IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVES, CARRIAGES, AND VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Nelson Arnold, of Solihull, in the County of
Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVES, CARRIAGES, AND VEHICLES."
Sealed the 21st November 1879, and dated the 27th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Nelson Arnold at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1879.
DAVID NELSON ARNOLD, of Solihull, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVES, CARRIAGES,
AND VEHICLES."
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in buffers for
railway locomotive carriages and vehicles, by which improvements the buffers are
made more efficient in action and more simple and economical in construction than
buffers of the ordinary construction.
In constructing a buffer according to my Invention I make the rear or inner half
of the buffer shank of somewhat smaller diameter than the front or outer part of
the said shank, excepting the extreme rear or inner end, which is of the same
diameter as the front or outer part of the shank. The said extreme rear part of
the buffer shank, which I will call the boss or foot of the shank, where it joins the
part of the shank of smaller diameter forms a shoulder which in conjunction with
the divided washer hereinafter described forms a stop which both limits the
range of the outward motion of the shank and prevents the accidental withdrawal
of the shank from the buffer case or cylinder. In the base of the buffer case or
cylinder, and in contact with the base plate by which the rear end of the buffer
The base plate
case or cylinder is closed, is a washer made in two or more parts.
has a central hole or opening of such a size as to receive the boss or foot of the
shank, while the central hole or opening in the said washer is of smaller diameter
than the said boss or foot of the shank, and when the parts are fitted together the
outward motion of the shank is limited by the shoulder of the boss or foot of the
shank coming in contact with the washer, and by the same action the withdrawal
of the shank from the buffer case or cylinder is prevented.

page_text: In putting the parts of the buffer together, the shank, and spring, and front
washer are introduced into the buffer case or cylinder in the usual way, and the
parts of the divided washer are placed on the end of the spring which is compressed
so far as to allow the said parts of the divided washer to close around the shank at
the contracted part adjacent to the boss or foot. The base plate is then put in its
place and fixed by screws and screw-nuts in the usual way. The edge of the divided
washer is conical and seats itself on a conical bed at the rear of the buffer case or
cylinder.
A boss or central projection is made on the inner face of the divided washer for
the rear end of the spring to seat itself upon, and a similar boss is made on the
inner face of the front washer for the front end of the spring to seat itself upon.
The ordinary base plate may be dispensed with, in which case the headstock of
the carriage supports the divided washer and keeps it in its place.
Or the divided washer may be dispensed with, and the back plate may be divided
and have in its contral opening the shoulder described with respect to the divided
washer. Or the back plate may be made in one piece and have a slot extending
from the middle opening to the edge so that it can be passed to its place on the
shank by a transverse sliding motion.
The divided washer may also be made in the way last described with respect to
the base plate, that is, it may be made in one piece and have a radial slot by
which it is partially divided, and by which it can be passed into its place on the
shank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Daniel Nelson Arnold in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
November 1879.
DAVID NELSON ARNOLD, of Solihull, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVES, CARRIAGES,
AND VEHICLES."
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in buffers for
railway locomotives, carriages, and vehicles, by which improvements the buffers
are made more efficient in action and more simple and economical in construction
than buffers of the ordinary construction.
In constructing a buffer according to my Invention I make the rear or inner half
of the buffer shank of somewhat smaller diameter than the front or outer part of
the said shank, excepting the extreme rear or inner end, which is of the same, or
nearly the same diameter as the front or outer part of the shank. The said
extreme rear part of the buffer shank, which I will call the boss or foot of the
shank, where it joins the part of the shank of smaller diameter forms a shoulder
which in conjunction with the divided washer herein after described forms a stop
which both limits the range of the outward motion of the shank and prevents the

page_text: accidental withdrawal of the shank from the buffer case or cylinder. In the baso
of the buffer case or cylinder, and in contact with the base plate by which the
rear end of the buffer case or cylinder is closed, is a washer made in two or more
parts.
The base plate has a central hole or opening of such a size as to receive the boss
or foot of the shank, while the central hole or opening in the said washer is of
smaller diameter than the said boss or foot of the shank, and when the parts are
fitted together the outward motion of the shank is limited by the shoulder of the
boss or foot of the shank coming in contact with the washer, and by the same action
the withdrawal of the shank from the buffer case is prevented.
In putting the parts of the buffer together the shank, and spring, and front
washer are introduced into the buffer case or cylinder in the usual way, and the
parts of the divided washer are placed on the end of the spring which is compressed
so far as to allow the said parts of the divided washer to close around the shank at
the contracted part adjacent to the boss or foot. The base plate is then put in its
place and fixed by screws and screw nuts in the usual way. The edge of the
divided washer is conical, and seats itself on a conical bed at the rear of the buffer
case or cylinder.
A boss or central projection is made on the inner face of the divided washer
for the rear end of the spring to seat itself upon, and a similar boss is made on
the inner face of the front washer for the front end of the spring to seat itself
upon.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents, partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly in elevation,
a buffer constructed according to my Invention; and Figure 2 is a cross section of
the same taken on the line a, a, Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both Figures.
b is the case or cylinder of the buffer, and c, c, c³, is the shank of the buffer;
d is the base plate, and e is the spring of the buffer. The rear or inner half c* of
the buffer shank is made of somewhat smaller diameter than the front or outer half c,
and at the extreme rear part of the buffer shank is a buss or foot c³ of nearly the
same diameter as the front part c, the said boss or foot c³ forming a shoulder or stop
as hereinafter described. In the base of the buffer case or cylinder b, and in contact
with the base plate d, is a split or divided washer f. f, best seen in Figure 2. This
washer is represented as being made in two parts, but it may be made in more than
two parts. The hole d² in the base plate & is of such a size as to receive the boss
or foot of the shank, while the central opening in the divided washer f is of
smaller diameter and fits upon the reduced part of the shank as represented in
Figure 1. The edge of the divided washer is conical and seats itself on a conical
bed g at the base of the buffer case (see Figure 1). When the parts of the buffer
are fitted together the outward motion of the shank is limited by the shoulder or
stop of the boss or foot c³ coming against the divided washer f, and the said washer
and boss or foot also prevent the accidental withdrawal of the shank from the
buffer case or cylinder. On the inner face of the divided washer f is a boss or
central projection f2 for the rear end of the spring e to seat itself upon, and on the
inner face of the front washer h is a similar boss or projection h² for the front end
of the spring e to seat itself upon, as seen in Figure 1.
The parts of the buffer are arranged in the case or cylinder in the following
way-The shank c, c², c³, and spring e, and front washer hare first introduced into
the buffer case 6 in the usual way. The parts of the divided washer are next placed
against the end of the spring e, and the latter is compressed so far as to allow the
parts of the divided washer to pass over the boss or foot of the shank and close
around the contracted part c² of the shank adjacent to the foot c³, as represented in
Figure 1, the conical edge of the washer seating itself on the conical seat g of the
case. The base plate d is then put in its place and fixed by the screws and screw
nuts at i, i,

page_text: The parts of the buffer may be modified in the following manner :-
The ordinary base plate d may be dispensed with, in which case the head stock
of the carriage supports the divided washer f and keeps it in its place.
Or the divided washer may be dispensed with, and the base plate d may be
divided and have around its central opening a shoulder similar to the shoulder f
shown with respect to the divided washer, the contral opening in the back plate d
having in this case the diameter of the central opening represented in the divided
washer f
Or the base plate & may be made in one piece and have a radial slot extending
from the middle opening to the edge, so that it can be passed to its place on the
shank by a transverse sliding motion. The washer finstead of being divided may
be made in the way last described with respect to the base plate d, that is, it may
be made in one piece and have a radial slot by which it is partially divided, and by
which it can be passed into its place on the shank. I prefer however to construct
the parts of the buffer in manner herein first described, and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing.
"
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention of
Improvements in Buffers for Railway Locomotives, Carriages, and Vehicles,"
First. Making the rear or inner part of the buffer shank of smaller diameter than
the front or outer part, and providing the extreme rear or inner end of the shank
with a boss, foot, or enlargement for the purpose and substantially as herein before
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The combination with a shank of the construction claimed in the
preceding claim of a split, or divided, or slotted washer for limiting the range of
outward motion to the shank, and for preventing the accidental withdrawal of the
shank from the buffer case or cylinder, substantially as described, and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing.
Lastly. The modification herein described in which the base plate is divided and
modified so that it may be used in place of the back washer. Also the modification
herein described in which the back washer or base plate (when the latter is used in
place of the back washer) is made in one piece and provided with a radial slot ;
also the modification herein described in which the base plate is dispensed with,
and the divided or slotted washer is kept in its place by the headstock of the
carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Nelson Arnold, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
DAVID NELSON ARNOLD. (L.S.)