A Coupler and Uncoupler for Railway Waggons and similar Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Coupler and Uncoupler for Railway Waggons and similar Railway
Vehicles.
1 JOHN ADCOCK of Hardwick near Worksop in the County of Notts Blacksmith
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the construction and use of a simple, effective, inexpensive,
and portable implement or tool to be used by hand in coupling and uncoupling
railway waggons and similar railway vehicles, by the adoption and use of which great
saving of life will be attained, as the waggon coupler or uncoupler will not need to
get between the waggons or similar railway vehicles to effect the coupling or
uncoupling.
My coupler or uncoupler is made principally of wrought or malleable iron, or if
required of steel, or of other suitably strong metal; it is securely rivetted or attached
to one end of a handle of sufficient length and strength, made of wood and something
like a broom or brush handle.
The metallic end of the coupler and uncoupler is made at its top part with two
(or more, if necessary) projecting prongs, something similar to the prongs of a
pitch-fork, but instead of their having sharp points they have their ends or points
blunt and slightly curved outwards. In addition thereto and cast or made in the
same piece as the lower part of the coupler is a larger prong or arm which projects
downwards from the base of the two prongs and at its further end is curved slightly
downwards. This larger prong or arin is grooved or made hollow to receive and
hold a link or links of the coupling chain of the railway waggon or other similar
railway vehicle.
In using this coupling and uncoupling implement or tool the user, who should stand
on, or down at the side near, the end of the railway waggon or other similar vehicle,
and not between the same as usually the practice, will pass the double (or other)
pronged portion of the implement into or through the links of the coupling chain or
chains so as to uncouple, when the uncoupled link or links will be received or held in
the grooved or hollowed part of the larger prong or arm; and in coupling up a
similar operation is required.
371 LCA 1880
BRISTOW HUNT, R.P.A.,
Aldine Chambers, High Street, Sheffield, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Coupler and Uncoupler for Railway Waggons and similar Railway
Vehicles.
I JOHN ADCOCK of Hardwick near Worksop in the County of Notts, Blacksmith, do
bereby 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings:
My Invention relates to the construction and use of a simple, effective, inexpensive,
and portable, implement or tool to be used by hand in coupling and uncoupling
railway waggons and similar railway vehicles, by the adoption and use of which great
saving of life will be attained, as the waggon coupler or uncoupler (or the shunter)
will not need to get between the waggons or other similar railway vehicles to effect
the coupling or uncoupling.
In order that my invention may be fully understood it is illustrated on the

page_text: accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings which sheet is marked with Figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those in the following description thereof, the
same letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1, is a side view in elevation of my coupler or uncoupler implement or tool.
Figure 2, is a front view of the same, and
Figure 3, is a section taken on the line A-B, in Figures 1, and 2.
My coupler or uncoupler is made principally of wrought or malleable iron, or if
required of steel, or of other suitably strong metal; it is securely rivetted or attached
to one end of a handle d, of sufficient length and strength,-made of wood, and in
form something like a broom or brush handle.
The metallic end of the coupler and uncoupler is made at its top part with two
(or, if necessary, more) projecting prongs a, a, in form something similar to the
prongs of a pitch-fork, but instead of their having sharp points their points or ends
are blunt and slightly curved outwards as seen in Figure 2. In addition thereto, and
cast or made in the same piece as the lower part of the coupler, is a larger prong or
arm b, which projects downwards from the base of the two prongs a, a; and at 6,
(see Figures 1,) it is curved downwards. This larger prong or arm b, is grooved or
made hollow (as shown at b, Figure 3,) to receive and hold a link or links of the
coupling chain of the railway waggon or other similar railway vehicle.
In using this coupling and uncoupling implement or tool the shunter, or nser, who
should stand on or down at the side near to the end of the railway waggon or other
similar vehicle, and not between the same as usually the practice, will pass the double
(or other) pronged portion a, a, of the implement into or through the links of the
coupling chain or chains so as to uncouple the waggon or other similar vehicle when
the uncoupled link or links will be received or held in the grooved or hotlowed
part of the larger prong or arm b, and in coupling up a similar operation is
required.
If necessary my coupler and uncoupler can be strengthened at any suitable part or
parts, such as between the portions marked e, and f. by means of a stay or arm, or a
similar device, being fixed thereto; or such stay or arm could be cast or made in the
same piece with the metal portion of the implement or tool; and I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise form or shape of the imple-
ment or tool as shown on the accompanying drawing, for it will be evident that the
shape or form might be modified without departing from the principle, or main
characteristic and the novel features of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The construction and use of a simple and effective hand implement or tool for
coupling and uncoupling railway waggons and other similar railway vehicles,
substantially as herein before specified, and as illustrated on the accompanying
drawing, or any equivalent modification thereof or variation in the said coupler or
uncoupler.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1889
BRISTOW HUNT, R.P.A.,
Aldine Chambers, Sheffield, Agent for the Applicant.