Patent GB-206645-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic couplings for railway vehicles
IPC: B61G1/26
Filed: 1922-09-20
Abstract: 206,645. Floryanowicz, J. Z. Sept. 20, 1922. Couplings, automatic and non- automatic; draw-gear tensioning and slackening agents.-In an automatic coupling of the type described in Specincation 14668/14 in which a two-part draw-bar is adapted to be lengthened or shortened by means of a hook pivoted to its rear part disengaging or engaging a pin on the forward part, the forward part 231 of the draw-bar, Fig. 1, is connected by a vertical pivot 41 to a forked member 230 whose rearwardly extending limbs 24 carry a pin 26 and have slots 25 into which the ends of the pivot 30 of the hook 29 engage slidably, the hook 29 being linked to the pin 26 by means of a cam lever 27 shaped so that when struck in one direction by an actuating arm 111, Figs. 6 and 7, it disengages the hook 29 from the pin 26 and exerts a thrust to lengthen the bar, and when struck by the arm 111 in the opposite direction exerts a thrust tending to shorten the bar. The operating mechanism comprises a crank lever 11 pivoted to a shaft 10 which is rocked from either side of the vehicle by a lever 102 pivoted at 101. Fig. 6. The end of the crank lever has a T-head formed by a bar 111, and a bar 44 secured to the lever forms a pivot for the link-raising gear 13 which engages the link by an arm 40. In setting the coupling the lever 102 is moved towards the right, the T-head 111, Fig. 7, tipping the lever 33 and striking the lower edge of the cam 27, which moves in an anticlockwise direction about the pivot pin 26 disengaging the hook 29 from the pin 26. After passing the cam 27 the T-head 111 strikes a projection 35 and moves the draw-hook outwardly. The arm 102 then engages a catch 4 on a lever 2 pivoted at 1, the upper end 3 of the lever being in the line of movement of the buffer shank. During the movement of the lever 11, the link-raising gear 13 pivoted to it is guided by the bar 14 and raises the hook 20 and link 21 to the position for automatic coupling. In automatic coupling, the impact of the buffers tilts the lever 2 and releases the arm 102 from the catch 4, the weight of the hook 20 and link 21 forces the arms 13 rearwardly so that the T-head 111 first strikes the projection 35 to shorten the draw bar and then tilts the cam 27 clockwise, the movement being completed by the T-head 111 striking the pivoted lever 33, which engages a pin 34 on the hook 29 so as to ensure the hook 29 completely engages the pin 26. In non-automatic coupling, the arm 102 is moved forwardly to raise the link, which is then moved transversely by means of a pivoted lever 43, Fig. 6, operating the transverse bar 37 until the link 21 is over the opposing draught hook 22. The arm 102 is then released, whereupon the link engages the hook and the tightening device operated. In order to engage the safety hook 20 with the opposing link 21 the levers 102 on both vehicles are operated. Instead of the operating levers 102, the pivot shaft 10 of the lever 11 may be extended across the vehicle and provided with hand levers or hand wheels at the ends, or the ends may be provided with a wheel operated by a chain from a sprocket wheel secured to a transverse shaft behind the headstock. The shaft can be rotated by a hand wheel at either end, and is locked in the set position for coupling by a pawl engaging serrations on a circular disc, the pawl being released in automatic coupling when the end of the buffer shank strikes the end of a weighted lever.