Improved Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Wagons.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
Improved Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling
Railway Wagons.
We SAMUEL HAMER of 32 Partington Lane Swinton near Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Joiner, and JOHN WILKINSON of the Haven Swinton Park,
Irlam o' th' Height in the said County, Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
The invention is intended to enable men engaged in coupling or uncoupling
railway wagons or trucks to do so without going in between the same, our improved
apparatus for this purpose being very simple and applicable to existing wagons
without much expense.
According to our invention we use the ordinary draw bar with its hook and chain
of three links and we fill up the central link with a block of oak or other suitable
material which we keep in place by a plate or plates at each end on either side of
the link, the plates being broader than the block so as to clip round the width of
the link. The blocks are slotted at each end of the link to allow of the free motion
of the links which it connects, and the opposite plates are held together by bolts
passing through them and through the block; or the block may be formed in one
piece of metal with the link.
At or near the end which carries the free link we hang on a suitable pin passing
through the plates and block a curved plate or lifter, suitable stops on the plates at
cach side of the block being provided to limit the lift of the said curved plate or
lifter, and at the other end (which is connected to the link which passes through
the draw hook) we hang, on a similar pin, a shackle connected by a link to a lever
on a rocking shaft mounted close beneath the buffer beam and provided with a
suitable handle at either end thereof.
Immediately beneath the draw hook we mount a lever or "jib" in the shape of
an open frame pivotted upon a rod or shaft capable of sliding in grooves in a
suitable frame underneath the wagon, and this lever or jib is moved to and fro
and up and down by a pair of hand levers one extending out to each side of the
wagon and working on universal joints or centres on the fixed frame under the
wagon.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
To uncouple the wagon the "jib" or frame is brought forward against the back
of the curved plate hanging from the centre link and pushes the latter forwards so
as to raise its front edge against the underside of the free link which it raises
against the stops on the centre link. The whole can then be lifted free of the draw
hook and brought back therefrom by pulling back the chain and shackle connected
to the back end of the centre link.
To couple the wagon the "jib" or frame is brought forward to raise the free link
and if the corresponding draw hook is sufficiently far away the said link is carried
forward and lifted by the universal action of the hand-lever over the said hook and
then lowered thereon. In some cases however the chain requires to be shortened
before this can be effected and this is done by drawing back the centre hook by
means of the chain and shackle connected to its back end, and it is this double
action of the central link forming a centre for the free hook and withdrawing
the same to shorten the chain which forms the most important feature of our
invention.
Dated this 7th day of March 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling
Railway Wagons.
We SAMUEL HAMER of 32 Partington Lane Swinton, near Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Joiner and JOHN WILKINSON of the Haven Swinton Park,
Irlam o' th' Height in the said County, Corn Merchant, 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 :-
This invention is intended to enable men engaged in coupling or uncoupling
railway wagons or trucks to do so without going in between the same, which is a
source of great danger and frequent accident to the men, our improved apparatus
designed for this purpose being very simple and effective, and applicable to existing
wagons without much expense.
The nature of our said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the three sheets of illustrative drawings hereunto annexed and the following
explanation thereof.
0
On Sheet 1 of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation (shown partly in section) of the
ends of two railway trucks shewing the application of our invention thereto. On
Sheet 2 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same and on Sheet 3 Fig. 3 is an elevation
showing the apparatus in a different position.
Figs. 4 5 and 6 (Sheet 2) are detached views of portions of the apparatus herein-
after more particularly referred to.
a is the buffer-plank at the end of the truck, and the ordinary draw-hook.
According to our invention we use the ordinary draw bar with its hook and
chain c of three links and when applying my invention to existing chains we some-
times fill up the central link with a block c' (detached view Fig. 6) of oak or other
suitable material which we keep in place by a plate or plates cat each end on
either side of the link, the plates being broader than the block c¹ so as to clip
round the width of the link, the blocks and plates are slotted or notched at each
end of the link to allow of the free motion of the links to which it is connected, and
the opposite plates are held together by bolts passing through them and through
the block. One of the plates is made with two projecting prongs ell. In making
new chains instead of using the block c' and plates c₁ we make the central link and
prongs in one piece as shown at Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and detached at Fig. 4.
At or near the end which carries the free link of the chain we hang, on a suitable
pin, a curved plate or lifter d (shown detached at Fig. 5), the prongs serving to
limit the lift of the said curved plate or lifter d, and at the other end (which is
connected to the link which passes through the draw hook b) we have, on a similar
pin, a shackle e connected by a link or small chain f to a lever g fixed on a rocking
shaft mounted close beneath the buffer plank or beam a and provided at each end
with a suitable handle i preferably hinged (as shown at Figs. 1 and 3) so that it
can fall down so as not to project beyond the side of the wagon or truck when out
of use.
Immediately beneath the draw hook we mount preferably on the said rocking
shaft as shown (or sliding in grooves in a suitable frame underneath the wagon) a
lever or "jib" k in the shape of an open jointed frame, and this lever or "jib " k
can be moved to and fro and up and down by either one of a pair of hand
levers one of which extends out to each side of the wagon or truck and working
on universal joints or centres m carried by the fixed frame underneath the wagon
or truck.
The "jib" is also provided with a hook n by means of which it can be suspended
upon the fixed staple o when not in use as shown in full lines at Fig. 1.

page_text: The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
To uncouple the wagon, the "jib" or frame is brought forward by means of one
of the levers or against the back of the curved plate or lifter & hanging from
the centre link, and pushes the lifter forwards so as to raise its front edge against
the underside of the free link which it raises up against the stops or prongs cl
of the centre link so as to be free of the draw hook b as shown by dotted lines at
Figs. 1, and 2.
The whole can then be drawn back into the position shown at Fig. 3 by pulling
back the small chain f and shackle e which can be effected by causing the rocking
shaft to oscillate by means of one of the handles i; the whole can then be
allowed to fall down or it may, by working one of the levers 1, be pushed back
and hooked up in that position shown by the full lines on Figs. 1 and 2.
These motions are very simple as the universal joints m allow the levers
moved in any direction in which a man's arm could move.
to be
To couple the wagon the "jib" or frame k is brought forward so as to raise the
free link between the two draw hooks and if the tracks are sufficiently far away
the said link is carried forward and lifted by the universal action of the hand
lever or over the draw hook (as shown at Fig. 1) and lowered thereon. In some
cases however when the trucks are closer together the chain requires to be shortened
before the link can be lifted clear of the draw hook, in which case this can be
effected by first raising the link into the position shown at Fig. 3 by pulling back
the chain and shackle e by means of the rocking shaft and then shooting the
link forward and dropping it onto the draw hook, and it is this combined action of
the rocking shaft and universally jointed levers enabling the free link of the
coupling chain to be raised up and lowered and moved forward and backward, in
fact in any direction, which forms the principal novel and important feature of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The improved apparatus for coupling and uncoupling railway wagons or trucks
without passing between the same constructed and operating substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings annexed and especially we claim
the rocking shaft and "jib," the swing plate or lifter and stops on the centre link
of the coupling chain, and the universally jointed side levers whereby the free link
of the coupling chain can be raised, lowered, advanced or withdrawn so as to couple
or uncouple the trucks or wagons from the outside substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 5th day of August 1893.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.