usual, thereby obviating the necessity for making an opening in the frame of the
engine or carriage to which the buffer is applied. This arrangement is applicable
to buffers and plungers forged as above stated or otherwise constructed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walter Eyre in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th April
1881.
"
WALTER EYRE, of 167, Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manager of Buffer Department. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
BUFFER BOXES AND PLUNGERS."
My Invention has for its object the manufacture of buffer boxes and plungers in
such a manner as to dispense with the ordinary use of rivets for fixing the parts
together, and thereby rendering the work more durable, as well as saving the time
occupied by riveting.
And my Invention consists in forging buffer boxes and plungers by means of an
improved die in the manner hereinafter stated.
In order to make a buffer box there is taken a rectangular plate of any suitable
size and thickness, which plate is bent round into the form of a tube, and welded
up or along the seam.. The plate so bent and welded is then beated at one end,
and while hot is put into a die and bent outwards, in order to form a flange. This
flange having been heated to a welding heat the tube is put into my improved dic,
consisting of a block of iron or steel formed in one or more picces, with a centre
piece (adapted to support the base as required), and a piece of iron to form the
base, also heated to a welding heat, is then dropped or placed upon the flange, and
struck with the hammer in the ordinary way. The said centre piece of this
improved die by coming against the inside of the base will prevent it from being
forced into the inside of the box by the blow of the hammer, while the base and
the flange are being welded together, and at the same time will keep the base of
one uniform thickness.

page_text: myres improvements in the Danujucture of Daper Dotes Wine & varmeyers.
A similar improved die is used for making plungers, but should the plunger be
required with a centre rod the die is made with a hole or passage through its centro
piece to receive such centre rod. By using the above improved die for this part of
the work the head and rod formed in one piece is kept quite central with the outer
barrel, when the head and flange of the outer barrel are welded together at the
parts at which rivets have heretofore been used.
And my Invention consists further in making the plunger with a centre piece
inside the barrel, such centre piece having a hole or passage through it, which is
smaller at the inner end. When the buffer is put together a bolt is inserted in the
said hole from the outside or head of the plunger, the head of such bolt resting on
the metal round the small part of the hole, while the other end of the bolt
is screwed or rivetted into the base of the box, thereby holding the parts
together.
Or if preferred the hollow centre piece can be forged on the base of the box, and
the bolt be made to extend from the head of the plunger.
By this means when the plunger is forced into the box the bolt is enabled to
work within the said hole in the centre piece (either in the plunger or in the box)
instead of projecting at the back of the box as usual, thereby obviating the necessity
for making an opening in the frame of the engine or carriage to which the buffer
is applied. This arrangement is applicable to buffers and plungers forged as above
stated or otherwise constructed.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which are represented the improved die, and also the
buffer boxes and plungers above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section of the improved die
for making a buffer box; Fig. 3 is a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section
of the improved die for making a plunger with a centre rod; Fig. 5 shews a plunger
made in the improved die; Fig. 6 represents a box with a hollow centre piece in
its baso to receive the centre rod of the plunger; Fig. 7 shews a plunger with a
centre piece inside the barrel, and a bolt to work therein; and Fig. 8 represents
the old method of constructing buffer boxes and plungers. In these several Figures
the same letters indicate corresponding parts.
A, Fig. 1, is the improved. die on which the buffer box is forged. A rectangular
plate is bent round into the form of the tube, and welded up or along the seam; it
is then heated at one end, and while hot is put into a die and bent outwards to
form a flange; on this flange being heated to a welding heat the tube is put into
the improved die A, in which is a centre piece B adapted to support the base of the
box; a piece of iron to form the base (also heated to a welding heat) is then
dropped or placed on the said flange, and struck with the hammer in the ordinary
way, so as to weld the said flange and piece of iron firmly together, and form a
complete union of the parts, and thereby form a base for the box. The centre
piece B of the improved die A by coming against the inside of the base prevents
it from being forced into the inside of the box by the blow of the hammer during
the process of welding, and at the same time keeps the base of one uniform
thickness.
A similar die is used for making plungers, but should the plunger be required
with a centre rod it is made on or in a die, as represented at Fig. 3, in which
there is a hole or passage C in its centre piece B to receive such centre rod D.
By using the above described improved die the head and rod formed in one piece
is kept quite central with the outer barrel, when the head and flange of the outer
barrel are welded together at the parts at which rivets have heretofore been used.
The parts at which the welding of the head and flange is effected are shewn by the
dotted lines in Fig. 5, which will be more clearly understood by comparing this

page_text: Figure with Fig. 8, in which the old method of uniting the parts by rivets is
represented.
In Fig. 7 is represented my improvement in buffers, consisting of a bolt adapted
to work inside a hole or passage formed in the centre piece of the plunger, so as to
avoid the necessity of making a hole in the frame of the carriage, waggon, or
engine for the centre rod of the plunger to work in. It will be seen that the
plunger is made with a centre piece E inside the barrel. This piece has a hole F
through it, which is contracted at the inner end at F. When the buffer is put
together a bolt G is inserted in the hole F from the outside or head of the plunger,
the head of this bolt G resting on the smaller part F* of the hole, thereby preventing
the bolt from passing through. The other end of the bolt is fixed to the base
of the box, as shewn, thus holding the parts together. When the buffer is
brought into operation by the plunger being forced into the box the bolt G will
work inside the centre piece E, but will never project outside the head of the
plunger.
This buffer is well adapted to be used with any class of spring employed for this
kind of work.
If preferred the hollow centre piece may be forged on the base of the box, as
represented in Fig. 6, instead of on the plunger, as above described, so as to bring
the opening at the base, and not in the head.
The arrangement with a bolt, as above described, may be applied to buffers
constructed as hereinbefore described, or in any other convenient manner.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as of my Invention
is,-
First. The improved die or dies, and the mode of using the same in forging buffer
boxes and plungers, so as to weld the parts together as described, instead of rivetting
them as heretofore.
And, Secondly. The adaptation and application to buffers of a bolt to work in a
hole or passage in the plunger or in the base of the box, so as to avoid the necessity
of making a hole in the frame of the carriage, waggon, or engine, as horeinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Eyre, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
ELIAS MIDDLETON,
Clerk, Atlas Works,
Sheffield.
WALTER EYRE. (L.S.)