provements in Railway Car Couplings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1839 -Accepted, 9th Jec., 1819
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
In provements in Railway Car Couplings.
I, HENRY JAMES MARKS, of Russell Street, Toowoomba, in the Colony of
Queensland, Architect, 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:-
This invention consists of an improved apparatus for automatically coupling
railway carriages or trucks, or other rolling stock such as tram cars; and un-
coupling from either side of the rolling stock is also provided for by means
hereafter indicated.
Figure 1 in the drawings herewith (which illustrate the invention), is a plan
of apparatus showing two carriage or truck ends coupled, and retained in that
position by governor weights, which are attached to levers hereinafter described.
Some parts omitted in this figure are shown in another figure. Figure 2 shows
a view of the apparatus from the side of the track. Figure 3 shows an ena
elevation of the uncoupled apparatus in the normal position where it is retained
by the governor weight.
The various details of the invention are lettered alike in the respective
figures and are as follows:-
a
in Figures 1, 2 represents a draw-bar projecting from each end of each
truck, to which it is connected in any usual way. In this invention the
apparatus which I provide at each end of each truck is exactly alike. At the
outer end of each draw bar a is an eye (at a Figure 2) into which is inserted a
pivot pin which couples the rear end of a quadruple hook to said draw
bar a, in such a manner that the quadruple hook can be swung or moved
laterally on its pivot but in no other direction. The back of each hook has
stops to limit the lateral motion.
There are two hook recesses at each side
of each hook, those near the point being marked e (Figure 1) and those near
the rear end c. A vertical bracket or projection d on each hook b is provided
to which wire ropes or chains are secured one rope or chain leading to each
side of the truck, each rope passing through an eye f' in a lever f which is
accessible from the side of the trucks without going between them.
Each chain or rope has a stout iron ring e' attached to its outer end, and the
length of the chain or rope is adjusted to keep the chains or ropes taut at each
side when the hooks are in the position seen in Figure 3. Each lever f works
on a pin or pivot f2 and has on its outer side a hook 9, provided for the purpose
of holding down ring e¹ at certain times hereafter referred to. At the bottom
of each lever f is affixed an iron ball or governor weight h which has a tendency
to keep its lever f perpendicular at all times and does keep it perpendicular
when the hooks are not coupled together, and when they are so coupled there is
a continuous strain on each hook b tending to force it against the other hook b
into its central position seen in Figure 3. The working of the coupler is as
follows:-
When the hooks b in their central positions as shown in Figure 3 meet, one

page_text: hook will slip along the other (the point of each being forced or swung slightly
laterally under the pressure) until the hooks become interlocked as seen in
Figure 1, when they are kept in that position by the action of the governor
weights previously described, the lateral shifting of parts & causing the chains
or ropes to incline one lever f of each truck out of the vertical as dotted in
Figure 3. The other lever would remain vertical. Whenever it becomes
necessary to uncouple the cars that lever f which is vertical may be outwardly
pulled into an inclined position so as to still further incline the hook b thereby
acted upon from the uncoupled position, and clear it from the other hook. Of
course it may be necessary when uncoupling to slightly "heave up
together the carriages as is often done with other couplings. To secure the
hooks in uncoupled position ring e¹ is engaged with the hook Э beneath it.
By so connecting the proper ring e¹ and hook g the uncoupling of cars may be
rendered easier as such connection ensures the assistance of a weight h in the
uncoupling operation. When coupling on curves the hooks will not always
interlock in the recesses c¹, but they will at least interlock at c which will be
sufficient for the time being. This may be called "loose coupling."
"
or force
The invention is not limited to the particular design of parts shown, as varia-
tions therein would naturally occur according to the ideas of the user or designer.
The bevel of the hooks might be narrower for example.
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:
1. In a car coupling the combination with a truck, having a draw bar at each
end, of a quadruple hook so pivoted thereto that the said nook can only be
swung or moved laterally, and governor weights arranged to tend to keep the
said hook central substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a draw bar at each end of a car, of a quadruple
hook pivoted thereto, a projection don said hook, chains or ropes e con-
nected to said projection, and having each a ring e¹, and pivoted side levers
having an eye fi through which one of said chains passes and a hook g all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 29th day of August 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.