IMPROVED COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVED COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS." A communi-
cation from abroad by the Société Anonyme des Appareils Automatiques pour
Accrocher et Décrocher les Wagons de Chemins de Fer of Paris in the
Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
-
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1882.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED COUPLING APPARATUS FOR
RAILWAYS." [A communication from abroad by the Société Anonyme des
Appareils Automatiques pour Accrocher et Décrocher les Wagons de Chemins de
Fer, of Paris in the Republic of France.]
The object of this Invention is to provide a coupling for railway rolling stock,
whereby the coupling up and uncoupling may be effected without the necessity
for an attendant getting between the carriages for the purpose, as is now the case.
The Invention relates 1st to the main traction apparatus, and 2ndly to a safety
apparatus to be used in place of the ordinary chains.
The main traction apparatus consists of a bell mouthed socket fitted into the
cross bead of the vehicle and connected adjustably with the draw spring which is
mounted in the usual inanner.
The connection between two vehicles is effected by means of a bar having eyes
at its opposite ends, or by a link, held in position by a pin which is inserted from
above through an opening in the bell mouthed socket.
The pin is raised and lowered out of and into position from either side of the
vehicle by means of levers connected with the pin and pivotted to bracket arms
extending laterally and on opposite sides from the socket.
The adjustable connection between the bell mouthed socket and the draw spring

page_text: is formed by a double threaded rod one end of which takes into the back of the
socket, and the other into a crosshead suitably attached to the draw spring. In
rear of the crosshead and keyed on the rod is a pinion wheel, which takes into a
rack placed transversely of the vehicle. This rack which is worked by a second
pinion actuated by a ratchet wheel and pawl, or in any other convenient manner,
serves to turn the threaded rod in the direction either to tighten up or slacken the
coupling, as may be desired.
The safety apparatus consists of two forked pieces firmly attached to the cross
head of the vehicle, and arranged at right angles to one another.
The ends of one fork are connected by a bolt which forms the coupling pin, the
other carries a counterweighted catch, which is raised when in its normal position.
The weighted end of this catch is connected by a rod to a bell crank lever which
is rocked by the attendant, by means of a rod extending across the vehicle, to lower
the catch preparatory to uncoupling. The coupling up is effected automatically.
Two of these safety apparatus are placed at either end of the vehicle in the place
of chains.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by;
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th July 1882.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED COUPLING APPARATUS FOR
RAILWAYS." A communication from abroad by the Société Anonyme des Appareils
Automatiques pour Accrocher et Décrocher les Wagons de Chemins de Fer, of Paris
in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to provide railway wagons and analogous vehicles
with apparatus for coupling up and uncoupling without the necessity for the
attendant getting between the carriages for the purpose as is now the case.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig: 1 shews in plan and partly in horizontal
section the application of the improved coupling apparatus to two wagons.
Fig: 2 is a vertical section through the axis of the apparatus and Fig: 3 is an
end view.
The apparatus consists of a bell mouthed socket A (by preference of steel)
secured to a draw bar B. which slide in the cross head C of the wagon frame.
This socket is formed of a bell shape to ensure the entrance of the coupling link
when coupling up wagons of different heights, as is well understood Two bolts
or rods D suitably connected with a spiral spring E and passing through the cross
head C are adapted to each socket A and are intended to lessen the shock on the
draw bar B and also to provide means to prevent the parting of the train should
the draw bar break.
F. G. are two coupling links placed one above the other and secured together by
straps or bands. The upper link F is that ordinarily in action the second link
being slightly longer and only coming into use should the upper link break thus
taking the place of the ordinary safety chains.
These links FG are of iron round at the middle but flattened out towards either
end and each is pierced to receive a coupling pin H.
These two links are secured together by the straps, so as to maintain the holes
in each opposite one another to ensure the coupling pin passing through both.
One end of this double coupling link is inserted in one socket and the other end
is introduced into the other socket by the simple contact of the wagons, being
guided to its proper position by the bell mouth.
As the link enters the socket it pushes back a plate F¹ on the upper edge of
which is a projecting flange or piece. This piece serves to prevent the coupling
pin from falling until the holes in the link are in the proper position to receive it.
The plate F is pushed forward by a coiled spring.
As soon as the pin drops into the hole on the link the coupling up is effected.
The uncoupling is effected by means of levers H'H' connected to the coupling
pin and which extend to opposite sides of the wagon. The levers are fulcrumed
to brackets projecting from either side of the socket.
This uncoupling device is clearly indicated at Fig: 3.-By depressing the outer
end of one or other of these levers H' the pin H will be withdrawn from the hole
in the link and as soon as the link is withdrawn from the socket, the plate F¹ will
be pushed forward by the spring and the projecting flange will cover the hole and
support the pin H until the wagon is again to be coupled up.
In order to tighten up the wagons when coupled each draw bar is provided at
its rear end with a socket B' and secured to some convenient part of the frame of
the wagon or to the draw spring is another socket B². These sockets are connected

page_text: together by a right and left handed screw J. At the middle of this screw J is
mounted the pinion I with which gears the rack K placed transversely of the
wagon. By moving this rack K in one direction or the other by any convenient
means say a pinion and winch handle or a pawl and ratchet motion the screw J is
turned and tightens or loosens the draw bar B as required.
Other means for tightening up the draw bars may readily be devised but the
above has been found to work' satisfactorily.
It will be evident that the length of the draw-bars may vary according to
circumstances and that the coupling up of carriages having buffers of unequal
lengths may be effected as readily as when the buffers are of equal lengths.
"
Having now described the nature of this Invention of "Improved Coupling
Apparatus for Railways' as communicated to me from abroad by my foreign
correspondent and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect I claim.
The apparatus for coupling up and uncoupling railway vehicles substantially as
herein described and shewn in the Drawing."
In witness whereof I the said Henry Edward Newton have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)