Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Vehicles on Rail- or Tram-ways.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1886
Complete Left, 17th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Vehicles on Rail- or
Tram-ways.
We BENJAMIN GREEN MARTIN of 60 South Mall in the City of Cork Ireland,
Engineer, and SAMUEL ALEXANDER KIRKBY M.A. Cantab, of 54 South Mall in the
City of Cork Ireland, County Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES ON RAIL OR TRAM-WAYS to
be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide an automatically operating safety coupling
for use on rail- or tram-ways.
The drawbar of our improved coupling apparatus is constructed in the usual manner
of either iron or steel and having its onfer end forged into a hook with an elongated
heel to it and which heel projects downwards and outwards while the outside of the
hook itself projects upwards and backwards towards the end of the carriage thus the
outside of the hook and its heel form a well shaped inclined edge which if extended
upwards would intersect the end of the carriage. The inside of the hook is vertical
and straight for a portion of its length but its point is curved inwards towards the
carriage so as to prevent the link lifting or jumping out of it when not wanted to do
so; at a convenient distance from the hook a swell is forged upon the drawbar and
through this swell from one side of the bar to the other is formed a hole preferably of
oval shape with its longer axis extending along the drawbar and through which hole
the pin or bar for fastening the links to the drawbar can pass freely and play loosely
in so as to permit of the link being drawn partially sideways at its outer end so as to
adapt itself to the line of stress upon it when the direction of that line is not parallel to
the sides of the drawbar. The swell at each end of the hole is finished up to form a
washer or collar for the eye or hub of the link to work against, and thus keep the
inside of the prongs of the fork of the link at a distance from the sides of the drawbar
so that neither of them will touch or press against a side of the hook when the link is
drawn partially to one side as it is when coupled carriages are going round a curve.
The coupling link is made of bar iron steel or suitable metal of sufficient strength to
bear with safety the stress to which it may be subjected and one end of it is formed
like a forked or double connecting rod having the end of each limb or prong swelled
into a hub with a hole drilled sideways through it so that when one hub is placed at
one side of the swell on the drawbar and the other hub at the other side of it and a pin
or bar passed through the three holes a hinged joint is formed connecting the link to
the drawbar. The forked formation of this end of the link extends along the link such
a distance that when the connecting pin is inserted the part of the fork where the
two of its limbs unite rests upon the inclined edge formed by the outside of the hook

page_text: and its heel in a nearly horizontal position. In the forked part of the link between
the place where the pin goes through and the place where both limbs of the fork join
is situated a bar joining the two limbs of the fork and so that when the link is in its
position for coupling the bar rests against the inner side of the hook and so assists the
pin in taking part of the strain.
The other end of the link is formed into a loop wide at its other end and getting
narrower as it approaches the centre of the link. It is this loop which passes over the
hook of the opposite carriage and the object of its being wide at its outer end is in
order to allow freedom for the hook to play from one side to the other when the
carriages are going around curves or travelling over badly laid rails. The outside of
the loop serves to form a broad end to the link for the hook of the opposite carriage
to come in contact with and lift over its point when the carriages are being
coupled up so that the fact of one of the carriages being a little sideways of the other
does not interfere with the operation of coupling. The steel pin or bar which passes
through the holes in the ends of the fork of the link and the swell of the drawbar to
unite them together may be keyed or otherwise secured to the holes in the fork but is
quite free to turn and work in the oval hole in the drawbar and at each end of the pin
or bar which may be prolonged outside the buffers is a lever by which the bar can be
turned round and consequently the link may be raised out of the hook of the opposite
carriage thereby uncoupling it without its being necessary for anyone to go between
the ends of the carriages. These levers and consequently the link can be held up out
of the way by a catch on the side of the carriage until it is desired to place the
carriage in condition for coupling.
From the lower side of one or both of the limbs of the fork of the link and springing
from close to where the steel pin passes through it projects a curved lever or tine
which rising upwards along with the link when the lever is turned for uncoupling
engages against the underside of the link of the opposite carriage and lifts it over the
hook thereby disengaging both loops at the same time by one operation but on this
lever or tine may be put a snug or catch to lift the links when they are not secured
by the steel pins. The upper side of the drawbar over the swell is carried upwards
and outwards to form a notch into which the link of the opposite carriage presses
when the carriages are running into or pressing against one another so that the link
cannot rise out of its place. This can also be accomplished by having a crook or
notch in a projection on one or both of the limbs of the fork of the link. If so desired
the drawbars at present in use may be retained and utilized the new hook and swell
with hole in it notch and other parts being made in one or two parts and bolted
together with the existing hook between them.
This arrangement makes the invention readily applicable to existing rolling stock.
When the coupling is required for passenger carriages the slack or overlength of
the link is taken up by drawing out the hook by having it attached to an eccentric
operated by a lever or in equivalent manner providing for its adjustment and as soon
as the loop of the link of the carriage opposite to it is passed over its point releasing
the drawbar so that its spring can draw it back or in and so keep the link stretched
tight and the buffer springs slightly compressed.
When two or more cars fitted with our automatic double catch safety coupling and
with the links let down to rest on the outside of the hooks are pressed or run together
the link of each slides up along the incline formed by the outside of the look and heel
of the other until it falls over its point into the inside of the hook and at the same time
becomes locked thus coupling the two cars together a whole train may thus be run
together and coupled instantaneously.
WM. BROOKES & SON,

page_text: improvements III Coupling Apparatus TUT
Tram-ways.
CHICIOS
We BENJAMIN GREEN MARTIN of 60 South Mall in the City of Cork Ireland,
Engineer, and SAMUEL ALEXANDER KIRKBY, M.A., Cantab., of 54 South Mall in the
City of Cork Ireland, County Engineer, 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:-
The object of our invention is to provide an automatically operating safety
coupling for use on rail- or tram-ways, but in order that our invention may be the
better understood we will proceed to describe the same in detail by the aid of the
accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a side view of the coupling apparatus with the links attached to
opposite ends of two carriages to be connected at a, by the drawbars, but the
carriages themselves are not shewn. The links in this figure are shewn coupled up.
Figure 2 shews a like view but with the links of the coupling uncoupled and turned
up ready for coupling up.
Figure 3 shews a plan view of Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows by edge view the form of cam d.
The drawbar of our improved coupling apparatus is constructed in the usual
manner of either iron or steel and having its outer end enlarged at A and forged into
a hook a with an elongated heel alto it, and which heel projects downwards and
outwards while the outside of the hook a itself projects upwards and backwards
towards the end of the carriage, thus the outside of the hook and its heel a¹ form a
well shaped inclined edge which if extended upwards would intersect the end of the
carriage The inside of the hook a is, as shown in the drawing, substantially vertical
and straight for a portion (a) of its length, but its point is curved inwards towards
the carriage so as to prevent the link e lifting or jumping out of it when not wanted to
do so at a convenient distance from the hook a a swell or enlargement A is forged
upon the drawbar and through this enlargement A. from one side of the bar to the
other is formed a hole a preferably of oval shape with its longer axis extending in
the line of the drawbar and through this hole the pin or bar a³ for fastening the
links e, e, to the drawbar ends A A can pass freely and play loosely in so as to permit of
the link being drawn partially sideways at its outer end so as to adapt itself to the
line of stress upon it when the direction of that line is not parallel to the sides of the
drawbar. The prongs of the fork of the link are thickened or formed to serve
as washers at e, or the enlargement at each end of the hole is finished up to form a
washer or collar for the eye or hub of the link e to work against and thus keep the
inside of the prongs, of the fork e¹ of the link e at a distance from the sides of the
drawbar end A so that neither of them will touch or press against a side of the hook a

page_text: when the link is drawn partially to one side as it is when coupled carriages are going
round a curve. The coupling link is made of bar iron, steel or suitable metal of
sufficient strength to bear with safety the stress to which it may be subjected and one
end e¹ of it is formed like a forked or double connecting rod having the end of each
limb or prong swelled into a hub with a hole drilled sideways through it so that
when one hub is placed at one side of the enlargement on the drawbar end A and
the other hub at the other side of it and a pin or bar a passed through the three
holes a hinged joint is formed connecting the link e to the drawbar end A. The forked
formation of this end of the link e extends along that link such a distance that when
the connecting pin a is inserted the part of the fork c, where the two of its limbs c²
unite, rests upon the inclined edge a³ formed by the outside of the hook a and its heel a¹
in a nearly horizontal position.
C
In the forked part of the link e between the place where the pin a' goes through and
the place where both limbs c², c² of the fork c' join, is situated a bar e joining the
two limbs c, e of the fork c¹ and so that when the link is in its coupling position the
bar rests against the inner side at of the hook a and so assists the pin in taking part
of the strain.
t
The other end of the link is formed into a loop e, wide at its outer end and
getting narrower as it approaches the centre of the link c. It is this loop which
passes over the hook of the opposite carriage and the object of its being wide at its
outer end is in order to allow freedom for the hook a to play from one side to the
other when the carriages are going around curves or travelling over badly laid rails.
The outside of the loop serves to form a broad end to the link c for the hook a of
the opposite carriage to come in contact with and lift over its point when the carriages
are being coupled up, so that the fact of one of the carriages being a little sideways of
the other does not interfere with the operation of coupling. The steel pin or bar a
which passes through the holes in the ends of the fork e' of the link e and the enlargement
of the drawbar end A to unite them together may be keyed or otherwise secured to
the holes in the fork e' but is quite free to turn and work in the oval hole a² in the
drawbar end A, and at each end of the pin or bar a which may be prolonged outside
the buffers is a lever by which the bar can be turned round and consequently the
link e may be raised out of the hook a of the opposite carriage thereby uncoupling
it without its being necessary for anyone to go between the ends of
the
carriages. These levers, and consequently the link e can be held up out of the way
by a catch on the side of the carriage until it is desired to place the carriage in
condition for coupling up.
From the lower side of one or both of the limbs e, c² of the fork c¹ of the link c
and springing from close to where the steel pin a passes through it, projects a curved
lever or tine which rising upwards along with the link e when the lever is turned
for uncoupling engages against the underside of the link c of the opposite carriage
and lifts it over the hook thereby disengaging both loops at the same time by one
operation but according to a modification shewn applied to the right hand half
coupling in Figures 1, 2 and 3, on this lever or tine d may be put a snug or catch d
to lift the link when it is not rigidly secured by an equivalent of the catch e or
steel pins.
The upper side of the drawbar end A over the enlargement may if desired-but it
is not generally necessary-be carried upwards and outwards to form a notch e into
which the link of the opposite carriage then presses when the carriages are running
into or pressing against one another, so that the link cannot rise out of its place.
This can also be accomplished by having a crook or notch in a projection on one or
both of the limbs of the fork of the link. If so desired the drawbar end A at present
in use may be retained and utilized, the new hook, or shoe over the old hook A¹, and
enlargement with hole in it, notch and other parts being made in one or two parts
and bolted together with the existing hook A between them as shewn applied in the
right hand half coupling-Figures 1, 2 and 3. The shoe or covering hook being
shewn separately at Figures 5 and 6.
This arrangement makes the invention readily applicable to existing rolling stock.

page_text: When the coupling is required for passenger carriages the slack or overlength of
the link is taken up by drawing out the hook a by having it attached to an eccentric
operated by a lever or in equivalent manner providing for its adjustment and as soon
as the loop of the link of the carriage opposite to it is passed over its point releasing
the drawbar so that its spring can draw it back or in and so keep the link stretched
tight and the buffer springs slightly compressed.
When two or more cars, fitted with our automatic double catch safety coupling and
with the links e, e let down to rest on the outside of the hooks a, are pressed or
run together the link of each slides up along the incline formed by the outside of
the hook and heel of the other until it falls over its point into the inside of the
hook and at the same time becomes locked thus coupling the two cars together, a
whole train may thus be run together and coupled instantaneously.
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:
The arrangement or combination and use of parts of coupling apparatus for
vehicles on railways or tramways substantially as set forth.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55, & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for Applicants.