Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street Glasgow M.B. C.M. B.Sc. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
دو
This invention has for its object to make what are known as "Shiels & Elliot
couplings for electric wires so that they can be drawn asunder when necessary or
desired. The improvements are specially adapted for the couplings when applied
to railway trains.
The Shiels & Elliot" coupling as at present made, has a square gripping edge
in each part so that when the two parts are joined together they will not tear
asunder in a horizontal plane without breaking. As this is somewhat of a draw-
back in the case of railway trains, I, under this invention, make the bearing
surfaces rounded, angled or of other suitable conformation so that when the parts
are coupled together they will come asunder before the coupling itself or the
connecting pipe breaks. The side or fish plate is made of sufficiently thin material
or has a spring on or in it so that it will give way and allow the bearing surfaces
to unclasp when the abnormal strain takes place.
Dated this 14th day of October 1891
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., 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:-
This invention has for its object to make what are known as "Shiels and Elliot "
couplings for electric wires so that they can be drawn asunder when necessary or
desired. The improvements are specially adapted for the coupling when applied
to railway trains."
The "Shiels and Elliot coupling as at present made has a square gripping
edge in each part so that when the two parts are joined together they will not tear
asunder in a horizontal plane without breaking. As this is somewhat of a draw-
back in the case of railway trains, 1, under this invention make the bearing surfaces
rounded, angled or of other suitable conformation so that when the parts are
coupled together they will come asunder before the coupling itself or the connecting
pipe breaks. The side or fish plate is made of sufficiently thin material or has a
spring on or in it so that it will give way and allow the bearing surfaces to unclasp
when the abnormal strain takes place.
-
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon :-
Fig. is a plan view of a "Shiels & Elliot" coupling for connecting electric
wires having my improvements thereon.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the parts or "clamps" of the coupling Fig. 1.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show, to an enlarged scale, forms of gripping edges.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings:-The clamp A, has a projecting
ridge or edge C which fits into the correspondingly recessed part of the clamp B
when the two clamps are coupled together. The clamp B has also a projecting

page_text: ridge or edge D which fits into a correspondingly recessed part G in the clamp A.
The projecting ridges C, D are, in these figures, rounded off. The contour may be,
as shown, concavo-convex. The curvature is slightly exaggerated on the drawings
for the sake of clearness; in practice only a slight cuvature or rounding is
necessary. The fish plates E, F have a rounded or curved contour to correspond
with the contour of the projections. These fish plates are, preferably, made with
a certain amount of spring or elasticity so as to readily yield under a severe
horizontal strain.
Fig. 3 shows the parts D and E with their concavo-convex bearing surfaces
enlarged.
Fig. 4 shows the parts D and E (or C and F as the case may be) with straight
bearing surfaces at H and rounded surfaces at I instead of the whole bearing
surface being curved.
Fig. 5 shows the same parts with inclined bearing surfaces which are straight
throughout.
The coupling may be used with two or more electric wires, or with only a single
wire where the rail is used instead of a return wire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
A coupling of the class set forth having bearing surfaces made with a rounded,
angled or equivalent conformation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1891.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.