Improvements in Automatic Couplings and Buffers for Railway Carriages, Trucks, and Wagons, and Tramcars and Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1892-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplings and Buffers for Railway
Carriages, Trucks, and Wagons, and Tramcars and Engines.
I ROBERT MARK MARK, of No. 6 Lloyd Street, Small Heath, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference in part to the automatic couplings described and
claimed in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 27th day of
May 1889, No. 1889.
The principal object of my present invention is to make the automatic couplings
alike in construction and action at each end of the railway carriage, truck or vehicle
so that they are interchangeable; that is, the opposite ends of two carriages, trucks
or vehicles without discrimination being brought together they can be automatically
coupled instead of having to arrange that the coupling at the end of one carriage
or vehicle shall be brought opposite the buffer cylinder on the opposed end of
an adjacent carriage or vehicle as in the Patent before referred to.
I also combine with the coupling at each end of the carriage, a buffer instead of
arranging the buffer at one end of each carriage and the coupling at the other end.
In constructing an automatic coupling and buffer according to my present
invention I make the following modifications, and changes in and additions to the
patented invention before referred to. I dispense with the hollow buffer cylinder
fixed at one end of the carriage carrying the coupling or draw bar and I use a
separate short coupling or draw bar having a double wedge or heart shaped head
at each end for the hooked ends of the pairs of lever jaws of the coupling blocks
on opposite ends of two carriages to engage with. It must be understood that the
improved couplings at the ends of the same carriage are alike in construction and
action; that is, each coupling consists of a hollow projecting block having
externally the general form of a buffer and carrying within it a pair of lever jaws
and actuating mechanism of the same, the double headed separate draw or coupling
bar being situated between two coupling blocks on opposite ends of adjacent
carriages. The rack and pinion arrangement described in the Specification of the
Patent before referred to is dispensed with and in place thereof, hand levers are
used which are preferably arranged one on the right hand and, the other on the
left hand of adjacent coupling blocks for convenience in uncoupling from opposite
sides of the carriages. The lever jaws of the coupling block are closed by a coiled
spring situated in a recess or small chamber in the buffer shaft hereinafter
described.
The action of the automatic couplings as modified according to my present
invention is essentially the same as that of the couplings described in the
Specification of the Patent before referred to. That is to say, when the two
carriages are uncoupled one of the coupling blocks carries with it the separate
double headed coupling or draw bar, one half of which projects from the coupling
block carrying it and when the two carriages are brought together the point end
of the projecting head of the draw bar in one of the coupling blocks enters the
other coupling block and opens the lever jaws in the last named coupling block,
which jaws closing upon the head of the draw bar automatically couple the two
oarriages together. The uncoupling may be effected by operating either hand lever
carried by the respective coupling blocks; that is, either head of the double
headed draw bar may be released, the said draw bar being carried, on the
uncoupling of the carriages, by the coupling block the hand lever of which has
not been operated upon.

page_text: The coupling block at each end of thercarriage is combined with a buffer in the
following way. The rear end of each coupling block is prolonged backwards, the
prolonged part constituting the buffer shaft which passes through the end frame of
the carriage: into the buffer box or case fixed.in the inside of the said frame.
Around the buffer shaft, within the box or case, is a coiled spring bearing at one
end against a flange on the buffer shaft and at'the other end against the buffer box
The buffer shaft.is square near its junction with the coupling block and
the said square part works in a bush in the frame of the carriage. The hole in
this bush has such a size and configuration that it permits of a slight horizontal
swivelling motion of the shaft in it during the travelling of the coupled carriages
on curves and also permits of a slight vertical. movement of the buffer shaft and
coupling for the coupling of carriages of different heights.
or case.
The end of the buffer box or case is curved and the end of the buffer shaft is
secured to the curved end of the buffer box or case by washers, one inside the box
. and the other outside. The bearing face of the outside washer is concave and the
bearing face of the inside washer is convex to allow the shaft, in making the
movements described, to work freely upon the curved end of the buffer box or case,
the hole in the said curved end being bored of such a size as to permit of the
.necessary motions of the buffer shaft at that end.
Dated the 29th day of October 1891.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplings and Buffers for Railway
Carriages, Trucks, and Wagons, and Tramcars and Engines.
I ROBERT MARK MARK, of No. 6 Lloyd Street, Small Heath, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference in part to the automatic couplings described and
claimed in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 27th day of
May 1889 No. 8722.
The principal object of my present invention is to make the automatic couplings
alike in construction and action at each end of the railway carriage, truck or vehicle
so that they are interchangeable; that is, the opposite ends of two carriages, trucks
or vehicles without discrimination being brought together they can be automatically
coupled instead of having to arrange that the coupling at the end of one carriage
or vehicle shall be brought opposite the buffer cylinder on the opposed end of an
adjacent carriage or vehicle as in the Patent before referred to. I also combine
with the coupling at each end of the carriage, a buffer instead of arranging.the
buffer at one end of each carriage and the coupling at the other end.
In constructing an automatic coupling and buffer according to my present
invention I make the following modifications and changes in and additions to the
patented invention before referred to. I dispense with the hollow buffer cylinder
fixed at one end of the carriage carrying the coupling or draw bar and I use a
separate short coupling or draw-bar having a double wedge or heart shaped head
at each end for the hooked ends of the paire of lever jaws of the coupling blocks
on opposite ends of two carriages to engage with. It must be understood that the
improved couplings at the ends of the same carriage are alike in construction and
action; that is, each coupling consists of a hollow projecting block having
externally the general form of a buffer and carrying within it a pair of lever jaws
and actuating mechanism of the same, the double headed separate draw or coupling
bar being situated between two coupling blocks on opposite ends of adjacent
carriages. The rack and pinion arrangement described in the Specification of the

page_text: Patent before referred to is dispensed with and in place thereof, hand. levers are
used which are preferably arranged one on the right hand and the other on the
left hand of adjacent coupling blocks for convenience in uncoupling from opposite
sides of the carriages. The lever jaws of the coupling block are closed by a coiled
spring situated in a recess or small chamber in the buffer shaft hereinafter
described. The action of the automatic couplings as modified according to my
present invention is essentially the same as that of the couplings described in the
Specification of the Patent before referred to. That is to say, when the two
carriages are uncoupled one of the coupling blocks carries with it the separate
double headed coupling or draw bar one half of which projects from the coupling
block carrying it and when the two carriages are brought together the point end of
the projecting head of the draw bar in one of the coupling blocks enters the other
coupling block and opens the lever jaws in the last named coupling block, which
jaws closing upon the head of the draw bar automatically couple the two carriages
together. The uncoupling may be effected by operating either hand lever carried
by the respective coupling blocks; that is either head of the double headed draw
bar may be released, the said draw bar being carried, on the uncoupling of the
carriages by the coupling block, the hand lever of which has not been operated
upon.
The coupling block at each end of the carriage is combined with a buffer in the
following way. The rear end of each coupling block is prolonged backwards, the
prolonged part constituting the buffer shaft which passes through the end frame of
the carriage into the buffer box or case fixed in the inside of the said frame.
Around the buffer shaft, within the box or case, is a coiled spring bearing at one
end against a flange on the buffer shaft and at the other end against the buffer box
or case. The buffer shaft is square near its junction with the coupling block and
the said square part works in a bush in the frame of the carriage. The hole in this
bush has such a size and configuration that it permits of a slight horizontal
swivelling motion of the shaft in it during the travelling of the coupled carriages
on curves and also permits of a slight vertical movement of the buffer shaft and
coupling for the coupling of carriages of different heights.
The end of the buffer box or case is curved and the end of the buffer shaft is
secured to the curved end of the buffer box or case by washers, one inside the box
and the other outside. The bearing face of the outside washer is concave and the
bearing face of the inside washer is convex to allow the shaft, in making the
movements described to work freely upon the curved end of the buffer box or case,
the hole in the said curved end being bored of such a size as to permit of the
necessary motions of the buffer shaft at that end.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation and Figure 2 partly in horizontal section
and partly in plan, my new or improved couplings and buffers applied to the
opposite ends of two carriages, the other end of each carriage having applied to it
the same construction of coupling and buffer. In Figure 1 the two carriages are
represented coupled together and in Figure 2 uncoupled or in the act of being
coupled together; Figures 3 and 4 represent cross sections of the couplings, the
section Figure 3 being taken on the Line A B Figure 2, and the section Figure 4
being taken on the line C D Figure 1; Figure 5 represents the coupling or draw
bar detached and Figure 6 represents an end elevation of the buffer shaft bush.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures o. the
drawing.
c is a portion of the end frame of one of the carriages and d is a portion of the
end frame of the other carriage to which the couplings and buffers are applied.
To the end of the carriage c (and to its opposite end) a coupling block e' is applied
and to the end of the carriage d (and to its opposite end) a similar coupling
black dis applied, each coupling block being alike in construction and carrying
the same kind of coupling. mechanism; a is the separate short coupling or.draw

page_text: bar, (shown separately in Figure 5) having a double wedge or heart shaped head
at each end, the head at one end being marked a³ and the head at the other end
being marked a, the double headed separate draw or coupling bar a, a, a, being
situated between the two coupling blocks c, d on opposite ends of adjacent
carriages. Within each of the hollow projecting coupling blocks c, d, (which
blocks have the general figure of buffers) a pair of hook ended lever jaws e e is
situated and works the short arms of the said lever jaws being connected together
by the pair of links f,f fixed on the common joint pin g to which pin the short
arm of a hand lever is fixed. The hand lever of the right hand coupling mechanism
is marked h and that of the left hand coupling mechanism is marked i. The joint
ping on which the links ff are secured projects through and works in a slot 6 in
the side of the coupling block and on the projecting end of the said pin the hand
lever is fixed (see Figures 1 and 3).
It will be seen that the hand levers and i for opening the lever jaws are
arranged, one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of adjacent coupling
blocks for convenience in uncoupling from opposite sides of the carriages. Each
pair of coupling links f,fis jointed to the seat secured to the pin which seat is
pressed upon by the coiled spring m situated in a recess or small chamber n in the
buffer shaft p, p. By means of the spring m the lever jaws e, e of the coupling
block are closed when at liberty to move. By acting upon the ping through the
hand lever h or i, the seat is pressed back and the spring m compressed and the
lever jaws e e opened for releasing the coupling from the draw bar a as indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 2.
I will now describe the buffer which is combined with and forms part of the
coupling block at each end of the carriage. The rear end of each coupling block c³, d
is prolonged backwards and constitutes the buffer shaft p, p². This buffer shaft
passes through the end frame c or d of the carriage into the buffer box or case
which is bolted to the said frame c or d, the said buffer box or case having a curved
end as represented in section in Figure 2, through which end the buffer shaft works
when a blow is received by the head or expanded outer end of the coupling block c
or d. The part p of the buffer shaft near its junction with the coupling block is
square in cross section, and the other part is cylindrical. Around the cylindrical
part p² of the buffer shaft, within the box or case y, is a coiled spring r bearing at
one end against the collar s on the said shaft and at the other end against a washer t
at the curved end of the buffer box or case q.
Between the collars and washer t the spring ris compressed when the shaft p, p³
is pushed inwards, the buffer acting like an ordinary buffer. The square part p of
the buffer shaft works in the bush u fixed in the frame of the carriage. The shape
of this bush u is seen in the sectional left hand part of Figure 2 and the separate
view Figure 6.
The bush u has such a size and configuration that it permits of a slight horizontal
swivelling motion of the shaft p, pin it during the travelling of the coupled
carriages in curves and also permits of the coupling of carriages of different
heights. The way in which the buffer shaft p p is connected to the curved end of
the buffer case will be seen by referring to the left hand portion of Figure 2. In
the curved end of the said buffer case is an opening of such a size as will permit
of the necessary motions of the buffer shaft at that end; and the buffer shaft is
made to work freely upon the curved end of the case by the outside and inside
washere t and y the bearing face of the outside washer y being concave and the
bearing face of the inside washer t being convex. The projecting end of the buffer
shaft p, pis screwed and is fixed in its place against the outer washer y by the
*crew nut w.
The action of my improved coupling is as follows:-When the carriages are
uncoupled by the operation of the lever h as represented in Figure 2, the carriage c
takes with it the separate double headed coupling or draw bar a the said bar being
secured to the coupling block c² of that carriage by its pair of lever jaws e, e
engaging with the head a³ of the said bar, one half of the said bar projecting from

page_text: the coupling block carrying it. When the ends of the two carriages c and d are
brought together for coupling them, the point end of the projecting head a* of the
draw bar a enters the coupling block on the carriage d and opens the lever
jaws e, e in that block as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, which jaws closing
upon the head a³ of the draw bar a automatically couples the two carriages c and d
together as illustrated in Figure 1. For uncoupling the carriages either the hand
lever h or the hand lever i may be used. When the hand lever his operated, the
pair of lever jaws e, e in the coupling block d' is opened and the head as of the draw
bar a is released from the said coupling block d, the carriage e taking with it the
said draw bar; and when the other hand lever i is operated, the head a' of the
draw bar a is released from the coupling block the said bar a now being carried
with the carriage d as will be understood by an examination of Figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I
claim as my invention of "Improvements in automatic couplings and buffers for
railway carriages, trucks and wagons and tramcars and engines'
--
:-
First The combination of a separate short coupling or draw bar having a
double wedge or heart shaped head at each end, with a hollow coupling block at
each end of the carriage or vehicle, the said coupling block being provided with
hook ended lever jaws, closed by a spring and opened by a hand fever, the said
parts constituting an automatic coupling and being constructed, arranged and used
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Secondly-The combination with each of the automatic couplings referred to
in Claim 1 of a buffer, the shaft of which is connected to and prolonged backwards
from the said coupling the parts being so constructed that the combined buffer
shaft and coupling is made capable of a slight horizontal swivelling motion during
the travelling of the coupled carriages or vehicles on curves and also permitted to
take a slight vertical movement for the coupling of carriages of different heights
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Deted the Fifth day of July 1892.
ROBERT MARK MARK.