Improvements in Automatic Couplers, for Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplers, for Railway and like Vehicles.
MARWOOD JOHN OLIVER, Warleigh View, Bere Ferrers, Bere Alston, R.S.O.,
Devon, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In this invention, I hinge a "combination" link, jointed, or otherwise, to
ordinary, draw-bar. When said link is not in use, it stands, or rests against,
end of carriage or truck. When required for coupling, the link is lowered to a
horizontal position, a stop being placed at the rear to prevent its dropping, below
that point. On the approach of carriage or truck to be connected, the end of
said link, comes in contact, with head of draw-bar, on opposite carriage, which
head is an inclined plane, the carriages being pressed to-gether, the link, rises,
or glides, over the plane, until it reaches the top, when it drops, into the bill, or
hook, in its desired position, the coupling arrangement, therefore, being per-
fectly automatic.
"
To prevent accidental dis-connection, or un-coupling, I place a cover, or step
over the, hook, or bill of draw-bar acted on by spring, or levers from each side,
which also prevents, link not in use, from falling.
To un-couple attendant, stands by side of carriages or trucks, and lifts, link
from out of hook, or bill, by a lever, or cranked key, thus all danger, from, coup-
ling, or un-coupling is entirely obviated.
Dated this 19th day of December 1899.
MARWOOD JOHN OLIVER.
Improvements in Automatic Couplers, for Railway and like Vehicles.
I, MARWOOD JOHN OLIVER, of Warleigh View, Bere Ferrers, in the County of
Devonshire, Merchant, 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:―
This invention relates to automatic couplers for railway and like vehicles.
According to this invention, I hinge a combination or jointed link to the
ordinary draw bar or to a horizontal lever attached to the end of the carriage or
truck, with spring hinges. When the said link is attached to the draw bar, I
also provide a swivel to the hinder part of the link through which a cross lever
attached to the said horizontal lever works.
At each end of the said horizontal bar I connect handles or levers at right

page_text: angles to the bar, the said handle working in sweeps with stop bolts to keep the
links in the required positions.
:
And in order that my said invention may be better understood I will now pro-
.ceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing accompanying this speci-
fication in which Fig. 1 shews an end elevation of a railway carriage with my
coupling mechanism attached thereto Fig. 2 shews the position of the coupling
mechanism on the ends of two carriages or trucks just previous to coupling:
Fig. 3 shews the position of the links and draw hooks when coupled.
Figs. 2 and 3 are drawn to a larger scale than that of Fig. 1.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the views.
a is a horizontal bar attached to the carriage end by hasps b.
cc are handles
to the bar a. d is the draw hook. e is the combination link" jointed at e (in
such a way that it will swing back in one direction from the straight line but not
in the other) and pivotted to the draw bar at d. f is a swivel attached to the
link c.
g is a cross lever from the bar a, working through the swivel eye f.
hh shew sweeps or locking guides to the handles c c. The dotted lines in Fig. 1
shew how the link may be swung upwards when not in use.
By manipulating the handles cc the link a is raised or lowered. The handles cc
may be locked in any position by means of a pin on one or both of the handles c c,
engaging with the holes of the corresponding sweep.
When the link a is set as at Fig. 2, the nearer approach of one draw bar to
the other will effect automatic coupling, the link gliding up the incline of the
draw hook and dropping over.
The supporting pin atoresaid being withdrawn, the weight of the link, heaviest
at its jointed centre, with the additional weight of the lever prevents the link
from rising or jumping out of place.
To uncouple or release the carriage, the handle c is turned up when the link e
will disengage from the draw hook d. The stop pin aforesaid may then be
placed under the handle e or the link may be allowed to hang down.
By the use of this invention the ordinary screw coupling may be dispensed with
and the operation of coupling rendered free from danger.
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:-
1. In automatic coupling mechanism for railway and other like vehicles, the
employment of a jointed link in combination with a stopping device, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In automatic coupling mechanism for railway and other like vehicles, the
combination with a jointed link of a horizontal bar or lever provided with handles,
a swivel and locking guides all substantially as set forth.
L
1000
BROWNE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant,
9, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.