An Improved Coupling Device for the Rolling Stock of Railways, Tramways, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coupling Device for the Rolling Stock of Railways,
Tramways, and the like.
I, JOHN BREOKIN, Junior, of Gildabrook Road, Eccles, near Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a coupling device for the rolling_stock
of railways, tramways and the like which can be operated to couple one portion of
the stock to the other, without the necessity of the operator going underneath or
between then.
My invention consists essentially in the arrangement of a shaft at each end of the
vehicles to be connected together which can be operated from the side of the vehicle
by means of a handle provided with mechanism for retaining the shaft at any point
or points about which it may be rotated, said shaft being connected to a series of
roda or links which support the draw links of the vehicles.
In carrying out my invention I provide at each end of the vehicle-say a
passenger carriage for instance-a shaft which passes transversely through the
draw hook at the point where the first coupling link is usually attached. This shaft
is supported in a suitable manner and preferably arranged so that the slight with-
drawal of the draw hook will not interfere with its working. At the middle of the
shaft the usual couplings links are attached and at each side of the first link a lever
is fixed on the shaft. One end of each lever serves as a means to hold a series of
rods or links corresponding in number to the links of the ordinary coupling. These
rods are jointed together so as to form as it were a framework round the ordinary
links, the endmost pair being connected together and to the extreme end of the
third ordinary link by a long piu. The opposite end of each lever on the traus
verse shaft has suspended from it a counterbalance weight to oppose the weight of
the coupling links and rods. At one or both ends of the transverse shaft a lever is
fixed. To this is attached a handle by means of which the transverse shaft may be
rotated so as to couple the links onto the draw hook of the next vehicle or to
uncouple them therefrom. When the links are not in use they are raised up by the
haudle, shaft and rods into a position against the end of the vehicle and are retained
there by a catch acting on the end of the lever carrying the handle, the counter-
balance weights assisting in the operation. When it is desired to couple the links
to the opposite draw-hook the catch is pulled back and the links lowered into
position by the mechanism described.
Dated the 21st day of January 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coupling Device for the Rolling Stook of Railways,
Tramways, and the like.
I, Joun Breckin, Junior, of Gildabrook Road, Eccles, near Manchester in tho
County of Lancaster, Clerk, do heroby declaro the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a coupling device for the rolling stock
of railways, tramways and the like which can be operated to couple or uncouple ons

page_text: vehicles to be connected together, which can be operated from the aido of such
vehicles by means of a handle provided with mechanism for retaining the shaft at
any point or points about which it may be rotated, said shaft being connected to a
series of rods or links which are in turn connected to and support the draw links of
the vehicles.
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood I have annexed hereto
two sheets of explanatory drawings in which
Figure 1. is a side elevation of two goods waggons with my coupling device
attached.
Figure 2. an enlarged partial side elevation of the coupling mechaniam.
Figure 3. an end elevation of one waggon.
Figure 4. plan with links in operative position.
Figure 5. side elevation of slightly modified arrangement.
Figure 6. end elevation of same and
Figure 7 plan with the links in oporative positions.
In carrying out my invention and referring more particularly to Figures 2 to 4,
I provide at each end of the vehicle-whether it be a passenger car, goods truck,
or other style of rolling stock-a shaft A¸which passes ncross the end of the waggon
through the buffer planks and draw hook. The point at which it passes through
the latter is preferably where the first coupling link B is usually attached.
The shaft A therefore sorves to support the coupling links in place of the usual
pin. At each side of the coupling link B and on the shaft A is fixed a levor C,
the free end of which is connected to a link c. Each of the links is in
turn connected to a common weight C. Between the forked ends of the
levers C is fixed one end of a series of links D which correspond in number to that
of the ordinary coupling links. These links as will be seen pass on each side of the
coupling links and the outer ends of each series are connected together by a long
pin which passes through the outer end of the last coupling link. The inter-
mediate joints of the links are of the knuckle type and connected together by short
pins d' though if preferred each series of joints may be connected together by long
pins as at the ends. By these means the links D. serve as a kind of frame to support
the coupling links.
At each of the outer ends the shaft A las fixed upon it a lever A' whose free
end is formed so as to be capable of engaging—as will be hereafter described-with
a spring catch A" secured on a shaft Aur on a stud fixed to the side of the
waggon. Both the levers A' and catches A" are provided with handles a to assist
in their better manipulation. The joints of the links D are formed as shown in
Fig. 8. that is to say each link D is provided with faces which come into
contact when the links are stretched out in a straight line and thus provent further
deflection in that direction. They are also provided, one with a stop " and the
other with a face d" to prevent further doflection in the opposite direction, though
the principal object to be attained in the construction of the links D is to allow them
to be closed together in one direction and not to be deflected beyond a straight line
in the other direction.
When the waggons are uncoupled the construction of the parts described is such
that they can be held in the position shown to the right of Figure 2 and in
Figuro 3 with the links D and coupling links against the end of the waggon by
rotating the shaft A by means of the lovers Aland engaging the latter with the
spring catches A".
When in this position the counter balance weight C¹ assumes the lowest position
shown at the right of Figure 2. When it is desired to couple the waggons they are
brought together, the spring catches drawn back, and the levers Arotated until
the coupling links engage with the draw hook on the opposite waggon. In Figure 2,
the waggous are shown at full tension at which position.the weight.C',is.slightly

page_text: lifted. When the waggons are forced together the links bend in the usual way and
the weight rises to the top position indicated. All these movements are provided
for by the special construction of the links D, as shown in Figure 8. To allow for
any end wise movement of the draw hooks the shaft A is divided into three portions.
The inner ends of the end portions are flattened and provided with slots b¹ whilst
the middle portion carries two pins 6" each of which passes through a slot in the
shaft A. The pins 6" are placed through the slots so that the heads will be away
from the waggon when the links are raised against the end of it and thus allow the
middle portion of the shaft A to accommodate itself to any longitudinal movement
of the draw hooks. The pins are also for this purpose made say about two inches
longer than the thickness of the shaft joint through which they pass. By these
means a slight movement is allowed longitudinally whilst no obstacle is placed in
the way of the shaft being turned round when necessary, to couple or uncouple the
waggons.
Referring now to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7, it will be seen that instoad of running the
shaft A through the buffer planks as previously described, each end portion of it is
carried in bearings at a point above the buffors whilst the middle portion passes
through the draw hook as before. The outer ends of the middle portion and the
inner ends of the end portions of the shaft have fixed on them levers E, coupled
togother by links F. The levers E, on the middle portion of the shaft A are provided
with slots e to allow for any longitudinal movement of the draw hook. In other
respects the arrangement is similar to that already described although to avoid
confusion I have omitted the links D. and counterbalance mechanism in order to
show to better advantage the modified arrangement of the shaft A.
By the arrangement of mechanism described, which may be applied to all classes
of rolling stock, there is no necessity for the operator to go beneath the vehicles
since the operation of coupling and uncoupling them can bo performed at the side
of the waggon, and therefore the great loss of life which at present occurs may be
entirely avoided by the use of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invon-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A coupling device for the rolling stock of railways, tramways and the like,
characterised by a sories of links forming a framework for supporting the ordinary
coupling links, a shaft to which said links are connected, means for rotating said
shaft about its axis to couple or uncouple the links and for holding them in an
inoperative position against the end of the vehicle, mechanism for counterbalancing
the weight of the links and moaus to allow of a longitudinal movement of the draw
hook or bar constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. A coupling device for the rolling stock of railways, tramways or the like
constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reforence
either to Figures 2 to 4, or Figures 1, 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a device for coupling rolling stock of railways, tramways or the like, the
combination with the ordinary coupling links of links such as D whereby the former
may be raised and lowered substantially as described.
DAL!
1900