Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages, Trucks, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages,
Trucks, and other Vehicles.
I, JOHN DARLING of 64 Albert Road, Crosshill, near Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement of the
coupling hooks and their links and other fittings connected with the draw-bars of
and for coupling and uncoupling railway carriages, trucks and other vehicles either
automatically or by hand.
The Invention or improvements consist all as follows:-
Each set of these new or improved coupling hooks and links are fitted
exactly the same on each end of the carriage, so that either of the draw links or
hooks may be used in case of breakage or otherwise as required, and by one
arrangement of this Invention each coupling hook proper is of a novel construction
consisting of a flat swivelling hook jointed by a transverse pin to a double jawed
head on the end of the draw-bar, and so as to swivel on this pin in a vertical plane
for being coupled and uncoupled as hereinafter described. To this pin the outer
ends of two side links are jointed preferably by an elliptical hole near to the sides of
the hook, with two outer folding links lying nearly parallel to these near the
coupling links, jointed on separate pins projecting inwards. The outer ends of the
two said draw-links are jointed by a cross pin to the inner end of a coupling link
formed with a wide shackle to couple on to the centre hook of the opposito
carriage freely whether the carriages are in line or on a curve. The outer ends of
the said outside links are jointed to studs or pins fixed on the draw shackle a short
distance from the joint pin connecting this with the two inner draw links, so as to
tilt or swivel the outer end of the shackle link upwards and inwards towards the
lower front end of the draw hook when these links are out of action, and the two
inner draw links are hanging vertically from their pin. When these draw links are
set up for being hooked, they are directed out in a straight line at a slight angle
upwards, so as to automatically take on to and hook on the opposite hook of the
adjacent carriage; guide pieces being formed on the joints of their links for holding
them in this straight position and allowing them to fold inwards and downwards.
This raising and lowering of the coupling links for engaging or disengaging them,
is all effected through the swivelling up or down of the coupling hook itself through
a connecting rod jointed to an eye on its under side projecting back under the end
beam of the carriage, the inner end of this connecting rod being attached by a slotted.
joint to the lower arm of a double armed lever mounted in the centre of a shaft
carried in slide guide bearings on or in the underside of the lower side frames or
beams of the carriage having hand levers outside for being conveniently actuated by
the railway men at the side of the carriage and line of rails, so as to raise or lower
the hook and also the links to their horizontal straight position stated, for coupling
them to the hook of the opposite carriage or unhooking and lowering them to
disengage the coupling links and carriage, while the upper arm of the transverse
hand shaft engages or disengages the swivelling hook when raised or when required
to be lowered and disengaged. The hook is formed at its outer or front end with its
face when in its upward or hooking position, inclined upwards at an angle of about
45 degrees and has a strong curved horn projecting up from the eye at the back of
the hook forwards and over the hooking gap where the shackle end of the coupling
links enter, and in doing so the shackle comes against this horn and by the blow
disengages a pin near the back end of the hooks so as to allow them to fall down at

page_text: their elbow joint and have free play. This raising and holding up of the two inner
draw links in their straight coupling position is effected by a collar pin sliding in
short slots in their lower edges, sufficiently near the swivelling hook, so that when
this is lowered this pin automatically takes into an angled slotted catch on the
underside of the point of the hook in front of the tilting joint of its connecting rod
so that when the hook is raised by the attendant operating upon handles on the
outer end of the cross-shaft for the purpose, the hook itself raises the coupling links
and holds them up to their horizontal straight position ready for automatically
coupling and also disengaging themselves from the hook. The coupling hook is held
in its upward coupled position by a notch formed on a segmental part of the back of
its eye, taking on to the inner end of a locking swivelling lever passed in through a
slot in the lower part of the draw hars. The inner end of this locking lever is so
formed with outer and inner cam projections as to be oscillated to lock the hook just
after it has been raised by turning the horizontal shaft. When the hooks are
lowered to disengage the coupling links, they fall down on the draw-bar joint pin
and elbow joint pin in a V-shaped form under the hook to which they are attached
the outer shackle coupling link is drawn up by the folding links jointed by slots at
their upper end to the before mentioned pins in the front end of the jaws of the
draw bar in front of its hook but low enough to be quite.out of the way of the
hooking on of the opposite coupling link on to its hook and stops or projections are
formed on the lower edges of the draw links which take on to stops formed or secured
on the inner lower face of the coupling head of the draw bar so as to maintain the
coupling links in their said folded V-shaped position when not in use. To keep the
shaft of this double armed lever in proper position in relation to the locking lever
which it actuates, two brackets are bolted on to the draw-bar, one on each side of the
two-armed lever which raises and lowers the hook, both brackets embracing the
spindle of the lever on opposite sides so as to carry it to and fro with the draw-bar
in its slotted bearings and in the slotted jointed inner end of the connecting rod
attached to the hook.
A spring or counterweight may be applied to the swivelling locking lever for the
purpose of maintaining it in its locked position.
Dated this 25th day of September 1888.
ST. JOHN V. DAY,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Couplings for Railway Carriages,
Trucks, and other Vehicles.
I, JOHN DARLING, of 64 Albert Road, Crosshill, near Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, 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 following statement:-
This Invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement of the
coupling hooks and their links and other fittings connected with the draw-bars of and
for coupling and uncoupling railway carriages, trucks, and other vehicles either
automatically or by hand.
The Invention or improvements consist all as follows, and is described with reference
to the accompanying sheet of Drawings, Figure 1, being an elevation and Figure 2,
a plan:-
Each set of these new or improved coupling hooks and links are fitted exactly the
same on each end of the carriage, so that either of the draw-links or hooks may be
used in case of breakage or otherwise as required, and by one arrangement of this
Invention each coupling hook A proper is of a novel construction consisting of a flat
swivelling hook jointed by a transverse pin a to a double jawed head B on the end of
the draw-bar C, and so as to swivel on this pin in a vertical plane for being coupled

page_text: and uncoupled as hereinafter described. To this pin a, the outer ends of two side
draw links D are jointed preferably by an elliptical hole d, near to the sides of the
hook, with two outer folding links E lying nearly parallel to these near the coupling
links, jointed on separate pins e, projecting inwards. The outer ends of the two said
draw links D are jointed by a cross pin d to the inner end of a coupling link F formed
with a wide shackle to couple on to the centre hook A of the opposite carriage freely
whether the carriages are in a line or on a curve. The outer ends of the said outside
links E are jointed to studs e¹ or pins fixed on the draw shackle F, a short distance
from the joint pin d', connecting this with the two inner draw links D, so as to
raise or swivel the outer end of the shackle link F upwards and inwards towards
the lower front end a¹ of the draw-hook A when these links are out of action,
and the two inner draw links, D, are hanging vertically from their pin. When
these draw links are set up for being hooked they are directed out in a straight
line at a slight angle upwards, so as to automatically take on to and hook on the
opposite hook of the adjacent carriage; guide pieces d² being formed on the ends
of the links D, and F, for holding them in this straight position and allowing
them to fold inwards and downwards; and guide pieces or projections, are formed
on the shackle end of the link F, for assisting the guiding of the said shackle on
to the hook A, when not in line. This raising and lowering of the coupling link
for engaging or disengaging them, is all effected through the swivelling up or down
of the coupling hook A itself through a connecting rod G jointed to an eye g on
its underside projecting back under the end beam of the carriage, the inner end
of this connecting rod being attached by a slotted joint gl to the lower arm of a
double armed lever H, mounted in the centre of a shaft. J carried in slide guide
bearings K on or in the underside of the lower side frames or beams of the carriage
having hand levers L outside for being conveniently actuated by the railway men
at the side of the carriage and line of rails, so as to raise or lower the hook and
also the links to their horizontal straight position as stated, for coupling them to
the hook of the opposite carriage, or uncoupling and lowering the hook A so as
to disengage the coupling links and carriages. The engaging of the couplings
being effected by the links engaging the hook, and the disengaging by the hook
being lowered and disengaging the links. The upper arm h, of the double armed
lever H on the transverse hand shaft engages or disengages the swivelling lever M,
when raised or when required to be lowered and disengaged. The hook A is formed
at its outer or front end with its face when in its upward or hooking position,
inclined upwards at an angle of about 45 degrees and has a strong curved born A¹
projecting up from the eye at the back of the hook forwards and over the booking
gaps A where the shackle end of the coupling links enter, and in doing so the
shackle comes against this horn A¹ and by the blow disengages the collar pin N,
which slides in short slots formed in the lower edges of the draw links D, so as to
allow them to fall down at their elbow joint and have free play. This raising and
holding up of the two inner draw links D in their straight coupling position is effected
by a collar pin N sliding in short slots in their lower edges, sufficiently near the swivelling
hook, so that when this is lowered by means of the handle L, this pin N automatically takes
into an angle slotted catch P, on the underside of the point of the hook in front of the
tilting joint g, of the connecting rod so that when the hook is raised by the attendant
operating upon handles L, on the outer end of the cross shaft J, for the purpose,
the hook itself raises the coupling links and holds them up to their horizontal straight
position ready for automatically coupling and also being disengaged from the hook.
If desired the hook may be raised itself without the links, by means of not turning
the handles L, so far round so as to allow of the gap P, engaging the collar pin N.
The coupling hook is held in its upward coupled position by a notch Q, formed on a
segmental part of the back of its edge, taking on the inner end of a locking swivelling
lever M, passed in through a slot in the lower part of the draw-bars. The inner
end of this locking lever is so formed with outer and inner cam projections M', as to
be oscillated to lock the hook just after it has been raised by turning the horizontal
shaft J. When the hooks are lowered to disengage the coupling links, they fall down

page_text: on the draw-bar joint pin and elbow joint pin in a V-shaped form under the hook to
which they are attached, the outer shackle coupling link is drawn up by the folding
links jointed by slots at their upper end to the before-mentioned pins in the front
end of the jaws of the draw-bar in front of its hook but low enough to be quite out
of the way of the hooking on of the opposite coupling link on to its hook. Heel stops
or projections d², are formed on the ends of the draw links D, which fit into checks
formed at the inner end of the shackle link F, so as to maintain the shackle in a
horizontal position. To keep the shaft of this double armed lever H in proper position
in relation to the locking lever M, which it actuates, two brackets R, are bolted on to
the draw-bar G, one on each side of the two-armed lever H, which raises and lowers
the hook, both brackets embracing the spindle J, of the lever on opposite sides so as
to carry it to and fro with the draw-bar in its slotted bearings K, and in the slotted
jointed inner end g¹ of the connecting rod G, attached to the hook A.
A spring or counterweight may be applied to the swivelling locking lever M, for
the purpose of maintaining it in its locked position.
Owing to the particular formation of the hook A, it enables carriages of different
levels to be automatically or non-automatically coupled together; it at the same time
allowing the uncoupling of carriages by hand when they are in tension. The formation
of the shackle link being such as to allow of automatic or non-automatic coupling with
the form of hook as at present used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The general arrangement and construction of the various parts constituting
my improvements in and relating to couplings whereby the said couplings may be
operated upon automatically or non-automatically, that is to say by the employment of
look A, jaw B, draw link, D, outer side links, E, shackle F, connecting rod G, double
lever H, shaft J, handles L, and their connections or equivalents, all substantially
as, and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
:-
Second. In couplings the arrangement and construction of the various parts
constituting my locking arrangement, viz. the formation Q, on back of hook A,
lever M, cams M¹, double-lever H, bearings K, and shaft J, with handles I, all
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. In couplings the arrangement and construction of the various parts
whereby the coupling or uncoupling operation may be effected either when the vehicles
are close up to each other or when they are in tension, or when they are of different
levels, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In couplings the arrangement and construction of the various parts
whereby the hooks may be operated without necessitating the operation of the links
and shackle, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 26th dove of Tu... 1980
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.