HOWARDS' RAILWAY & CAR BUILDERS' SUPPLY STORES. IMPORTERS AND MANUFACTURERS OF PLUSHES, COTTON WASTE, HEAD-LININGS, VENTILATORS, CAR TRIMMINGS, &c. JAMES L. HOWARD & CO. HARTFORD, CONN. HOWARD & BROTHERS, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. MILLER'S Trussed Platforms, Compression Buffers, AND AUTOMATIC COUPLERS, FOR RAILROAD PASSENGER CARS. Office, 231 Broadway, (Rooms 4 and 5.) Figure 1 is an elevation; figure 2, a longitudinal section; figure 3, a plan of an end of a car to which the arrangement has been applied; and figures 4 and 5 show top and side views of the "Hook," and "Buffer," drawn on a larger scale than that of figures 1, 2, and 3. The letters refer to the same parts in all the figures. A is a coupling "Hook;" B the "Buffer;" C the "Stop;" D the "Lever; " E the "Quadrant Rachet;" F the "Truss Beam;" G the "Spring Beam:" H the "Suspender Beam;" I the "Upward Trusses;" K the "Main Spring;" L the "Downward Trusses," and M the "Bolster." The platforms, instead of being located below the centre line of the main sills of the cars, are placed in that line, and held there by the Trusses I and L, so that the point of contact (in Buffer B) is in the said centre line and not below it. The coupling "Hook" A is attached to the draw spring the same as the ordinary draw head, and at the same height above the track, but in such a manner that the outer end is free to move laterally for a short distance. The Coupling Hook projects beyond the platform. The Stop C is placed under the Buffer Beam to prevent accidental uncoupling. When two cars are brought together, the Coupling Hooks, from their shape, push each other aside, until the Buffers B are compressed hard on the Buffer Springs, then-the points of the Hooks having passed each other sufficiently far the Hooks are carried forward by their mainsprings, and thus the "Coupling" and "Compression are both effected automatically and at the same time, and without the use of links and pins. When two cars are thus coupled together, the head of the Hook of each car is under the Buffer Beam of its opposite car, and the platforms are close together, (about 4 inches apart.) The effect of this is, one platform can not be forced over the other, nor can a child fall between the platforms; the dust and rain are nearly all shut out; the "Compression" makes the train run steadily, and prevents all jerking at starting and stopping. In short, the advantages gained by the use of these improvements may be summed up briefly as follows: 1. The platforms are held in a plane with the sills of the cars. 2. The platforms can not be broken by any ordinary accident. 3. Telescoping is entirely prevented. 4. Any required compression may be attained, to prevent accidents by Oscillation. 5. No links and pins are required. 6. The platforms may be held as closely together as desired. 7. By close coupling the train is shortened. 8. They will not accidentally uncouple. 9. They may be uncoupled "without shutting off" to make a flying Switch. 10. They very much reduce lateral and vertical unsteadiness of the cars. 11. They cause the train to move steadily, and not jerk in starting and stopping. 12. They work well at great variations of height. 13. They will couple with all kinds of "drawheads" and "couplers." 14. They are cheap and durable. 15. Injury to men when coupling cars is entirely prevented. 16. Injury to persons by falling between cars is entirely prevented. 17. Injury to persons and to cars by "telescoping" is entirely prevented. 18. Injury to persons and to cars by "oscillation" is entirely prevented. 19. The great steadiness of the cars-produced by compression-renders sleeping-cars much more desirable. 20. Train Brakes are rendered more valuable by the non-existence of "slack" in the train. PHOENIX IRON COMPANY, 410 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. WROUGHT-IRON ROOF TRUSSES, Either straight, curved, or hipped, with Wrought-Iron Purlins and Jack Rafters, for covering with Sheet-Iron or Slate. PATENT WROUGHT-IRON COLUMNS For Top Chords or Posts of Bridges, Piers, Public Buildings, Gas-Holders, etc. Any size from 3 to 16 inches Diameter. PATENT LINKS, For Bottom Chords of Bridges, of any size or length, made by hydraulic pressure, without welding. WROUGHT-IRON BEAMS, GIRDERS, AND JOISTS, And all kinds of Iron Framing used in the construction of Fire-Proof Buildings. DECK BEAMS, CHANNEL BARS, ANGLE and T BARS, Curved to template, when required. "PHENIX BEST" REFINED BAR IRON, Sash, Ladder, Hand-Rail, and Purlin Iron. RAILROAD IRON AND STREET RAILS, OF ALL PATTERNS AND WEIGHT. DOUBLE LIP WROUGHT-IRON RAILROAD CHAIRS, Made to fit any section of rail. They would especially call the attention of ENGINEERS to their New Patent Suspension Rail Joint, now being used with great satisfaction on many of our principal Railroads. It makes a very firm joint, does not get out of order, and can be fitted to any size rails. Drawings, Specifications, and Pattern Sheets furnished on application. Address, SAMUEL J. REEVES, President, 410 Walnut St., Philadelphia. Phoenixville Bridge Works of Pa. OFFICE, 410 WALNUT ST., PHILADELPHIA. CLARKE, REEVES REEVES & CO. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT ALL KINDS OF Iron Railway Bridges, Viaducts, Turn-Tables, Roofs, AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES. The attention of the officers of Railway Companies is called to our "Album of Designs," showing the various styles of Iron Railway Bridges, Viaducts, etc., that we have constructed and are prepared to construct, which we will send by mail to any person requiring such structures. We are prepared to furnish first-class iron bridges in as short a time as any other bridge-builders can do, and at very rea. sonable rates. We refer to the officers of the following Railway Companies, for whom we have constructed since October, 1870, and are now constructing, over 100 spans, amounting to 17,600 lineal feet of first-class IRON BRIDGES. Chicago, Burlington and Quincy-Illinois Central-Chicago and North-Western-Philadelphia, Address, CLARK, REEVES & CO., 410 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. NATIONAL WIRE AND LANTERN WORKS, Warehouse, 45 Fulton Street, New-York. HOWARD & MORSE, Manufacturers of Brass, Copper, and Iron Wire Cloth, Riddles, Sieves, Coal and Sand Screens, IRON AND STEEL, · LOCOMOTIVE SPARK WIRE CLOTH, Square Wire Cloth, Wire Bolting Cloth, Plain and Ornamental Wire Work, WIRE FENCE AND RAILING, DOOR AND WINDOW GUARDS. Bank Counter Railing, No. 4. No. 1, Miner's Safety Lang |