Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages, Wagons, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages,
Wagons, and the like.
We, THOMAS LOCKER of Myrtle Cottage, New Sawley in the County of Derby,
Clerk, and AMBROSE SCHOFIELD of 31 Conway Street, Long Eaton in the
County of Derby aforesaid, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide an improved method or means of
coupling and uncoupling railway carriages wagons and the like which can be operated
from the side of the said carriage or wagon and thus dispense with the pole now
generally used and obviate the necessity of the operator getting between the
carriages or wagons for such purpose.
In carrying out our invention we fix brackets or their equivalent to the frame-
work of the wagon or carriage at each end thereof, these carry a spindle which
passes under the carriage or wagon from one side to the other and is provided with
any suitable handle or lever at each end at or near the centre of each of these
rods are fixed a pair of arms carrying at their outer ends a cross bar or rod to which
is pivotted or hinged a pair of directing rods of sufficient length to allow of their
outer ends being connected to the outer of the coupling links when the latter are
extended to their full length; these coupling liuks are generally three in number
we however do not bind ourselves to this number; the inner link is fastened in the
draw bar in the usual manner.
Our apparatus is so arranged that upon operating the handle the directing rod
brings the coupling links forward and places the outer link on the draw bar hook,
immediately the handle is released the link drops by its own weight on to the
hook and all subsequent strain is borne by the coupling links. To uncouple,
the handle is operated still further in the same direction and the directing rods
take out the link from the draw bar hook and place it upon a hook or the like
upon the end of the wagon where it may remain or if desired the directing rods
aud links may be let down by means of the handle.
We provide a carrier for use in case of breakage which will prevent the directing
rods or any portion of the coupling links hanging down and coming into contact
with the sleepers or points.
Our apparatus may be used for either single or double coupling, in the latter case
we should leave more space between one pair of directing rods than the other so
that they might clear each other when in work.
In case of breakage of one of the coupling links or any part of the apparatus the
wagon or carriage may still be taken home by coupling up with one of the other
links as after once being coupled up the strain is entirely on the ordinary coupling
links. If the draw bar were to come out our apparatus would be strong enough to
carry the wagon to its destination without undue detention.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1896.
W. SWINDELL,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages,.
Wagons, and the like.
We, THOMAS LOCKER of Myrtle Cottage, New Sawley in the County of Derby,
Clerk, and AMBROSE SCHOFIELD of 31 Conway Street, Long Eaton in the
County of Derby aforesaid, Pattern Maker,, 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 :-
The object of our invention is to provide an improved method or means of
coupling and uncoupling railway carriages, wagons and the like which can be
operated from the side of the said carriage or wagon and thus dispense with the
pole now generally used and.obviate the necessity of the operator getting between
the carriages or wagons for such purpose.
In order that our invention may be the more readily understood we have cause!
to be annexed to this specification two sheets of drawings, upon which :--
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our improved apparatus on line a. a. of
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a plan of same.
Upon both the above figures only those parts are shewn which are absolutely
necessary for the illustration of our invention and upon Figure 2 the wagon or the
like is only shewn in dotted lines for the sake of shewing the parts of our improved
apparatus more clearly.
In carrying out our invention we fix brackets A or their equivalent to the frame-
work of the wagon or carriage at each end thereof, and in other suitable positions,
these carry a spindle B which passes under the wagon or carriage from one side to
the other and is provided with any suitable handle or lever C at each end: at or
near the centre of each of these rods are fixed a pair of arms D pivotted at their
outer ends to a cross bar or rod E to which are fixed a pair of directing rods Fof
sufficient length and of suitable shape to allow of their outer en is being connected
to the outer link G¹ of the coupling links G when they are extended; these
coupling links are generally three in number, we however do not bind ourselves to
this number; the inner link is fastened in the draw bar H in the usual manner.
Upon the rod E' is also fixed a cam K to engage a roller or truck L mounted
between the two depending arms M which are pivotted to bracketts N the latter
being, affixed to the framing of the wagon or the like. The action of the cam and
'roller or truck is to cause the outermost link G' to clear the draw bar hook H' when
coupling or uncoupling.
Our apparatus is so arranged that upon operating the handle the directing rods
bring the coupling links forward and place the outer link G over the draw bar
book H, immediately the handle is released the link drops by its own weight on to
the hook and all subsequent strain is borne by the coupling links.
To uncouple, the handle is operated still further in the same direction and-the
directing rods take out the link from the draw bar hook H' and place it upon a
'hook or the like upon the end of the wagon (the latter not being shewn upon the
drawings) where it may remain, or if desired the directing rods and links may be
let down by means of the handle; on Figure 1 the positions of the respective parts
when coupled are shewn by dotted lines.
The outermost link. G' is fixed to the directing rods F by means of bolts o
studs Gand nuts O assisted by cottars P passed through or around the said bolts
or studs and through projections or the like Q on the sides of the directing rods.
We provide a carrier I for use in case of breakage which will prevent the directing

page_text: rods or any portion of the coupling links hanging down and coming into contact
with the sleepers or points.
Our apparatus may be used for either single or double coupling, in the latter
case we should leave more space between one pair of directing rods than the other
so that they might clear each other when in work.
In case of breakage of one of the coupling links or any part of the apparatus the
wagon or carriage may still be taken home by coupling up with one of the other
links as after once being coupled up the strain is entirely on the ordinary coupling
links.
In the directing rods F we may form any kind of lateral joint that will allow
them to give sideways in case of trucks or carriages coming off the road or line.
To the side of the wagon or the like we may fix a chain with hook or the
like in which the handle C may be placed when uncoupled, we may also if
desired arrange a catch or the like to hold the handle down and thus keep the
coupling above the draw-bar hook ready for re-coupling.
It will be understood that the details of our invention may be varied slightly
without departing from the spirit of our invention this specification describing our
said invention in the form which we at present prefer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention 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 carriages, wagons.
and the like consisting of arms D fixed to the shaft B said arms being pivotted at
their lower extremities to a rod or bolt E to which are fixed the directing rods F
and cam K, the said directing rods F being attached to the outermost coupling
link G, the cam K arranged to engage a roller L pivotted to a bracket N,
the whole being operated by a handle or lever C, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 13th day of October 1896.
W.
SWINDELL,
Imperial Chambers, Albert Street, Derby, Agent for the Applicants.