An Improved Self Coupling Apparatus for Railway Carriages and Trucks.
Year: 1886

page_text: An Improved Self Coupling Apparatus for Railway Carriages
and Trucks.
I, CHARLES CLEMENTS of 34 Marple Street, Nottingham, in the town and county
of the town of Nottingham, Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
To the cross framing at each end of a railway carriage or truck, through which
the draw bar is usually passed. Instead of such draw bar I secure a plate to each
side of the cross framing each plate is slotted vertically, through both plates two
parallel plates are passed, the back ends of these plates also pass through vertical
slots in the centre of the length of three or more plate springs which are curved
from their centre to their ends towards the back of the cross framing, the parallel
plates are also passed through a vertical slot in a spring plate, and are bolted to
the back of it.
This spring plate has its ends free in slotted brackets which are secured to the
side framing. The parallel plates before named project at the front of the cross
framing and are provided with an axle pin on which a draw bar rocks, the front
end of which is hooked to receive the draw loop of the next carriage or truck, the
back end of the hooked draw bar projects under the bottom of the carriage or
truck, and is pressed upon by a plate spring secured to the framing this spring
holds the hooked draw bar in position when engaged with the draw loop of the
next carriage or truck, the draw bar is readily released from the draw loop by the
inner end being raised by a cam secured to a rocking axle carried by bearings
secured to the framing, each end of the axle projects beyond the carriage framing
and is turned at a right angle to itself so as to lie parallel with the framing and
forms a band lever on each side of the carriage by which the draw hook can be
lowered clear of the draw loop. The axle pin in the parallel plates before named
also carries a bar hooked at the front end which lies over the hook of the draw bar,
this hooked bar projects inwards under the bottom of the carriage and is retained
in position by a plate spring secured to the framing, this upper hook bar ensures
Daine 21

page_text: the draw loop of the next carriage being in connection when the loop is thrown
upwards by any means.
On each side of the parallel plates there is a rod each of which at the back end
passes through the four spring plates before named and is secured in the spring
plate in the slotted brackets, the front ends of the rods are hinged to the ends of a
draw loop on each side of the rocking draw hook.
By means of couplings so constructed, when two carriages or trucks are brought
together one or other of the draw loops slides up the opposite one until hooked
upon the draw hook of the next carriage, such connection being retained until
uncoupled by an attendant on either side of a carriage.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan of one set of coupling apparatus as applied to one end of
the framing of a railway carriage or truck.
Figure 2 shows a longitudinal side view of the same, having one of the side
beams removed, and showing two cross beams in section on the line A A, Figure 1,
but having the upper ends of the wheel axle bearings broken away. Figure 3
shows an end view of Figure 2 with the coupling link in an horizontal position.
In place of the draw bar which is usually passed through the cross framing at
each end of a railway carriage or truck, I secure a plate B to each side of the cross
bar, each plate is slotted vertically, through both plates two parallel plates C are
passed, the back ends of these plates pass between the inner ends of two sets of
three or more curved plate springs D, the outer ends of which are bolted to the
back of the cross framing, the plates C are also passed through a vertical slot in a
spring plate E, and are bolted or rivetted to the back of it, the outer ends of the
plate lie in slotted brackets F which are secured to the side framings. The plates C
project at the front of the cross framing, and are provided with an axle pin on
which a draw bar G rocks, the front end of which is hooked to receive the draw
loop I of the next carriage or truck, the back end of the draw bar projects under
the bottom of the carriage, or truck, and is provided with a pin or pins G, which
project from each side and are pressed upon by a plate spring H secured to the
framing, this spring holds the hooked draw bar in position when engaged with the
draw loop of the next carriage or truck, the draw bar can be readily released from
the draw loop by the inner end of the hook being raised by a cam J secured to a
rocking axle J carried by bearings secured to the framing; each end of the axle
projects beyond the framing of the carriage or truck and is turned at a right angle
to itself so as to lie parallel with the framing, and forms a hand lever on each side
of the carriage or truck, by which means the draw hook can be lowered clear of
the draw loop.
On each side of the parallel plates C there is a rod K, the back end of each of
these rods pass between the inner ends of the spring plates D, and through the
spring plate E in which they are secured, the front ends of the rods are hinged to
the ends of a draw loop on each side of the draw hook.
By means of couplings constructed as above described when two carriages or
trucks are brought together one or other of the draw loops slide up the opposite

page_text: one until hooked upon the draw hook of the next carriage, such connection being
retained until uncoupled by an attendant on either side of a carriage or truck.
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
The improved self coupling apparatus for railway carriages and trucks substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.