IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, NORMAN SCOTT RUSSELL of the Falcon Engine Works 41 Coleman Street in
the City of London Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR VEHICLES" to be as follows:-
Couplings constructed according to my Invention are intended for connecting
vehicles which have to pass round curves of short radius such for example as the
connection of a Steam Engine to a tramcar, and has for its object to provide a
simple combination and arrangement whereby the vehicles may be securely coppled
together in such a manner that they will readily pass round the said curves and
whereby concussion is obviated and consequently noise and rapid wear of the parts
are minimised.
.
In constructing my improved coupling I connect to the end of the one vehicle a
universally swivelling female conical socket or recessed buffer having therein a
vertical opening through which is passed transversely a bolt or pin with which is
caused to engage a hook the said hook being carried on a bolt or pin passed
transversely through a projecting or male conical buffer connected by a draw bar to
the other vehicle to be coupled to that first named (so as to be capable of swivelling
in a horizontal direction at a point near to its connection with the vehicle) a vertical
opening being provided in this projecting buffer to admit of the rising and falling
therein of the coupling hook the bolt or pin carrying the said hook being provided
with an eccentric upon which the hook capable of turning and on one or both
ends of the said bolt or pin are fitted weighted arms by which the eccentric may be
turned so as to draw the hook inwards to couple the vehicle or allow it to move
outwards therefrom for uncoupling-The nose or front of the coupling hook is curved
or inclined so that as the ends of the vehicles to be coupled approach each other the
said hook is caused to turn and ride over and engage with the bolt or pin in the
conical socket on the other vehicle-The projecting or male conical buffer will at
the same time enter the recessed or female conical buffer and act as a guide in
coupling up and be held in contact therewith by the draw bar spring or springs-
The eccentric is then turned by means of the weighted arm or arms so as to draw
the hook close up to and force it against the coupling bolt or pin in the other vehicle
and the vehicles are thus securely and efficiently coupled together, the conical

page_text: buffers having no transverse motion or play between them thus forming a continuous
coupling between the two swivelling points on the vehicles while obviating by
means of the springs any concussion.
In order to uncouple the vehicles the eccentric is turned in the reverse direction
so as to free the hook from the bolt or pin so that the said hook may then be turned
on the eccentric and the vehicles be separated.
The conical buffers may be placed reversely if desired that is to say the female
buffer may be on the part carrying the hook.
DL: GALL 1

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
j, NORMAN SCOTT RUSSELL, of the Falcon Engine Works 41 Coleman Street in
the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR VEHICLES" and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly, described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Couplings constructed according to my Invention are intended for connecting
vehicles which have to pass round curves of short radius such for example as the
connection of a steam engine to a tram car and for its object to provide a simple
combination and arrangement whereby the vehicles may be securely coupled together
in such a manner that they will readily pass round the said curves and whereby
concussion is obviated and consequently noise and rapid wear of the parts are
minimised.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
whereon Figures 1 and 2 are views at right angles to each other and partially in
section of a coupling constructed according to my Invention.
I connect to the end of the one vehicle a universally swivelling female conical socket
or recessed buffer A having therein a vertical opening a through which is passed
transversely a bolt or pin B with which is caused to engage a hook C, the said hook
being carried on a bolt or pin D passed transversely through a projecting or male.
conical buffer E connected by a draw bar F to the other vehicle to be coupled to
that first named, (so as to be capable of swivelling in a horizontal direction at a
point f, near to its connection with the vehicle) a vertical opening e being provided
in this projecting buffer E as well as in the part A to admit of the rising and falling
therein of the coupling hook C, the bolt or pin D carrying the said hook C being
provided with an eccentric d upon which the shank of the hook C is capable of
turning, and on one or both ends of the said bolt or pin D is or are fitted a weighted
arm (as at d) or weighted arms by which the eccentric d may be turned so as to
draw the hook C inwards to couple the vehicles, or allow the said hook to move
outwards therefrom for uncoupling-The nose or front of the coupling hook C is
curved or inclined so that as the ends of the vehicles to be coupled approach each
other, the said hook on the one vehicle is caused to turn and ride over and engage
with the bolt or pin B in the conical socket A on the other vehicle. The projecting
or male conical buffer E will at the same time enter the recessed or female conical
buffer A, and act as a guide in coupling up, and the said buffers will be held in
contact with each other by the draw bar spring or springs f-The eccentric dis
then turned by means of the weighted arm or arms d² so as to draw the hook C
close up to, and force it against the coupling bolt or pin B, and the vehicles are thus
securely and efficiently coupled together, the conical buffers A and E having no
transverse motion or play between them, thus forming a continuous coupling
between the two swivelling points a³ and f on the vehicles, while obviating by
means of the spring or springs f² any injurious concussion.
In order to uncouple the vehicles the eccentric d is turned in the reverse direction
so as to free the hook C from the bolt or pin B, so that the said hook may then be
turned on the eccentric and the vehicles be separated.

page_text: The conical buffers may be placed reversely if desired that is to say the female
buffer may be on the part carrying the hook C. and the male buffer on the part
carrying the bolt or pin B.
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
First. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the coupling for
vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. In couplings for vehicles the combination of a recessed conical buffer on
one part of the coupling and a corresponding projecting conical buffer on the other
part of the coupling substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
T
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