IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALFRED EDWARD BINGEMANN of Glenholme, Hilltop Road, West Hampstead,
London, Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS to be as follows:-
I make an arrow-headed pinion fitted into a base to be fastened to the carriage
truck or engine, so that it cannot be withdrawn yet allows itself to move easily
round and I project a weight or fix a spring to keep the pinion in a certain
position. On the other truck or carriage I fix a raised base with a hole bored
sufficient size, as nearly perpendicular as possible, to allow the arrowheaded pinion
to pass easily through when turned, which the coming together causes the pinion
cannot return unless released, so that after the arrowheaded pinion passes the hole
bored in the other base the weight attached to the pinion caused it to return
horizontally and thus fastens the carriage truck or engine securely together.
The fastening is released by pushing or pulling a rod connected to the pinion, or
by pulling the weight round by a chain or rod connected,

page_text: I ALFRED EDWARD BINGEMANN of Glenholme Hilltop Road, West Hampstead
London N.W. Gentleman 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:—
My Invention is applied for the coupling, uncoupling, or prevention of coupling
of railway wagons, carriages, or engines, without the necessity of going between
the buffers. It automatically couples, when set to do so by the contact of an arrow-
headed projecting coupling, and a slotted receiving coupling, the contact causing
the headed coupling to swivel carrying with it a weight and after passing into the
opposing coupling a certain distance, it gets beyond the head and comes to a space,
in which the weight causes the headed coupling to return back, and thus connecting
the two together. The uncoupling is performed by pushing a bar having some
projections affecting the weight, which in this instance turns the headed coupling,
until the couplings come apart, by my novel arrangement on the bar the weight
will keep the headed coupling, in that position necessary for uncoupling, if required,
and thus preventing the fastening together of an arrowheaded coupling, and a
slotted receiving coupling, should two wagons, carriages, or engines, or engine and
either, come together and not be required to fasten each other.
The mechanism of this invention is worked from the side of each wagon, or
other railway rolling stock to which it is applied, or can be worked from an engine
platform to govern its own coupling, if some extra fittings are added. This
coupling can be fitted to railway rolling stocks having the hook attachment, on
either side of the hook, and is a double coupler when thus applied, there is no
necessity for the person performing to go between the buffers, it is worked from
the side, and can be set, fixed, or locked, all within reach of the person at the
side. In order to better explain my invention, I will now proceed to describe
the drawings, by the figures and the letters thereon, the same reference letters
indicating the same parts in the several figures shown.
Fig. 1, is a view of the general arrangement of the coupling, showing the
necessary part of two wagons connected by my coupling, also showing the old book
attachment at present in use, the dotted lines indicating the parts that would not
be visible in the real, but are shown that the reader may better understand the
mode of arrangement. Fig. 2, shows the end of a wagon with the headed coupling
set for automatic coupling. Fig. 3 shows the end of a wagon with the headed
coupling in the locked position, as it should be when the train is ready to be
started.
Fig. 4 shows the headed coupling turned for uncoupling, or set for the prevention
of coupling, referring to these Figures the nature and novelty of my invention is
as follows.
A strong round swivelling draw bar (6) must be made, the part (c) projecting
from (for an instance) a railway wagon to be squared, but the squared part so
much larger than the round hole from which it protrudes, that it could not be
drawn in beyond the squared part, then make the ring (d) of wrought iron or
other suitable metal, slotted with a square, to slide easily backward or forward
over the protruding part of the draw bar, but lengthen the downward part of the
ring to form a weight (s), to pull the draw bar round and influence it to keep a

page_text: certain position, quickly and with some strength. After the usual spring (f) has
been set, and allowed its pull, then cut the draw bar so that its end (9) comes a
short way within the square slotted ring, to keep the piece I am going to connect
straight with the draw bar, cut a U shape in the top of the draw bar left, at (9), so
that the cut lies horizontally when the weight (e) is at rest, make and fit to
that U shaped cut a square bar (H), drill the two through and fit a strong bolt
through them, so that the connected part H is allowed to play left and right to
meet the swinging of a train in motion when stretched; the connected bar H
should be gradually rounded beginning from the end of the weight-ring (d), and a
head J made of a flattened sided heart shaped, or stout arrow head shaped but
slightly more rounded in the side lines than triangular, to assist it in its turning one
of the flat sides to be upward when the weight (e) is at rest; the beginning of the
head is to come in a line with the spring buffers, when at rest.
I have drawn a dotted line K to represent the rule, or should come slightly more
forward, if it should be thought beneficial to the working for dead buffers this
draw bar can be made in one piece J to b, where suitable Then make an oblong
shaped rod L to cross the under end of the wagon near as possible to the weight (e),
fit it with metals M, in which the rod will slide easily, after the metals being
screwed to the wagon; which metals should be fitted with a thumb screw each
that will hold the rod firm when tightly screwed down, make an extending slot in
the bar or rod L, so that it can be held in the middle by a bolt and nut (N) for
better support, yet allowing it to slide easily, then on this rod rivet or screw
projections of a similar shapes as shown in the drawing by the letters (O), of suffi-
cient size, that when the head (J) is at the so called locked position, that it cannot
sway much distance to prevent uncoupling on a journey, and the other projection O,
so that it keep the head J at a good position for the automatic coupling, or turn
the weight (e) more, until it holds it on its self for the prevention of coupling
or for uncoupling, such a rod L being worked by the performer at the side of the
wagon with and by two downward handles P one fixed at each end of the rod.
The receiving coupling is a draw bar similar to some existing ones being held in
position by squaring the part that passes through the end of the wagon, the
projecting part X to be enlargened and cut with a U shaped groove horizontally,
near to the wagons as possible but allowing sufficient length to strongly connect
the receiving coupling after allowing the usual spring having its pull. The
connecting piece or receiving coupling being made like the letter U with the
letter being welded on the top of it I proceed to make the piece as follows,
take a piece of wrought iron bar or other suitable metal of about or 3 inches or
more wide, and or inch thick according to the required strength, bend it
round in half U shaped the inner part of a size to allow the head
of the pro-
jecting coupling to move within it without touching the inner sides, fit the base
part with a solid piece of metal R, which fit to the cut end of the draw bar S,
and having drilled or slotted it to take a bolt, nut the bolt on the underside, so
that when completed thus far the fitted part may move right or left a certain
distance, measure to the rule line K, release it again, bend the bar inwards, (at the
mark where the rule line crosses) at right angles, after leaving a sufficient margin
for the pulling part of the head, bend it, curving both ends outwards, and after
allowing sufficient incline for the head of the projecting coupling to strike, when
sent to couple on curves, bend right back to the outside of the bar, cut off and
rivet strongly, thus forming a strong and supporting head, wrap round an iron band
of sufficient substance round the front part to prevent gaping, or springing,
riveting the same together strongly, it should be understood that this coupling
should have the margin or slot sufficient length to allow for one truck being loaded
and the connecting one being empty and the width of the slot to allow the head
of the opposing coupling to pass easily through when turned almost perpendicularly
the slot to curve outwards T to V wider and wider and at last of sufficient width
to meet the emergency of curves. So it will be understood that when properly
made the receiving coupling will receive the projecting coupling J H B in coupling.

page_text: •
The receiving coupling moving to the right or left a certain distance the pro-
jecting coupling HJ only moving right or left when pulled out of the iron ring (a)
which is held back to the wagon by a projecting lip W or cap piece screwed
to the wagon. In the action of coupling the head comes against the curved part TV
of opposing coupling, is turned, passes through the the slot, the weight e returning
it back to previous position and thus coupling, the pulling or pushing of the rod L
allowing the weight (e) round to its rest and thus locking it by the other projection
when by screwing down the thumb screws on the rod. By moving the rod in
the other direction it unlocks, lifts the weight, uncouples, and will keep so until
set differently or set the head at the angle necessary to automatically couple.
I do not strictly bind myself to the mode of manufacture of the coupling as
herein set forth as some more expedient mode may be found to produce them
easier, also that many of the parts may be otherwise shaped, without departing
from the main or essential features of my invention. This invention always
requires the one coupling to be a projecting headed, and the other to be a receiving
slotted coupling, as herein described or raised base as set down in my provisional
specification.
But take notice I do not claim set draw bars or the usual springs applied to
drawbars.
Of course it will be understood that the contracting part of this coupling should
be kept greased.to decrease friction and to assist its working well.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. The general arrangement and combination of the parts of couplings for
railway wagons, carriages, or engines, or railway wagons in mines in which they
are automatically coupled by the motion of the wagons to and from each other
substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
Second. Swivelling drawbars J Hb for railway wagons, carriages, or engines, or
railway wagons in mines, for their being automatically coupled together, substan-
tially as herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
Third. The automatic lever weight e, for the governing of swivelling draw bars
substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
Fourth. The shaped slotted movable receiving coupling, for automatic coupling
of railway wagons, carriages, engines or railway wagons in mines substantially as a
herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
Fifth. The fixtures OO to the sliding rod for the moving or fixing of the weight
_substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
Sixth. The making of the right and left movable slotted and outward curved
T to ▼ coupling substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings 4
appended.
Seventh. The make of the (connected J H 6 or in one piece) Jb stouter arrow-
hended shaped coupling in automatically connected wagons, carriages or engines
and wagons in mines together and on being pulled out of the weight ring being
movable right or left a certain distance, or headed protruding couplings in one 4
piece substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
.……….
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T
13000