Improvements in Non-automatic Coupling Devices for Railway and like Waggons.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Non-automatic Coupling Devices for Railway
and like Waggons.
I, THOMAS VALENTINE COLLINS, of No. 2, Melrose Terrace, Blandford Road,
Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Gardener, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:―
This invention relates to improvements in coupling devices for railway and
like waggons and more particularly to improved means by which the coupling.
and uncoupling can be effected from the side of the waggon, so that the atten-
dant has not as at present to get between the waggons to place the coupling
link over the draw-bar hook to effect the coupling together of two waggons or
trucks.
Notwithstanding the numerous automatic and non-automatic coupling devices
now known, the old-fashioned simple three-link hand-operated coupling is con-
sidered to be the best all things considered as far as its actual service is con-
cerned, but it possesses the one great disadvantage or drawback that it is
necessary for someone to get between the two waggons or trucks to be coupled
and uncoupled in order to reach the links to effect the coupling. Thus in
shunting operations this person is subject to the danger of being knocked down
and run over by the trucks; and moreover it is rather a slow process as an
appreciable time is taken to get in and out between the trucks, apart from that
necessary to manipulate the coupling.
This invention is designed to enable the simple three-link coupling to be
employed but to effect the coupling and uncoupling more rapidly and with
perfect safety to the operator. With these objects in view it consists in a device
which enables the coupling links to be manipulated from the side of the truck.
According to the invention the free end link, that is to say the link which is
furthest from the draw-bar hook to which the three link coupling chain is
attached is pivoted in a shackle which is itself pivoted to one end of a bar
pivotally suspended by its middle or thereabouts from a hanging bracket secured
to the underside of the truck near to the end and about central. The other end
of said lever is provided with a hole or eye in which is loosely hooked one end
of another bar which is pivoted at or about its middle to a swivelling bracket
secured to and hanging downwards from the underside of the truck but nearer
to the corner thereof. The free end of this last-mentioned pivoted bar is pre-
ferably shaped into a handle and is situated near the corner just beneath the
truck so that it is easily reached by anyone standing at the side near the end of
the truck. There may be two of these handle bars or pivoted levers one extend-
ing out each way so that the apparatus can be manipulated from either side
of the waggon.
The apparatus is preferably so arranged that its lowest part does not fall
lower than the axle of the wheels of the waggon, and in order to prevent the
handle bar or bars dropping too low when not in use, a hook or catch-bar is

page_text: secured to the underside of the truck, the hooked portion hanging down the
right depth to rest the handle bar in.
By the above system of pivoted bars and swivelling hangers the ordinary
three link coupling chain can be manipulated, that is placed over the draw-bar
hook of the adjacent waggon or removed therefrom from the side of the waggon
as easily and even more rapidly than in the old way by hand and what is of
the utmost importance, this can be effected without the necessity of a person
getting between the trucks so that the operator runs no risk of being knocked
down and run over as formerly.
Dated the 17th day of November 1899
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Non-automatic Coupling Devices for Railway
and like Waggons.
I, THOMAS VALENTINE COLLINS, of No. 2, Melrose Terrace, Blandford Road,
Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Gardener, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in coupling devices for railway and
like waggons and more particularly to improved means by which the coupling
and uncoupling can be effected from the side of the waggon, so that the atten-
dant has not, as at present, to get between the waggons to place the coupling
link over the draw-bar hook to effect the coupling together of two waggons or
trucks.
Notwithstanding the numerous automatic and non-automatic coupling devices
now known, the old-fashioned simple three-link hand-operated coupling is con-
sidered to be the best all things considered as far as its actual service is con-
cerned, but it possesses the one great disadvantage or drawback, that it is
necessary for someone to get between the two waggons or trucks to be coupled
and uncoupled in order to reach the links to effect the coupling. Thus in
shunting operations this person is subject to the danger of being knocked down
and run over by the trucks; and moreover it is rather a slow process as an
appreciable time is taken to get in and out between the trucks, apart from that
necessary to manipulate the coupling.
This invention is designed to enable the simple three-link coupling to be
employed but to effect the coupling and uncoupling more rapidly and with
perfect safety to the operator. It consists in a device which enables the coupling
links to be manipulated from the side of the truck.
According to the invention the free end link, that is to say the link which is
furthest from the draw-bar hook to which the three link coupling chain is
attached is pivotted in a shackle which is pivoted near its middle, to one end
of a bar pivotally suspended from a hanging bracket secured to the underside
of the truck or drawbar. The other end of said lever is provided with a hole
or eye in which is loosely hooked one end of another bar which is pivoted at or
about its middle to a swivelling and swinging bracket secured to and hanging
downwards from the underside of the truck but nearer to the corner thereof.
The free end of this last-mentioned pivoted bar is preferably shaped into a
handle and is situated near the corner just beneath the truck so that it is easily
reached by anyone standing at the side near the end of the truck. There may

page_text: be two of these handle bars or pivoted levers one extending out each way so
that the apparatus can be manipulated from either side of the waggon.
In order that my invention may be the more readily and fully understood,
I hereby refer to the sheets of drawings accompanying this specification in
which:-
Figure shews two portions of railway trucks coupled together by a chain of
the ordinary construction and dimensions, to one of which cars and the chain
attached to it my improved mechanism is connected.
Figure 2 shews an end view of a truck with my appliance in position and
connected with the coupling chain when the latter is hanging down in its lowest
position.
Figure 3 is a plan of the ends of the two trucks with the appliance in similar
position.
Figure 4 shews a detail view of the shackle which is attached to the coupling
chain.
To the link a of the coupling chain is pivoted as may be clearly seen from
Figures 1 and 2, the shackle b, which at or near its middle b¹ is pivoted to a rod
or lever c which is pivoted at a point c¹ in the drawbar of the truck. The
shackle carries at its extreme end the hook or eye h. In this hook engages
the ring-shaped end of the lever f as may be most readily seen from the inspec-
tion of Figure 2. This lever f projects outside the truck and is pivoted at or
near its middle in the swivel g. It is therefore capable of movement in all
azimuths. The swivel g is pivoted at g¹ and can consequently swing backwards
and forwards. By grasping the handle or end of the lever f the end of the
chain, that is to say, the link a to which the shackle is pivoted can be raised
or lowered and so brought into any of the positions shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 1, or into any intermediate positions, owing to the construction of the
swivel which both turns and swings, and to the hook and eye connection
shewn at h.
Each truck is provided with one such equipment at one end, though, of
course, if desired, it may be provided at both ends. I prefer to arrange on
alternate cars the equipment so that the handle of lever f projects on opposite
sides of adjacent cars.
To effect the coupling of two cars they are shunted till the buffers are close
together. By depressing the end of the lever f which may be done by the
shunter or workman standing outside the line of rails, the various parts and the
chain are swung and raised into the highest dotted line position in Figure 1.
The end of the lever f is then drawn towards the right of the figure bringing
the link a of the chain over the drawbar hook of the left-hand car, thereby
coupling the two cars together.
For uncoupling the cars the reverse series of actions is performed, that is to
say, by suitable movements of the lever f the chain and the parts therewith
connected is lifted out of the drawbar hook and brought into more or less the
highest dotted line position shewn in Figure 1. By a forward movement of the
lever accompanied by an upward sweep of its outer end the chain and con-
nected parts are then lowered into their lowest dotted line position as shewn
in Figure 1, which is the same position as that shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
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-
In appliances for connecting and disconnecting the coupling chains of rail-
way and like waggons, consisting of a shackle moveably attached to one of the.
links of the coupling chain and pivoted in or on a rod or lever, said lever being
pivoted underneath the truck, a lever or rod jointedly attached to the said
shackle and pivotally supported in a swinging swivel or universal joint depend-
ing from the underside of the truck, so that the coupling chain on the truck

page_text: upon which the appliance is mounted can be thrown in and out of engagement
with the draw-bar hook of the adjacent truck by said lever, substantially as
described.
Dated this 17th day of August 1900
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.