IMPROVE- MENTS RELATING TO BUFFER AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lockwood, of Burgreave Road, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Steel and Iron Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS RELATING TO BUFFER AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
AND WAGONS."
Scaled the 16th September 1876, and dated the 24th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lockwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1876.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, of Burngreave Road, Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel
and Iron Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO BUFFER AND BEARING
SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS."
The said Invention relates to springs for railway purposes, and is designed to
provide railway carriages and wagons with both buffer and bearing springs superior
to ordinary springs used for these purposes.
According to one form of my Invention as adapted for buffer springs, I construct a
box or socket of cast iron or steel which has a flange whereby it is bolted on the frame
or headstock of the carriage or wagon. In the centre of this plate I cast or otherwise
form or fix a strong mandril or pin, around this mandril or pin I place a coil or
spiral spring which extends into a tubular shank or stein projecting from the buffer
head. Or I may dispense with the mandril and screw one end of the spiral or coil
into the plate, the other end projecting into the said projection. And around the
said tubular projection I place a second or outer coil or spiral spring which extend
into the said box or socket, and bears against the buffer head and the aforesaid
plate.
Or I may construct my apparatus without the said inner spiral spring, and may
have the said mandril on the buffer head instead of the plate.
I may also modify my Invention by constructing the same with a series of man-
drils, and single or double spiral springs arranged in a circle or otherwise.
It will be readily understood that the above described apparatus may be readily
adapted for a bearing spring by substituting a bottom plate for the buffer head.
The socket or box being securely bolted on the under side of the carriage frame.
I may also further modify my said Invention as applied to bearing springs by
making the box or socket and bottom plate of an elongated form, and providing
the same with two, three, or more mandrils and coiled springs. I prefer to forin
[Price 6d.]

page_text: the said sockets in divisions or compartments, each of which contains one of the
said springs, and to form the mandrils or pins on the bottom plate which should
be of cast steel with the mandrils cast thereon. Or if desired I may reverse the
above described arrangement and secure the said plate with the mandrils to the
frame, and the box at the bottom or lower end of the springs.
This apparatus may be adapted to any form of axle box and to carriages or
wagons of any size or construction. The steel of which the coils are formed
may have a round, square, oval, flat, polygonal, or other transverse sectional
form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Lockwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd Septem-
ber 1876.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, of Burngreave Road, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Steel and Iron Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO BUFFER AND BEAR-
ING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS."
The said Invention relates to springs for railway purposes, and is designed to
provide railway carriages and waggons with both buffer and bearing springs
superior to ordinary springs used for these purposes, the said Invention consists
chiefly in the combination of two or more spiral or coil springs so arranged that
one or more of them receive the strain of the load or pressure before the other or
_ others of the said springs.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which―
Figure 1 is a plan or top view partly in section of a buffer provided with springs
according to my Invention.
Figures 2 and 3 shew one half of the ends of the same.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, and Figures 5 and 6 are plans of the
top and bottom parts of apparatus embodying one form of my Invention applied
to bearing springs.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 are similar views showing another modification of the said
Invention as hercin-after described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
My said Invention, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is adapted for buffer
springs, and is constructed as follows, that is to say, it has a box or socket a of
cast iron or steel which has a flange or plate b, whereby it is bolted on the frame
or head stock of the carriage or waggon. In the centre of the end of the buffer
head I cast or otherwise form or fix a strong mandril or pin c¹.
C
Around this
mandril or pin I place a coil or spiral spring d, which extends into a tubular
shank or stein b projecting from the plate b, but which does not bear against the
end of the buffer head. Or I may dispense with the mandril e¹ and secure one
end of the spiral or coil spring in the buffer head by screwing or other means,
so that its other end projects into the said tubular shank. Around the said
tubular shank I place a second or outer coil or spiral spring e, which extends from
the said box or socket and bears against the inside of the end of the buffer head c,
and the aforesaid plate b, as clearly shewn in Figure 1.
I may construct the above described apparatus without the said inner spiral
spring, but its action will not be so advantageous. I may also reverse the above
described arrangement of parts by forming the said mandril on the flange or plate b
instead of upon the buffer head c.
I may also modify any Invention as applied to buffers by constructing it with a
series or group of mandrils, and single or double spiral springs arranged in a circle
or otherwise, and so arranged that one or more of the said springs will receive and
resist the strain before the other or others of the group.

page_text: It will be readily understood that the above described apparatus may be readily
adapted for a bearing spring by substituting a bottom plate for the buffer head, and
by having a socket or box securely bolted on the under side of the carriage frame,
as clearly shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, in which a is the box or socket bolted to
the carriage frame A; fis the bottom plate with a hollow mandril y cast thereon,
is the inner or short spring enclosed within the mandril g; e is the outer or long
spring surrounding the said mandril.
I may also further modify my said Invention as applied to bearing springs by
making the box or socket a¹ and bottom plate f of an elongated form, and pro-
viding the same with two, three, or more mandrils and coiled springs, as shewn in
Figures 7, 8, 9. I prefer to form the socket a¹ in divisions or compartments
1, 2, 3. The central compartment contains the long spring e, the other compart-
ments receive the short springs d, I also prefer to form the mandrils or pins gon
the bottom plate f, which should be of cast steel with the said mandrils cast
thereon. Or if desired I may reverse the above described arrangement and secure
the said plate with the mandrils cast thereon to the frame A, and attach the box a¹
at the bottom or lower end of the springs.
I do not confine myself to any particular arrangement or grouping of spiral
springs, but may employ spiral springs of different lengths or of different strength
and sizes, any one of which may be so arranged as to take the strain or pressure
before all or any of the other springs of the group.
This apparatus may be adapted to any form of axle box and to carriages or
waggons of any size or construction. The steel of which the coils are formed may
have a round, square, oval, flat, polygonal, or other transverse sectional form.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and shown how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood that
I claim-'
First. The improvements relating to buffer springs, and consisting of two or more
spiral or coiled springs, so arranged or grouped in combination with each other
and with the buffer head that one or more of the said springs will receive and
resist the strain or pressure before the other or others of the said springs as above
set forth.
Second. The apparatus, shewn in Figure 1, comprising the socket and buffer head
with the mandril and tubular shank and a spiral spring, or two or more of the same
as above set forth..
Third. The adaptation of the said Invention to bearing springs for railway car-
riages or waggons, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, or in Figures 7, 8, 9, of the Drawing,
or in any other form or arrangement which will embody the principle of my Inven-
tion as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lockwood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD. (L..S.)