IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGONS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Heshuysen, of Zandport, Kingdom
of Holland, at present of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
OR WAGONS."
Sealed the 23rd November 1877, and dated the 26th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Heshuysen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th May 1877.
WILLIAM FREDERICK HESHUYSEN, of Zandport, Kingdom of Holland, at present
of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUP-
LINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGONS."
This Invention has for its object to couple and uncouple railway carriages and
wagons without the attendant going between the ends thereof, and this with but
little alteration or addition to the existing couplings.
The action of coupling and uncoupling of such vehicles may be said to consist of
three distinct operations, the first being the coupling and uncoupling itself; second,
making the coupling rigid after coupling, or loosening the coupling when uncoupling
has to be performed; and third, to fasten or unfasten the two safety chains.
The alterations to be made on the existing couplings (which vary but little on
the various railway systems throughout the world) are,-
(For the First Part of the Operation).-To adjust iron bars or plates on each nut of
the right and left hand screw to check the articulation of the coupling, and to
fasten on one of the nuts a ring in such wise that no impediment will be occasioned
in the use of the coupling.
(For the Second Part).-To remove the lever and weight, to pass and fix in lieu
thereof a grooved cylinder having a space in the middle to receive and hold a ring,
whereon the lever and weight is refastened, said ring being sufficiently loose to turn
the right and left hand screw freely.
At the front and rear end of the carriages or wagons, on each side of the "draw
hook" I fix two pulleys at proper height from the bottom, and over each of these

page_text: pulleys I pass a working chain of sufficient length, and provided at the ends with
hooks, rings, and handles.
For the working of the so prepared coupling and wagons I further employ a pole
or hand staff of proper lengthi, furnished at one end with a double hook, in the form
of an S, and fastened across or at right angles. When the coupling is to be effected,
one end of the working chain is to be seized by one of the hooks of the pole, the
other hook engaging in the ring mounted on one of the nuts of the coupling; the
working chain is then pulled and the whole coupling raised, and so directed by the
pole that the coupling will catch the draw hook of the other carriage when the
buffers meet. The pole is now unhooked from the ring of the coupling, the
working chain drawn back, made loose, and stored away along the carriage on a
small hook or other holder provided for the purpose.
The coupling effected, the second part of the operation, viz., to make the coupling
rigid, is performed as follows:-The other end of the pole is mounted with a semi-
circular hook, which fits the outside of the right and left hand screw, and having two
clasps of the form of a curved beak in opposite direction, one on each side, and so fixed
that on the semicircular hook being laid on the left-hand side of the grooved cylinder
one of the clasps will slide over this cylinder, when by giving an upward motion to
the pole (acting then as a lever) the right and left hand screw will be turned (in con-
sequence of the clasp being prevented from slipping by the grooves of the cylinder),
the nuts will be drawn nearer and the motion continued until the required rigidity
of the coupling is obtained. Reverse action on the right-hand side of the grooved
cylinder loosens the coupling necessary for uncoupling the carriages or wagons,
the uncoupling being effected by means of the pole and working chain by lifting.
the loose link of the coupling off the draw hook.
The third operation, viz., to fasten and unfasten the safety chains, is likewise
affected by the working chain, provided with a hook for this purpose. The safety
chain is caught and drawn nearer the other carriage by the working chain, the
other safety chain being then seized by the pole and easily fastened.
The unfastening or unhooking is easily effected by means of the pole alone, and
in this wise the whole operation of coupling or uncoupling railway carriages or
wagons can be effected without the attendant passing between the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Frederick Heshuysen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th November 1877.
WILLIAM FREDERICK HESHUYSEN, of Zandport, Kingdom of Holland, at present
of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUP-
LINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGONS."
This Invention has for its object to couple and uncouple railway carriages and
wagons without the attendant going between the ends thereof, and with but little
alteration or addition to the existing couplings.
The action of coupling and uncoupling such vehicles may be said to consist of
three distinct operations, the first being the coupling and uncoupling itself; second,
making the coupling rigid after coupling, or loosening the coupling when un-
coupling has to be performed; and the third, to fasten or unfasten the safety
chains.
The alterations to be made on the existing couplings (which vary but little on
the various railway systems throughout the world) are,―
For the First Part of the Operation.-To adjust iron bars or plates on each nut of
the right and left hand screw to check the articulation of the coupling, and to
fasten on one of the nuts a ring in suchwise that no impediment will be occasioned
in the use of the coupling.
For the Second Part of the Operation.-To remove the lever and weight, to pass
and fix in lieu thereof a grooved cylinder having a space or recess in the middle to
receive and hold a ring, to which the lever and weight is refastened, said ring being
sufficiently loose to turn the right and left hand screw freely.
At the front and rear end of the carriages or wagons, on each sido of the draw
hook, I fix one or more two-shcave pulleys at proper height from the bottom, and
over each of these pulleys I pass a working chain or wire rope of sufficient length,
and provided at the ends with hooks, rings, and handles.
For operating the so prepared coupling and wagons I further employ a pole or
hand staff of proper length, furnished at one end with a double S hook fixed across
or at right angles to the said pole or hand staff.
The third operation, viz., to fasten and unfasten the safety chains, is likewise
effected by the working chain provided with a hook for this purpose in combination
with the said pole or hand staff.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the accoin-
panying Sheet of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 represents the ends of two railway carriages or trucks in the act of
being coupled together by my Invention.
Figure 2, a plan of the screw coupling constructed according to my Invention, as
seen in Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4, detached views of portions of Figures 1 and 2.
For the first part of the operation, viz., the coupling and uncoupling according to
this Invention, I attach to the inside of each nut A of the right and left hand
screw B, around and free of the same, an iron bar or plate C (seen more in detail,
Fig. 3) with lugs or cars a, a, projecting from its lower edge and passing under-
neath the coupling link D, as shewn, so as to check the articulation of the latter
when the whole coupling is raised, as seen in Fig. 1. One of the iron bars or
plates C is formed with a ring or eye E in such a manner as to allow of the free
working of the screw coupling B through the same.
For the second part of the operation, viz., for making the coupling rigid after
coupling or loosening the coupling, when uncoupling has to be performed. I sub-
stitute for the ordinary lever and weight a cylindrical piece F, forming the middle
part of the right and left hand screw B; on the circumference of this cylindrical

page_text: piece F is a groove or recess b, into which is fitted a ring G working freely round
on the piece F and carrying a projecting arm c, to which is hinged the lever and
weight H; on the upper portion of the ring G is a second projecting arm d, to
which is hinged a forked or straight ratchet or catch piece e engaging with the
teeth or indents 1, 2, on the periphery of wheel or disc I, which is keyed or other-
wise attached to or forms part of the cylindrical piece F, as shewn.
A second recess or groove f is formed around one end of the cylindrical piece F
for the reception of the hooked end of a pole or hand staff J (Figures 5 and 6) as
hereafter described.
At the front and rear end of the carriages or wagons on each side of the draw
hook I fix a bracket K carrying one or more single or double sheave pulleys L,
over which passes a working chain or wire rope M of sufficient length, provided
at the end with a handle g, and at its other end with a hook and ring h, as
shewn.
In the case of goods trucks, only one bracket K with its appendages is required.
For operating the above prepared coupling I employ the pole or hand staff J
(Figs. 5 and 6) before mentioned, which is made of sufficient length for using it
from the side of the carriage or truck, and is furnished at one end with a double
hook X fixed across or at right angles with the pole or hand staff J. When the
coupling is to be effected, the hook and ring end of the working chain or wire
rope M is scized by one of the hooks of the hook X of the pole or hand staff J,
the other hook engaging in the ring or eye E of the nut A. The working chain or
wire rope M is then pulled and the whole coupling raised into the position seen in
Figure 1, when it is so directed by the pole or hand staff J that the coupling link
Dat the opposite end of the coupling will catch the draw hook N of the other
carriage when the buffers meet, and the whole being lowered the coupling is effected.
The pole or hand staff J is now unhooked from the ring or eye E of the uut A and
from the working chain or rope M, which is then stowed away alongside the
carriage or wagon on a small hook or other holder provided for that purpose.
The coupling effected, the second part of the operation, viz., to make the coupling
rigid or loosening it when required, is performed as follows:-To the end of the
pole or hand staff J is hinged a straight link piece i formed with a hook j branching
out from one side, and combined with a second hook K hinged to the end of the
link picce i. The hook K is now placed in the recess or groove f of the cylindrical
piece F (Fig. 1) so as to embrace the same on its upper portion when the other
hook will engage with the teeth or indents 1, 2, 3, on the periphery of the wheel
j
or disc I in such a manner that upon giving an upward motion to the pole or hand
staff J the nose of the hook j will turn the right and left hand screw B, so as to
draw the nuts A, A, closer together, the operation being repeated until the coupling
is thereby made rigid. The ratchet or catch piece e on the arın d of the ring G is
now dropped between the teeth or indents I, and the coupling thereby locked
through the lever and weight H. During the downward motion of the pole or
hand staff J the hook j will slide past the teeth or indents without producing any
motion in the screw B, in a similar manner to a ratchet wheel and pawl. Upon
unshipping the hooks j and and placing the hook in the recess or groove from
the under side thereof, the hook will operate upon the teeth or indents 1, 2, during
the downward motion of the pole or hand staff J, so as to turn the right and left
hand screw B in a reverse direction and separate the nuts A, or, in other words,
loosen the coupling, which can then be lifted off the draw hook by the first operation
described.
The third operation, viz., to fasten and unfasten the safety chains (not shown on
the Drawing), is also effected by the working chain, which is provided with a hook
for the purpose. The safety chain is drawn nearer the other carriage by the said
hook and chain, when the other safety chain is seized by a fork on the end of the
pole or hand staff J (Figs. 5 and 6) and easily hooked or coupled with the first-
named safety chain.
The unfastening or unhooking is easily effected by means of the pole or hand

page_text: staff J alone, and by this Invention the whole operation of coupling or uncoupling
railway carriages or wagons can be effected without the necessity of the attendant
going between them, an operation which has hitherto been attended with consi-
derable danger.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the method and appliances for coupling or uncoupling railway carriages or
wagons from the sides thereof and without the necessity of the attendant going
between the ends thereof, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Heshuysen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W FHESHIIVSEN Gal
W F. HESHUVSEN. (L.S.)