462 
STEPHENSON’S PATENT 
of which are fixed to cross heads on bolts, which are put down through holes in the 
side frame and fixed by nuts underneath. A square iron socket is fitted on to the centre 
of each spring, and has a steel pin z\ 1 inch in diameter, fixed into its under side, 
the lower end of which rests in the socket on the top of the axle boxes, (C, figs. 88, 
39, and 40,) and thus the frame N'N', which bears the whole weight of the 
engine, is supported bj" the ends of the springs, which rest at their centres upon the 
axles of the wheels. The bearing pins z of the middle springs pass through holes in 
the side frame, which serve to steady them when playing up and down; other pins 
are fixed in the upper side of the sockets on the other springs, which pass through 
holes in the frame above for the same purpose. 
At the ends of the part of the frame O', in front of the engine, are fixed the buffers 
T'T'; they are strong leather cushions stuffed with horse-hair, and are placed 
there for the purpose of deadening the shock of any collision with another carriage. 
Buffers are fixed upon each end of carriages of every description that run upon a 
railway, being all fixed at the same height and distance apart, in order that they 
may be the only parts of the carriages that ever touch each other; those on the 
engines are sometimes made with a large spiral spring inside, that their action 
may be more perfect. In the centre of the end frame O', is fixed a strong chain 
and hook, a, for attaching the train of carriages when the engine is running back 
wards ; a small iron plate being placed on each side of the frame for the bolt 
that holds the chain to be fixed against. A strong staple is also fixed into the frame 
on each side of the chain, as an additional means for attaching the train. The foot 
board U', upon which the engine man stands, rests upon cross pieces of wood that 
are fixed to the piece of the outside frame P', at the back of the engine, and sup 
ported at the other end by the plate a hand-rail is fixed on each side of the foot 
board as a guard, and to one of these the guides for the hand lever w" are attached. 
b" b" are two pieces of iron plate placed across the back of the fire-box, and bent 
at right angles along one side, forming a flanch which is riveted to the back plate 
of the fire-box; they are also fixed at the ends to plates which are riveted on to the 
sides of the fire-box. Through the centre of the plates b‘ b" is put the draw-pin V, 
1 \ inch diameter, resting by its head on the top plate, and held by a key put 
through it under the bottom one; a socket is fitted on to it having a pin projecting 
from it on each side, on which is fixed one of the links W'W', which are 
attached in a similar manner at the other end to another socket, connected to 
iron bars fixed on the tender by a pin, X', passed through them all; this pin is 
held by a key underneath, and is taken out when the tender is required to be dis 
connected from the engine. The socket on the draw-pin V' is supported by a small 
ring fixed by a set nut; and the link W' can by this means be readily adjusted level,