Improvements in or connected with Couplings for Railway Carriages or Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 26th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Couplings for Railway Carriages
or Vehicles.
We, ALBERT BROOKER, of 8, West View, George Street, New Town, Eastleigh,
Wagon Maker, and WILLIAM BAILEY, of 61, Winchester Road, Eastleigh, Coach
Maker, both in the County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce an improved coupling for railway
carriages or vehicles, which can be caused to automatically couple-up or connect
the vehicles one to another, as the same are brought together, the construction
and arrangement being such that the automatic coupling action is certain, at
whatever speed the vehicles are brought together, and the connection so made
perfectly secure, while the parts composing the coupling are of simple character,,
inexpensive to manufacture, and moreover the automatic coupling mechanism
according, to our invention, can be readily applied to existing draw bars and .
hooks of railway vehicles, as at present used.
The draw bar employed in carrying out our invention, is carried centrally of
the under-frame of the vehicle, and is controlled by a spring or springs, the said
draw bar terminating in an upwardly and backwardly extending hook, formed
so that the front of the hook portion, presents an ascending incline, such a booked
draw bar, so mounted, being, in fact, now in common use on many railway lines.
Now according to our invention, to the shank of the hook of the draw bar, we
pivot a shackle, the pivot passing horizontally through the draw bar, so as to
allow the shackle vertical radial motion.
The shackle is so constructed, that when it is uncontrolled, it will fall and lie
in a horizontal plane, being supported by its free front end, resting on the front
end of the hook, at about the base of the incline thereof.
To the front end of the shackle we pivot a link, in such manner as to be
capable of lateral movement, relatively to, and in the same plane as the shackle,
and springs are fitted so as to normally tend to maintain the link in its central
position. The said link may be of any required formation, but we suggest the
employment of a link of somewhat oblong shape, pivotted to the shackle at one
of its narrow or small ends. The link for a wagon may be somewhat larger than
that for a coach.
All the draw-bars of a series of vehicles are fitted as described, and it will be
understood that if upon one of the vehicles, which we will term No. 1, the shackle
with its link in turned on its pivot in the draw bar into a vertical position, and
there held, by means to be hereafter described, that upon this vehicle No. 1 being
brought into contact with a vehicle No. 2, the shackle of which has been left in
its normal position, it will follow that the horizontally supported link of vehicle
No. 2, will strike the incline of the draw hook of vehicle No. 1, rise on same, and
fall into the grip of the said hook, and the vehicles Nos. 1 and 2 will be coupled
up. To uncouple the vehicles it is necessary to raise the engaging shackle and
link from the grip of the hook.
The means we employ to control the position of the shackle is entirely operated
from either side of the vehicle, and there is no necessity whatever for an attendant

page_text: to pass between the vehicles, when coupling-up or uncoupling; such means
consist as follows:-Centrally upon the end wall of the vehicle, we pivot a lever,
the latter being capable of motion on its pivot, in a plane parallel to the end of
the vehicle, the two arms of the lever extending in opposite directions, so as to
be within convenient reach from either side of the said vehicle.
Connections are provided from the lever, at a distance upon each side of the
pivot and extending to the outer end of the shackle, one such connection being
attached upon each side thereof. These connections may consist of flexible wire
rope, guided over suitable pulleys, or may consist of links or the like, but in all
cases the connections are so arranged that upon either side of the lever being
operated and rocked from a horizontal position, the shackle of the corresponding
draw-bar will be raised.
The arms of the lever, near the extremities, pass through slots in guard or guide
plates, fixed to the end of the vehicle, and such slots are formed with notches, to
retain the lever in position, and there are springs on the lever to produce the
required friction in the slots and prevent accidental motion. When two vehicles
are about to be coupled the lever of one should be horizontal with the shackle
down, and the lever of the other vehicle should have one of its arms depressed
into a notch of the guard, and the shackle thereby raised out of action, and
upon the vehicles being brought together coupling will take place as described.
Means may be provided if required, such as springs to maintain the shackles
and links at a proper level or height, and to compensate for the rise or fall of the
vehicles, owing to the varying loads carried thereby.
Dated this 8th day of September 1899.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Couplings for Railway Carriages
or Vehicles.
We, ALBERT BROOKER, of 8, West View, George Street, New Town, Eastleigh,
Wagon Maker, and WILLIAM BAILEY, of 61, Winchester Road, Eastleigh, Coach
Maker, both in the County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly describe:
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
--
This invention refers to the arrangement and combination of parts hereafter
described, composing an automatically acting coupling for railway vehicles, so
constructed that the automatic coupling action is certain at whatever speed the
vehicles are brought together, the connection so made is perfectly secure, the
couplings are easily disconnected by an attendant standing at either side of the
vehicles, and without the said attendant entering between the said vehicles, and
the mechanism is of simple character and construction.
Each draw bar employed in carrying out our invention is or may be located
centrally of the underframe of the vehicle, and is controlled by a spring or springs,
each of the said draw bars terminating in an upwardly and backwardly extending
hook, formed so that the front of the hook portion presents an ascending incline,
such a hooked draw bar, so mounted, being now well known on many railway
lines.
We will describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shews in side elevation, portions of the adjacent ends of two railway
vehicles coupled together, the said vehicles being fitted with our improved
coupling devices. Fig. 2 is a part end view of a vehicle with our coupling applied

page_text: thereto, and Fig. 3 is a part plan view, portions in both views having been broken
away to economise space in the drawing and the coupling link on the vehicle
marked X has been removed, in order not to complicate the illustration.
Referring to the drawings, it will be observed that each end of each vehicle is
fitted with exactly similar coupling devices, and therefore it will be sufficient to
describe in detail the coupling devices upon one end of one of the vehicles, the
similar parts upon the other vehicle being marked with like reference letters.
Now according to our invention, A is the underframe of the vehicle, and to
the shank of the hook B of the draw bar, we pivot a shackle C, the pivot C¹ passing
horizontally through the said shank of the hook B, so as to allow the shackle C
vertical radial motion.
The shackle C is so constructed that when it is uncontrolled it will fall and lie
in a horizontal plane, being supported by its free front and resting on the front
end of the hook B, near the base of the incline thereof.
To the front end of the shackle C we pivot a link D in such manner as to be
capable of lateral movement relatively to and in the same plane as the shackle C,
and springs E, carried by the shackle C, are fitted so as to act laterally on the
link 1), and normally tend to maintain the said link in its central position. The
link I may be of any required formation, but we prefer the employment of a
link of somewhat oblong shape, pivotted to the shackle at one of its narrow or
small ends as shewn.
All the draw-bars of a series of vehicles are fitted as described, and it will be
understood that if upon one of the vehicles, marked X, the shackle C with its
link D is turned on its pivot C in the draw bar, into a nearly vertical position,
as shewn at Fig. 1, and there held, by means to be hereafter described, that upon
this vehicle X being brought into contact with a vehicle Y, the shackle C of which
has been left in its normal position, it will follow that the horizontally supported
link D of vehicle Y will strike the incline of the draw hook B of vehicle X, rise
in the incline of same, and fall into the grip of the said. hook B, and the
vehicles X and Y will be coupled up. To uncouple the vehicles it is necessary
to raise the engaging shackle C and link D from the grip of the hook B.
The means we employ to control the position of the shackle C is entirely
operated from either side of the vehicle, and there is no necessity whatever for
an attendant to pass between the vehicles when coupling-up or uncoupling;
such means consist as follows:-Centrally upon the end wall of the vehicle we
pivot a lever F, the latter being capable of motion on its pivot F¹ Figs. 2 and 3
in a plane parallel to the end of the vehicle, the two arms of the lever F extend-
ing in opposite directions, so as to be within convenient reach from either side
of the said vehicle, the terminal ends being formed as handles.
Attached to the lever F, upon each side of the fulcrum of same, there is a
flexible connection such as a flexible wire rope or chain G G¹, and these chains
extend downwards, and the lower ends are respectively attached to two arms H H¹
which are hinged at J to the end of the vehicle frame, and lie immediately
beneath the side bars of the shackle C.
By this arrangement when the lever F is in its horizontal position as shewn in
full lines at Fig. 2, the shackle C is in its horizontal position ready for coupling
up, whereas when the lever F is rocked from either side into an angular position
as shewn for example by the dotted lines at Fig. 2, the shackle C is raised and
becomes inoperative, as is shewn by the shackle C on vehicle X of Fig. 1.
The arms of the lever F near the extremities pass through slots K Fig. 1 in
guard or guide plates K¹ fixed to the end of the vehicle, and such slots K are
formed with notches K2 to retain the lever F in position, and there are springs L
provided on the lever F to produce the required friction in the slots K, and pre-
vent accidental motion.
When two vehicles are about to be coupled the lever F of one should be
horizontal, with the shackle C down, as vehicle Y Fig. 1, and the lever F of the
other vehicle X should have one of its arms depressed into a notch of the guide

page_text: plates K and the shackle C thereby raised out of action, and upon the vehicles
being brought together coupling will take place as described.
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:-
1. In a coupling for railway vehicles in which each end of each vehicle is
fitted with identically similar coupling devices, the combination with a draw
bar hook having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front face; of a shackle
jointed to the shank of the hook by a horizontal pivot pin, the shackle encircling
the hook and normally supported thereon in a horizontal position, a coupling
link jointed by a vertical pivot pin to the forward end of the shackle, laterally
placed springs upon the latter to bear against the sides of the link to maintain
the link centrally when free, and mechanism controlled by a lever extending
entirely across the end of the vehicle, and capable of being operated from
either side thereof, to turn the shackle and link into a nearly vertical position
either to uncouple from an opposite draw hook or to hold same out of action
when the vehicles are coupled by a similar link and shackle of an opposite
vehicle, as set forth.
2. In a coupling for railway vehicles in which each end of each vehicle is
fitted with identically similar coupling devices, the combination with a draw
bar hook having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front face calculated to
raise an opposite coupling link and direct same into the bite of the hook, a
shackle horizontally jointed to the shank of the hook and normally resting
thereon in a horizontal position, a coupling link jointed by a vertical pivot pin
to the forward end of the shackle, and laterally placed springs upon the shackle
to maintain the link centrally when free; of an operating lever pivotted centrally
upon and extending entirely across the end of the vehicle, arms hinged upon
horizontal pivots to the end of the vehicle, one such beneath each side of the
shackle, and two flexible connections extending from the actuating lever to
the hinged arms, one such connection extending from each side of the lever to
the said arms, whereby by rocking the actuating lever out of the horizontal
position, the shackle and link are raised out of action as set forth.
3. In a coupling for railway vehicles in which each end of each vehicle is
fitted with identically similar coupling devices, the combination with a draw
bar hook having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front face, a shackle
horizontally jointed to the shank of the hook, a coupling link vertically jointed
to the forward end of the shackle, and springs upon the shackle to act upon
the link and maintain the latter normally vertical; of an operating lever
pivotted centrally upon and extending entirely across the end of the vehicle,
mechanism for raising the shackle and link out of action, flexible connections
from the operating lever to the said shackle and link raising mechanism, and
slotted guide plates on the end of the vehicle, the arms of the lever passing
through the slots, springs on the lever arms to act in the slots and frictionally
maintain the horizontal position of the lever, and notches at the base of the
slots to normally maintain the angular position of the lever when so placed, as
set forth.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing our improved
coupling devices for railway carriages or vehicles, constructed and acting sub-
stantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th de 1000
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.