Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Carriages and Waggons.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Carriages and
Waggons.
We BERNARD CHARLES MARCH PHILLIPPS DE LISLE, Dryden Chambers,
119 Oxford Street, London, W. Gentleman, and GEORGE PEET MAIN,
117 Nottingham Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, Cycle Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An oblong frame having parallel sides is secured to the main framing near the
ends of each railway carriage or waggon, within the frame a box is free to slide
to and fro, beneath the top an axle projects on which a clutch coupling bar rocks
horizontally, two springs press upon the sides of the bar, each spring being held
by a stud projecting from the top of the box, other studs projecting from the
sides of the box form stops for the springs. The frame is provided with two
pins at each end on which coiled springs are placed against which the ends of
the box rest, these springs hold the box and coupling bar in a central position
ready for coupling.
The outer end of each coupling bar forms an horizontal catch hook and a
projecting arm between which the catch hook of the coupling bar of the next
adjacent carriage or waggon engages when coupled. The outer end of each bar
is turned upwards and slotted vertically to receive the outer end of a locking
lever, rocking on an axle in a vertically slotted bracket secured to the front of
the carriage or waggon framing. The bracket is also slotted vertically parallel
to the main framing, in this slot a notched lever is free to rise and fall, the
notched end engages with a vertical flange projecting from the side of the coupling
bar and holds the bar sideways clear of the coupling bar of the next carriage
or waggon, at the same time an incline on the lower edge of the notched lever
raises the locking lever above the vertical slot on the outer end of the coupling
bar. The outer end of the notched lever is hinged to the lower end of a hand
lever rocking on an axle projecting from the end of the carriage or waggon. The
upper end of the hand lever slides in a guide bracket provided with a stud on
which a notched and flanged lever rocks, a spring secured to the bracket presses
upon the flanged lever and holds the hand lever locked when the coupling bar
has been moved sideways.
The back end of each coupling bar is provided with a pin engaging in a
curved slot in the front end of a bar sliding in slots in the back of the frame
and box and passing through two portions of the framing of the carriage or
waggon, the back end of the bar is reduced and screw threaded to receive a nut
and lock nut, the screw threaded portion is provided with a coiled spring between
the framing and nuts.
The underside of the box is protected by a plate secured to it by a screw
at each corner, the top of the plate is provided with a bearing for the axle of
the coupling bar, the plate is also perforated to receive the ends of the studs
holding the springs.
Dated this Ninth day of August 1894.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Carriages and
Waggons.
We BERNARD CHARLES MARCH PHILLIPPS DE LISLE, Dryden Chambers,
119 Oxford Street, London, W., Gentleman, and GEORGE PEET MAIN,
117 Nottingham Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, Cycle Manufacturer, 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 :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows in plan portion of the main framing at one end of a railway
carriage without the sides and flooring, the coupling apparatus being shown in
position, with the top of a box hereafter referred to removed.
Figure 2 shows a side view of one end of a railway carriage with our improved
coupling apparatus applied thereto.
Figure 3 shows an end view of the same.
Figure 4 shows an underside view of a protecting plate secured to the underside
of the box before named.
Figure 5 shows an end view of a railway waggon and improved coupling
apparatus.
The corresponding parts in each figure are indicated by the same numbers where
necessary.
The improved coupling apparatus consists of the following parts, an oblong
frame having parallel sides is secured to the main framing near the ends of
each railway carriage or waggon, within the frame a box 2 is free to slide to and
fro, beneath the top an axle 3 projects on which a clutch coupling bar 4 rocks
horizontally, two springs 5 press upon the sides of the bar, each spring being
held by a stud 6 projecting from the top of the box, other studs 7 projecting
from the sides of the box form stops for the springs. The frame is provided
with two pins at each end on which coiled springs 8 are placed, against which
the ends of the box rest, these springs hold the box and coupling bar in a central
position ready for coupling.
The outer end of each coupling bar forms an horizontal catch hook 9 and a
projecting arm 10, between which the catch hook of the coupling bar of the next
adjacent carriage or waggon engages when coupled.
The outer end of each bar is turned upwards and slotted vertically to receive
the outer end of a locking lever 11 rocking on an axle in a vertically slotted
bracket 12 secured to the front of the carriage or waggon framing, the slot in the
outer end of the bar is of sufficient width to allow the locking lever to slide
borizontally in it when passing round a curve in the rails without straining the
lever. The levers prevent the catch hooks 9 from being uncoupled when in use
by any sudden jerk.
The bracket 12 is also slotted vertically at the back parallel to the front of the
framing, in this slot a notched lever 13 is free to rise and fall, the notched end
engages with a vertical flange 14 projecting from the side of the coupling bar and
holds the bar sideways clear of the coupling bar of the next carriage or waggon
when uncoupled, at the same time an incline on the lower edge of the lever 13
raises the locking lever 11 above the vertical slot on the outer end of the
coupling bar.
The outer end of the lever 13 is hinged to the lower end of a hand lever 15
rocking on an axle projecting from the end of the carriage or waggon.
The upper end of the hand lever slides in a guide bracket 16 provided with a

page_text: stud on which a notched and flanged lever 17 rocks, a spring 18 secured to the
bracket presses upon the lever 17 and holds the hand lever locked when the
coupling bar has been moved sideways.
When the coupling apparatus is applied to the end of a waggon the hand
lever 15 is held in the position shown at Figure 5 by a spring 19 when the bar is
coupled, the spring is hooked on a stud at the back of the hand lever and on a
stud projecting from the lower end of the guide bracket. 16.
The back end of each coupling bar 4 is provided with a pin engaging in a slot
in the front end of a bar 20 sliding in slots in the back of the frame 1 and box 2
and passing through two portions of the main framing of the carriage or waggon,
the back end of the bar is reduced and screw threaded to receive a nut and lock
nut 21 and a coiled spring 22 between the framing and nuts.
The parts of the apparatus contained within the box 2 are protected by a
plate 23 shown at Figure 4, the plate being secured to the box by a screw at each
corner, the centre of the plate on the top side is provided with a boss forming a
lower bearing for the axle 3 on which the bar 4 rocks, the plate is also perforated
to receive the lower ends of the two studs 6 holding the springs 5.
To uncouple the carriages one of the levers 15 shown at Figure 3 being moved
outwards, or one of the levers 15 shown at Figure 5 being lowered by an attendant
until the notch in the hand lever 17 forced by the spring 18 engages with the edge
of the lever 15, the link 13 will raise the locking lever 11 clear of the vertical slot.
on the outer end of the coupling bar, and move the bar to the left to clear and
release it from the bar of the next adjacent carriage or waggon.
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 construction and employment of improved coupling apparatus for railway
carriages and waggons, substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings
annexed.
Dated this Seventh day of September 1894.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.