IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER OR CARRIAGES OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TRAINS <
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Attwood Brockelbank of 34 Rylett Road,
Shepherd's Bush in the County of Middlesex, Engineer for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER OR
CARRIAGES OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TRAINS
<
COUPLING
37
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Attwood Brockelbank
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th September 1882.
[
THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK, of 34 Rylett Road, Shepherd's Bush, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING
TOGETHER OR "COUPLING CARRIAGES OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TRAINS
"
My invention relates to improvements in coupling apparatus of the kind
described in the Specifications of former Letters Patent N° 3876 of 1873 and 2945
of 1876, both granted to me.
According to my present invention the draw hook or drawbar, which may be of
the general shape in common use on the railways of this country is formed or
provided with a projection or stop, or projections or stops, wherein or whereon the
coupling hook can rest at a suitable angle, so that when two vehicles come in
contact the two adjacent coupling hooks shall automatically engage with each other.
I dispense with the cross head employed in the arrangements described in the
above mentioned specifications, and form each coupling hook with a bifurcated
portion secured by a pin or bolt to and embracing the drawhook. The central
portion of the coupling hook is single and is provided at its free end with a bevelled
or inclined plate on the under side of which there are two hooks disposed duplex
fashion in a suitable angle or curve.
In the lifting gear one bent bar is provided that works within brackets secured
by a centre ratchet, cam, or pawl by which to lift, release, or secure, the apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Attwood Brockelbank in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th March 1883.
THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK of 34 Rylett Road, Sheperd's Bush, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING 5
"
"
TOGETHER OR COUPLING CARRIAGES OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TRAINS
"
My invention relates to improvements in coupling apparatus of the kind
described in the specifications of former Letters Patent No. 3876 of 1873 and 2945
of 1876 both granted to me.
According to my present invention the draw hook or draw bar which may be of 1
the general shape in common use on the railways of this country is formed or
provided, at the end where the junction with the next carriage is made with a
projection or stop, or projections or stops, wherein or whereon the jointed automatic
coupling hook which is jointed to the draw bar in the rear of the draw bar hook
can rest at a suitable angle, so that when two vehicles come in contact the two 1
adjacent jointed coupling hooks shall automatically engage with each other.
I dispense with the cross head employed in the arrangements described in the
above mentioned specifications, and form the rear of each coupling hook with a
bifurcated portion secured by a pin or bolt to and embracing the draw hook.
The central portion of the coupling hook is single and is provided at its free end 2
with a plate forming a horizontal T head bevelled or inclined downwards (at its
extreme end) on the under side of which there are two hooks disposed duplex
fashion in a suitable angle or curve.
To lift, release or secure the coupling hooks there is provided for each of them a
bent bar or lever in conjunction with a pawl arrangement for holding the said bent
bar or lever when in the raised position so as to support the couplings.
Referring to the drawings.
Figure 1 is a side view of apparatus according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
a is a draw bar having a hook 6 of the usual construction, but provided with a
stop piece 6 for the purpose hereina ter mentioned. c is the coupling hook attached
at its bifurcated part d to the draw-bar a by the joint-pin e. f is a strong T plate
head having its upper surface bevelled downwards as shewn at f. On the under-
side of this T head are formed two strong hooks or prongs fllfll projecting
downwards, the inner surfaces of which are inclined slightly towards the carriage,
the outer surfaces are bevelled to such an extent that the hooks will rise on or ride
upon an adjacent hook of similar form when brought in contact therewith, these
prongs or hooks f" f" as seen in plan Fig. 2 are set at such a distance apart that
they will embrace with perfect freedom the single part or shank c of a similar
coupling. To keep the coupling jointed as it is at e in proper (i.e. nearly horizontal)
position when ready for engaging with another coupling the root of the fork d is
made to rest on the stop piece b¹ beforementioned. g is a bar or shaft fixed
horizontally in bearings across the carriage at a suitable distance above the draw-
rod-hook b. h is a handle or lever fixed on to either end of the bar and
by means of which it can be turned. i is a bent-bar or lever also fixed on
to the bar g, so that it can pass down and move freely by the side of the
coupling c, this bent bar or lever has a projection k from its side that passes under
the coupling c so that when the bar g is turned the part k can be brought into
contact with the underside of the coupling c and lift it as required.
On the shaft g near the top of the lever i is fixed a stud or ratchet 1 to be referred
to presently. m is a bar similar to g and mounted parallel to it, and at a small

page_text: distance from it, and capable of being turned in the same manner by the handle n.
o is a lever fixed on the bar m. p is a curved detent or catch jointed and moving
freely on the bar m. r is a stud or pin projecting from the side of the detent p,
the lower part of this detent is suitably formed to engage with 1 (on either of its
sides).
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Only one coupling is shown in Fig. 1 but if it be supposed that a coupling
similarly mounted on another carriage be brought against the one shewn near the
same level it is evident that the higher of the two couplings, whichever it may be,
will rise or ride over the other, and the prongs or hooks of the rising coupling will
travel over the T head and fall down and engage behind the shoulders off and at
the same time embrace the shank of the under coupling which cannot fall by reason
of its being supported by the stop 6' before mentioned. It follows then that when
two carriages fitted with these couplings are brought together the buffers will be
compressed the couplings engaged and the carriages coupled. Should it be desired
to bring the carriages together without coupling them the attendant must turn to
the handle n on the rod m Fig 1 to the "right" so bringing the lever o into
contact with the stud r and raising the pawl p out of gear with the stud -then
the lever must be depressed so as to raise the lever i and bring the projection k
under the coupling c-as h is further depressed the coupling c will be raised as
indicated by dotted lines Fig. 1 so that it cannot engage with its fellow on the next
carriage; the pawl p will fall back and catch on the under side of the stud 2 and
so hold up the coupling as required. To return the coupling c into coupling
position the handle n should be again moved to the right whereby the detent p
will be disengaged and the coupling c will fall into its normal position, ready for
coupling.
Having described the nature of the said invention and the manner of carrying
it into practical effect I would have it understood that what I claim as secured to
me under the Letters Patent first hereinbefore in part recited is :-
1 Forming the hook of the draw bar with a stop or projection and jointing the
coupling hook to draw bar in such manner that it will be supported in coupling
position by the said stop or projection substantially as described.
2 The improved coupling hook comprising a head with two prongs f 11 connected
by a single shank c with a bifurcated portion d substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Attwood Brockelbank have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
$
T. A. BROCKELBANK (L.S.)