Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1900-Accepted, 21st July, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BOYD, of 50. Butler Street, Green Heys, Manchester, Com-
mission Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I make a coupling of three links of iron, steel or other suitable material and
put them together, so as to form a double hinge, the two outside links of which
will move freely towards each other, in one direction, but will not move in oppo-
site directions beyond the point at which all three links form a straight line.
From the head of the top link which is attached to hook drawbar, a rod runs
as far as the outside of each buffer. The ends of these rods are shaped to take
the opening at bottom of a movable lever, by which the coupling can be raised
or lowered at pleasure.
The nose of hook on draw-bar is made inclined to point of hook, and a similar
incline is made on the draw-bar itself, at a proper distance behind the hook.
To couple the waggons together, the coupling is raised to a horizontal position
80 that when waggons come together, the last link, strikes the inclined
nose of hook, travels up it, falls over the head of hook, drops down to its hori-
zontal position again, and the waggon is coupled.
When the lever is removed the centre link of the coupling falls down in the
same way as do the chains at present in use.
To uncouple the waggons the coupling is raised to a sufficient height, to
allow last link to pass easily over the hook, when fully extended. When the
waggons are close together the last link strikes the second inclined plane on
draw-bar and travels up it: then when the waggons are drawn apart, this link
falls till coupling is rigid, passes over the hook and the waggons are uncoupled.
A cranked lever can be substituted for the two rods to ends of buffers, or the
coupling may be raised or lowered by any other method, but I prefer the rod.
Dated this 25th day of July 1899.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons.
I. WILLIAM HENRY BOYD, 50, Butler Street, Greenhevs, Manchester, Engineer
& Commission Agent 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:—
I make a coupling of three links of iron, steel, or any other suitable metal
by putting them together so as to form a double butt hinge, iz.: a hinge which
is butted or stopped in two different positions in one direction the three links
form a straight line. in the other, the two end links can be folded towards each
for a certain fixed distance. Links similar to those in use at present on railway
waggons can be used, or others of various kinds and shapes, the two outside
links however, must be so arranged that the centre butt may hang level between
them when they are folded towards each other.

page_text: From the top end of the top link which can be a attached to draw bar hook
as usual on railway waggons a rod of the same metal as the links runs to just
beyond each side of the waggon upon the ends of which, first ratchets are fixed,
and afterwards either fixed or moveable levers or handles or the extreme ends of
rods are shaped to fit the ends of moveable levers or handles by means of either
of which coupling, can be raised or lowered at pleasure.
The top link can, however, be made as a crank with extending arms fitted with
ratchets and levers or handles as above, but in this case instead of being attached
to draw-bar hook, crank arms would be attached to the head of waggon frame, and
the hook would come through sides of crank, but would not in any way be con-
nected with it.
Just above the extending rods of top link or the arms of crank link, another
rod is placed also extending beyond the sides of waggons, and pawl or catches are
fixed to each end. These pawls or catches, engage with ratchets and hold the
coupling in any position required, and to which it has been raised by the levers
or handles.
The nose of hook on draw-bar is made inclined to point of hook, and a similar
incline is formed on the draw-bar itself, at a proper distance behind the hook.
To couple the waggons together the coupling is raised to a horizontal position
so that when waggons come together the last link strikes the inclined
nose of hook, travels up it, falls over the head of hook, drops down to its hori-
zontal position again, and the waggon is coupled.
When the pawl is removed from the ratchet, the centre link of the coupling
falls down and the two end links come towards each other in the same way as do
the links at present in use.
To uncouple the waggons, the coupling is raised to a sufficient, height to
allow last link to pass easily over the hook when fully extended. When the
waggons are close together the last link strikes the second inclined plane, on
draw-bar and travels up it. When the waggons are drawn apart this link falls
till coupling is rigid, passes over the hook and the waggons are uncoupled.
A cranked lever can be substituted for the two rods to ends of buffers or the
coupling may be raised or lowered by any other method, but I prefer the rod.
Figure I is an end view, Figure 2a side view of part of a railway waggon
showing my invention applied.
The link marked a is made of steel or iron round bar or other metal which is
bent into shape. The two, ends of this link which meet at,b can be welded or
not, as may be desired, but the welding will add little or nothing to the strength
of the link when the coupling is complete.
1 f
The link or crank marked is also made of steel or iron round bar or other
metal cranked as shown at Figure I on drawing. The extended straight parts
marked are sufficiently long to allow the two ends to project a short distance
beyond the sides of the waggon; the ends which project are provided with a
ratchet d and are also squared to enable a loose handle to be put on them at any
time for the purpose of lifting the whole coupling, or handle may be fixed on
permanently.
The centre link marked is made from flat steel bar, cut to shape to allow the
onds to be bent round sufficiently to take the links and a so that the three
together shall form a double butt hinge. (See Figure 7.)
a
In the centre part of link c (where the four screws are shown on drawing)
solid piece of steel el is inserted after the links and care placed in the bent
parts of link e. This solid piece and the bent part of link c are then joined
together by strong stove or other screws or rivets and the three links forming
the coupling are then complete.
The coupling is arranged in such a manner that the three links will not move
beyond a straight line in one direction, but the two ends will fold easily (up
to a certain position) in the opposite direction. (See Figure 8.)
The cross har f carrying pawls fi at each end, is fixed above extending parts ¢¹

page_text: these pawls engage with the ratchets & and hold the coupling in any position
required to which it has been raised by moveable or fixed levers or handles. The
extended straight parts are attached to the head stock of waggons by brackets
in which they work, they are not attached to draw bar hook which is quite inde-
pendent of them. The hook g comes out between sides of crank link c.
The hook is made with an inclined surface at its extreme end or nose, so
that when the coupling is raised by the levers or handles to a straight position,
the link marked a must strike this incline, when the waggons are run together.
It then travels up the incline, reaches the top, falls over, and is automatically
coupled. The ratchet is then released, and the coupling will work up and down.
as waggons come together or are pulled apart: in fact, it has then the action of
the present chain coupling. When it is desired to uncouple the waggons, the
coupling is raised, the link a slides up another incline g¹ behind hook to a
sufficient height as shewn by dotted lines, (see Figure 7), that when link a falls
into a line with the other part of coupling it will pass over the hook
and the waggons will separate.
g easily
If the lever or handle is moveable it can be carried by the shunter or guard,
being only about 12 to 15 inches long it can be used in the smallest possible
space it is worked entirely from outside waggon. and when the lever or handle
is away the coupling cannot well be tampered with.
Figures 3. 4. & 5, show a modification of my invention, in which the exten-
sions marked as before must pass over spring buffer cases instead of through
wood buffers as shown in Figure I. In this case the coupling is attached to the
draw har hook and it is cranked or bowed * Fig. 3 & 5 on Sheet 2. the outer
ends are carried on a block . this block moves on a slotted plate which is
fixed to buffer beam h², this block h also carries barf and pawls f¹ thus enabling
both bars to move together with hook as it moves.
Fig. 9 & 10 show, modification of centre links e.
Figure 3 is a detached view of a ratchet and crank lever or handle combined.
Fig. 11 & 12 show a further modification in which coupling links are lifted
by means of the arms and which are formed on cross bar k which corre-
sponds with the extending parts in the other arrangements which have been
previously described.
The links which are similar to those at present used on waggons are formed
into the double butt hinge by the centre link being provided with cross studs /
at each end. The ends of the two outer links engaging with centre link / are
provided with projections m, these projections fit into slots in studs 71, as shewn
in section in Fig. 12.
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:
(1). An improved safety railway waggon coupling made by the arrangement
and combination of three links in such a manner as to form a double butt hinge,
.e. a hinge that can be butted or stopped in two different positions and direc-
tions, the two outside links of which should be of the same length, and being
operated from the side of the waggon remove all danger or risk of accident to the
shunter. all as substantially and for the purposes herein before described.
(2). The combination of the couplings and other parts, all as substantially and
for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of May, One thousand nine hundred.