Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and other Vehicles.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
other Vehicles.
We FREDERICK ATTOCK of Newton Heath, near Manchester, Engineer and
PETER MORRIS of 72 Junction Street, Queen's Road, Manchester, Patern Maker
do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable wagons or other rolling stock to be
coupled without the attendant having to pass between the buffers and from either
side of the railway line.
Across the front of the wagon and below the buffers I mount a transverse rod in
snitable slots. In the centre of its length this rod is provided with an arm which
at its extremity is coupled to a forked arm one extremity of which is connected by
means of a link to a pendulous arm suspended from the bottom of the wagon
whilst the other or forked extremity is connected to pivots on the side of the
outermost link of the ordinary coupling chain. By now partially revolving the
transverse rod in its slots by means of a fixed or removable handle applied to either
of its extremities the coupling chain may be lifted and thrown forward on to the
hook of the adjoining wagon the operation being assisted by slightly raising the
said rod in its slots. It is preferred that when uncoupled the coupling chain
instead of hanging down shall be suspended upon a hook formed above or in a
suitable recess formed in the coupling hook.

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
other Vehicles.
We FREDERICK ATTOCK of Newton Heath near Manchester, Engineer and
PETER MORRIS of 72 Junction Street, Queens Road, Manchester Pattern Maker
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 -
The object of this invention is to enable wagons or other rolling stock to be
coupled without the attendant having to pass between the buffers and from either
side of the railway line.
Fig. 1 on the annexed drawing is a view in perspective of the end of a railway
wagon fitted with our improved coupling apparatus and which may be described
as follows.
Across the front of the wagon and below the buffers we mount a transverse
rod A in suitable slots B. In the centre of its length this rod A is provided with
an arm C which at its extremity is coupled as illustrated to a forked lever D.
One extremity 101 of this lever D is again coupled by means of a connecting rod E
to a pendulous arm F suspended from the bottom of the wagon so as to oscillate
transversely with regard to the wagon body as illustrated-whilst the other or
forked extremity G of the same lever is connected to pivots H on the sides of the
outer-most link I of the ordinary coupling chain. The intermediate link J of
this same chain is braced across as illustrated to prevent its weight being exercised
upon the outermost link I.
By now partially revolving the transverse rod A in its slots B by means of a
fixed or removable handle K applied to either of its extremities, the coupling chain
may be lifted and thrown forward on to the draw hook of the adjoining wagon,
the operation being assisted by slightly raising the said rod A in its slots.
It is preferred that when uncoupled the coupling chain shall, instead of hanging
down, be suspended upon a hook formed above, or in a suitable recess L formed in
the draw-hook M and it is in this position that the drawing illustrates our
improved coupling apparatus.
In order to use the coupling as so suspended, the operator from either side of
the wagon places one hand on the lever K and the other on the handle O-then by
slightly raising the rod A in its slots and turning the lever K in the direction of
the arrow the outermost link I of the coupling chain is first lifted off or out of its
recess L and then is free to be thrown forward by a continuation of the same
movement on to the draw hook of the wagon to which it is desired to be coupled.
It will be apparent that to uncouple wagons fitted with our improved coupling
apparatus it is only necessary to reverse the operation hereinbefore described.
Although we prefer to suspend the coupling chain when not in use, as illustrated.
on or above the draw-hook and which has the advantage of not requiring the
Engine to separate the wagons when (as in the case of being fitted with Spring
Buffers) their buffers are so close together that no room is left for the outermost

page_text: link of the coupling chain to pass between the two draw-hooks—we do not confine
ourselves to this mode of suspension, as our improvements are equally applicable to
coupling chains which do not need to be so suspended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
The combination and arrangement of a single transverse rod and arm connected
to a forked lever-one extremity of which is coupled by a connecting rod to a
pendulous arm-and the other or forked extremity to the outer-most link of the
coupling chain all mounted and acting substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
4334
FREDERICK ATTOCK.
PETER MORRIS.
John G. Wilson,
Agent for Applicants.
FREDERICK ATTOCK.
PETER MORRIS.
John G. Wilson,
Agent for Applicants.