IMPROVEMENT OF RAILWAY COUPLINGS AND THE MODE of COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Lansdale at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1882.
ROBERT LANSDALE of Halewood near Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Gentleman THE IMPROVEMENT OF RAILWAY COUPLINGS AND THE MODE of
COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS
The object of the said Invention is to facilitate the Coupling and uncoupling of
Railway Carriages and Wagons and more especially to dispense with the necessity.
of going between the Carriages for the purpose
This Invention consists of fixing a semi-circular semi oval half square or half
parellelogram or other conveniently shaped piece of steel iron or other metal of
the proper thickness and dimensions into the centre of the ends of the body or
framework of each of the Carriages or Wagons to be Coupled with the bow
outwards so as to form a loop. These two loops are placed flat in a horizontal
position and, being in the centre of the framework before mentioned, when the two
Carriages intended to be Coupled are brought together, end on to end on, they will
be exactly opposite to each other on the same level, but the outside edge of each
being kept within the outside line of the buffer boxes of the Carriages to which
they are respectively attached they need not actually meet.
The loop in the first of these Carriages forms the loop or catch into which the
harpoon Coupling Bar hereinafter mentioned works and connects the two Carriages
while in the Carriage to be coupled (hereinafter referred to as the second Carriage):
it merely forms a rest for the said harpoon Coupling bar while lying dormant and
to keep its outward point slightly above the level of the centre of the loop on the
first mentioned carriage
There is then fixed in the said framework of the second Carriage in the centre
thereof at the end of the Carriage the harpoon link or coupling bar before
referred to
This harpoon link or coupling bar consists of a bar of steel iron or other metal
of the required strength size and dimensions shaped at one end like one side of
the end of a harpoon from which its name is taken the opposite fork of the
harpoon being absent
This Coupling bar is fixed to the Carriage by means of a butt or eye with a pin
to admit of its revolving in a vertical direction and it is fixed so as to lie outwards

page_text: across or on top of the loop.in the second carriage with the fork or half harpoon
downwards. When therefore the two carriages to be coupled are brought together
the end or point of the harpoon coupling bar comes in contact with and glides on
to the loop fixed to the first Carriage which last mentioned loop running (by the
motion of the Carriages) along the undersurface of the fork or half harpoon portion
of the Coupling bar causes the coupling bar to revolve or rise in a vertical direction
until the inside end or point of the fork or harpoon portion of the coupling bar is
passed when the bar falls of its own weight on to the loop in the first Carriage
with the hook formed by the fork or half harpoon and the trunk of the bar inside
the last mentioned loop and the two carriages when set in motion will be found
to be effectually coupled together the harpoon hook hooking itself to the loop on
the first Carriage
For the purpose of preventing the accidental uncoupling of the Carriages and
for uncoupling them when it is required so to do a bar or rod of steel iron or
other metal (which I call a lever bar) is fixed across the end of the second Carriage
from side to side slightly above the level of the Coupling bar) so as to admit of its
being made to revolve--This is done by means of the ends of the bar being made
to rest and work in pierced boxes pedestals or rests fixed upon the Buffer Boxes
or against the end or on any other convenient portion of the Carriage while at
either or both ends of this lever bar a handle or handles is formed by bending the
rod or bar at, right angles for a few inches and outwards again-In the centre of
the bar and fixed to it at right angles is a tongue or lever of sufficient length
passing through or into a loop or eye affixed to the top of the coupling bar for
the purpose of lifting it up so that when by means of the handle before mentioned
being turned the lever bar is made to revolve upwards towards the carriage on
which it is affixed the tongue or lever attached thereto is lifted upwards which
being inside the loop affixed to the top of the coupling bar the coupling bar itself
is also lifted and the two carriages being brought close together for the purpose of
being uncoupled the harpoon hook being free of the loop in the first carriage is
lifted out of that loop and the carriages are thus uncoupled. The handle of the
coupling bar being at the side of the carriage the apparatus is set in motion from
the platform.
To keep the lever bar firm and prevent the accidental uncoupling of the Carriages
from the harpoon hook getting free of the loop in the first carriage and also for
the purpose of keeping the coupling Bar in a raised position so that if necessary
the carriages can be brought close together without the coupling taking place I
make the handle work within two quarter circular pieces of metal pierced as well
as the handle with holes so that by means of a small cotter pin the lever tongue
and consequently the coupling bar may be fixed in any position on or above the
level of the loops before mentioned. This however may be done in a variety of
simple well known ways about which there is no novelty such as a Cogwheel
arrangement or making the handle of the lever Bar work into a Spring Catch &c.
If each carriage is fitted at one end with the single loop before described and at
the other end with the coupling bar and its attendant apparatus the two ends
required for coupling will always meet unless one of the carriages is turned round
which does not often happen,