Improvements in Buffer, Draw, and Bearing Springs Constructed with India Rubber.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffer, Draw, and Bearing Springs Constructed
with India Rubber.
I, RICHARD THOMSON GLASCODINE, of 77 Cannon Street in the City 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 :-
My invention has reference to springs of the kind comprising a number of rings
of india rubber with interposed metallic cup rings or plates which latter serve to
limit the compression of the india rubber rings and the object of my invention is
to obviate or mitigate the shock which with ordinary constructions results from the
contact of metal to metal when one cup ring or plate is arrested by another. For
this purpose I provide the metallic cup rings or plates or the rings of india rubber,
with additional springs so arranged that they come into operation just before the
desired maximum compression of the main springs has been attained.
Springs to operate on the principle of my invention as thus set forth may be
variously constructed, the cup rings being of any suitable material such as either
malleable cast iron or mild steel pressed to shape in suitable dies and my additional
springs may be of annular or other form and applied either to the flanges of the
cup rings or plates or to those parts which in use are opposite to the flanges of the
neighbouring rings as I will now proceed to more particularly describe by reference
to examples represented in the accompanying illustrative drawings whereof
Fig. 1 shows a central longitudinal section of a buffer constructed with annular
vulcanised india rubber springs a', a³, a³, a', malleable cast iron cup rings or
plates b1, 3, 6, 6 and annular additional india rubber springs cl, c, c, e applied to
the edge of the annular flanges of the cup rings or plates. In order that the
additional springs may be kept securely in place, an annular groove of dovetail
section is formed in the flange of each cup ring or plate as represented at d', d', d³, d
and a portion of the rubber is moulded into such annular dovetail groove prior to
the vulcanising process; or instead of an annular groove there may be recesses of
other forms, for example undercut circular or other holes that will answer the same
purpose of effectually securing the additional springs to the flanges of the cup rings
or plates. In the example now being described it will be seen that the exposed
annular surfaces of the additional springs c¹, c³, c will as the main springs are
compressed come into contact respectively with the surfaces e, e, e and that the
additional spring c will come into contact with the plate f g is an india rubber
washer or annular spring interposed between the annular plate h and the cup ring
or plate b¹.
Fig. 2 shows a modification wherein the parts, so far as they are the same, are
marked with the same letters of reference as the corresponding parts in Fig. 1.
In this case there are no springs on the flanges of the cup rings or plates but
in lieu of the springs c, c, c, c similar springs i, i, are applied to the front
surfaces of the cup rings or plates so that each such spring is opposite to the annular
edge of the flange of the cup ring or plate in advance and a similar spring is applied
to the plate f
Fig. 3 shows an arrangement resembling that represented by Figure 1 but
constructed with pressed steel cup rings or plates.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement resembling that represented in Fig. 2 but in which
the cup rings or plates are of pressed steel.
In the arrangements shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the additional springs c', o³, c, o

page_text: and, are held in place by portions thereof extending into holes formed
completely through the cup rings or plates.
Fig. 5 shows an arrangement in wbich additional springs f¹, f, f³, fare
moulded in one piece with the respective main springs a, a, a, a which are formed
with annular flanges g¹, 9, 2, 9 for carrying the said additional springs.
The main springs a' a' a a', although shown as of cylindrical shape may be made
of conical shape externally, internally, or both externally and internally and in
arrangements such as that shewn in Fig. 5 may be provided if desired with metal
nozzles, such as shown at bl.
The main springs and also the additional springs shown in Figs. 1 to 4
inclusive.may be vulcanized in position on the cup rings or plates to which they
are attached or the said springs may be vulcanized separately and afterward fixed
in position.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the vulcanized india rubber main springs
with additional springs are separate from the metal cup rings or plates.
Fig. 6 shows a modification wherein the additional spring and main spring are
on opposite sides of the cup ring or plate and are connected by a thin layer of
rubber that is in one with the portions of rubber extending through the cup
ring or plate, the whole being vulcanized together.
Springs according to my invention are specially adapted for use within conical
buffer cases as they admit of a more advantageous disposition of the india rubber
used in their construction than in springs of the kind referred to as heretofore
constructed.
As will be evident although as examples I have shown buffer springs, ny
invention as above described may be readily embodied in springs for other purposes
such as draw and bearing springs.
In some cases it may be found advantageons to employ both additional springs
such as c', c, c, c' and additional springs such as i, 2, 3,.
Also in some cases, as with large springs, the additional springs may have annular
plates, & moulded therein as shewn in Fig. 7 which is a cross section, to a larger
scale than the other figures, through one of such springs.
Furthermore instead of making the additional springs of annular form and
applying one to each cup ring or plate, other shapes of india rubber springs may be
adopted and there may be more than one to each cup ring or plate. For example
an annularly arranged series of india rubber springs of round or other form might
be provided so as to operate after the manner above set forth.
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. In buffer, draw and bearing springs of the kind comprising rings of india
rubber with interposed cup rings or plates providing the said cup rings or plates
with additional springs arranged so that they come into operation just before the
desired maximum compression of the main springs has been attained, substan-
tially as hereinabove described with reference to the springs c, c, c, c
and,,, .
2. Springs of the kind referred to in Claim 1 constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinabove described with reference respectively to and shown
in Fig. 1, in Fig. 2, in Fig. 3, in Fig. 4, in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 6 of the accompanying
illustrative drawings.
Dated 171