IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY VEHICLES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM HERALD of 238 Mottram Road, Hyde in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY VEHICLES AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the couplings of wagons, trucks and other vehicles
employed on railways and these Improvements have for their object to enable the
vehicles to be coupled from the sides so as to avoid the practice at present existing
of men having to place themselves between the ends of the vehicles for the purpose
of coupling them together.
In carrying out my Invention I employ the hooks and chains at present in
common use or hooks and chains similar thereto. To the outer link of the chain
I attach a strong cord, thong or rope. This cord may be attached to the link
itself or to a loop, bar or bow welded upon or otherwise secured to the link. At
each end of the vehicle and above the buffers I mount a sliding bar which may
have a transverse motion imparted to it from either end, or there may be two
sliding bars, one for each side of the vehicle. Above each coupling I mount also a
grooved pulley the axis of which may be carried upon a pendulum bracket, upon
the sliding bar or bars or upon any fixing or in any manner which will permit the
position of the pulley to be shifted to either side of a line vertical to the hook by
corresponding motion imparted to the sliding bar. There may be substituted for
the sliding bar an endless cord passing over pullies at each side of the vehicle end,
or other equivalent apparatus or device for shifting the position of the grooved
pulley. The free end of the cord may be passed through guides, be attached to a
cleet or otherwise held in position when not in use.
The operation of coupling is performed in the following manner: The cord of
one vehicle is thrown over the grooved pulley of the contiguous vehicle and pulled
until the link attached thereto is lifted higher than the hook with which it is to
engage. The position of the link is then adjusted by means of the sliding bar or
its equivalent acting upon the grooved pulley until the link is directly over the
hook when the cord is released and the link drops into the hook. In uncoupling the
act of pulling the cord to raise the link out of the hook moves the grooved pulley
to one side and allows the chain to fall clear of the hook.

page_text: :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM HERALD of 238 Mottram Road, Hyde, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical and Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING
RAILWAY VEHICLES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the method of coupling and uncoupling
railway waggons and other vehicles from outside the buffers so as to avoid the
dangerous practice of a person going between the waggons or carriages.
The present links and hooks as now used may be retained.
For this purpose I arrange a whip the stock of which may be made of wood,
iron, or other suitable material, and the lash may be either a chain, thong, or wire
rope, the end of leash to be permanently attached to the lower or end link.
At the end of vehicle a pulley, or bobbin is attached to a bar or rod, this bar
being suspended on one, or two pendulous supports is allowed to oscillate several
inches to either side of vehicle, this movement is arranged so as to allow the link
of opposite vehicle to be raised or lowered to one side of the hook so that the link
never comes into collision with book when being raised or lowered.
The support for pulley may be a single bracket suspended on a pivot above the
pulley, if a high bodied vehicle, or the brackets, or brackets may be inverted and
attached to frame of vehicle as shewn on drawing.
To couple two vehicles the person takes the whip stock from its rest, say with
his right hand, then passing it to the left hand vehicle over the pulley and pulling
the whip which raises the link above the left hand hook then by pushing the bar,
or rod with bobbin the link is suspended immediately over the hook when by
releasing the whip the link is engaged or coupled, when the whip stock may be
transferred to its rest on right hand.
To uncouple, the person passes the whip-lash over the pulley, as before mentioned,
and pulling the whip raises the link, at the same time the position of pulley is
moved to one side, when the whip may be released at once the link falling clear of
hook. One hand only of the attendant is required for unhooking.
After using, the whip is dropped into a pocket, or hooks attached to end of
vehicle for that purpose.
I prefer two whips attached to each end link so that each vehicle may be coupled,
or uncoupled from either side of train.
The advantages of my invention are: 1st retaining the present hooks and links
of whatever pattern, the whip leash to be adjusted to suit the lengths of couplings.
2nd The slight cost of fixing the apparatus. 3rd And the arrangement does not
prevent the shunter, or guard from coupling or uncoupling as hitherto.
The Drawing shows the man with the link of right hand vehicle raised to
couple on hook of left hand truck, a slight pressure of his left hand on moving bar
causes the link to be immediately over the hook, and releasing the whip in right

page_text: hand completes the hooking which is quite secure and cannot become uncoupled
by any accident or giving way of apparatus there being no springs, catches, or
balanced links.
DESCRIPTION.
A is the chain lash attached to end link. B is the pulley, or bobbin which may
be made of wood or other material, C the movable bar connected to pivotted
brackets, or joints D which vibrate several inches each way and rest against wood
supports, or other part of vehicle, these brackets, or joints may be attached to end
of vehicle in various ways according to formation of frame work.
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
1st An arrangement whereby the present hooks and links as now used may be
coupled and uncoupled by a person outside the buffers as herein set forth.
2nd An arrangement comprising a whip attachment to coupling links of vehicles.
3rd A bobbin, or pulley pivotted in a suitable position on a movable rod, or
bracket to ensure coupling and uncoupling vehicles by the movement herein
described.
4th Attachment to and connection with a movable bracket or joints and rods so
that the link may be raised clear of hook and coupled or uncoupled and lowered
without getting into contact with hook.
5th The combination of whip attachment, bobbin coupled to movable bar, or rods
connected to brackets or joints pivotted on suitable attachments secured to ends of
vehicles substantially as described and illustrated.
6th The improved coupling and uncoupling apparatus constructed arranged and
operating as hereinbefore described and shewn in the Drawings.
D
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