A New or Improved Appliance for Attaching and Detaching a Chain Coupling between Railway Wagons.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 81st Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1899-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
A New or Improved Appliance for Attaching and Detaching a Chain
Coupling between Railway Wagons.
JOHN CRABTREE, Witham Lodge, Bracebridge, Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The construction or application of a new or improved appliance attached
to the ends or sides of railway wagons for the purpose of lifting a link coupling
chain, of any size or length, on and off the drawbar hook, which hook may be
either horizontal or pendent on the drawbar, but by preference is pendent,
which latter hook hangs lower and is fitted with a shorter chain
The appliance consists of a main shaft with handles, or levers, at each end
and the handles are so placed as to be at or near the outside of the buffers
of the wagon where they can be conveniently and safely got at and handled
by the shunter.
With the main shaft is formed a dropping on tail piece, which hangs at the
back of the coupling chain in such a position that the bottom of the hanging pait
of the appliance comes in contact with the bottom coupling link. This link
1s provided or fitted at the back with lugs or projections which cause the
appliance to hold the link horizontally and prevent the chain slipping when
the tail piece 18 operated from the side by the handle or lever for the purpose
of raising the coupling chain to the horizontal position, ready for placing in,
and for gripping the link when lifting out of the diawbai hook
The main shaft, or 10d, extends from one side to the other at each end of the
truck, and 18 supported by means of an upper arm or arms which work in a
free hinge or socket attached to the truck In the case of a coupling chain
with the old horizontal draw bar the appliance may be hung somewhat close to
the end of wagon, or, in the case of the pendent drawbar hook-when the
coupling chain 18 more forward—the lifting appliance 18 hung proportionately
forward
The main shaft has a free joint, or axis, with the upper arms or supports
which allows of the shaft being turned quite independent of any movement of
the upper part of the appliance. The latter being supported also in a free joint,
or hinge, allows of swinging forward or backward. The top forms a kind of
shoulder joint, whilst the lower joint with the main shaft acts as an elbow,
thus giving two movements and allowing of an extension in a horizontal direc-
tion of the whole appliance
By this arrangement the coupling chain when raised to the horizontal posi-
tion, near to the drawbar hook, by the first movement of the lower part of the
appliance, operated by either side handle or lever, can be moved further back-
ward or forward, or sideways, or up, or down to enable the shunter to place
the end link of chain in the drawbar hook on to lift it out
"
"
The length of the entire appliance and the relative distances between the 80
called "shoulder and elbow are such as to allow of the coupling chain
being raised to the required height and of the coupling being effected at vary-
ing distances between two wagons as when spring buffers are fully extended
or are pressed in more or less, or the wagons are on a straight road or on a
curve.

page_text: The handle at end of shaft may extend both ways so as to form a double
handle to be used by both hands if required
The mode of operation is for the shunter to lift up or turn the handle at
side of wagon to raise the coupling shain by the "elbow" movement and then
to swing as required the whole appliance from the "shoulder," either forward
or backward to place in or lift out of the drawbar hook the bottom link of such
chain A side or lateral movement is obtained by play provided between the
main shaft and the upper arm or arms, or otherwise.
The novelty and advantages are in the design and application of a more
flexible coupling apparatus, and particularly in the double joint-one described
as the "shoulder" joint being placed at or near the level, but, by preference
above the level of drawbar, and the other described as the "elbow" joint-below
the level of diawbar for the purpose of obtaining easy leverage and the neces-
sary movement in any direction for readily coupling and uncoupling from
either side of wagon any link chain, thus obviating the necessity for a man
going between the wagons, or of carrying, or using a shunting pole or stick.
The combination of such coupling appliance with the lugs, or projections,
at the back of the bottom link of coupling chain Further, the combination
of such coupling appliances, particularly in conjunction with pendent drawbar-
hooks, which hooks are fitted with shorter chains than those used with old hori-
zontal diawbar hooks
Another important novelty, or advantage, of the invention is that in operat-
ing the side handle, or lever, attached to the truck, the shunter need not stoop
or lean sideways towards the wagon or buffers and can, when wagons are
moving, operate the coupling whilst walking and looking straight ahead.
As a modification-instead of having the lower part or tail piece in one I
make it in two parts, thus dividing one side of the appliance from the other,
Bo that each side can be operated independently by its own handle
The following 18 a description of the drawings accompanying the specifica-
tion:-
"
Fig 1 gives an end view of wagon with pendent drawbar hook and chain.
18 the headstock of wagon.
"B support for coupling appliance
32
"
"C" main shaft which tuins in the upper arms
"D" handles or levers
"E" tail piece or lifting apparatus. "F" lugs or projections on bottom link
Fig. 2 gives side view, partly in section, of end of wagon with pendent draw-
bar hook and coupling appliance.
Fig. 3 illustrates the projections on bottom link
It will be understood that the dimensions and shape, or size, of the coupling
appliance may be somewhat varied without departing from the general design,
and combination, or application of the parts.
Dated this Thirtieth day of October One thousand eight hundred and
▲ New or Improved Appliance for Attaching and Detaching a Chain 4
Coupling between Railway Wagons.
JOHN CRABTREE, Witham Lodge, Bracebridge, Lincoln, 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 follow-
ing statement:-
This invention for a new or improved appliance for attaching and detaching

page_text: a chain coupling between railway wagons, has for its object to provide an
appliance at the end of railway wagons for the purpose of lifting a link coupling
chain on and off the drawbai hook, which hook may be either horizontal or
pendent on the drawbar.
The appliance consists of a main shaft or bar mounted to slide and rotate
in linka fixed at the end of the wagons, and of aims on the bar and engaging
with the end coupling link By 1otating the bai in the links the end coupling
link is raised and then the bar can be swung forwards or backwards by means
of the links to pass the end coupling link over the hook The coupling link
can be brought exactly opposite the hook by sliding the bar sideways in the
links
The bar 18 provided with handles or levers at each end and the handles are
so placed as to be at or near the outside of the buffers of the wagon where they
can be conveniently and safely got at and handled by the shuntei
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification
Fig. 1 18 an end view of a wagon fitted with a coupling appliance constructed
according to this invention; and
Fig 2 18 a side view partly in section of the same
Fig 3 is a detail view of the bottom coupling link, showing the lifting lugs
In the sheet of drawings accompanying this Complete Specification.-
Figa 4 and 5 are similar views to Figs 1 and 2 showing a slight modification
of the coupling appliance
The main shaft or rod C extends from one side to the other at each end of
the truck A and is mounted to rotate and also to slide longitudinally in the
lower ends of aims or links G pivoted at the end of the truck As shown the
links G are fixed to a shaft mounted in the sockets B secured to the end of
the wagon
In the case of a coupling chain with the old horizontal diawba
hook, the sockets B are near to the end of the wagon, or, in the case of the
pendent diawba hook-when the coupling chain is more forward-the sockets B
project proportionately forward The sockets B are preferably autuated above
the buffers
The main shaft C is provided with a dropping or tail piece E which hangs
at the back of the coupling chain in such a position that the bottom of the
hanging part of the appliance is behind the bottom coupling link The bottom
coupling link is provided or fitted at the back with lugs or projections F which
enable the appliance to raise the coupling link and prevent the chain slipping
when the tail piece 18 operated. The main shaft C 18 operated from either side
by the handles or levers D for the purpose of raising the coupling chain to
the horizontal position ready for placing in and for gripping the coupling link
when lifting out of the drawbar hook.
The main shaft can thus be turned quite independent of any movement of the
upper part of the appliance. The latter being supported also in a free joint
or hinge allows of swinging forward or backward The top forms a kind of
shoulder joint whilst the lower joint with the main shaft acts as an elbow
thus giving two movements and allowing of an extension in a horizontal direc-
tion of the whole of the appliance
By this arrangement the coupling chain when raised to the horizontal position
near to the drawbar hook by rotating the shaft C by either side handle or lever,
can be moved further backward or forward, or sideways, or up or down to
enable the shunter to place the end coupling link of chain in the drawbar hook,
or to lift it out
"
"
The length of the entire appliance and the relative distances between the so-
called shoulder and "elbow " are such as to allow of the coupling chain
being raised to the required height and of the coupling being effected at vary-
ing distances between two wagons as when spring buffers are fully extended
or are pressed in more or less or the wagons are on a straight road or on a
curve.

page_text: The handle at the end of a shaft may extend both ways so as to form a double
handle to be used by both hands, if required
The mode of operation is for the shunter to lift up or turn the handle at
side of wagon to raise the coupling chain by the "elbow movement and then
to swing as required the whole appliance from the "shoulder" either forward
or backward to place in or lift out of the drawbar hook the bottom coupling
link of such chain A Bide or lateral movement is obtained by play provided
between the main shaft and the upper arm or arms
The "shoulder" joint is placed at or near the level, but by preference above
the level of drawbar and the other described as the "elbow"
Joint below the
level of drawbar for the purpose of obtaining easy leverage and the necessary
movement in any direction for readily coupling and uncoupling from either
side of wagon any link chain thus obviating the necessity for a man going
between the wagons or of carrying or using a shunting pole or stick
Another important advantage of the invention is that in operating the side
handle or lever attached to the truck the shunter need not stoop or lean side-
ways towards the wagon or buffers and can when wagons are moving operate
the coupling whilst walking and looking straight forward
As a modification-instead of having the lower part or tail piece in one I
make it in two parts In this arrangement the lower ends of the tail pieces
Just below the parts bearing on the lugs Fare butt-jointed so that, should the
tail pieces get in front of the coupling chain, they can be readily passed behind
again by the operating handle D
In another modification the main shaft C is made in two parts so as to divide
one side of the appliance from the other so that each side can be operated
independently by its own handle.
In the modification shown in Figs 4 and 5 the projections F on the bottom
link of coupling chain are shown at the sides of the link and work in slots in
the lever arms E By this aangement the lifting appliance is connected
to the bottom link and remains attached to that link whether the coupling 18
on or off the diawbai hook. The slots are provided to allow of greater flexibility
or play between the parts
The supports B may instead of being over the buffers be placed in the centre
or over the drawbar hook
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:-
1. The coupling appliance for railway wagons consisting of a main shaft or
transverse rod with dependent arms, links in the lower ends of which the shaft
18 mounted to rotate, and the bottom coupling chain with projections on the
end link situated in front of the dependent arms and engaging therewith
2 The coupling appliance for railway wagons consisting of a main shaft or
transverse rod with dependent aims, links in the lower ends of which the shaft
can rotate, projecting supports to which the upper ends of the links are jointed,
and the coupling chain with projections on the end link situated in front of
and engaging with the dependent arms.
3 The improved coupling appliance, substantially as described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
4 The improved coupling appliance substantially as described with reference
to Figs 4 and 5 of the drawings
Dated this 9th day of October 1900.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W C., Agents.