AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION- left by the said Robert Stone at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd October 1882.
1. A
ROBERT STONE of the City of Bristol
VEHICLES,"
"
"AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY
My Invention which relates to an improved coupling for railway vehicles, is
designed to effect the coupling and uncoupling of such vehicles with simplicity
rapidity and security, and without necessitating handling of the couplings. Injury,
and loss of life from this cause are thus obviated. At one end of each vehicle is a
coupling hook or jaw and at the other end is à claw or crosshead so formed as to
take into and firmly, engage with the hook or jaw of the contiguous vehicle at such
time when the said hook is operated to receive the crosshead from an actuating
lever pivotted to the wall of the vehicle at that end at which the hook is carried.
When not thus operated upon to receive the crosshead, the coupling hook depends
or is inclined downwards on a hinge which connects it to the draw-bar, so that on
the approach of the crosshead or claw attached to the contiguous or approaching
vehicle, the said crosshead or claw enters à recess formed in a split flap or leaf
hinged to the coupling hook, and the vehicles remain disconnected. To connect
the vehicles, the actuating lever is operated to cause, through intermediate
articulated levers and springs, a radiating plate, placed below the coupling hook,
to raise the hook, and the claw or crosshead of the approaching vehicle rises over
the end of the hook and, guided by the aforesaid split flap or leaf, falls into position
in the book with which it thus engages. A momentary compression of the buffers
is necessary to allow the crosshead to advance the required distance., A pin or
bolt acted on by a coiled spring to slide vertically in a bracket fixed to the end of,
the vehicle, serves to maintain the actuating lever in either the position it occupies
when the coupling hook is raised to receive a crosshead or claw, or when the hook
is lowered, as desired. To uncouple vehicles, the actuating lever is operated to
remove the radiating plate from below the coupling hook and the latter is gently,
lowered, the split flap or leaf serving to assist the gradual descent thereof. The

page_text: actuating lever which is ordinarily operated from the side of a vehicle, may be
acted upon by a guard or attendant of a train to slip vehicles when running.
Springs are fitted to bear against the draw-bar on each side thereof, whereby, on
traversing a curve, the tendency of the draw-bar is to remain in the centre of the
line of traction. Vertical springs are attached at the underside of the bridge
supporting the draw-bar, to maintain a uniform level of both the coupling hook
and the cross-head independently of the different loads in the vehicles. Upon the
engine are carried both a coupling hook and cross-head or claw, which are readily
changed according as there is presented thereto the hook or crosshead of a vehicle
to be coupled. In the event of the fracture of the spring of a draw-bar, the latter
is prevented from being withdrawn from below the vehicle by two studs or stops
upon which a shoulder or projection formed on the bar bears.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Stone in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st March
1883..
ROBERT STONE of the City of Bristol AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES
This invention which relates to an improved coupling for railway vehicles is
designed to effect the coupling and uncoupling of such vehicles with simplicity,
rapidity and security, and without necessitating handling of the couplings.
At one end of each vehicle is a coupling hook or jaw and at the other end is a
claw or crosshead formed so as to take into and firmly engage with the hook or
jaw of the contiguous vehicle, at such time when the said hook is operated to
receive the crosshead by means of a lever pivotted to the wall of the vehicle at
that end at which the hook is carried. When not thus operated upon to receive
the crosshead, the coupling hook depends or is inclined downwards on a hinge
which connects it to the draw-bar, so that on the approach of the crosshead or
claw attached to the contiguous or approaching vehicle, the said crosshead or claw
enters a recess formed in a split flap or tappet hinged to the coupling hook, and
the vehicles remain 'disconnected. To connect the vehicles, the actuating lever is
operated to cause a plate pivotted on the underside of the coupling hook to raise
the hook, and the crosshead or claw of the approaching vehicle rises over the end
of the hook and, guided by the aforesaid split flap or tappet, falls into position in
the hook with which it thus engages.
To uncouple the vehicles, the actuating lever is operated to remove the support
of the plate pivotted below the coupling hook and the latter is lowered on its
hinge, the vehicles being made to momentarily approach each other to effect the
disengagement of the coupling hook and the crosshead. The actuating lever, which
is ordinarily operated from the side of a vehicle may be actuated by a guard or
other attendant of a train to slip vehicles when running.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to describe the same by reference to the accompanying sheet of
drawings and the figures and letters marked thereon.
At Figs. 1, 2 and 3 on the accompanying sheet of drawings is represented the
application of the improved coupling to railway vehicles.
Fig. 1 represents two vehicles A and B as uncoupled. The coupling hook or jaw
of the vehicle A is shown in the position to which it is adjusted when it is desired
to prevent the coupling of the vehicles. Fig. 2 represents the vehicles as coupled.
Fig 3 represents a plan of Fig. 2..
At one end of the vehicle A is a coupling hook a hinged to the draw-bar b.
Below the hinge o is a plate a pivotted to the draw-bar b and capable of being so
operated by the lever e pivotted at e¹ to the end wall of the vehicle A as either to.
bear against the underside of, and bring to a horizontal position, the coupling
hook a, or to be withdrawn from so supporting the said coupling hook a according
as the lever e is moved inwards or outwards.
At Fig. 1, the plate c is shown withdrawn from supporting the hook a which
therefore depends or inclines downwards on the hinge o. At Figs. 2 and 3, the.
plate c is shown as turned upon its pivot c¹ to support the coupling hook a in the
position required for coupling.
To the vehicle B, as also to one end of each vehicle opposite to that at which the
coupling hook is carried, is attached a cross head or claw d hinged at d to the
draw-bar b'. On the sufficiently close approach of the vehicles, one towards
another, the coupling hook a being in the position shown at Fig. 1, the outward
end of the crosshead or claw d enters the recess i formed in the split flap or tappet m
hinged to the coupling hook a, and the vehicles remain uncoupled.
To connect the vehicles, the lever e is actuated to cause the plate c to raise the
coupling hook a to a horizontal position and, on the sufficiently close approach of
the vehicles, the crosshead or claw d is moved upwards on the hinge d¹ by contact
of its outer end with the hook a over the end of which the said outer end of the
crosshead d passes and, guided in the split flap or tappet m, engages with the
coupling hook a, as shown at Figs. 2 and 3.
To disconnect the vehicles, the plate c is moved back to the position shown at
Fig. 1 and the vehicles are made to momentarily approach each other still more
nearly to counteract the tension of the coupling. The hook a then becomes free
from engagement with the crosshead d and depends downwards from the hinge o.
The lever e is actuated from the side of the vehicle, whereby the danger attendant
on the practice of handling the couplings, to connect or disconnect vehicles, is
obviated.
Coupling and uncoupling of vehicles may also be effected from a guard's van or
other vehicle by means of a chain or other medium connected to the plate c.
Upon the engine may be carried both a coupling hook and a crosshead which are
readily fixed or unfixed and changed as required for the vehicle to be coupled
thereto.
At Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is illustrated the application to railway vehicles of another
mode by which coupling and uncoupling are effected under this invention from the
sides of the vehicles.
To the draw-bar b of each vehicle is hinged a coupling link a, upon the back
end of which bears one arm of a crank c, the other arm of the said crank being
connected by the rods d, d' and the spring e to the lever f extending transversely
across each end of each vehicle and pivotted at o to the end walls thereof. A
weight w suspended from the back end of the link a is a counterpoise to facilitate
the actuation of the lever f. At vehicle B, Fig: 4, the link a is shown out of
position for coupling. By exerting the requisite degree of pressure, by the lever f,
in a downward direction, the link a is raised to the position shown at vehicle A,
Fig. 4, that is to say in position for coupling, and, on the sufficiently close approach
of the vehicles, one towards the other, the outer end of the link a comes into

page_text: contact with the end of the coupling hook band, rising over it, becomes engaged
therewith and the vehicles become coupled as shown at Figs. 4 and 5.
The lever f which may be actuated from either side of the vehicles is jointed at
or near the centre to effect the requisite raising and lowering action on the coupling
links, the proper extent of which may be controlled by a spring 7 secured to the
lever fand working in a rack n placed at one or both sides of the vehicles. After
coupling the vehicles, the lever f is moved back to the position shown at vehicle B,
Fig. 4, to provide for the longitudinal play of the links and thus to obviate the
possibility of forcing the links out of engagement with the coupling hooks which,
from the rigidity of the coupling, might otherwise occur on a sudden compression
of the vehicles taking place from either end of a train. To adjust the link a for
disconnecting the vehicles, the required downward pressure is applied to the outer
end of the lever fand being transmitted to the back end of the link aļ an upward
tendency is exerted by the outer end thereof. The vehicles are made to
momentarily approach each other more nearly and the link a rises from engage-
ment with the coupling hook 61 and assumes the position shown at Fig. 6, the
action being assisted by the spring e exerting a strain on the crank c accordingly.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and the mode or manner in which the same may be used, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent,.***
:
The method of coupling and uncoupling railway vehicles by means of the hinged
books or jaws and crossheads or claws, or by the links and books, operated from
one side or both sides of the vehicles, substantially as described and shown on the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
In witness, whereof I, the said Robert Stone, have hereunto set my, hand
and Seal this thirtieth day of March in the year of Our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
: