Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
217
Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
similar Vehicles.
I, THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK, of 32, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to coupling apparatus of the kind wherein each
of the coupling hooks suspended from the draw hooks of adjacent railway wagons
or similar vehicles has its pointed end or hooked portion bent sideways from the
remainder or shank portion of the hook so as to hang in a plane inclined to a
longitudinal vertical plane so that when two such hooks at the adjacent ends of
two vehicles are engaged with one another, they will be in positions inclined to
each other, say at an angle of about 90°, as for example in the construction of
coupling apparatus described in the Specification of another application for
Letters Patent filed by me No. 12955 of 1898.
Now the present invention has for its object to facilitate with certainty the
disengagement of adjacent coupling hooks of the kind referred to and to ensure
that the coupling hook after being moved sufficiently to disengage it from an
adjacent hook shall not be liable under the varying circumstances that may arise
in practice to fall back into engagement with such adjacent hook.
For this purpose my improved coupling hooks are constructed arranged and
operated as I shall now describe with reference to the accompanying illustrative
drawings wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to one another show-
ing my improved coupling apparatus applied to the end of a railway wagon and
in its operative position. Fig. 3 shows the adjacent end portions of two vehicles
provided with the improved coupling apparatus, the coupling hooks being in-
clined in opposite directions and engaged with one another, and in the positions
they would occupy when the one is pulling on the other. Fig. 4 is a similar view.
to Fig. 3 but showing the vehicles moved together and the coupling hooks in posi-
tions preparatory to being disengaged from one another..
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the improved coupling hook alone in side elevation, end
elevation and plan respectively, and Fig. 8 is a section thereof on the line
Fig. 5.
of
The improved coupling hook 1, is so shaped as to ensure the lateral movement
necessary to the uncoupling of adjacent hooks and with that object is formed with
a pair of rearward extensions 1ª and a laterally bent hooked portion proper 1b, as
in my previous construction of coupling hook, and has the body portion thereof,
that is to say the portion between the hook proper 1 and the suspension eye 1°
made of greater depth than before and slightly curved in the direction of its
length as shown in Fig. 7. Its cross sectional area gradually decreases in width
from its rounded bottom edge to the top where it terminates in a narrow rounded
edge as shown in Fig. 7, one of its sides, ris. that 1 which is opposite to the side
from which the hook proper 1b projects, being inclined to the vertical, and it may
be of more or less convex or concave shape, and the other side 1 being either ver-
tical or inclined, so as to form a twisted or screw like feathered ridge on the

page_text: upper surface of the shank thereof, all as shown in, or approximately in, the
drawings annexed.
The improved coupling hook is suspended from the draw hook 2 by a link 3
which is adapted to be moved in a forward or outward direction from the vehicle
and upward by the action thereon of the vertically movable abutment 4, when the
same is moved upward, the arrangement being such that when the said abutment
is suddenly raised and the link thereby moved forward and upward, the coupling
hook carried thereby will be also moved forward and upward but will at the same
time be forced in a lateral direction by reason of its inclined laterally bent hook
portion 1 sliding against the rounded lower surface of the feather or screw like
ridge on the shank portion of the adjacent coupling hook with which it was
engaged, the result being that after the free end of the hook portion 1b of the
hook that is being raised passes from under the adjacent hook, it will slide up
the side surface 1 of the screw like ridge on such hook until it reaches the top
edge thereof over which it will mount and be automatically forced by reason of
its tendency to assume a direct longitudinal position whereupon it will tall down
at the opposite side of the adjacent hook and thus become completely dis-
engaged therefrom. By these means I am able to dispense with the cam like pro-
tuberance on one of the vertical sides of the suspension link as described in my
former Specification No. 12955 of 1898 by which the lateral movement necessary
to uncoupling was obtained as therein described and by the shape of hooks now
described I am able to ensure certainty of action in uncoupling.
In his arrangement when operating the suspension link and coupling hook as
described, each side member of the suspension link will be similarly acted upon
by the abutment plate.
To prevent undue lateral movement of the suspension link when the same
is being raised by the plate 4, and also to prevent the said link being caught by
the slotted part of the said plate, the sides of the link are or may be provided
with lugs to take between lateral guides 4* on the outer side of the plate 4.
The two lateral guides 4* on the plate 4 also serve to prevent undue lateral move-
ment of the pair of rearwardly extending tail pieces 1 of the coupling hook when
the same are bearing against the plate.
At its ends the abutment plate 4 may advantageously be formed with hook-like
parts 4b adapted, when the plate is lowered, to take over and engage, with lugs 5ª,
(or pins 5*, Fig. 1) on the outer sides of the brackets or bearings 5 so as to support
the plate in its lowered position. To prevent lateral movement of the said abut-
ment plate, the side portions thereof may be formed with grooves 4 into which
the fixed brackets or bearings 5 take. Or the abutment plate may, as shown
in end and side view in Figs. 9 and 10 respectively, be made practically flat
and be provided with flanges 4 at its two sides between which the brackets.
or bearings 5 take. The said plate 4 is connected at its upper end to the
end of the vehicle by flexible connections, such as chains 10, for the purpose
of directing and controlling its action and for preventing its being acciden-
tally displaced when being operated.
Tie said abutment plate may be operated by the cranked portion 7 of a trans-
verse rock shaft S which extends through slots 5 in the brackets or bearings 5
and is adapted to be operated from one or either side of the vehicle. Each
bracket or bearing 5 is or may be of the improved construction shown, the slot 5b
therein being open at one end to allow of the ready insertion therethrough of the
rock shaft, and its upper end being recessed so as to admit of its being readily fitted
to the headstock of the vehicle to which it can be secured by bolts or screws
passed through its flanged portions 5°

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
similar Vehicles.
I, THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK, of 32, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, 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 ;-
This invention has reference to coupling apparatus of the kind wherein each
of the coupling hooks suspended from the draw hooks of adjacent railway wagons
or similar vehicles has its pointed end or hooked portion bent sideways from the
remainder or shank portion of the hook so as to hang in a plane inclined to a
longitudinal vertical plane so that when two such hooks at the adjacent ends of
two vehicles are engaged with one another, they will be in positions inclined to
each other, say at an angle of about 90°, as for example in the construction of
coupling apparatus described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to
me No. 12955 of 1898.
Now the present invention has for its object to facilitate with certainty the
disengagement of adjacent coupling hooks of the kind referred to and to ensure
that the coupling hook after being moved sufficiently to disengage it from an
adjacent hook shall not be liable under the varying circumstances that may arise
practice to fall back into engagement with such adjacent hook.
For this purpose my improved coupling hooks are constructed arranged and.
operated as I shall now describe with reference to the illustrative drawings filed
with my Provisional Specification wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right
angles to one another showing coupling apparatus provided with one of my
improved coupling hooks applied to the end of a railway wagon and
in its inoperative position. Fig. 3 shows the adjacent end portions of two vehicles
provided with the improved coupling apparatus, the coupling hooks being in-
clined in opposite directions and engaged with one another, and in the positions
they would occupy when the one is pulling on the other. Fig. 4 is a similar view
to Fig. 3 but showing the vehicles moved together and the coupling hooks in posi-
tions preparatory to being disengaged from one another.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the improved coupling hook alone in side elevation, end
elevation and plan respectively, and Fig. 8 is a section thereof on the line e a of
Fig. 5.
The improved coupling hook 1 is so shaped as to ensure the lateral movement
necessary to the uncoupling of adjacent hooks and with that object is formed with
a pair of rearward extensions 1ª and a laterally bent. hooked portion proper 1b, as
in my previous construction of coupling hook, and has the body portion thereof,
that is to say the portion between the hook proper 1 and the suspension eye 1°
made of greater depth than before and slightly curved in the direction of its
length as shown in Fig. 7. Its cross sectional area gradually decreases in width
from its rounded bottom edge to the top where it terminates in a narrow rounded
edge as shown in Fig. 8, one of its sides ciz. that 1 which is opposite to the side
from which the hook proper 1 projects, being inclined to the vertical, and it may
be of more or less convex or concave shape, and the other side 1° being either ver-
tical or inclined, so as to form a twisted or screw like feathered ridge on the
upper surface of the shank thereof, all as shown in, or approximately in, the
drawings.
The improved coupling hook is suspended from the draw hook 2 by a link 3
which is adapted to be moved in a forward or outward direction from the vehicle
and upward by the action thereon of the vertically movable abutment 4, when the

page_text: same is moved upward, the arrangement being such that when the said abutment
is suddenly raised and the link thereby moved forward and upward, the coupling
hook carried thereby will be also moved forward and upward but will at the same
time be forced in a lateral direction by reason of its inclined laterally bent hook
portion 1 sliding against the rounded lower surface of the feather or screw like
ridge on the shank portion of the adjacent coupling hook with which it was
engaged, the result being that after the free end of the hook portion 1 of the
hook that is being raised passes from under the adjacent hook, it will slide up
the side surface 1 of the screw like ridge on such hook until it reaches the top
edge thereof over which it will mount and be automatically forced by reason of
its tendency to assume a direct longitudinal position whereupon it will fall down
at the opposite side 1 of the adjacent hook and thus become completely dis-
engaged therefrom. By these means I am able to dispense with the cam like pro-
tuberance on one of the vertical sides of the suspension link as described in my
former Specification No. 12955 of 1898 by which the lateral movement necessary
to uncoupling was obtained as therein described and by the shape of hooks now
described I am able to ensure certainty of action in uncoupling.
In the present arrangement when operating the suspension link and coupling
hook as described, each side member of the suspension link 3 will be similarly
acted upon by the abutment plate.
To prevent undue lateral movement of the suspension link 3 when the same
is being raised by the plate 4, and also to prevent the said link being caught by
the slotted part 6 of the said plate, the sides of the link are or may be provided
with lugs to take between lateral guides 4* on the outer side of the plate 4.
The two lateral guides 4* on the plate 4 also serve to prevent undue lateral move-
ment of the pair of rearwardly extending tail pieces 1* of the coupling hook when
the same are bearing against the plate.
At its ends the abutment plate 4 may advantageously be formed with hook-like
parts 4b adapted, when the plate is lowered, to take over and engage with lugs 5",
(or pins 5, Fig. 1) on the outer sides of the brackets or bearings 5 so as to support
the plate in its lowered position. To prevent lateral movement of the said abut-
ment plate, the side portions thereof may be formed with grooves 4° into which
the fixed brackets or bearings 5 take. Or the abutment plate may, as shown in
end and side view in Figs. 9 and 10 respectively, be made practically flat and be
provided with flanges 4 at its two sides between which the brackets or bearings 5
take. The said plate 4 is connected at its upper end to the end
of the vehicle by flexible connections, such as chains 10, for the
purpose of directing and controlling its action and for preventing its being
accidentally displaced when being operated.
The said abutment plate may be operated by the cranked portion 7 of a trans-
verse rock shaft 8 which extends through slots 5b in the brackets or bearings 5
and is adapted to be operated from one or either side of the vehicle. Each
bracket or bearing 5 is or may be of the improved construction shown, the slot 5b
therein being open at one end to allow of the ready insertion therethrough of the
rock shaft, and its upper end being recessed so as to admit of its being readily fitted
to the headstock of the vehicle to which it can be secured by bolts or screws
passed through its flanged portions 5º.
Coupling hooks of the kind referred to having their shank or body portions con-
structed in the improved manner herein before described, can advantageously be
used in railway coupling apparatus of various kinds. The tail pieces or exten-
sions of the hooks can be variously modified to suit the particular kind of means
used for supporting the hooks in position for coupling and for uncoupling them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. In coupling apparatus for railway wagons and similar vehicles having coup-

page_text: ling hooks of the kind herein referred to, constructing the shank or body portion
of each coupling hook with a twisted or screw-like leathered ridge so that when
two such links are coupled and either of them is raised above the other for un-
coupling whilst the two wagons carrying them are close together, the point of the
hook proper of the coupling hook that is being raised will slide under the lower
side of the second hook and be thereby forced to one side and will then slide up
the inner side of the second hook until it reaches the top edge of such hook over
which it will automatically move in a lateral direction and fall down on the oppo-
site side of the second hook and thus become completely disengaged therefrom,
substantially as described.
2. The improved coupling hook for railway wagon and similar vehicles, con-
structed and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to
and shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive of the drawings referred to, whether the
looks be provided with tail pieces of the kind shown or of other kinds.
3. Coupling apparatus for railway wagons and like. vehicles constructed arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown
in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive of the drawings referred to, or modified as set forth.
Dated 10. 1
1000
T. A. BROCKELBANK,
W. Llovd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.