US495061A - eichaeds - Google Patents

Description

(No model.) 4 Sheets-sheet 1.

w. P. RICHARDS.

GAB. BUFFER.

No. 495,061. l Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

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(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet` 2. W. F. RICHARDS.

GAR BUFFER.

Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

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(No Moden.) asheets-'sheen a. W. P. RICHARDS.

GAR BUFFER.

Patented Apr. 11,1893.

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GAR BUFFER. No. 495,06l. Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT VLLARD F. RCHARDS, OF BUFFALO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BUFFER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,061, dated April 11, 1893. Application led December 22, 1892. Serial No. 455,994. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern: n bufferY with simple and effective spring meeh- Beit known that l, W'ILLARD F. RICHARDS, anism which acts not only to right or square a citizen of the United States, residing at Bufthe buiier'when swung out of its normal posifalo, in the county of Erie and State of New tion, but which at the same time augmente the York, have invented new and useful Improvepower of the buffer springs on the carrying 55 ments in Oar-Buffers, of which the following is stem of the buffer, without offering excessive a specification. additional resistance to the light entension My invention relates more especially to that spring of the louder. class of car buffers or yielding platform ex- In the accompanying drawings consisting of 1o tensions which are pivotally supported at the four sheetsz--Figure 1 is a sectional top plan 6o end of the car, so as to be capable of assumview of the platform of a railway car proing an angular position with reference to the vided with my improved buffer mechanism, same in rounding curves, and in which the showing the bilder free or fully projected, the bueris provided on opposite sides of its pivot ooring of the platform being omitted to ex- :5 with righting springs for returning it to its pose subjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a top plan 65 normal position parallel with the end of the view of the platform, showing the position of car after passing a curve. The buifer is usuthe parts when the buffer is pressed inward ally supported uponastem or bar upon which by contact with an adjoining car, and the is arranged a comparatively light spring for coupled cars are in line or running on a zo holding it in its extended position and aheavy straight section of track. Fig. 3 is a similar 7o buder spring for opposing any violent shocks view showing 'the position of the parts when received by the cars. Prior to my invention, the buffer is pressed inward and swung atan these buiers were provided with righting angle to the end of the car in rounding a springs which served the additional function curve. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional eleof supplementing the buffing action of the vation on line lf-4, Fig. 1. 75 springs on the buffer stem; and in order to Like letters of reference refer to like parts hold the buffer in its normal position with in the several figures. sufiicient security to prevent its rattling when A represents the longitudinal timbers of free or out of contact with an opposing car, the stationary car platform, B the cross timthese combined righting and buing springs ber connecting the outer ends of the longi- 80 were made of such a length as to be under tudinal timbers, and O the end sill of the car partial compression in the free or projected body. position of thebudei; YVhen extended to its D is the draw bar which may be of any outermost position, the buffer usually'l prowell known construction.

jects about two inches beyond the retracted E is the louder or yielding platform exten- 85 position which it occupies when the car is sion, consisting preferably of a transverse coupled to an opposing car, so that when the vertical buffer plate having at its-upper end righting springs of the buffer are already para horizontal threshold plate e, extending intially compressed in the extended position of wardly over the end timber B and which is 4o the buifer, as above mentioned, the resistance overlapped by a foot plate e', secured to the 9o olfered by such springs must be overcome in upper side of the end timber. addition to that of the light extension spring F is the main buffer bar or stern which carof the buffer in coupling and uncoupling the ries the buffer E, at its outer end, and is ears, which is objectionable because in order guided with its outer portion in an opening to facilitate these operations, the resistance formed in the end timber of the platform and 95 power of the springs which press out the with its inner portion in a similar opening buifer should be as light as possible, and yet formed in a transverse block F', secured besufticient to project the buffer to the required tween the longitudinal central timbers of the extant platform. The bilder is pivoted centrally to 5o The object of my invention is to provide the l the outer end of the main buffer stem by a reo vertical pin or bolt, so as to be free to oscillate and assume an angular position with relation to the end of the stationary platform.

H represents the light spiral springarranged on the contracted inner portion of the butter stem between the shoulder on the latter and the block F', whereby the buffer is yieldingly held in its extended position.

I is the main or heavy buffer spring, surrounding the light extension spring H and which sustains any heavy1 shocks which overpower the light extension spring.

K K represent the rlongitudinal stay rods or side stems of the buffer which are pivoted at their outer ends to the buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and are guided with their outer portions in openings Zt formed in the end timber B. The inner portions of these stay rods slide in hollow followers or longitudinally movable tubes L, which are guided i in horizontal openings formed in lugs orbrackets Z, projecting from the inner sides of the longitudinal timbers A. The outward movement of each of these rods in its follower, is limited by a key or cross pin m arranged in an opening in the inner end thereof.

N N are combined bufiing'and righting springs surrounding the contracted portion of the side stems. Each of these springs bears with its outer end against a collar or washer n arranged loosely on the stem and adapted to abut against the end sill, and with its inner end against a similar collar n', also surronndingthestem and adapted to abut against the outer end of the tubularfollower L. The latter collar may however, be `formed in one piece with the tubular follower if desired. The shoulders 0 at the front ends of the reduced portions of the stems are so arranged, and the springs are made of such a length, that when the buffer is 4fully extended, the shoulders stand a short distance in advance of the washers fn., say about one inch, and the collars n stand about the same distance in advance of the lugs Z. By this arrangement, when the buffer is fully extended, as shown in Figs. l and 4, the combined buffer and righting springs are compressed about one inch, so that any tendency of the buffer to assume a position at an angle to the end of the car platformis opposed by the springs, thereby not only squaring the buffer but also preventingit from rattling. The front collarsn of the stay rods are wider and larger than the openings in the end sill through which the rods pass, as shown in Fig. 4. so as to prevent the springs from moving outwardly beyond the rear side of the end sill. When the buffer is pushed inward by contact with an opposing car, the stay rods move inward with the buffer, and during about the iirst inch of their inward movement, the combined buffing and righting springs are lirst relaxed and then slightly compressed, so that they offer only a slight resistance to coupling and uncoupling the cars. The continued inward movement of the buffer causes the inner collars of the stay rods to abut against the front sides of thelugs or brackets Z, and the shoulders of the rods to bear against the washers or collars n, as shown Fig. 2, thereby compressing the ysprings between the two collars or washers, causing the same to act as butfing springs and supple- 'ment-ing the buiiing action of thelight eX- tension spring. During this inward movement of the stay rods, the .latter slide rearwardly through the tubular followers. Then the buer assumes an angular position in rounding a curve as shown in Fig. 3, both righting and bufting springs are compressed in opposite directions, the spring on the rod connected with the outwardly swung end of the buffer being compressed toward the end sill of the car platform by the outward movement of its follower, and the other spring being compressed toward the lug or bracket Z by the inward movement of the outer collar n of the rod. The movement of the oscillatory buffer into this angular position, is thus opposed by both righting and bufng springs,

so that as soon as the coupled cars round thel curve, the compressed springs both react and return the buffer to its normal position parallel with the end of the car, thus effectually and promptly righting the buffer.

My improved buifer mechanism is very simple in construction, as it employs but two side v springs for the threefold purpose of righting the louder, preventing it from rattling and augmenting the power of the light extension spring. Its compactness also permits the use of comparatively long springs,without extending any of the parts inwardly beyond the ordinary limit, thereby rendering the spring mechanism more easy of action, avoiding the liability of over straining the springs and increasing their durability.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the stationary car platform, and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followers capable of longitudinal movement on the car frame, lstay rods attached at their outer ends to the-buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and sliding in said followers, and springs applied to said rods and abutting against said followers, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the stationary car platform, and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followers capable of longitudinal movement on the car frame, stay rods attached at their outer ends to the buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and sliding in said followers, stops arranged on said rods for limiting their outward movement in said followers, and springs applied to said rods and abutting against said followers, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the stationary car platform or frame, having lugs or brackets, and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followers sliding lengthwise in said lugs or brackets, stay rods attached at their outer ends to the buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and sliding in said followers, and springs applied to IOO IIO

said rods and bearing with their inner ends against said followers, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the stationary oar platform or freine having lugs or brackets and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followers sliding lengthwise in saidlugs or brackets,

stay rods attached at their fronty portions to' the buffer on opposite sides of its pivot, sliding with their inner portions in seid followers and provided on their front portions with shoulders, a collar or Washer arranged loosely WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, FRED. C. GEYER.

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