Improvements in and relating to Central Buffer and Draw Gear Apparatus for Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Central Buffer and Draw Gear
Apparatus for Railway and like Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD SUMPTION JONES, of 3, Whitehall Court, Whitehall, in
the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of central buffer and draw gear
apparatus for railway and like vehicles whereby the combined buffer and draw
bar with attached parts can swivel or turn in an angular manner in any direction
relatively to the centre line of the vehicle, as when passing around curves and
during coupling, without putting any undue strain on the said bar and con-
nected parts and without putting any additional strain on the springs used for
buffing and drawing purposes, and the said bar and attached parts will return
to their central or normal positions when the turning force is removed, the con-
struction moreover being such that the combined buffer and draw springs cau
be all used for buffing purpose but only a part of them for drawing purposes so
that the range of spring action will be less in the latter case than in the former.
For these purposes the combined' buffer and draw bar is arranged to pass
loosely through a hole in the headstock or equivalent part of the underframe of
the vehicle, and to it are fitted, one at each side of the said headstock, two plates
(hereinafter called for distinction guide plates) between which and the head-
stock are interposed suitable springs (hereinafter called for distinction flexure
springs) which may be of india-rubber or metal, or india-rubber and met:),
and extend around the bar, the said springs being held between the guide plates
and headstock by bolts that pass loosely through the headstock and hold the
plates together. The combined buffer and draw springs may be arranged around
the inner or outer end of the bar and are held between a compression plate
movable on the bar and a thrust plate in rigid connection with the said guide
plates or bar, or both, the arrangement being such that the bar, guide plates,
connecting bolts, combined buffer and draw springs and thrust and compression
plates can swivel or turn as one piece in any direction on the headstock against
the action of the flexure springs which will then be further compressed at dia-
metrically opposite parts on the two sides of the headstock so that they will,
when the turning force is removed, re-act to return the bar and attached parts
to their normal positions. To enable the combined buffer and draw springs to
act jointly for buffering purposes, and to prevent one or some of them acting
as a draw spring or springs, the two springs or sets of springs are separated from
each other by a division plate and means are provided whereby when the buff r
and draw bar is subject to an outward pulling action a lesser number of springs
than the whole will come into action, as draw springs to receive the pull.
In

page_text: this way a comparatively long movement is allowed for buffing and a shorter
one for drawing.
As will be evident buffer and draw gear apparatus according to this invention
can be constructed in various forms.
In one arrangement the guide plates are firmly connected together by bolts
that pass through them and the headstock and are provided with means such as
nuts and cotters or collars between which the guide plates are securely held
The bolts are extended backward so as to pass through a thrust plate arranged
on the inner end of the bar and against which the inmost spring bears, the said thrust
plate being held in place in the backward direction by any suitable means such as
cotters, nuts or collars on the bolt. The bolts and thrust plate instead of being
made in separate parts may be made in one piece; or they may be replaced by a
casing that encloses the combined buffer and draw springs. These springs are
preferably arranged to surround the bar and may be of any suitable shape and
material, india-rubber or metal, and such for example as are now commonly
used for buffers and draw bars. They are arranged between the rear thrust plate
or its equivalent and a forward compression plate arranged to normally bear
against the inner guide plate and adjacent to a shoulder on the bar which it fits,
and are divided into two sets, viz., a forward set and a rearward set, by a division
plate. The bar is provided with a sleeve or tubular distance piece that extends
through the thrust plate and the rear spring or set of springs and bears at its
forward end against the rear side of the division plate, its rear end bearing
against a washer which is set up by nuts on the inner end of the bar. As will
be seen by this arrangement when the bar is pressed backward during buffing
the shoulder thereon will force back the compression plate and cause both springs
or sets of springs to be compressed between the compression, division and thrust
plates but when the bar is pulled forward the sleeve or distance piece will be
caused to slide idly through the thrust plate and the rear spring or set of springs
and bear against the division plate so as to bring only the forward spring or set
of springs into action as draw springs.
In a modified arrangement movement of the division plate towards the head-
stock may be checked or limited by suitable means such as a tubular distance
piece arranged around the forward spring or set of springs, or around the bolts,
or by cotters on the bolts, or by a sleeve or ferrule encircling the buffer and
draw-bar and placed between the division plate and the back guide plate and
passing through the compression plate; or bearing directly on the headstock;
or the sleeve or ferrule may be formed in one piece with the guide plate; or
with the division plate as may be most convenient. The rear thrust plate is then
acted upon by the washer or nuts on the inner end of the bar. In each of these
cases both sets of springs will act as buffer springs as before but it will be the rear
spring or set of springs that will act as draw springs.
In some cases the buffer and draw springs with division plate may be arranged
around the outer end of the buffer and draw bar, the plate that bears against the
outmost spring being then the compression plate and the outer guide plate, or
another plate adjacent to it, being the thrust plate. In this and other cases the
inner guide plate may be replaced by two separate plates that are bolted to the
remaining guide plate and between each of which and the headstock a spring
is interposed.
Instead of arranging the flexure springs between the guide plates and the head-
stock they may be arranged between the peripheries of the said plates and sockets
cr holders on the headstock.
Noted th
11 1.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Central Buffer and Draw Gear
Apparatus for Railway and like Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD SUMPTION JONES, of 3, Whitehall Court, Whitehall, in
the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to a construction of central buffer and draw gear
apparatus for railway and like vehicles whereby the combined buffer and draw
bar with attached parts can swivel or turn in an angular manner in any direction
relatively to the centre line of the vehicle, as when passing around curves and
during coupling, without putting any undue strain on the said bar and con-
nected parts and without putting any additional strain on the springs used for
buffing and drawing purposes, and the said bar and attached parts will return
to their central or normal positions when the turning force is removed, the con-
struction moreover being such that the combined buffer and draw springs can
be all used for buffing purposes but only a part of them for drawing purposes so
that the range of spring action will be less in the latter case than in the former.
For these purposes the combined buffer and draw bar is arranged to pass
loosely through a hole in the headstock or equivalent part of the underframe of
the vehicle, and to it are fitted, one at each side of the said headstock, two plates
(hereinafter called for distinction guide plates) between which and the head-
stock are interposed suitable springs (hereinafter called for distinction flexure
springs) which may be of india-rubber or metal, or india-rubber and metal,
and extend around the bar, the said springs being held between the guide plates
and headstock by bolts that pass loosely through the headstock and hold the
plates together. The combined buffer and draw springs may be arranged around
the inner or outer end of the bar and are held between a compression plate
movable on the bar and a thrust plate in rigid connection with the said guide
plates or bar, or both, the arrangement being such that the bar, guide plates,
connecting bolts, combined buffer and draw springs and thrust and compression
plates can swivel or turn as one piece in any direction on the headstock against
the action of the flexure springs which will then be further compressed at dia-
metrically opposite parts on the two sides of the headstock so that they will,
when the turning force is removed, re-act to return the bar and attached parts
to their normal position. To enable the combined buffer and draw springs to
act jointly for buffing purposes, and to prevent one or some of them acting
as a draw spring or springs, the two springs or sets of springs are separated from
each other by a division plate and means are provided whereby when the buffer
and draw bar are subject to an outward pulling action a lesser number of springs
than the whole will come into action, as draw springs to receive the pun. In
this way a comparatively long movement is allowed for buffing and a shorter
one for drawing.
As will be evident buffer and draw gear apparatus according to this invention
can be constructed in various forms.
Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 shows partly in side elevation and partly in section one arrangement of
central buffer and draw gear apparatus according to this invention;
and
Fig. 2 is a corresponding part plan and part horizontal section.
1 is the combined buffer and draw bar with head 1°, and two is the vehicle head-
stock through a hole 2 in which the bar 1 loosely passes. 3 and 3ª are respec-
tively inner and outer guide plates, one at each side of the headstock 2. 4,4° are

page_text: india rubber flexure springs which are interposed between the headstock and the
guide plates 3 and 3 respectively; the latter are thus kept out of contact with
the headstock.
5,5 are bolts that pass through the guide plates and are provided with nuts 5"
and cotters 5b as shown in the upper halves of Figs. 1 and 2, or with nuts 5"
and collars. 5° as shown in the lower halves of those figures; by these means
the guide plates are securely held together. The bolts 5 are extended backward
so as to pass through a thrust plate 6 arranged on the inner end of the bar 1
and held in place in the backward direction by any suitable means such as cotters 7,
as shown in the upper halves of Figs. 1 and 2 or nuts 7", as shown in the lower
halves of said figures, or collars on the bolts. The thrust plate 6 may be prevented
from moving outwardly in relation to the bolts 5, by cotters 8, as shown in the
upper halves of Figs. 1 and 2, or by collars 8, as shown in the lower halves
of said figures.
9", 96, 9° are combined buffer and draw springs which are preferably arranged
to surround the bar 1 and which may be of any suitable shape and material, india-
rubber or metal, and such, for example, as are now commonly used for buffers
and draw bars. They are arranged between the rear thrust plate 6 or its equivalent
and a forward compression plate 10 arranged to normally bear against the inner
guide plate 3 and adjacent to a shoulder 1* on the bar 1, which it fits, and are
divided into two sets viz. a forward set and a rearward set, by a division plate 11.
The bar 1 is provided with a sleeve or tubular distance piece 12 that extends
through the thrust plate 6 and the rearward spring or set of springs and bears
at its forward end against the rear side of the division plate 11, its rear end
bearing against a nut 13 screwed on the inner end of the bar and held securely
in place by a lock-nut 13". If desired, a washer may be interposed between the
nut 13 and the sleeve 12. A loose washer 14 surrounding the sleeve 12 may be
interposed between the inmost spring 9 and the thrust plate 6.
As will be seen the bar 1 with its attached parts can swivel or turn as one
piece in any direction on the headstock against the action of the springs 4 and 4",
for instance, the axis of the bar may take up the positions indicated by the
dotted centre lines. When the turning force is removed, the springs 4 and 4"
will return the bar 1 and its attached parts to their normal positions whilst,
when the bar 1 is pressed back during buffing, the shoulder 1 will force back
the compression plate 10 and cause all the springs 9ª, 9b, 9e to be compressed
between the compression plate 10, division plate 11 and thrust plate 6 but, when
the bar is pulled forward, the sleeve or distance piece 12 will be caused to slide
idly through the thrust plate 6 and the springs 9b and 9° and bear against the
division, plate 11 so as to bring only the forward spring 9" into action as a
draw spring.
Figs. 3 and 4 are corresponding views to Figs. 1 and 2 of a modified construction
in which the thrust plate 6 is formed as part of a casing 15 that encloses the com-
bined buffer and draw springs 9ª, 9, 9° and is provided with lugs or ears 15*
through which the bolts 5 pass. In this construction the division plate 11 is
formed in one with the sleeve 12 and is arranged between the springs 9b and 9°
so that when the bar 1 is pulled forward the springs 9" and 9b will come into action
as draw springs.
Figs. 5 and 6 are also corresponding views to Figs. 1 and 2 of a modification in
which only two combined buffer and draw springs 9" and 9b are provided and the
thrust plate 6 is prevented from moving forward by tubular distance pieces 16
fitted on the bolts 5 as shown; the movement of the division plate 11 towards the
headstock 2 is checked or limited by shorter distance pieces 17 of larger diameter
fitted over the outer ends of the distance pieces 16 and the sleeve 12 is formed in
one with the washer 14 so that both the springs 9 and 9b act as buffer springs but
only the inner spring 9b acts as a draw spring.
In a modification of this arrangement, movement of the division plate 11
towards the headstock 2 may be checked or limited by other suitable means such

page_text: as a tubular distance piece arranged around the forward spring or set of springs
instead of around the bolts 5; or by cotters in the bolts; or by a sleeve or ferrule
encircling the buffer and draw bar 1 and placed between the division plate 11
and the inner guide plate 3 and passing through the compression plate 10 and
abutting against the shoulder 1* of the bar or bearing directly on the headstock;
or the sleeve or ferrule may be formed in one piece with the guide plate 3, the
sleeve or ferrule being arranged around the spring 9; or the sleeve or ferrule may
be formed in one with the division plate 11, as may be most convenient. The
rear thrust plate may then be acted upon by the washer 14 or the nuts 13 on the
inner end of the bar 1. In each of these cases both sets of springs will act as
buffer springs as before but it will be the inner or rear spring or set of springs that
will act as draw springs.
Figs. 7 and 8 are corresponding views to Figs. 1 and 2 of an arrangement in
which the flexure springs 4 and 4 and the combined buffer and draw springs 9
and 9b are all coiled metallic springs. The lower half of Fig. 7 and the upper half
of Fig. 8 illustrate an arrangement in which the bolts 5 and the thrust plate 6
are formed in a single U-shaped piece, whilst the other halves of the figures
show the thrust plate 6 with a couple of extensions 6" that terminate in lugs
or ears through which the bolts pass.
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. Central buffer and draw gear apparatus in which the combined buffer and
draw bar is arranged to pass loosely through a hole in the head stock or equivalent
and is provided with two guide plates or equivalent parts arranged one on each
side of the head stock and so connected that they cannot move apart, and is also
provided with springs interposed between each of said guide plates or parts and
the headstock, the arrangement being such as to hold said guide plates or parts
out of contact with the headstock and that the draw bar with its attached parts
can swivel or turn in an angular manner in any direction relatively to the centre
line of the vehicle against the action of the said springs, which will, when the
turning force is removed, re-act to return the bar and attached parts to their
normal positions substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
2. Central buffer and draw gear apparatus in which a series of combined
buffer and draw springs are so arranged as to act jointly for buffing purposes
whilst only one or some of them will act as a draw spring or springs substantially
as described.
3. Central buffer and draw gear apparatus constructed arranged and operating
substantially as described with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 1
and 2, in Figs. 3 and 4, in Figs. 5 and 6, and in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings.
Th: 69th dow of Dotabor
1808
TEL: 5911
-day
€ Notaboar 1808
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.