AN IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND WAGON COUPLINGS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND WAGON COUPLINGS." A
communication from abroad by Friedrich Rödiger, of Vienna, Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedgo at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1880.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
AND WAGON COUPLINGS." A communication from abroad by Friedrich Rödiger,
of Vienna, Austria.
This Invention consists in an improvement in railway carriage and wagon
couplings which will enable a guard or shunter, in the event of a coupling breaking,
to replace it with another one himself instead of having to put the vehicle out of
the train and leave it behind until it can be repaired by the regular carriage and
wagon repairer.
This Invention will simplify and cheapen the present ordinary description of
coupling, and also greatly facilitato and reduce the cost of repairs.
According to this Invention, instead of the usual round hole in the draw-bar
near the hook through which is usually passed the rivet or pin which attaches the
shackle and chain to the draw-bar, I put a hole with a slot or opening up to the
top of the bar, such hole at the bottom being about one and three quarter inches
diameter, and the slot from it to the top of the bar about one inch wide;
and on one or both sides of each end link of the coupling chain the round iron of
which the chain is made is flattened down to about one inch thick so as to pass
down through the slot hole when it is drawn endways, thus bringing the round
part of the iron of which the link is made into the round part of the hole through
the draw-bar, the link of the chain being so far placed in the draw-bar it is then
turned into a straight line with the draw-bar and let drop down over the hook.
The chain will then be so securely placed in the draw-bar that it cannot either get
out itself or be jerked out by violent shunting, nor in any other way without it is
brought into exactly the same position and angle to the draw-bar as that at which
it entered.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1880.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
AND WAGON COUPLINGS." A communication from abroad by Friedrich-Rödiger,
of Vienna, Austria.
This Invention consists in an improvement in railway carriage and wagon
couplings which will enable a guard or shunter, in the event of a coupling breaking,
to replace it with another one himself instead of having to put the vehicle out of
the train and leave it behind until it can be repaired by the regular carriago and
wagon repairer.
This Invention will simplify and cheapen the present ordinary description of
coupling, and also greatly facilitate and reduce the cost of repairs.
According to this Invention, instead of the usual round hole in the draw bar
near the hook through which is usually passed the rivet or pin which attaches the
shackle-and-chain-to-the-draw-bar, L.put a hole with a slot or opening up to the
top of the bar, such holo at the bottom being about one and three-quarter inches
diameter, and the slot from it to the top of the bar about one inch wide; and on
one or both sides of each end link of the coupling chain the round iron of which the
chain is made is flattened down to about one inch thick so as to pass down through
the slot hole, when it is drawn endways, thus bringing the round part of the iron of
which the link is made into the round part of the hole through the draw bar, the
link of the chain being so far placed in the draw bar it is then turned into a
straight line with the drawbar and let drop down over tho hook. The chain will
then be so securely placed in the drawbar that it cannot get out itself or be jerked
out by violent shunting, nor in any other way without it. is brought into exactly
the same position and angle to the drawbar as that at which it entered.
On the accompanying sheet of Drawing,
Figure 1 shows a drawbar and hook.
Figure 2 a coupling chain embodying this Invention; and
Figure 3 a section through flat part of link.
A (Figure 1) indicates the hole through which the rivet or pin is usually put for
attaching the ordinary shackle and chain to the drawbar; it will be usually about
1 inches in diameter.
"
B is the slot or opening from the hole A to the top of the drawbar down through
which the flattened part C of the link of the chain shown, Figure 2, is passed. The
width of the slot will be usually about one inch.
C (Figure 2) is the side of the coupling chain flattened down to about one inch
thick so that it may pass down through the slot B, Figure 1. In flattening the link
at C the iron is spread out sideways so as not reduce the section and strength of
the link.
I need scarcely observe that the dimensions of the slot B and the corresponding
flattening of the part C will be regulated by those of the drawbar and hook and
coupling chain.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention communicated
to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The combination of the flat part C with the coupling chain of a railway
carriage or wagon for the purpose specified.
Secondly. The combination of the flat part C with the slot hole B in the
drawbar.

page_text: Thirdly. The combination of the flat part C and the slot-hole B combined with
the drawbar and hook of railway carriages and wagons, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.