IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUFFING, DRAWING, AND COUPLING GOAD OF RATEWAY AND OTHER VIS " PROVISIONALATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ferdinand de Kierżkowski, of Great
George Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUFFING, DRAWING, AND COUPLING
GOAD OF RATEWAY AND OTHER VIS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ferdinand'
de Kierzkowski at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 25th January 1871.
I, CHARLES FERDINAND DE KIERZKOWSKI, of Great George Street,
in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUFFING, DRAWING,
AND COUPLING GEAR OF RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
'
The first of the improvements has reference to apparatus contrived
to serve the combined double purpose of elastic through drawing
and elastic through buffing, and it is intended to be applied to any train
of vehicles, whether railway or tramway, or train of vehicles attached to
road steamers.
.

page_text: The second has reference to the rigid and automatic coupling or
connecting of vehicles whether fitted with the first mentioned improve-
ment or not.
As regards the first improvement it consists in so constructing the
apparatus than when a train of vehicles is fitted therewith and coupled
up (not necessarily on the improved system, forming the second part
of this Invention,) the buffing and drawing strains of or from the
individual vehicles shall be separately and directly received by and
collectively transmitted through a continuously connected system of
bars, tubes, or rods (herein-after termed "bars" and intended to
include any equivalents for the same,) which themselves form a con-
tinuous extensible through connection from end to end of the train, and
which absorb all buffing and drawing strains, but which in virtue of
their peculiar construction may admit of a certain amount of slip in the
vehicles under certain conditions.
As regards the second improvement it consists in so constructing the
coupling or connecting gear, that when the buffers of two vehicles come
in contact with one another, the said vehicles will couple or connect
themselves, and further in a contrivance by means of which the said
connection may be rendered rigid.
In carrying out the first of the improvements any suitable spring
or system of springs may be employed for the elastic fitting of the
separate vehicles to the "bars which are cottered up or otherwise con-
tinuously connected, the vehicles being capable of sliding upon the bars
to an extent proportionate to the compression of the said spring or
springs. By preference the spring or system of springs is placed
centrally in the vehicles, the drawing being transmitted through the said.
"bars" and through their couplings or connections, and also the buffing
.when this improvement is applied to the "central system" used in
America; but when the improvement is applied to the double side
.buffer system used in England, cross pieces or beams may be used to
convey the strains to or from the "bars" and springs, and' swivel joints
or connections may be made between the said cross pieces or beams and
the "bars."
It is anticipated that in addition to the other advantages attending
the use of the "through" buffer and draw system, the Invention will
economise tractive effort in starting a train and brake power in over-
coming the momentum of a train in motion, and that by its use the

page_text: under frames of the vehicles may be made of less than the ordinary
strength.
In carrying out the second improvement the point at which the
connection or coupling of vehicles is effected may be so constructed
that when the buffers of the two vehicles come in contact, the link,
links, or other connecting medium displaces a rocking or falling piece
which reverts to its original position after the passage of the said con-
necting medium and receives the drawing strains transmitted through
the latter. A special contrivance consisting of a nut working on a screw
in one case, & a taper pin in another is also affixed, by means of which
the said rocking or falling piece can be drawn back or otherwise adjusted
so as to form a rigid connection or coupling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Ferdinand de Kierzkowski in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FERDINAND DE KIERZKOWSKI, of Great George Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Ferdinand de
Kierzkowski, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Ferdinand
de Kierzkowski, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles Ferdinand de Kierzkowski, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE BUFFING, DRAWING, AND COUPLING GEAR OF RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Ferdinand
de Kierzkowski, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should

page_text: particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Ferdinand de Kierzkowski,
'do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The first of the improvements has reference to apparatus. contrived to
serve the combined double purpose of elastic through drawing and
elastic through buffing.
The second has reference to the rigid and automatic coupling or
connecting of vehicles whether fitted with the first-mentioned improve-
ment or not.
As regards the first improvement it consists in so constructing the
apparatus that when a train of vehicles is fitted therewith and coupled
up (not necessarily on the improved system forming the second part of
the Invention) the buffing and drawing strains of or from the individual
vehicles shall be separately and directly received by and collectively
transmitted through a continuously connected system of bars, tubes, or
rods (herein-after termed "bars" and intended to include any equi-
valents for the same) which themselves form a continuous extensible
through connection from end to end of the train, and which absorb all
buffing and drawing strains, but which in virtue of their peculiar con-
struction may admit of a certain amount of slip in the vehicles under
certain conditions.
The above definition of the Invention will be perhaps more clearly
understood by noting that with the ordinary apparatus for elastic
traction and elastic buffing (in which or some of which there is no
"continuous" system of "bars") the strains are accumulated vehicle
by vehicle by means of their under framings, and are thus received and
transmitted not separately but indirectly or through each other as distin-
guished from the above set forth separate direct reception and collective
transmission of both the buffing and drawing strains.
As regards the second improvement it consists in so constructing the
coupling or connecting gear that when the buffers of two vehicles come
in contact with one another the said vehicles will couple or connect

page_text: themselves, and further in a contrivance to which I attach considerable
importance, by means of which the said connection may be rendered
rigid.
In carrying out the first of the improvements any suitable spring
or system of springs may be employed for the elastic fitting of the
separate vehicles to the "bars," the vehicles being capable of sliding
upon the bars which are cottered up or otherwise connected with springs
intervening to an extent proportionate to the compression of the said
spring or springs. By preference the spring or system of springs is
placed centrally in the vehicles, the drawing being transmitted through
the said bars and through their couplings or connections and also the
buffing when this improvement is applied to the "central system" used
in America. But when the improvement is applied to the double side
buffer system used in England, cross pieces or beams may be used to
convey the strains to or from the bars and springs, and swivel joints or
connections may be made between the said cross pieces or beams and
the "bars."
It is anticipated that in addition to the other advantages attending
the use of the "through "buffer and draw system, the Invention will
economise tractive effort in starting a train and brake power in over-
coming the momentum of a train in motion, and that by its use the
under frames of the vehicles may be made of less than the ordinary
strength.
In carrying out the second improvement the point at which the
connection or coupling of vehicles is effected may be so constructed
that when the buffers of the two vehicles come in contact the link,
links, or other connecting medium displaces a rocking or falling piece
which reverts to its original position after the passage of the said con-
necting medium and receives the drawing strains transmitted through
the latter. A special contrivance is also affixed, by means of which the
said rocking or falling pieces can be drawn back or otherwise adjusted
so as to form a rigid connection or coupling. The main feature of this
contrivance is an articulation or swivel joint in the length of the buffer
and draw bars placed by preference within the wheel base at some
distance back from the actual connecting ends so as to permit the
carriages to work round curves, and the bars to be rigidly and firmly
connected at their actual ends. The rigid connection may be made by
screw and nut.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe the accompanying Drawing which is to
be understood as illustrative only, and not limiting the Invention to the
precise details represented. Wherever similar letters of reference occur
in the Drawing and Specification throughout they denote similar or
corresponding parts.
Figures 1 & 2 are a sectional elevation and sectional plan respectively
of apparatus constructed in accordance with the first part of the Inven-
tion and applied to the single buffer and draw system.
Figures 2ª, 2h, and 2°, are transverse sections on the lines X, X, and
Y, Y, and Z, Z, respectively.
Figures 3 and 4 a sectional elevation and sectional plan respectively
of apparatus constructed to combine both the first and second part of
the Invention and applied to the central buffer and draw system.
And Figure 5 a sectional plan of apparatus constructed in accordance
with both the first and second parts of the Invention and applied to the
double buffer system.
The immediately following description refers to the first part of the
Invention: A spring a or combination of springs or other elastic
medium is placed centrally or otherwise between two sliding holders b, c.
These holders are kept in place or retained from sliding too far by
stops d, d, which are strongly connected to the under frame of the
vehicle. The buffer and draw bars e, e, butt against the front of the
holder 6 and are cottered or otherwise secured to the bar 9, 9, which
passes through the holder 6 and the springs a and terminates in a tee
head which bears against a shoulder in the opposite holder c. Similarly
the opposite buffer and draw bars i, i, butt against the front of the
holder c and are cottered or otherwise secured to the bars j, j, and k, k,
which pass through the holder c and terminate in tec heads / and m
which bear against a shoulder in the holder b. The bars j, k, are placed
so that the bar g and its tee head h may pass and slide longitudinally
between them. The buffer and draw bars e, e, and i, i, are carried in
suitable guides fixed to the under frame, and are capable of sliding
longitudinally therein. Their ends may be fitted with the improved
coupling and swivel joints which form the second part of the Invention,
or with ordinary buffer heads and couplings. It is obvious with this
arrangement that when the bars e, e, and i, i, or either of them are
subjected to buffing or compressive strains they transmit the same to
the holders and springs by reason of their butting against the front of the

page_text: former. Similarly when the bars e, e, and i, i, or either of them are
subjected to drawing or tensile strains they transmit the same to the
holders and springs by reason of the tee heads h and I and m bearing
against the shoulders of the opposite holders. In both cases one of
the holders moves towards the other to an extent corresponding with
the compression of the intervening spring, and as they then no longer
fill up the distance between the stops d, d, the vehicle is capable of
sliding to the same extent on the bars e, e, and i, i, like a bead on a
string.
be
I should again remark that I do not confine myself to the precise
arrangements specified herein. Thus the buffer and draw bars may
formed of, tubes, rods, or bars of wood or other material, so arranged
that they buff and draw against each other with the elastic medium.
only intervening, and without any portion of the vehicle proper inter-
vening. The stops and spring holders may also be formed in any way
which will most conveniently hold the elastic medium fixed when at
rest, and enable it to slip when buffing or drawing takes place.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, 4, 5, respectively illustrate two ways in which the
stops and holders may be formed.
The description next following refers to the second part of the In-
vention. The face plate of the buffer may be made with an opening n
of sufficient dimensions to allow the link bolt or connecting medium to
enter it in whatever position the said buffer head may be presented.
Behind this face plate and partially covering the opening n are fixed a
pair of rocking pieces or gates o, o. These gates are hinged, so that
they open backwards. A removeable spring to each or a counterpoise
keeps them closed with a vertical space between them corresponding to
the neck of the coupling bolt. The coupling bolt is shewn in Figures 3,
4, and 6. It consists of a piece of iron or steel of suitable thickness
screwed for a certain distance at both ends. A polygonal nut p with a
conical face fits on one end: A washer plate 9 corresponding in form
and dimension to the opening n in the face plate of buffer fits on a
square shauk formed for the purpose in the neck of the coupling bolt,
and bears against the shoulder r. The other end of the coupling bolt
has a nut and washer 8, and a split pin or cotter to keep them from
loosening when in place. Figures 3 & 4 shew the coupling bolt in
position when two vehicles are coupled up. Figure 6 shews the coupling

page_text: bolt attached to one buffer and ready to couple up another vehicle. The
coupling bolt is fixed to one buffer by means of the nut and washer 8,
which is tightened up against the back of the gates o, o, while the
washer plate a bears against the front of these gates, so that they are
incapable of opening. When thus fixed the other end of the coupling
bolt carrying the nut projects in front of the buffer. To cause two
carriages to couple themselves the nut p should be screwed out until it
bears against the shoulder 't, the conical point of which should then be
flush with the conical face of the nut p. If the two vehicles are then
pushed against each other the nut p will be guided by its conical face
into the opening n, and will drive open the gates o, o, which will be
closed again after the fashion of a "latch" (door fastening) by the
spring or counterpoise as soon as the nut has advanced sufficiently far.
After the gates o, o, have closed behind the nut p it is obvious that the
two vehicles cannot part, and it only remains to render the coupling
rigid by screwing up the nut p with any convenient spanner or other
appliance, which process draws the two buffers into rigid and close
contact. When two vehicles are thus rigidly coupled it becomes
necessary to make some provision for the lateral motion which takes
place in going round curves. With this object the buffer and draw
bars are fitted with the special contrivance of a swivel joint u or
articulation, placed by preference within the wheel base at some distance
back from the actual connecting ends of the bars. And it is distinctly
to be noted that the application of the joints u in connection with
drawing and buffing gear may be made with any convenient inflexible
coupling at the actual connecting ends; instead of. with the inflexible
coupling represented and described, and that if desired one rod or bar
may extend direct from the joint u of one carriage to the joint u of the
adjoining carriage. The application of my rigid system of coupling to.
the double buffer stock is shewn in plan in Figure 5, and consists simply
of the swivel triangle or cross piece v fitted with buffer heads. The
vehicles so constructed may be coupled buffer to buffer by means of
the coupling bolt described above, or by any similar rigid or other
coupling, or they may be coupled to ordinary stock by means of the.
usual screw coupling attached to a central draw bar w, shewn at one.
end of Figure 5.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which it is to be performed; I declare that

page_text: I claim as of the said Invention, including all variations in detail and
modifications not essentially varying,―
'
Firstly. The construction of buffing and drawing gear, and buffing,
drawing, and coupling gear with "bars" (as herein interpreted) con-
trived to afford a continuous extensible through connection from carriage
to carriage, for separately absorbing the strains of each, and without
any portion of the carriage proper intervening to transmit the strain
from one carriage to another, but each having its independent amount
of slip in addition to the elastic communication with the bars."
**
Secondly. The constructing coupling gear with self-acting latch buffer
couplings, permitting the buffers of adjoining carriages when run together
to close against and in a self-acting manner to become latched to or
coupled with each other, with provision for screwing or rigidly con-
necting the buffers after they have become latched to or coupled with
each other.
And, lastly. As a necessary consequence of the rigid coupling, the
construction of buffing, drawing, and coupling gear with swivel joints or
articulations in the length of the buffer and draw bars at some distance
back from the actual connecting ends, and placed by preference within
the wheel base, so as to cause what may be termed the
66 locus" of
traction and buffing to assimilate as nearly as possible to any curve a
train may traverse, while buffing ends are intended to remain rigidly and
inflexibly connected.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ferdinand de Kierzkowski,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.