Improvements in Coupling Arrangements for connecting Electric Wires.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Arrangements for connecting Electric
Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190, Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to coupling arrangements for connecting electric lighting,
telephone, or signalling wires and it is specially designed for use on railway trains
provided with the well known air or vacuuin brake.
Under my invention I take advantage of the usual air or vacuum brake couplings
between the carriages and utilize them as a means for carrying the electric currents
along the train.
For intercommunication between the officials of the train and the passengers I
prefer to adopt the system of wiring and the circuit arrangements set forth in the
specification of my prior Patent No. 1096 of 1892.
In carrying out my invention under one arrangement one electric current of the
circuit is conducted along the body of the coupling itself, either through the metal
of the coupling piece or by means of properly insulated wires whilst the other current
is carried by means of wires to metal contacts fitted in insulating plugs or equivalent
let into or secured to the jaws or the hooks of the coupling pieces of the brake
coupling.
Under another arrangement one of the currents can be carried either through
the body of the coupling itself or through one or both sets of interlocking hooks
or jaws whilst the other current is carried by means of a plug having holes or
passages in it for the passage of air arranged in the mouth of each half coupling.
These plugs are provided with suitable metallic contacts which are properly insulated.
Springs or their equivalent are also provided for pressing the contacts of the half
couplings together when the latter are interlocked. If desired the contacts may
take the form of bent springs, or jaws, or such like so arranged as to grip one
another when the half couplings are interlocked. The plugs can be secured in place
in the couplings in any suitable manner.
Under another arrangement both currents (+) may pass through the plugs in the
half couplings. In this case the contacts or contact pieces would be arranged in each
plug one above the other vertically. The contacts would preferably have a spring
arrangement for causing the contacts of each plug to bear against one another when
the parts of the coupling were interlocked or the contacts might be constituted by
springs.
If desired instead of having plugs as hereinbefore described the half couplings may
have rings which form contacts themselves or are provided with contacts; or discs or
partial discs, or skeleton frames forming contacts themselves or provided with
contacts. Such rings, discs, or frames would have one or more air passages and would
be properly insulated.
The electric wires are suitably connected to the contacts of each half coupling.

page_text: When the brake couplings are not in use they would be closed by the ordinary
dummy plug but such plug would under my invention be made hollow or recessed so
as not to interfere with the electrical contacts.
Deted this 2 1 1
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
Improvements in Coupling Arrangements for connecting Electric
Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190, Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., 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 :-
This invention relates to coupling arrangements for connecting electric lighting,
telephone, or signalling wires and it is specially designed for use on railway trains
provided with the well known compressed air or vacuum brakes.
Under my invention I take advantage of the usual compressed air or vacuum brake
couplings between the carriages and utilize them as a meaus for carrying the electric
currents along the train.
For intercommunication between the officials of the train and the passengers I
prefer to adopt the system of wiring and the circuit arrangements set forth in the
Specification of any prior Patent No. 1096 of 1892.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended three explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Figs. 1 to 3 show an arrangement suitable for the ordinary
66 vacuum brake
couplings"; Fig. 1 being a front elevation of one half coupling, Fig. 2 a side
elevation, partly sectioned, showing the parts of the coupling locked together and
Fig. 3 a section of a half coupling.
Fig. 4 shows in front elevation and Fig. 5 in section a slightly modified arrange-
ment.
Fig. 6 shows in longitudinal section and Fig. 7 in cross section another modified
arrangement.
Fig. 8 shows in longitudinal section and Fig. 9 in cross section still another
modification.
Fig. 10 shows in side view and Fig. 11 in sectional plan an arrangement suitable
for the "Westinghouse Air Brake" coupling.
Fig. 12 shows in side view and Fig. 13 in sectional plan another arrangement
suitable for the "Westinghouse Air Brake" coupling.
Fig. 14 is an enlarged section of part of the coupling Figs. 10 and 11.
Fig. 15 is an enlarged section of part of the coupling Figs. 12 and 13.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate the same or similar parts.
In the arrangement Figs. 1 to 3 the parts or halves a, b, of the vacuum brake
coupling have each a hole bored in them into which a hollow metal plug c is tightly
screwed. Secured to the end of this plug is an ebonite or other insulating block d to
which the spring contact e is secured. This contact, which is made of two flat 4
strips e¹, e, of spring metal, has these strips fitted together in such manner, as shown,
as to form a kind of spear head. When the parts of the coupling are locked together,
as shown at Fig. 1, the contact e of the one part bears, with a frictional contact,
against the contact e of the other part. The electric wires g, h, which can be led
along the outside or the inside of the brake coupling pipes, as desired, are brought 5

page_text: the one to the contact e, being led through the hollow plug c, and the other to the
metal of the coupling itself. f is the insulating covering for the wires. fl is the point.
where the wire g is attached, by solder, to the metal of the coupling. is the usual
flexible brake pipe.
To ensure an efficient electrical contact between the two halves or parts a, b, of the
coupling each jaw k may be provided with a brass facing which, when the parts are
coupled together, bears upon a brass stud m secured between the jaws of the opposite
half. In Fig. 1 the dotted lines show how the parts l, m, are brought into contact.
Under the arrangement before described one electric current of the circuit, is
conducted by the wire g to one part of the coupling and then through the metal
thereof to the contacts l, m, whilst the other current is carried by means of the wire h
to the metal contacts &.
The arrangement Figs. 4 and 5 only differs from that at Figs. 1 to 3 in so far as a
semi-circular block d¹ is used having a number of air holes or passages o in it, instead
of the block d. The block is fitted tightly against the interior wall of the
coupling.
The arrangement Figs. 6 and 7 differs from that at Figs. 1 to 3 in so far as each
half coupling has a ring p screwed or pinned in it, said ring having a curved jaw q
into which is fitted an insulating plug to which the spring contact e is fitted. One
wire g is led to the ring p whilst the other is led to the contact e. With this
arrangement by simply removing the ring p all the parts can be removed with it.
The arrangement Figs. 8 and 9 is practically the same as that at Figs. 1 to 3 with
the exception that the spring contact e has attached to it a stop block s made of in-
sulating material. Owing to the length of the contact e it is liable to be bent up,
when over-riding its corresponding contact of the other half coupling, and brought
into contact with the metal of the coupling itself with the result that short circuiting
would be apt to take place. The block 8 prevents the spring contact touching the
wall of the coupling.
In the arrangement for the Westinghouse brake coupling shown at Figs. 10, 11
and 14, one electric current is carried through the body of the ordinary brake
coupling t whilst the other electric current is carried, by means of the wire h, to a
contact in a insulating block u fitted in the tubular sleeve v which latter is
capable of working freely within a recess in the screw plug t¹ of the half coupling t.
As will be seen the plug t¹ has a hole tapped in it into which is inserted a hollow screw
plug w. w is a spring which bears against the bottom of the tubular piece v and
forces it outwards thereby pressing the contacts u¹ of the half couplings together
when the latter are interlocked. The contacts u¹ may be of any suitable and well
known construction. The insulated wire h is fitted air tight within the plug w. The
sleeve v has a groove or slot in it at one side into which a pin v¹ in the plug t¹ enters
thereby preventing the sleeve turning round. At the outer end of the sleeve is a
flange which is made with openings v³. This flange is made with a backwardly
extending rim vt of L section into which the usual rubber packing ring y is fitted.
The wire g is led to the body of the coupling and soldered or otherwise suitably
attached thereto at t².
In the arrangement for the Westinghouse brake coupling shown at Figs. 12, 13
and 15 the usual Westinghouse valve zand plug s¹ are utilized. The valve is made
with an extension constituting a double ring with short spokes the spaces
between the spokes forming air passages. Within the inner ring an insulating
block is fitted and carried by this block is an electric contact u¹. The wire h is led
from the contact u¹ up through a hole which is bored in the stem of the valve and
through a hole, in which it is sealed air tight, in the plug =¹.
If desired currents (+) may pass through separate contacts arranged in the insula-
ting plugs u of each half coupling t. In this case the contacts would, preferably, be
arranged in each plug one above the other vertically.
When the vacuum brake couplings are not in use they would be closed by the
ordinary dummy plug but such plug would, under my invention, be made hollow or
recessed so as not to interfere with the electrical contacts,

page_text: 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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. A vacuum brake coupling, which is adapted to convey electric currents, made
substantially as herein before described and shown under two arrangements at Figs. 1
to 3 and Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings annexed.
2. A vacuum brake coupling, which is adapted to convey electric currents, made
substantially as herein before described and shown under two arrangements at
Figs. 6 and 7 and Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings annexed.
3. A Westinghouse brake coupling which is adapted to convey electric currents,
made substantially as hereinbefore described and shown under two arrangements at
Figs. 10, 11 and 14, and Figs. 12, 13 and 15 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1898
Dated this 3rd day of June 1899.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.