IMPROVED CON- STRUCTION OF BUFFER SPRINGS, DRAW SPRINGS, AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY, AND ROAD VEHICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Adams Silver, of Sun Court, Cornhill, in the City of
London, Merchant and Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED CON-
STRUCTION OF BUFFER SPRINGS, DRAW SPRINGS, AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR
RAILWAY, TRAMWAY, AND ROAD VEHICLES."
Sealed the 29th October 1878, and dated the 6th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Adams Silver at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th May 1878.
HUGH ADAMS SILVER, of Sun Court, Cornhill, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF BUFFER SPRINGS, DRAW SPRINGS,
AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY, AND ROAD VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improved construction of buffer springs, draw springs,
and bearing springs for railway, tramway, and road veliicles, and consists in forming
discs of hardened india-rubber, or of metal with intermediate discs or cushions of
moderately soft, pure, or compound rubber. The discs are of various thicknesses,
especially those of the soft rubber, which are in part with the hard rubber or the metal
discs in order that a gradual yielding action of the soft rubber may take place, and
in proportion to the pressure exerted from the contact or buffing action by the
concussion of two vehicles.
In combination with the hard rubber or metal discs other discs of metal are
employed in combination, these having flanges projecting from one side or face,
which, when the soft rubber that is between either of them and the next adjoining
disc becomes compressed to a fixed extent the flange bears upon the next adjoining
disc, and the two discs move together as one disc to act upon the next soft rubber
disc, and to compress that one in a similar manner, and so on, until all the soft
rubbers are in a compressed state. By this means the resistance or buffing is
effected by a gradual compression of several discs starting from the end at which
the compression or contact commences.
The same Invention is applicable to draw springs, and also to bearing springs, by
arranging them in position for the purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Hugh Adams Silver in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
November 1878.
HUGH ADAMS SILVER, of Sun Court, Cornhill, in the City of London, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF BUFFER SPRINGS, DRAW SPRINGS,
AND BEARING SPRINGS FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY, AND ROAD VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improved construction of buffer springs, draw springs,
and bearing springs for railway, tramway, and road vehicles, and consists in forming
discs of hardened india-rubber, or of metal with intermediate discs or cushions of
soft vulcanized rubber. The discs are of various thicknesses, especially those of the
soft rubber, which are in part with the hard rubber or the metal discs in order that
a gradual yielding action of the soft rubber may take place, and in proportion to
the pressure exerted from the contact or buffing action by the concussion of two
vehicles.
One or more of the hard rubber or metal dises have flanges projecting from one
side or face, which when the soft vulcanized rubber that is between either of them
and the next adjoining disc becomes compressed to a fixed extent, the flange bears
upon the next adjoining disc, and the two discs move together as one disc to act
upon the next soft rubber disc, and to compress that one in a similar manner, and so
on, until all the soft rubbers are in a compressed state. By this means the resistance
or buffing is effected by a gradual compression of several discs starting from the end
at which the compression or contact commences.
The same Invention is applicable to draw and also to bearing springs of vehicles
by arranging them in position for the purpose.
My Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed Drawings,
in which,
Figure 1 is a section of an outside buffer, such as is applicable to railway carriages
or trucks. In this construction the hard rubber or ebonite discs A, B, C, D, E, F,
are attached to the soft rubber cushions G, H, I, J, K, by the usual heating process
well known in india-rubber works. The cushions G, H, I, J, K, are of pure rubber,
vulcanised only to retain the elastic and pressure-resisting properties not obtainablo
in rubber in or with which earths or foreign substances are mixed. The hard rubber,
discs, or they may be metal discs, A, B, have each a flange L, M, projecting from one
face, whereby a kind of socket is formed to prevent the soft rubber cushion G, H,
which is thicker than the others, from spreading beyond the edge or becoming cut
should the cushions be compressed to their fullest extent, which might happen under
special circumstances. Under great pressure the flanges come into contact with the
next disc, and the two then move as one.
The ebonite discs and the soft vulcanized rubber cushions are enclosed within a
shell or box N, over the body of which the buffer head P is partly supported and
guided in its to-and-fro movements. Qis the base plate by which the apparatus is
connected to the carriage by bolts R, R, in the usual manner.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a buffer similarly constructed, but with metal discs
in position instead of the hard rubber discs, the several cushions being formed from
the same piece of soft rubber by the holes S, S, which are formed in them.
The holes may bo formed in the cbonite or hard rubber discs if desired, and
instead of all hard rubber discs or all metal discs being employed in one buffer that
may be varied either as flanged discs or as plain ones.
Figure 3 shows sufficient of a railway carriage or truck frame T as will explain
the application of my apparatus as a buffer spring and as a draw spring, for either
of which it is suitable. Instead of the buffer being placed or arranged on the end
of the carriage frame, as in the Figure, a rod from an exposed buffer head may lead
to one of my buffer springs placed under the body, as is done with other springs.
Figure 4 represents a portion of a railway carriage or of a tram car with one of
my apparatus fitted as a bearing spring, the lower portion resting upon the axle box

page_text: and the upper against the main frame, the axle box moving up and down in the
"horn plates" in the usual manner.
In the foregoing views I have shown the spring as enclosed, but I do not confine
myself thereto, as the box or casing may be dispensed with, and the spring as a
combination of hard rubber or of metal discs, and intervening soft rubber discs as
cushions of cured or vulcanized pure rubber may be left exposed if desired, as in
Figure 5, especially when the pressure exerted is in an axial line, such as in a draw
spring or a bearing spring.
The following table shows the result of an experiment to ascertain the resistanco
to a gradually increased thrusting stress of one of my buffer springs :-
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I delare that I claim the construction of buffer springs,
draw springs, and bearing springs from a combination of soft vulcanized rubber guin
as cushions between ebonite or hard rubber discs or of metal discs, the two bodies
being attached by the curing or vulcanizing process of the soft rubber, as herein set
forth, and as shown in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Adams Silver, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
HUGH A. SILVER. (LS.)