IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: We JOSEPH TRIPPETT Manager THOMAS SEARLS and HENRY SEARLS Steel
Manufacturers all of Cannon Steel Works Carlisle Street Sheffield Yorkshire
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY VEHICLES to be 8.8
follows:-
The improvement in buffers consists of their construction with double boxes,
plungers and springs. The boxes are by preference cast with central guide tubes
in the barrels. The buffer heads are cast with double plungers which pass over
and slide on the guide tubes in the barrels of the buffer boxes aforesaid, and they
are also cast with grooves or recesses to receive the ends of the springs."
The springs are helical or of other convenient form and are by preference placed
over the plungers and they work freely in the barrels of the boxes aforesaid.
The parts of the buffer are connected together by bolts passed through the centre
of the plungers and guide tubes and secured at the back of the box.
As a modification the guide tubes in the barrels of the boxes can be dispensed
with and the springs may also be placed inside the plungers instead of outside
thereof.
E. EDWARDS HEWETT, C.E,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We JOSEPH TRIPPETT manager, THOMAS SEARLS, and HENRY SEARLS, Steel
Manufacturers all of Cannon Steel Works Carlisle Street Sheffield Yorkshire,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BUFFERS FOR RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY VEHICLES "and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The improvement in buffers consists of their construction with double boxes
plungers and springs, The boxes are by preference cast with central guide tubes
in the barrels, The buffer heads are cast with double plungers which pass over
and slide on the guide tubes in the barrels of the buffer boxes aforesaid and they
are also cast with grooves or recesses to receive the ends of the springs.
The springs are helical or of other convenient form and are by preference placed
over the plungers and they work freely in the barrels of the boxes aforesaid,
The parts of the buffer are connected together by bolts passed through the centre
of the plungers and guide tubes and secured at the back of the box.
As a modification the guide tubes in the barrels of the boxes can be dispensed
with and the springs may also be placed inside the plungers instead of outside
thereof.
The objects of our invention are three fold, namely,
Firstly, To construct a Buffer or Buffers which shall combine strength with
lightness and simplicity of construction.
Secondly, To construct a Buffer or Buffers which will be better adapted than
Buffers ordinarily in use, to sustain the varying strains to which they are liable
when the vehicles to which they are attached are coupled to other vehicles passing
round curves or from other causes.
Thirdly, The construction of a Buffer or Buffers, by which the machine labor
such as turning, boring and drilling may be considerably reduced, if not entirely
dispensed with, and the several parts of which do not require skilled labor in fitting
together ready for use.
We effect this object by constructing a double or turn Buffer in which all the
working parts are duplicated, the general arrangement and disposition of which
will be better understood on reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings,
in which,-
Fig. 1, Is a plan of the Buffer ready for use.
Fig. 2, Is a section of the same.
Fig. 3, Is a side elevation.
Fig. 4, Is a front elevation.
Fig. 5, Is a section through the line A. B.
Fig. 6, Is a back elevation.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several viewA

page_text: H. Is the cover fitted into a recess in the base plate, which may have the bolt
holes cast, or otherwise formed therein.
The manner in which the Buffer herein described is manufactured and put
together is as follows:-
The Box A is moulded from a metallic pattern, which has been bored out and
otherwise prepared so as to draw easily out of the sand, and leave its own cores,
The holes J by which the base is bolted to the frame of the vehicle may also be
cast The plunger bolts having been previously screwed for the nuts and for the
washers G. G. and likewise having been notched or otherwise formed at the
plunger end, are placed in the sand, and the head and plungers are cast on to, or
around them, the bolts may thus be firmly secured to the plungers and the head,
without any other mode of fastening being required.
The washers and cover plate to the base may likewise be made of cast metal,
the springs which may be either helical volute or other convenient form may be
made in steel suitably tempered, or India rubber springs may be used.
With the exception of the Bolts, nuts and springs, all the parts herein described
may be made in cast metal, by preference steel would be employed, and when
the parts so cast have been fettled and annealed they may be put together as
follows:-
The head with two plungers and bolts are first inserted into the plunger guides
or sockets, the two washers which serve to increase the bearing surface between
the plunger end and the springs each of which has two or more holes drilled or
otherwise formed to receive a spanner or wrench, are then slipped over the bolts
and screwed by a specially formed spanner or wrench on to the screwed portion
of the bolt next the plunger ends against which they are tightly fixed, the two
springs are then passed over the bolts, the cover plate is then placed in the
openings in the base, the nuts are then screwed on to the bolts, and may be
retained in position by split pins, check nuts or other equivalent means, the
Buffers are then ready for use.
When bolted to the Buffer plank of an Engine, Wagon, or other vehicle, suitable
holes would be bored or otherwise formed in the Buffer plank, into which, or
through which, the nuts and bolts would pass when the buffer was in compression.
The ribbed foot plate as shewn in the drawing may be either cast on the box or
be cast separately and afterwards fixed to the box by screws or other equivalent
means.
As a modification or further development of our Invention, a buffer or buffers
may be constructed as herein described, having three, four, or more sets of working
parts arranged in one group, under one head and with one base, thus forming a
triple, quadruple, or manifold Buffer, which will be applicable for use on stop
blocks in Railway Stations, Terminus of sidings and the like purposes.
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
(1.) Constructing a double or twin Buffer or Buffers in which all the working
parts are duplicated and arranged substantially as herein described and set forth.
(2.) Constructing a Buffer or Buffers, having three, four, or more sets of working
parts arranged in one group, under one head and with one base, thus forming
a triple, quadruple, or manifold Buffer substantially as herein described and set
forth.