IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY WAGONS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: I GEORGE FREDERICK MARTIN of Eastleigh Southampton in the County of
Hants, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY WAGONS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway
Wagons and other similar Vehicles.
This Invention consists of two peculiarly shaped Links A. B or Shackles A. B
which are made to work in one another on a centre joint, and independant of
one another, by means, of Handles or Levers C. D, placed at sides of Wagon
working a rod or rods, or rod and tubes with lever's and connecting rods, with
centre pins crank jaws, or ordinary rule joints running in bearing's or brackets
fixed to Buffer Plank or bed of Wagon by which means the Links A B or
Shackles A. B are extended or closed.
TO WORK THE COUPLING.
Firstly to raise the Main link A to any height required by operator, a rod is
worked by handles or levers placed on each side of the Vehicle running in bearings
or brackets fixed to Buffer Plank or under bed of Wagon to which is affixed levers
and connecting rods to link or shackle A. by centre pin, crank jaws or rule joints.
Secondly the other link or shackle B is then extended to reach the Wagon Hook
by means of a rod or tubes, worked by handles or lever's, at each side of Vehicle,
placed under Buffer Plank, or part of bed of Wagon, running in Bearing's or
Brackets, to which is affixed crank lever, or levers, and connecting rod, or rods,
with centre pins, crank jaus, or ordinary rule joints, to the said Link or Shackles,
placed in such position with a certain pin E, to work link on to Wagon Hook,
Coupling the Wagon thereby. To uncouple the Wagon the whole Coupling is
lifted by Main Lever handle to clear the Wagon Hook, the other handle is then
used to work it back again to its normal position.
November 2nd LOOK

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
other similar Vehicles.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK MARTIN of Eastleigh, Southampton in the County of
Hants, Mechanic, do hereby 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:--
It consists firstly in forming the coupling of two links of peculiar form and
secondly in the apparatus for raising and operating the same. The first link is
attached to any ordinary hook in the same manner as couplings are now usually
attached viz :-
It is made open at one end and is pivoted to the back part of the hook. The
other end is made of a suitable form to admit of the second link being pivoted to it
in a similar manner to that in which the first link is pivoted to the hook. The
open ends of the second link do not terminate at the pivot but are curved until
almost at right angles to the rest of the link, and have pivoted to their extreme
ends, two connecting rods or levers, which are connected by means of a second
lever with and operated by a rod passing across the wagon beneath the buffer
plank or other suitable place.
To the lower part of the first link is pivoted by means of a suitable projection
left beneath the pivot of the second link, a connecting rod or lever which is
connected by means of a second lever with another rod passing across the wagon
beneath the buffer plank or other convenient part.
Both of the beforementioned rods are actuated by means of suitable lever;
.handles at the ends. The coupling is operated by first turning the second rod, and
lifting the coupling to an almost horizontal position, the first rod is then turned in
the opposite direction, which turns the second link on its pivot and places it on the
hook.
In order that the foregoing may be better understood I send herewith a sheet of
Drawings in which Figs. 1, 2, and 3, show three side elevations of the coupling in
its three positions, Fig. 1, when not in use, Fig. 2 when raised by first lever, and
Fig. 3 when turned over hook, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the apparatus.
:
In all the Figs. a indicates the first link, which is elevated by the levers c c into
the position shown by Fig. 2 upon the revolution of the rod d to the right:
carrying with it the second link b supported in the position shown, by the pins gg,
when upon the revolution of rod e to the left, it is drawn by connecting levers ff
into the position shown in Fig. 3 thus coupling the vehicles together. For
uncoupling the coupling is lifted by rod d and levers c c assisted by projection h
off the hook or the operation is reversed.

page_text: 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 :-
1st The combined apparatus, substantially as described and shown hereinbefore,
and in the accompanying Drawing, for the purpose setforth.
2nd A coupling consisting of two links formed substantially as described and
shown hereinbefore and in the accompanying Drawing for the purpose set-forth.
Dated this 24th day of February 1886
JOHN HENRY TOPHAM,
Agent to Applicant.