Improvements in Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
I, ANTON PISKUR, Master Smith, of Remetincez, near Agram, in the Kingdom
of Ilungary, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:—
The object of this invention is to provide a railway vehicle coupling, in which
the coupling of the vehicles is effected automatically and the un-coupling without
any danger from the side. The simple and suitable construction of this coupling
enables it to be manufactured cheaply, and the former systems to be adapted to
it with relatively little expense.
The invention hereafter described is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Fig. I being a view of one side of the coupling, some of the parts being
supposed removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the coupling.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 of the opposite side of the coupling.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the coupling hook.
Fig. 5 is a plan of two carriages furnished with the coupling as well as of the
apparatus beneath them for effecting the engagement of the coupling.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the coupling when connected up.
The automatic coupling is effected in the following manner. When the
carriages come into contact with one another, the links e slide one on the other
with their curved and inner convex surfaces, turning slightly around the axis d.
In this way, the coupling hooks a furnished with canted ends are guided one
against the other, and, in such a manner that they at first slide one on the other
slightly turning about their axes. As the carriages are brought nearer together,
the hooks slide further on the inner curved surfaces a of the links e until they
are opposite the openings in the links when they are forced into engagement
therewith by the spring ?. The links e can thereupon move around the shaft d
in a horizontal and around the shaft c in a vertical plane, the springs p and r
having a tendency to bring the coupling parts back again into their original
position. The couplings after automatic engaging are secured in the following
manner: A bevel wheel t keyed to a crank shaft v mounted under the vehicle
engages with a bevel wheel m fast with a spur-wheel 7 engaging in a long pinion k.
The screw on which the long pinion is fixed engages in a stirrup i formed on
the draw-rod f so that in rotating the crank o the draw-rod f is operated through
the gearing to draw the coupling hooks tightly against their links or slacken
them to facilitate uncoupling. For the purpose of uncoupling the hooks are
first slackened as described and then pulled out of engagement with their links
from the side of the vehicle by handles h sliding in supports s fixed to the frame
of the vehicle and connected by a chain with the links e. The handle h is
pulled out to disconnect the link from the hook, and secured in the disconnected
position by turning handle h until the support s takes into the notch y. When
the handle h is released, the automatic coupling is effected upon the carriages
coming into contact with one another, as already described. The purpose of the

page_text: projection g on the hook a is to take up a part of the shock from the end of
the link e when the carriages come into violent contact with one another. The
object of the springs u is to weaken the effect of the concussion on the coupling
parts when the carriages come into contact. The shaft of the wheels and m
is seated in the plates n.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
Railway-vehicle coupling worked from the side characterised by coupling
links e, with a bevel or curved surface serving as guide for the coupling hooks a,
which coupling hooks slide one on the other after the canted ends come into
contact together, and engage in the arching or curving, whilst the horizontal and
vertical mobility of the coupling parts around the axes d and c is supported by
springs and r, and the uncoupling effected by the pulling of the handles and
the fixing of the same; and further characterised by an apparatus for pulling
to or fastening the coupling, actuated by a bevel gear and spur-wheel trans-
mitting geart m l k.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.