IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, CARS, AND TRUCKS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Hitchener, Joseph Hargreaves Oddy, and
George Samuel Wallis, all of Liversedge, in the County of York, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING
AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, CARS, AND TRUCKS."
Scaled the 28th August 1877, and dated the 10th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Hitchener, Joseph
Hargreaves Oddy, and George Samuel Wallis at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 10th March 1877.
JOHN HENRY HITCHENER, JOSEPH HARGREAVES ODDY, and GEORGE SAMUEL
WALLIS, all of Liversedge, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, CARS,
AND TRUCKS."
The object of our Invention is to arrange a simple and efficient apparatus, by
which means the railway porters or shunters will be enabled to couple or uncouple
the carriages, cars, or trucks, without having to pass between the buffers of the
same.
We accomplish our object in the following manner :- -We place a shaft at the
under side of the buffers at each end of the carriage, car, or truck, and secure the
samo in brackets bolted to the buffer, plank, or other convenient part of the structure;
on to each of these shafts wo key two square tappets; one of the flat sides of these
tappets rest upon a flat or spiral spring, by which means the shaft is kept in the
position required. A levered tappet is formed at or near the centre of each of these
shafts, with a groove formed in the back of the same. To the buffer plank, at each
end of the carriage, car, or truck, we secure a catch hook 7; when the last-
named tappet is in the position for coupling, and the buffers of the carriages, cars,
or trucks forced together, the catch hook will drop into the groove formed in the
back of the levered tappet, and be thus secured by means of the peculiar form of
the catch hook and levered tappet.
If both the levered tappets at the ends of the rolling stock that are to be coupled
together are set at the proper angle both the catch hooks will drop into the corres-

page_text: ponding grooves in the back of the levered tappets; thus each end of the carriages,
cars, or trucks, will be secured by two hooks.
The levered tappets are regulated and put into the position required by means of
a lever secured to the end of the before-named shaft, which is extended to the
outside of the buffer plank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Hitchener, Joseph Hargreaves Oddy, and George Samuel
Wallis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th September 1877.
JOHN HENRY HITCHENER, JOSEPH HARGREAVES ODDY, and GEORGE SAMUEL
WALLIS, all of Liversedge, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, CARS,
AND TRUCKS.”
The object of our Invention is to arrange a simple and efficient apparatus, by
incans of which the railway porters or shunters will be enabled to couple or uncouple
the carriages, cars, or trucks, without having to pass between the buffers of the
same.
We accomplish our object in the following manner :— -We place a shaft at the
under side of the buffers at each end of the carriage, car, or truck, and secure the
saine in brackets bolted to the buffer plank or other convenient part of the structure;
on to each of these shafts we key two square tappets; one of the flat sides of
these tappets rest upon a flat or spirial spring, by which means the shaft is kept in
the position required. A levered tappet is forined at or near the centre of each of
these shafts, with a groove formed in the back of the same. To the buffer plank, at
each end of the carriage, car, or truck, we secure a catch hook
when the last-
named tappet is in the position for coupling, and the buffers of the carriages, cars,
or trucks forced together, the catch hook will drop into the groove formed in the
back of the levered tappet, and be thus secured by means of the peculiar form of
the catch hook and levered tappet.
If both the levered tappets at the ends of the rolling stock that are to be coupled
together are set at the proper angle both the catch hooks will drop into the corres-
ponding grooves in the back of the levered tappets; thus each end of the carriages
or trucks will be secured by two hooks.
The levered tappets are regulated and put into the position required by means of
a lever secured to the end of the beford-named shaft, which is extended to the
outside of the buffer plank.
Such being the nature and object of this our said Invention we will procced
to describe the same in detail, and in order that the Invention may be fully
understood we have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof,
and have marked the several views of Figures with letters of reference, the same
letter referring to the same part in the several views of Figures, of which Fig. 1
is a side elevation of parts of trucks coupled; Fig. 2, a like view uncoupled, and
lever tappets in position for shunting of trucks; Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
A is a shaft at the under side of the buffers supported by brackets B, B, bolted
to the buffer plank B¹; C, C, are tappets, the flat side of which rest against the
spiral spring D, by means of which the shaft A is held securely in the position
required; E, E, are lever tappets with groove or recess e, c; F, F, are catch hooks,
one end of each being secured to the draw bar G. When the tappets E, E, are in
position for coupling on the carriages or trucks being forced together the catch
hooks F, F, ascend the tappets E, E, and on passing forward fall into the groove e, e,
of the lever tappets, and the tappets and hooks are locked. When it is necessary to
uncouple the apparatus and carriages the handle H must be turned, whereon the
outer portion b of the lever tappet E moves upwards, and raises the catch hook F

page_text: clear of or above the lever tappets, so releasing the carriages or trucks one from the
other, without the necessity of attendant going between the buffers or carriages; or
the uncoupling may be effected by guard or engine driver whilst the train is in
motion, by means of a cord connected to the handle H and winding around a drum
operated by the break wheel (when desirable), in order to detach or "slip" a portion
of the carriages when and during the act of applying the break. The lever tappets
at Fig. 2 are shewn in position for admitting of shunting or running the carriages
together without engaging the catch hooks.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our said Invention,
we would have it understood that what we claim as our Invention in the com-
bination of the lever tappets E, E; holding tappets C, C; and holding springs D, D;
for engaging and disengaging the catch hooks F, F, in the manner described herein
and illustrated by Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Hitchener, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
H. W. KNOWLES,
Chemist & Druggist,
Cleckheaton.
JOHN HENRY HITCHENER. (L.S.)