IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAW BAR GEAR, SPRINGS AND BOXES, APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVES, AND VEHICLES, FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON ROADS, AND THE LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: We JOSEPH TRIPPETT, Manager, THOMAS SEARLS, and HENRY SEARLS, Steel
Manufacturers all of Cannon Steel Works Carlisle Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRAW BAR GEAR, SPRINGS AND BOXES, APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVES, AND VEHICLES,
FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON ROADS, AND THE LIKE PURPOSES" to
be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in making two or more sets of boxes and springs
connected together in such a manner that the united or collective elasticity and
resistance of the springs may be brought into operation with the draw bar, as
applied to a Locomotive, Vehicle, or like purposes as the case may be.
The general features of our Invention are in many respects similar to our
Invention for Improvements in the Construction of Buffers, for Railway and
Tramway wheels Numbered 9713, Dated July 2nd 1884.
The spring box or boxes used in the construction of our Improved Draw Bar
Gear, may be made for two or more sets of springs, but for ordinary purposes it is
probable that two would suffice, and as the details of construction are similar,
whether two or more sets are required, a description of the application with two
sets will serve to explain the nature of our Invention.
Two boxes would be cast together in the form of a double or twin box into each
of which will be placed a spring or springs which may be either helical, volute or
other convenient form; or, springs of India Rubber or other equivalent material
may be employed.
The end of the Draw Bar would be cottered into a crosshead, which may be
either of forged or cast metal, this crosshead, would be formed with projections, or
flanges, placed at right angles to the draw bar, holes would be formed in these
flanges or projections into which bolts would be fitted, these bolts which may have
square heads or necks, after having been passed through the flanges or projections
of the crosshead, would pass through the framing of the Locomotive, or vehicle, or

page_text: i
other object which has to receive the stress of the draw bar, each bolt would then
enter a hole in the base of the spring box, which had been previously placed on
the other side of the framing last referred to.
The hole in the base of the spring Box would be central with the spring in that
division of the Box or Boxes through which the bolt would be passed, a washer or
cover plate would then be passed over the end of the bolt on to the spring, such
washer or cover plate being made with rounded edges and to fit easily inside the
spring box,
A nut or nuts or other equivalent fastening would then be screwed on to each
of the bolts to secure the washer or plate in position.
The action of the gear herein described would be as follows.
When the Tensile strain came on the drawbar, the pull would be transmitted
through the Crosshead to the bolts, thence through the medium of the nuts and
washer plates to the springs within the Boxes.
The bolts herein referred to may suffice to hold the several parts of the gear
herein described in position, but additional bolts for fixing the spring boxes to the
framing may be employed if required.
As a modification of the foregoing arrangement, instead of employing a cross-
head, as herein referred to the draw bar, may be made in two or more parts, one
end being forged of a suitable form for connecting to the bolts in the spring boxes,
and in some applications as for example the shackle of a cage or hoist, or the
shackle for hawser or tow rope may be connected to the springs and boxes without
separate bolts or joints.
11722
L 1007

page_text: improvements in Draw Bar Gear, Springs, and Boxes, Applicable
to Locomotives and Vehicles for Use on Railways, Tramways,
We JOSEPH TRIPPETT, Manager, THOMAS SEARLS, and HENRY SEARLS, Steel
Manufacturers, all of Cannon Steel Works, Carlisle Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, for IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRAW BAR GEAR, SPRINGS AND BOXES, APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVES, AND VEHICLES,
FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON ROADS AND THE like PURPOSES," and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our Invention consists in making two or more sets of boxes and springs connected
together in such a manner, that the united or collective elasticity and resistance of
the springs, may be brought into operation with the draw bar, as applied to a
Locomotive, Vehicle, or like purposes as the case may be.
The general features of our Invention are in many respects similar to our
Invention for Improvements in the Construction of Buffers, for Railway and
Tramway vehicles numbered 9713, Dated July 2nd 1884.
The spring box or boxes used in the construction of our Improved Draw Bar,
Gear, may be made for two or more sets of springs, but for ordinary purposes it is
probable that two would suffice, and as the details of construction are similar,
whether two or more sets are required; a description of the. application with two
sets will serve to explain the nature of our Invention.
Two boxes would be made together in the form of a double or twin box into
each of which will be placed a steel spring or springs which may be either helical,
volute or other convenient form, or springs of India Rubber or other equivalent
material may be employed.
The end of the draw bar would be cottered into a crosshead, this crosshead;
would be formed with projections, or flanges, placed at right angles to the draw,
bar, holes would be formed in these flanges or projections into which bolts would
be fitted these bolts which may have square heads or necks, after having been
passed through the flanges, or projections of the crosshead would pass through the
framing of the Locomotive, or vehicle, or other object which has to receive the
stress of the draw bar, each bolt would then enter a hole in the base of the spring
box, which had been previously placed on the other side of the framing last
referred to.
The hole in the base of the spring box would be central with the spring in that
division of the box or boxes through which the bolt would be passed, a washer or
cover plate would then be passed over the end of the bolt on to the spring, such
washer or cover plate being made with rounded edges, and to fit easily inside the.
spring box.

page_text: A nut or nuts or other equivalent fastening would then be screwed on to each of
the bolts to secure the washer or plate in position.
The action of the gear herein described would be as follows.
When the Tensile strain came on the draw bar, the pull would be transmitted
through the crosshead to the bolts, thence through the medium of the nuts and
washer plates to the springs within the boxes.
The bolts herein referred to may suffice to hold the several parts of the gear
herein described in position, but additional bolts for fixing the spring boxes to the
framing may be employed if required.
The material employed in the construction of the Spring Boxes, crossheads and
washers may be Cast Steel, Iron, or other metal, and may be cast forged or
otherwise formed.
As a modification of the foregoing arrangement, instead of employing a crosshead,
as herein referred to the draw bar may be made in two or more parts, one end
being forged of a suitable form for connecting to the bolts in the spring boxes, and
in some applications, as for example the shackle of a cage or hoist, or the shackle
for a hawser, or tow rope may be connected to the springs and boxes, without
separate bolts or joints.
A further modification of our Invention and one which would be applicable alike
to either the ordinary or continuous draw bar is as follows.
The draw bar box may be made with a central compartment through which the
draw bar would pass, the spring boxes being on either side of the draw-bar.
This central compartment may likewise be made to contain a spring which may
be either larger or smaller or of the same size as those in the other compartments
or boxes.
The draw bar may be either single, double or continuous, and would pass
through the centre of a crosshead to which it would be cottered or otherwise
fastened, the cross head would also act on the end of the springs in the same
manner as the washer plates already described, the partitions in the draw bar box
would be so formed as to allow the crosshead to be drawn within the box, boxes,
or compartments when the springs were compressed by the tension of the draw
bar; and in the case of a continuous draw bar, the crosshead would be formed
with a long socket, into which the draw bar, the end of the draw bar, or the ends
of the draw bars could be cottered, fastened or otherwise secured.
The material employed in the construction, may be similar to that already
described in the arrangements herein previously specified.
The nature of our Invention will be better understood on reference to the
accompanying sheet of Drawings in which
Fig. 1. Is a sectional elevation of the arrangement berein first described and
Fig. 2. Is a plan of the same with the springs and washers removed.
Fig. 3. Is an elevation of the arrangement herein secondly described.
Fig. 4. Is a plan of the same.
Fig. 5. Is a sectional elevation of the arrangement herein thirdly and lastly
described.
Fig. 6. Is a plan of the same with the springs and crosshead removed.
Fig. 7. Is a plan of the washers as herein firstly and secondly described.
Fig. 8. Is a plan of the crosshead referred to in the arrangement thirdly and
lastly described.
.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
a, Is a metallic case or box, bb, are the spring boxes or compartments formed in
the same, d, is the crosshead, e e, are the washer plates, f. f, the bolts, g. g, the
springs, h the draw bar, i, the socket of the crosshead, and j, the frame work of the
vehicle or other object to which the draw bar gear may be attached.
It is probable that the arrangement herein thirdly and lastly described and
illustrated in Figs 5, 6 & 8 would be the one preferred for general use, more
especially for Railway and Tramway vehicles, the action of the draw bar as

page_text: transmitted through the cross head to the springs, being more direct than in the
other arrangements, and by dispensing with the bolts and washer or cover plates,
the number of working parts are reduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
herein
(1) Constructing a draw bar box and gear in which all the working parts
(except the draw bar) are duplicated and arranged substantially as
described and set forth.
(2) Constructing a draw bar box and gear, or draw bar boxes and gears having
three or more sets of working parts arranged in one group, connected to a single,
double or continuous draw bar or bars, substantially as herein described and set
forth.