Patent GB-190313490-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Coupling and Buffing Mechanism for Railway Carriages.
Inventor: WILLISON JOHN
Filed: 1903-06-16
Granted: 1904-06-16
Abstract: 13,490. Willison, J. June 16. Buffers; draw-gear; couplings, automatic. Relates to improvements in the coupling and buffing mechanism described in Specification No. 12,935, A.D. 1902, and provides means for reducing the space between coupled carriages, for readily changing the length of the coupling, for swinging the coupler aside when not in use and securing it in its working and off positions, and for adapting the ordinary draw-rod for use in conjunction with the spring of the automatic coupling. For swinging the coupler, the shank p is connected to the yoke by a pin p<1>, the hole in the overlapping forward ends b<1>, b<2> of the yoke b being elongated to enable the shank to be pushed back to disengage a pin q<2> which, projecting from the inside of the hole, normally keeps the pin p<1> from dropping out. To make the pivotal connection rigid, a locking-piece r, the two ends r<1>, r<2> of which form a tapered key fitting corresponding surfaces on the shank and yoke, is drawn into position by a screw bolt s. This bolt is held up to the shank by a collar, so that, on unscrewing the bolt, the locking-piece is pushed outwards until the ends r<1>, r<2> are clear of the recess in the shank and yoke. The locking-piece may then be pushed forwards and the coupler swung to one side, as shown in Fig. 7, where, by screwing up the bolt, the locking-piece is wedged between the shank and the yoke end, and the coupler secured. A pin r<3>, extending below the upper and lower limbs of the shank, encounters the end r<1> and so prevents the locking-piece from being completely unscrewed from the bolt. To prevent the pin p' from dropping out when the coupler is being swung aside, a pin b<3> projecting downwards from the yoke into a groove on the shank, prevents relative translational motion between the coupler and the yoke. The ends of the upper and lower cross-pieces c, c<1> are bolted together to form slides c<2> fitting over ribs a<1> on the frame of the draughtgear, while on the inside they carry pockets c<3> to receive the ends of the short arms of a pair of toggle-levers, similar in function to those described in the aforementioned Specification. Each lever is bifucated from the outer ends, and the leaves d', d', e', e<2> of the longer arms embracing the yoke and the friction shoes f, f sliding thereon are interlaced. In conjunction with a coupling-spring k tending to return the draw-gear to normal position when displaced, loose pins h, i, provided at each end with heads of unequal depth, are placed in gaps f<2> in the friction shoes, and, when the draw-gear is not in the central position, the heads form reaction surfaces for the toggle-lever arms, the arms d' engaging the upper head of the pin i and the arms e<1> engaging the shallower upper head of the pin h, and similarly on the under side. To reduce the space between coupled carriages, the spring, used both for draught and buffing purposes, is placed under the front crossbearer of the carriage, its front end abutting against a plate k<1>, while the rear end is secured by a washer n and a nut on a rod m. This rod passes through the spring, and pivotally carries a friction block m<1>, operating with the yoke in the manner described in the Specification referred to. To alter the length of the coupling, the bolts of the cross-pieces c, c<1> are slackened, when shoulders on them may be disengaged from, say, the first and second of lugs o, and the pieces pushed bodily along until the shoulders arrive between the second and last lugs, so that, by now tightening the bolts, the cross-pieces are again secured. In order that the spring may be used in conjunction with the ordinary draw-rod t, the latter is secured between the limbs of a forked lever u<1> fulcrumed on the carriage and bearing on the washer n. The pull is transmitted through a nut w.