IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to improvements in couplings for railway vehicles by
means of which improvements the projecting end of the coupling bar and buffer is
supported in a swinging bale or gate, and the link is guided to its entrance in the
adjacent mouth of the adjacent coupling, which may be in a different plane.
The said Invention comprises the peculiar construction and combination of parts
as hereinafter described.
In the accompany Drawing.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved coupling attached to the
front of a railway vehicle.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the said coupling.
A indicates the front end of a vehicle to which are suitably secured the boxes D,
in which the bale or gate J swings. This bale or gate is in the form of a
parallelogram three sides thereof being preferably formed of one piece of iron as
shown, leaving two free ends, in which are formed eyes n to receive the bolt or
bar E, which is secured therein by the key o or by other suitable means. This bar
forms the fourth side of the gate, and passes through a hole r cast or formed, in or
upon, the lower side of the buffer near its frout end. It will be seen that this
method of securing the bale or gate to the vehicle and to the buffer or draw bar
compels the bottom of the said gate to stand in front of a line perpendicular to its
point of attachment to the vehicle; this allows the front end of said draw-bar and
buffer to have a small vertically radial movement, while its necessary reciprocating
movement, under the expansion or retraction of the buffer-spring, is not interfered
with.
Should, from any cause, the draw-bar break while the train to which the vehicle
is attached is in motion, or the coupling pin break, it will readily be seen that the
bale or gate would play an important part, as it would now take the drawing
strain, and avoid the necessity of stopping the train for repairs or replacement of
the broken parts.

page_text: A¹ indicates a hook coupling bar, the hook end thereof being adapted to engage
with a coupling link B, by means of the book a, after the link has entered the flaring
mouth d of the metallic box C, which encloses the hook end of the draw bar and
guides the entering link into the chamber c through the contracted mouth d leading
thereto. This chamber is nearly circular in form, and situated sufficiently far from
the Haring mouth b of the box to allow the end of the link B to enter the said
chamber, when the hook a of the draw bar will enter and project through the link.
The draw-bar and its enclosing box are pivottally connected together by means of
the bolt 1.
Between ears 8 formed or cast upon the lower face of the box C (said ears being
shown in dotted lines in Figure 2,) is the cam K, excentrically secured upon a
shaft t which is journalled in the said ears, a slot u being formed or cast in the
bottom of the box C to allow the cam to rotate and act upon the under side of the
draw bar A. The periphery of this cam is Battened at the point farthest from the
cam shaft, which latter, at each end is connected with the diagonally located
rods L by means of universal joints v; and the opposite ends of the said rods are
connected, by means of similar universal joints, with the inner ends of the crank
shafts M, which are pivottally secured to the bottom of the vehicle, and project
beyond its sides to allow the said cam to be operated without the necessity of
entering between the adjacent vehicles to guide a link or to uncouple the device
from its adjoining fellow. In order to obtain solid bearings for the crank shafts M
they should be pivotted to the bottom of the vehicle, and, as the bottom of the
buffer box C is upon a lower plane the necessity of the diagonally located
connecting rods and universal couplings is readily seen.
In practice, when the hook a is engaged with the link B, the peculiar form of
the hook which partially turns back upon itself at the point, and the peculiar form
of the chamber and contracted throat leading to said chamber, have a tendency
to keep the projecting end of the link on a level plane; at this time the cam is
turned out of contact with the draw bar. If it is desired to release the hook from
its engagement with the link, it is necessary to turn the said cam into contact with
the draw bar, until the hook a is withdrawn from the said link; by turning the
cam until the flattened portion of its periphery rests against the draw bar, it locks
the latter in its then raised position, so that in shunting vehicles the entering link
will not disturb the said draw bar, whereby accidental coupling will not take place.
By leaving the cam in such contact that one end of the flattened portion thereof is
presented to and against the draw bar, in making up trains, the impact of the
entering link will throw the cam over and thereby allow the hook automatically,
to engage with said link. When the link has entered and it is desired to enter its
opposite end into the mouth of a coupling on an adjoining vehicle which is upon a
lower plane, the operator, standing by the side of the said vehicle, with his hand
upon one of the cranks, turns the cam slightly, sufficiently to slightly raise the
draw bar; by this means the projecting end of the link is allowed to fall from its
level position, sufficiently to enter the lower mouth of the adjacent coupling.
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 I claim
in a coupling for railway vehicles
First. The combination with a draw bar and buffer, of a swinging bale or gate,
pivotally pendant from the end of the vehicle, and pivotally connected to the said
draw bar and buffer, whereby a swinging support for the said draw-bar and buffer
is provided, which will not interfere with their reciprocating movements;
substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Second. A swinging bale or gate, pendant from the end of the vehicle, and
supporting the projecting end of a metallic buffer box which encloses the hooked
end of the draw-bar, and allows such box to have a slight vertically radial
movement and a horizontal reciprocating movement to the limit of the compression
or expansion of the buffer spring, substantially as described.

page_text: Third. The combination with the hooked end of the draw bar and with an
enclosing metallic case, of a cam excentrically secured to a shaft which is pivotally
secured to the lower side of said case, and working in a slot therein, the said can
being operated from either side of the vehicle by means of crank arms secured in
suitable boxes to the bottom of the said vehicle by diagonally located connecting
rods and universal joints, substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Fourth. The combination with the hooked end of the draw-bar and with an
enclosing metallic case, of a cain the periphery of which is flattened opposite to, or
at the point farthest from, the shaft to which the said cam is excentrically secured,
the said shaft being pivotally secured to the lower side of the said case, the said
cam working in a slot therein, and being operated from either side of the vehicle
by means of crank arms secured in suitable boxes to the bottom of the said vehicle,
the inner ends of the said crank arms connecting with the cam shaft by diagonally
located connecting rods and universal joints, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Fifth. The combination of a hooked draw bar enclosed within a metallic case, a
cam and diagonally located connecting rods, connecting the cam shaft with crank
arms by universal joints, all the parts being constructed and operating substantially
as, and for the purposes, described.

page_text: "
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to improvements in couplings for railway vehicles by
means of which improvements the projecting end of the coupling bar and buffer is
supported in a swinging bale or gate, and the link is guided to its entrance in the
adjacent mouth of the adjacent coupling, which may be in a different plane.
The said Invention comprises the peculiar construction and combination of parts
as hereinafter described.
In the accompany Drawing.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved coupling attached to the
front of a railway vehicle.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the said coupling.
A indicates the front end of a vehicle to which are suitably secured the boxes D,
in which the bale or gate J swings. This bale or gate is in the form of a
parallelogram three sides thereof being preferably formed of one piece of iron as
shown, leaving two free ends, in which are formed eyes n to receive the bolt or
bar E, which is secured therein by the key o or by other suitable means. This bar
forms the fourth side of the gate, and passes through a hole r cast or formed, in or
upon, the lower side of the buffer near its front end. It will be seen that this
method of securing the bale or gate to the vehicle and to the buffer or draw bar
compels the bottom of the said gate to stand in front of a line perpendicular to its
point of attachment to the vehicle; this allows the front end of said draw-bar and
buffer to have a small vertically radial movement, while its necessary reciprocating
movement, under the expansion or retraction of the buffer-spring, is not interfered
with.
Should, from any cause, the draw-bar break while the train to which the vehicle
is attached is in motion, or the coupling pin break, it will readily be seen that the
bale or gate would play an important part, as it would now take the drawing
strain, and avoid the necessity of stopping the train for repairs or replacement of
the broken parts.

page_text: A¹ indicates a hook coupling bar, the book end thereof being adapted to engage
with a coupling link B, by means of the hook a, after the link has entered the flaring
mouth d of the metallic box C, which encloses the hook end of the draw bar and
guides the entering link into the chamber c through the contracted mouth d leading
thereto. This chamber is nearly circular in form, and situated sufficiently far from
the flaring mouth b of the box to allow the end of the link B to enter the said
chamber, when the hook a of the draw bar will enter and project through the link.
The draw-bar and its enclosing box are pivottally connected together by means of
the bolt l.
Between ears 8 formed or cast upon the lower face of the box C (said ears being
shown in dotted lines in Figure 2,) is the cam K, excentrically secured upon a
shaft which is journalled in the said ears, a slot u being formed or cast in the
bottom of the box C to allow the cam to rotate and act upon the under side of the
draw bar A¹. The periphery of this cam is Battened at the point farthest from the
cam shaft, which latter, at each end is connected with the diagonally located
rods L by means of universal joints v; and the opposite ends of the said rods are
connected, by means of similar universal joints, with the inner ends of the crank
shafts M, which are pivottally secured to the bottom of the vehicle, and project
beyond its sides to allow the said cam to be operated without the necessity of
entering between the adjacent vehicles to guide a link or to uncouple the device
from its adjoining fellow. In order to obtain solid bearings for the crank shafts M
they should be pivotted to the bottom of the vehicle, and, as the bottom of the
buffer box C is upon a lower plane the necessity of the diagonally located
connecting rods and universal couplings is readily seen.
In practice, when the hook a is engaged with the link B, the peculiar form of
the book which partially turns back upon itself at the point, and the peculiar form
of the chamber c and contracted throat leading to said chamber, have a tendency
to keep the projecting end of the link on a level plane; at this time the cam is
turned out of contact with the draw bar. If it is desired to release the hook from
its engagement with the link, it is necessary to turn the said cam into contact with
the draw bar, until the hook a is withdrawn from the said link; by turning the
cam until the flattened portion of its periphery rests against the draw bar, it locks
the latter in its then raised position, so that in shunting vehicles the entering link
will not disturb the said draw bar, whereby accidental coupling will not take place.
By leaving the cam in such contact that one end of the flattened portion thereof is
presented to and against the draw bar, in making up trains, the impact of the
entering link will throw the cam over and thereby allow the hook automatically,
to engage with said link. When the link has entered and it is desired to enter its
opposite end into the mouth of a coupling on an adjoining vehicle which is upon a
lower plane, the operator, standing by the side of the said vehicle, with his hand
upon one of the cranks, turns the cam slightly, sufficiently to slightly raise the
draw bar; by this means the projecting end of the link is allowed to fall from its
level position, sufficiently to enter the lower mouth of the adjacent coupling.
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 I claim
in a coupling for railway vehicles
First. The combination with a draw bar and buffer, of a swinging bale or gate,
pivotally pendant from the end of the vehicle, and pivotally connected to the said
draw bar and buffer, whereby a swinging support for the said draw-bar and buffer
is provided, which will not interfere with their reciprocating movements;
substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Second. A swinging bale or gate, pendant from the end of the vehicle, and
supporting the projecting end of a metallic buffer box which encloses the hooked
end of the draw-bar, and allows such box to have a slight vertically radial
movement and a horizontal reciprocating movement to the limit of the compression
or expansion of the buffer spring, substantially as described.

page_text: Third. The combination with the hooked end of the draw bar and with an
enclosing metallic case, of a cam excentrically secured to a shaft which is pivotally
secured to the lower side of said case, and working in a slot therein, the said cam
being operated from either side of the vehicle by means of crank arms secured in
suitable boxes to the bottom of the said vehicle by diagonally located connecting
rods and universal joints, substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Fourth. The combination with the hooked end of the draw-bar and with an
enclosing metallic case, of a cam the periphery of which is flattened opposite to, or
at the point farthest from, the shaft to which the said cam is excentrically secured,
the said shaft being pivotally secured to the lower side of the said case, the said
cam working in a slot therein, and being operated from either side of the vehicle
by means of crank arms secured in suitable boxes to the bottom of the said vehicle,
the inner ends of the said crank arms connecting with the cam shaft by diagonally
located connecting rods and universal joints, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Fifth. The combination of a hooked draw bar enclosed within a metallic case, a
cam and diagonally located connecting rods, connecting the cam shaft with crank
arms by universal joints, all the parts being constructed and operating substantially
as, and for the purposes, described.
Dated thig 8th day of April 1884
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.