Improvements in Buffers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffers.
J, BOB JONES, of Sunnyside, Lynton, in the County of Devon, Builder &
Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manner in which I construct & arrange buffers for
railways, incline lifts, tramway and other similar purposes, whereby a longer stroke
can be more readily obtained and a greater momentum arrested than is possible
with the ordinary systems at present in use for such purposes. I am also enabled to
construct and adapt, my improved buffers, for use in districts & localities where
skilled labour is difficult to obtain, and where the ordinary piston moved, cylindrical,
or spring buffer could not be constructed. In carrying my invention into effect, I
construct the striking portion of my improved buffer as a sliding bar or frame,
having one or more chains, ropes, or cables attached to it, and leading to a falling
weight or heavy body which I suspend in a pit above or below the sliding bar.
This pit or chamber 1 preferably construct so that water may be retained within it,
and the weight caused to rise and fall within the water, in order to obtain the effect
of a heavier drag upon the sliding bar when the weight rises out of the water and
thus becomes heavier.
By this system of utilizing the loss of weight of the body when in water, I am
enabled to cause the car or engine striking the buffer sliding bar, to be met with a
gradually increasing resistance so that its momentum or energy is effectually
absorbed, and the motion thereby arrested without sudden shock or injury being
.occasioned.
I do not always arrange the chain or cable to pass from the sliding bar or frame
to the dead weight moving block direct, but sometimes multiply the resistance of the
weight upon the sliding bar by passing the rope round a system of pulleys, placed
upon the weight block and the slide, or upon the framework of my buffer arrange-
ment, in any well known manner; thus I can cause a heavy resistance to be offered
to the sliding bar, by means of the long movement of the weight block in its
water pit.
Sometimes, instead of employing a chain, or chains, or cables to attach the sliding
bar to the weight block, I arrange a rack formed rod, or rods, to work into a
toothed wheel or wheels, or a system of levers, for raising the heavy body from
the pit.
I do not always employ a plain or simple weighted body to hang upon the sliding
bar connections, but in some cases form the weight as a cistern or tank, having an
outlet which I regulate and adjust to allow the water to escape at any desired speed
back into the water within the pit.
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffers.
I, BOB JONES, of Sunnyside, Lynton, in the County of Devon, Builder and
Contractor, 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 relates to the manner in which I construct and arrange buffers for

page_text: railways, incline lifts, tramways and other similar purposes whereby a longer stroke
can be more readily obtained and a greater momentum arrested than is possible
with the ordinary systems at present in use for such purposes. I am also enabled
to construct and adapt my improved buffers for use in districts and localitics where
skilled labour is difficult to obtain, and where the ordinary piston moved, or
cylindrical buffer could not be constructed.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct the striking portion of my
improved buffer as a sliding bar or frame having one or more chains, ropes or cables
attached to it and leading to a falling weight or heavy body which I arrange in a
pit above or below the sliding bar. This pit or chamber I preferably construct so
that water may be retained within it, and the weight caused to rise and fall within
the water, in order to obtain the effect of a heavier drag upon the sliding bar when
the weight rises out of the water and thus becomes heavier. By this system of
utilizing the loss of weight of the body when in water I am enabled to cause the
car or engine striking the buffer sliding bar to be met with a gradually increasing
resistance so that its momentum or energy is effectually absorbed, and its motion
thereby arrested without sudden shock or injury being occasioned.
I do not always arrange the chain or cable to pass from the sliding bar or frame
to the dead weight moving block direct but sometimes multiply the resistance of the
weight upon the sliding bar by passing the rope round a system of pulleys placed
upon the weight block and the slide or upon the framework of my buffer arrange-
ment in any ordinary well known manner. Thus I can cause very heavy resistance
to be offered to the sliding bar by means of the long movement of the weight block
in its water pit.
Sometimes instead of employing a chain or chains or cables to attach the sliding
bar to the weight block, I arrange a rack formed rod, or rods to work into a toothed
wheel or wheels for raising the heavy body from the pit. I do not always employ
a plain or simple weighted body to hang from the sliding bar connections, but in
some cases form the weight as a cistern or tank having an outlet which I regulate
and adjust to allow the water to escape at any desired speed back into the water
within the pit.
In the accompanying drawings, on Sheet 1, Figure 1 is an elevation of my
improved buffer, when arranged as a sliding carriage to stand upon the same line of
rails L L as the car or vehicle M runs on by its wheels N, and Figure 2 is a plan.
The projecting beams or blocks m I cause to strike the block or beam A carried
upon the sliding or running frame A' A². This frame being mounted on
wheels B B B2 B33 for permitting free movement upon the rails L L. Upon the
side frames A A², I mount pulleys D D to receive a chain wire cable or cord E',
one end of which chain 1 fasten to a fixed pin e, and the other end I attach to the
suspended weight or cistern case G; which weight I place within a pit or well K
containing water or liquid H. The sides of my running frames I tie together or
bolt together by suitable stretcher: bars or rods as C; and the weight G I construct
either as a solid mass or construct a tank which I weight with water or any other
suitable or heavy material. The chain from the running carriage chain wheels DD'
I carry on guide pulleys F F which direct it to the suspended weight, thus
permitting the running or brake block carriage to be pulled by the load G, and a
resistance thereby offered to the too easy movement of the carriage upon the rails.
When the car or vehicle M by its buffer blocks or beam m, strikes the buffer
frame beam A the weight of the body G suspended in the water H, offers a
resistance to motion, and thus checks and absorbs the momentum of the car
or vehicle; and as the weight G is drawn up out of the water so its weight thereby
increases and offers a greater resistance to the motion of the car M, and thus absorbs
more energy or momentum at every portion of the travel or rise of the weight. By
this system I offer a gradually increasing resistance to the motion of any vehicle,
and thereby effectually check and retard the vehicle when uearing its desired
position for stopping at the end of its journey.
On Sheet 2, Figure 3 is an elevation of my improved sliding buffer carriage,

page_text: applied to an inclined railway or lift. Figure 4 is a plan of the same. Figure 5 is
a detail elevation of the carriage, and Figure 6 is a detailed plan of the same.
The car or vehicle underframe M' running on the rails L L³ by the wheels N'
carries a striking block or beam m which meets the corresponding buffer beam A
carried upon the frames A³ A. The wheels B B B B7 I arrange to run some-
times on separate lines of rails L L and the carriage is capable of travelling upon
these rails from the position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full lines in
Figure 3. The chain, cable or cord E3, E3, I carry over suitable guide pulleys F³, F³,
and O, O', leading them to the suspended weight or tank G' in the well for the
purposes as before described when upon horizontal rails.
I do not always attach my cords to a fixed stop or stops, but sometimes attach
the ends direct to snugs or boss brackets P P as shown on Sheet 2 Figures 3, 4,
and 5.
I do not limit the application of my invention to any particular form of carriage
such as illustrated nor to any peculiar attachment of cords, but I adopt the same
essential features of my sliding and increasing resistance buffer, to suit any
particularspecial or ordinary requirement in a manner similar to the systems herein-
before set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) The construction of a buffer having a suspended weight which is free to
work and to be withdrawn from a well or tank of water for the purposes hereinbefore
described and as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
(2.) The construction of a buffer for giving a long stroke or travel, having a
sliding carriage connected to a weight suspended in water by means of cords, chains
or cables carried from the moving buffer block or carriage frame substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described and as set forth.
(3.) The construction and arrangement of sliding buffers for use upon railways
and incline lifts and for like purposes, substantially as and for the purposes hercin-
before described and as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of March 1891.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.