IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUFFER AND COUPLING APPARATUS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND OTHER ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 89, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
BUFFER AND COUPLING APPARATUS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND
OTHER ROLLING STOCK."-A communication from abroad by William
Hutchinson Skidmore, of Philadelphia, United States of America.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th March 1874.
I, PETER JENSEN, of 89, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE BUFFER AND COUPLING APPARATUS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND
OTHER ROLLING STOCK" (a communication to me from abroad by William
Hutchinson Skidmore, of Philadelphia, United States of America), to be
as follows:-
-
The object of this Invention is to improve the means of connecting
together the several cars of a railroad train, so that while they shall be

page_text: capable of automaticany couping as they approach each other, you ne
coupling shall be effected without any violent shock or concussion of
the car, and so that when once coupled they shall be held securely
together, and the coupling hooks shall not be in danger of becoming
detached from the shoulder or other detents with which they engage.
The Invention relates to certain improved means designed to accom-
plish the following results, viz.,—
1st. To enable the cars to automatically connect with each other by
means of hook couplings.
2nd. To press the cars from each other when thus hooked so as to
cause the hooks always to remain in firm contact with the shoulders or
detents over which they engage.
And, 3rd. To enable the attendants to disengage the cars readily
whenever desirable.
The Invention also relates to and includes the use of the old fashioned
link and pin coupling in combination with the parts which effect the
above results, so as to enable a car provided with the improvements
about to be described to be coupled with the old fashioned cars, without
which provision the introduction of the automatic car coupling upon
existing railroads is to all intents and purposes impracticable.
Having thus stated in general terms the nature and objects of the
Invention, I will now proceed to set forth in detail one form of
mechanical means by which the Invention can be carried into practical
effect.
The platform of one of the cars composing the train, the old fashioned
draw bar and draw head, are adapted to the use of the well-known link
and pin coupling, such as have been in common use on railroads for
many years. In connection with this old fashioned draw head and
coupling there is used an automatic hook coupling, and so constructed
that it can be thrown into position for use when necessary, or drawn
back out of the way when not necessary. A flanged inclined hook guide
and holder is cast upon or welded to or otherwise suitably connected to
the side of the draw head. On the opposite side of the draw bar there
is attached a hook bar, pivotting the same to the side of the draw bar by
means of a pin or projection, and providing for the longitudinal move-

page_text: ment of the hook bar upon its support and fulcrum by means of a slot
made in the bar. Any construction however which would be the
mechanical equivalent of the pin and slot for the purpose intended may
be employed in their stead, such for example as slotting the draw bar
itself, and attaching the pin or projection to the side of the hook bar, so
that said pin will enter and slide in the slot, or providing two projecting
pins or lugs, or a strap in the side of the draw bar, between which pins
or lugs or within which strap the hook bar is held and slides. The
hook bar having been thus constructed so as to be capable of sliding
backward and forward longitudinally on its fulcrum, in order to cause
the front or hook end to project beyond the draw head when the
automatic coupling is to be used, ought to be withdrawn behind the face
of the draw head out of the way when the automatic coupling is not to
be used; it is of course necessary to provide some means of locking it
when thrown forward, and thereby preventing it from sliding backward
so long as the automatic coupling is to be used. Any suitable kind of
lock or stop may be employed for this purpose, but the following has
been found an admirable. device, to wit, the arrangement upon the
pin outside of the hook bar of a lever having a segmental flanged
rim.
When the hook bar is thrust forward the arm of the lever can drop,
bringing the segmental flange directly behind the end of the hook bar, so
as to prevent its retraction, but not to interfere with the perfect freedom
of its oscillatory movement upon its fulcrum. By raising the end of the
lever to a horizontal position the hook bar is again disengaged, and can
be slidden back out of the way with great ease; in fact will slide back of
itself whenever the cars come together. Both the hook bar and the
lever may be secured on the pin or other projection by a nut or other
suitable means, and the lever may be arranged between the hook bar
and the draw bar if preferred. As thus constructed, whenever two cars
provided with these improvements come together, the hook end of the
bar of each car will strike and slide upon the incline of the opposite bar
until the shoulder of the hook passes over the upper edge of the incline,
when each hook will drop into place by its own weight, and thereby
securely couple the two cars together by a double hook connection.
It is now necessary that means should be provided to hold the hooks
firmly engaged with the shoulder or detents over which they have
locked, as above described, so that they will not accidentally jump out

page_text: of place and uncouple the cars during the rapid movement of the train ;
and to this end means are provided for pressing the cars apart when
coupled, so as to cause the hooks to hold firmly at all times against said
shoulders. The means consist in a buffer plate of any suitable width
'constructed of a flat horizontal part, the rear edge of. which is semi-
circular, and which is provided with an opening, and constructed also
with a front vertical flange, having, if preferred, a slight backward
turned flange at the lateral end and under the edges of the vertical
flange. This plate is set into a suitable recess in the platform, wherein
it is secured by one, two, or more pins, so as to be capable of turning
horizontally to a sufficient extent to enable the faces of the buffer plates
upon the two adjacent cars to remain in fair contact however the cars
may sway on their springs or trucks, and whatever may be the curvature
of the roadway upon which they are moving, a strong spring of any
suitable form, construction, and material is inserted, and caused by any
suitable means to be securely held between the front flange of the buffer
plate and the front edge of the platform. The front edge of the platform
may be shod or protected with metal. Preferably a stout projecting
metallic block is applied to it, which not only protects the wooden
platform and serves as a support of the spring, but also forms a stop for
the sliding plate to limit the backward movement of the latter, as the
cars come together, and thereby to prevent the crushing of the foot if
any person happened incautiously to be standing on the buffer plate, or
with one foot on the buffer plate at such time. When the projecting
plate or block is not thus employed to stop the sliding buffer plate the
spring may be easily arranged as a stop beneath the plate, although in
such case there is danger of injuring the spring.
The bottom of the recess may be lined with sheet or plate metal, and
instead of pins projecting lugs may be employed, the same being cast or
formed on the upper side of such plate lining, or on the under side of a
covering plate, which fits over the recess and the parts accommodated
therein, covering and protecting them from the accumulation of dirt and
from injury, and at the same time protecting the passengers or employes
of the railroad company from injury by the said parts. The effect of
this construction is that when two cars provided with the automatic
coupling above described come together the two buffer plates come in
contact with each other while the hooks are sliding up the incline, and
the spring yields, allowing the hooks to pass over and engage as
.

page_text: aforesaid, when the spring pry the cars apart and hold each hook
firmly against the shoulder or upper edge of the part beneath it, thereby
preventing the hooks from being accidentally disengaged. during the
rapid movement of the train on rough roads. It is necessary however
that while the hooks should not accidentally disengage yet they should
be capable of readily uncoupling whenever it be desired. To this end a
rocking plate is extended across under each draw bar, directly behind
the draw head, and arranged so that its front edge can be caused to use
and lift both hooks at the same time far enough to detach them from
the draw heads with which they respectively engage. Each rock
plate passes under nearly the middle of the hook bar of the car to which
it belongs, and serves at all times to limit the downward inclination of
the front end of said bar.
The plates may be journalled and supported in suitable lugs attached
to any convenient part of the carriage; provision is made for readily
operating the rocking plate in order to uncouple the cars by means of a.
hand, and by a person standing on the platform or at the side or top of
a car.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
JENSEN, of 89, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Peter Jensen, Her special licence.
that I, the said Peter Jensen, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Jensen, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE BUFFER AND COUPLING APPARATUS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND
OTHER ROLLING STOCK" (a communication to me from abroad by William
Hutchinson Skidmore, of Philadelphia, United States of America), upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Jensen, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Jensen, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters of reference marked thercon, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to improve the means of connecting
together the several cars of a railroad train, so that while they shall be
capable of automatically coupling as they approach each other, yet the
coupling shall be effected without any violent shock or concussion of the
car, and so that when once coupled they shall be held securely together,
and the coupling hooks shall not be in danger of becoming detached
from the shoulder or other detents with which they engage.
To these ends this Invention consists in certain improved means
designed to accomplish the following results, viz.,-
1st. To enable the cars to automatically connect with each other by
means of hook couplings.
2nd. To press the cars from each other when thus hooked so as to
cause the hooks always to remain in firm contact with the shoulders or
detents over which they engage.
And, 3rd. To enable the attendants to disengage the cars readily
whenever desirable.
This Invention also relates to and includes the use of the old fashioned
link and pin coupling in combination with the parts which effect the
above results, so as to enable a car provided with these improvements to

page_text: &c., &c. The hook bar having been thus constructed so as to be capable
of sliding backward and forward longitudinally on its fulcrum in order
to cause its front or hook end to project beyond the draw head B, as
shown in Figure 1 when the automatic coupling is to be used, ought to
be withdrawn behind the face of the draw head B out of the
way; when
the automatic coupling is not to be used it is of course necessary to pro-
vide some means of locking it when thrown forward, and thereby
preventing it from sliding backward so long as the automatic coupling
is to be used. Any suitable kind of lock or stop may be employed for
this purpose, but I have found the following an admirable device, to wit,
the arrangement upon the pin e outside of the hook bar of a lever F,
having a segmental flanged rim f constructed as shewn.
When the hook bar is thrust forward the arm of the lever F can drop,
bringing the segmental flange directly behind the end of the hook bar so
as to prevent its retraction, but not to interfere with the perfect freedom
of its oscillatory movement upon its fulcrum. By raising the end of the
lover F to a horizontal position the hook bar is again disengaged, and
can be slidden back out of the way with great ease, in fact will slide
back of itself whenever the cars come together. Both the hook bar and
the lever may be secured on the pin e or other projection by a nut or
other suitable means, and the lever may be arranged between the hook
bar and the draw bar if preferred. As thus constructed, whenever two
cars provided with these improvements come together the hook end of the
bar B of cach car will strike and slide upon the incline C of the opposite
car, until the barb or shoulder of the hook passes over the upper edge of
the incline, when each look will drop into place by its own weight, and
thereby securely couple the two cars together by a double hook
connection.
It is now necessary that means should be provided to hold the hooks
firmly engaged with the shoulders or detents over which they have
locked, as above described, so that they will not accidentally jump
out of place and uncouple the cars during the rapid movement of the
train, and to this end I provide means for pressing the cars apart when
coupled so as to cause the hooks to hold firmly at all times against
said shoulders. The means to which I refer consist in a buffer plate M
of any suitable width constructed of a flat horizontal part m, the rear
edge of which is semicircular, and which is provided with an opening ",
and constructed also with a front vertical flange m³, having, if preferred,
1

page_text: a slight backward turned flange m² at the lateral end and under the
edges of the part m¹. This plate is set into a suitable recess α, c, in
the platform A wherein it is secured by one, two, or more pins t, t,
so as to be capable of turning horizontally to a sufficient extent to
enable the faces of the buffer plates upon the two adjacent cars to
remain in fair contact however the cars may sway on their springs
or trucks, and whatever may be the curvature of the roadway úpon
which they are moving. A strong spring s of any suitable form, con-
struction, and material is inserted and caused by any suitable means
to be securely held between the front flange m¹ of the buffer plate,
and the front edge of the platform. The front edge of the platform
may be shod or protected with metal. Preferably I apply to it a stout
projecting metallic block P which not only protects the wooden plat-
form and serves as a support of the spring, but also forms a stop for
the sliding plate M to limit the backward movement of the latter
as the cars come together, and thereby to prevent the crushing of
the foot if any person happened incautiously to be standing on the
buffer plate, or with one foot on the buffer plate at such time. When.
the projecting plate or block P is not thus employed to stop the
sliding buffer plate the spring 8 may be easily arranged as a stop
beneath the plate, although in such case there is danger of injuring
the spring.
:
The bottom of the recess a, c, may be lined with sheet or plate
metal, and instead of pins t, t, projecting lugs may be employed, the:
same being cast or formed on the upper side of such plate lining,
or on the under side of a covering plate H which fits over the recess j
and the parts accommodated therein, covering and protecting them
from the accumulation of dirt and from injury, and at the same time
protecting the passengers or employes of the railroad company from
injury by the said parts. The effect of this construction is that when
two cars, provided with the automatic coupling above described, come
together, the two buffer plates come in contact with each other while
the hooks are sliding up the incline C, and the spring & yield, allowing
the hooks to pass over and engage as aforesaid, when the spring force
the cars apart and hold each hook firmly against the shoulder or upper
edge of the part C beneath it, thereby preventing the hooks from being
accidentally disengaged during the rapid movement of the train over
rough roads. It is necessary however that while the hooks should not

page_text: accidentally disengage yet they should be capable of readily uncoupling
whenever it be desired. To this end I extend a rocking plate G across
under each draw bar directly behind the draw head, and arrange it so
that its front edge can be caused to rise and lift both hooks at the
same time far enough to detach them from the draw heads with which
they respectively engage. Each rocking plate G passes under nearly
the middle of the hook bar of the car to which it belongs, and serves
at all times to limit the downward inclination of the front end of said
bar.
The plates may be journalled and supported in suitable lugs attached
to any convenient part of the carriage. I provide for readily operating
the rocking plate in order to uncouple the cars by means of a hand
lever E constructed and arranged in any suitable manner, so that the
cars may be uncoupled without going between the platforms, and by a
person standing on the platform, or at the side or top of a car.
Having thus described this Invention, and means by which the same
may be carried into effect, I wish to have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact details shewn and described, as the same
may be varied without departing from the peculiar nature of this In-
vention; but what I do claim is,―
.
Firstly. The combination of the double hook automatic coupling,
the spring buffer, and the device for disengaging both hooks at once,
and thereby uncoupling the cars, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Secondly. In a car provided with both a link and pin coupling and
an automatic hook coupling a hooked coupling bar attached to the
main draw bar and adapted to be projected beyond the face of the draw
head, and locked in that position when the automatic part is to be used
or to be moved back out of the way when the link and pin coupling is
alone to be used, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The stop plate F, constructed substantially as described, and
combined with the parts B, D, e, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Fourthly. The draw head B and flanged hook guide and holder C
when cast or welded in one metallic piece, substantially as described.

page_text: .
Seventhly. The combination of the buffer plate M, pins or projections
t, t, and springs with the car platforms, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Eighthly. The projecting plate P or its equivalent in combination with
the buffer plate M and springs 8, substantially as described for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.