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, I ^ 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. 38, 

 39, and 40,) and thus the frame N'N', which bears the whole weight of the 

 engine, is supported by 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 0', 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 0', 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 ft'; 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. 

 6" 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, 



