Improvements in and relating to the Central Couplings of Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Central Couplings of Railway
Vehicles.
-
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to facilitate the coupling of railway vehicles
fitted with automatic couplers on the American principle, such for example as
the Gould, National, Standard, Janney and couplers of similar design with
others having the ordinary chains, or screw couplings.
Hitherto those of the American system, such as those known as Goulds, the
Standard, the National, Janney and others of the same type, having a coupling
head projecting rigidly from the headstock of the vehicle, and much difficulty
is experienced in coupling them effectually with other vehicles provided with
the usual European system of chain links, or ordinary screw couplings.
To overcome this difficulty, I construct the hitherto rigid American coupler
in such a manner that it can hang down out of the way of the drawbar hook
when not in use, and can be readily raised to its horizontal or working position
when required.
To accomplish this I propose to divide the back end of the head by a vertical
slot, wide enough to receive the end of the draw bar and its hook, and pass a
joint pin through them both in a position at the back of the hook.
Upon this pin the coupling head can hang vertically when out of use, leaving
the drawbar hook clear, and in order to support the head horizontally in position
for coupling with another automatic coupler, a hole is made through the head
in such a position that a cotter pin passed through it will rest in the mouth of
the drawbar hook and support the head.
A projection or stop upon the front part of the hook prevents the head being
raised beyond what is necessary, and denotes the position for the insertion of
the pin.
A retainer or catch may be used for holding the head and preventing oscilla-
tion, when suspended from the pin.
Improvements in and relating to the Central Couplings of Railway
Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
-
The object of my invention is to facilitate the coupling of railway vehicles
fitted with automatic central couplers made on the American principle, such
for example as the Gould, the National, the Standard, the Janney and other like
couplings, with other vehicles having ordinary chains or screw couplings.
In the annexed sheet of drawings to which reference will be made in the
specification, I clearly show the manner in which my invention is carried into
practice with a "Gould" coupler, similar letters indicate similar parts in any
of the several figures.
2
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a Gould" coupler in position for coupling, in
combination with a special drawbar hook, arranged according to my invention.
Fig. 2, the same arrangement, showing the "Gould" coupler suspended
vertically leaving the drawbar hook clear for use with ordinary screw couplings.
Fig. 3, is a plan of Fig. 1.
Hitherto the couplings upon the American system such as those mentioned
above, and others of the same type have a coupling head such as that marked A,
projecting rigidly from and fixed firmly to the headstock or frame B, of the
vehicle, and much difficulty is experienced in coupling such vehicles with other
vehicles provided with the usual European system of chains, or the ordinary
screw couplings.
My invention is to overcome this difficulty and to that end I construct the
hitherto rigid coupler head A, of whatever type it may be, in such a manner that
it can be readily released from its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, and
be allowed to hang vertically or nearly so as in Fig. 2, means being used to secure
it in either position.
When it is horizontal, it is in position for coupling automatically with a
coupler of similar construction, and when suspended vertically it leaves the draw-
bar hook clear to receive the links of a chain or those of a screw coupling.
In carrying out my invention I make the head A, without the usual means
of connecting it to the woodwork of the wagon, and divide the back end into two
parts D and D³, the space E, between them being wide enough to receive the
drawbar end with the hook C, and I attach the head A, to the drawbar F, by
means of a pin or cotter G, passed through them both, which also forms an axis.
Upon this pin or axis G, the head can be turned into the horizontal position,
as in Fig. 1, and can be secured in such position by means of a removable
pin H, passed through the head and resting in the bottom of the mouth C³, of
the hook C, the projection I upon the front part of the hook forms a stop
against which the head when raised will come in contact and thus indicate the
position in which the holes correspond for the insertion of the pin H.
When the pin is withdrawn and the head lowered to its vertical position as
in Fig. 2, the pin H, is replaced through the holes in the head and then abuts
against the underside of the hook at K, thus preventing oscillation of the head
when travelling.
J, is a handle by means of which the coupler is released from the coupler
on the adjacent vehicle, it forms no part of the present invention.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my inven-
ticn, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1-An arrangement of, central coupling mechanism combining the American
automatic principle, with the European method of chain links or of the usual
screw couplings, constructed as hereinbefore described, and shown.
2 The combination with an automatic coupling head such as A, of a draw-
bar hook such as C, connected with the head by a pin G, upon which the head
can turn either to a horizontal or to a vertical position, a removable pin H

page_text: arranged to engage either within the mouth of the hook C, or with the under-
side thereof at K, as herein before described, and shown.
3 The arrangement of coupling mechanism for railway vehicles, substantially
as herein before described and set forth.
Dated the and day of Ontabo 1900
.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant, Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield.