IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: VIFIONTION
I, JOHN TAYLOR LEIGHTON of number eight Montgomery Street, Edinburgh
in the County of Midlothian, Aerated Water Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS to be as
'follows:-
•
This coupling consists of a combined link and hook which can be fixed to tho
ordinary hook of a Railway waggon without any alteration being required thereon
beyond taking off the chain links.
The link is held in a slanting position by means of a saddle. The link or
coupling on each waggon is identical. On the waggons being brought together the
higher coupling slides up over the other and the hook of it falls into the socket or
opening in the opposing link and so becomes secured.
The uncoupling is effected by lifting the higher link out of the socket or opening
of the opposing link by means of a lifter attached to a rod running underneath the
buffers and actuated by a lever handle on the side of the waggon or by a separate
pole used by a porter or other attendant.
I now refer to the plan lodged along herewith. Figure i is a section of the ends
of two waggons shewing my proposed coupling uncoupled. Figuro 2 is the same
but shewing the couplings coupled and secured. Figure 3 is the same view of two
waggons shewing how the one link or coupling is detached from the other.
Figure 4 is the end view of a waggon shewing the coupling attached to the end of
the waggon and out of gear, leaving the ordinary book of the waggon open to
receive the ordinary chain. This view also shews the form of the lifter for
uncoupling the waggons. Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are details of the various parts;
No being a sectional view of the saddle through the line C D; N° 7 being
a sectional view of the coupling through the line A. B; and N° 8 shewing the
detached pole to bo used by the porter.
Dated this twenty third day of April 1884

page_text: I, JOHN TAYLOR LEIGHTON of number eight Montgomery Street Edinburgh
in the County of Edinburgh, Aerated Water Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The Coupling consists of a combined link and hook which can be affixed to the
ordinary draw bar hook at present in use without any alteration beyond the
removal of the common chain links. The link is held in an inclined position by a
saddle resting across the inside of the drawbar hook. The couplings on each
waggon are identical and on being brought together for the purpose of coupling,
whichever happens to be the higher of the two rises upon the other until the hook
drops into the open link and so becomes secured. The uncoupling can be effected
from either side of the waggon by means of a lever handle which actuates a
hanging lifter or fork. This lifter on being raised lifts the link and so undoes the
connection. This arrangement for uncoupling may be entirely dispensed with, by
using instead a pole provided with a hook at the end, and one of the buffers as a-
fulcrum. The hook would be made to take hold of the side of the link and so lift
it up. A simple arrangement, is placed above the draw bar hook to hold the link
up out of the way when it is necessary to couple with the old chain links, or the
link may be simply turned to one side.
Provision is also made for holding up the lifter and link by any of the following
methods:-(1) By a pin and segment fixed to each side of the waggon; (2) By
hanging hooks at the side of the buffers which may or may not be kept in position
by a spring; or (3) By means of a circle or disc of metal fixed through its centre
on the rod working the lifter underneath the end of the waggon. This disc can be
made so as to form the connection of the lifter with the rod, or it may be placed in
any other convenient position on the same rod independent of the lifter. A portion
of the circumference of the disc is cut away forming a notch. A pin projects
from one side of the disc. A latch or tongue hangs loose against the edge or
circumference of the disc from a pin secured to the underside of the cross beam of
the waggon. On one side of this latch or tongue a pin projects. Another latch,
which may be termed a holder, hangs loosely from another pin placed somewhat
behind the other; this holder has a catch near the centre, and rests on the pin at
the side of the tongue beforementioned extending to some length beyond it towards
the outside and suitably curved to avoid contact with the lifting rod. When the
lifter is raised sufficiently bigh by means of one of the side lever-handles, the tongue
drops into the notch in the disc and so holds it up securely' but on the lifter being
still further raised a projection placed on the edge of the disc lifts the tongue free
of the notch until it is caught and held by the catch on the holder. On the lifter
being lowered the pin on the side of the disc relieves the tongue which immediately
falls to its original position against the side of the disc.
The lifter is thus free to be raised or lowered from either side of the waggon
without the slightest impediment and yet if desired it may be held fixed up.
Where it is possible to do away with the drawbar hook the link and saddle may
be modified as shewn in the drawing at Fig 9, 10 and 11.
If it be wished to prevent the lifter oscillating too much when hanging down, a
stop is provided as at Z. Fig 8, or it may be fastened to any other part of the rod X.
W i8 is n side slow of this ston

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. Fig. 1 is a side view of the coupling (the
buffers of the waggon being omitted), L is the link with hook H; F the lifter;
A Lever handle at side of waggon for raising lifter; B is the arrangement above
the drawbar hook R for supporting the link out of the way as shewa at Fig 6,
where B represents a front view of the arrangement. Fig. 2 is a view of the link
and saddle S from above shewing position of the ridges P. P. for preventing the
hook slipping over the side of the link. Fig. 3 is a section of the saddle S. Fig. 4
shews the face of the hook H. Fig. 5 is another form for the head of the link.
Fig. 7 shews the lifter holding up link and fixed in that position by means of a
segment and pin. Fig. 8 is a front view of the lifter or fork shewing the rod ✗
which carries it and also the stop Z for preventing oscillation Figs. 9, 10 and 11
represent the form of link and support which may be used when the draw bar hook
is not retained. Fig 15 shews hook at side of buffer holding up lever handle.
Fig. 16 is a front view of same and Fig 17 also a front view, with the hook
unoccupied and lever handle hanging. Y is a spring. Figs 12 13 and 14 represent
the third mode of sustaining the lifter by means of the disc D on rod X. N is the
notch in disc; M the hanging latch or tongue; O the holder; U Pin in side of
tongue; T pin in side of disc and K projection on edge of disc for lifting up M.
Fig. 18 is the pole with hook on end for using instead of lifter.
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 do
not claim any of the individual parts of my invention as novel but I declare that
what I claim are
First. The general combination of parts applied in the way I have just described
for the purpose above mentioned or any similar merc modification arrangement or
combination thereof.
Second. I also claim as new the arrangement and combination shewn in Figs 12
13 and 14 for raising and holding up the lifter F in the manner and for the purpose
before described or any similar mere modification combination or arrangement
thereof.
Dated this Twentieth day of January 1885.