Automatic Coupling for Railway Wagons, Carriages and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Coupling for Railway Wagons, Carriages and similar
Vehicles.
I, EDWARD BANKS, of 226, Springburn Road, Glasgow, N.B., Wagon Builder,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an automatic coupling for railway wagons, carriages
and similar vehicles and has for its object to provide an automatic coupling
simple in construction, reliable in use and which can be easily and quickly
released, or uncoupled.
In accordance with my invention I employ a metal arm of suitable length
hinged to the projecting end of the usual draw bar, so that it is free to move
towards one side of the wagon only from its normal centre line, a flat or other
spring acting against the arm to retain it in this position. This arm is formed
with a slot and provided with a hook or projection the whole arrangement being
such that when the arm of the one wagon comes against the arm of the adjoining
wagon, the two by reason of their ends being bevelled are caused to hinge back
slightly or be diverted one from the other until the hook or projection on
each arm is opposite the respective slots when the action of the aforementioned
spring causes the hooks and slots to engage with each other and complete the
coupling.
To undo the coupling, the arms are hinged back again until the hooks are
disengaged from the slots and in order that this may be easily effected I mount
on each arm a releasing piece consisting of a metal bar having an inclined face
which can be raised from either side of the wagon by a suitable lever, the levers
being keyed to a cross shaft arranged and carried in any convenient way.
The two releasing pieces of the two arms constituting the coupling, are raised
either together or alternately by the levers of the two wagons, the releasing
pieces being held in their raised position by means of the beforementioned springs
until the wagons are drawn apart when they return to the lower position by their
own weight
Dal 11. ስሶ
1
2
1 1000
Automatic Coupling for Railway Wagons, Carriages and similar
Vehicles.
I, EDWARD BANKS, of 220, Springburn Road, Glasgow, N.B., Wagon Builder,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is
[Price 8d.1

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to an automatic coupling for railway wagons, carriages,
and similar vehicles and has for its object to provide an automatic coupling
simple in construction, reliable in use and which can be easily and quickly
released or uncoupled.
But in order that my said invention may be readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation and
Fig. 2 a plan shewing a portion of the headstocks of two wagons with the
coupling complete.
Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line y of Fig. 1 and
Fig. 4 is a similar view shewing the parts in their uncoupled position prior
to the wagon being drawn apart.
As shewn in the said drawings I employ a metal arm A of suitable length
hinged to the projecting end of the usual draw bar B so that it is free to move
towards one side of the wagon only from its normal centre line, the said arm
being formed with a heel for that purpose whilst a flat or other spring C acts
against the arm to retain it in position. The arm A is formed with a slot a and
formed or provided with a hook or projection D, the whole arrangement being
such that when the arm of the one wagon comes against the arm of the adjoining
wagon, the two, by reason of their ends being bevelled or slightly curved, shewn
more particularly in Fig. 2, are caused to hinge back slightly or be diverted
one from the other until the hook or projection D on each arm is opposite its
respective slot a when the action of the aforementioned springs C causes the
hooks and slots to engage with each other and complete the coupling.
To undo the coupling, the arms are hinged back again until the hooks D are
disengaged from the slots a and in order that this may be easily effected I mount
on each arm a releasing piece consisting of a metal bar E having an inclined
face e, the said releasing piece being carried by an arm F keyed upon or formed
in one with a cross shaft f which can be operated from either side of the wagon
by suitable levers or handles such as G; only one of which however is shown in
the drawings.
The two releasing pieces of the two arms constituting the coupling, are raised
either together or alternately by the levers G of the two wagons, the releasing
pieces being held in their raised position, as shewn in Fig. 4, by the pressure
exerted by the springs (until the wagons are drawn apart when they return
to the lower position by their own weight.
The arm carrying the releasing pieces is formed with a joint f¹ to enable the
releasing piece to move mutually with the arm A when the coupling is being
effected. The slots a in the arm A are preferably made of such depth as to allow
of two wagons, say an empty and a loaded one whose draw bars are at different
levels, to be as easily coupled as when the draw bars are on the level.
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 claim is:
1. The automatic coupling for railway wagons, carriages and similar vehicles,
constructed, arranged and operating substantially in the manner as hereinbefore
described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. In an automatic coupling for railway wagons, carriages and similar vehicles,
the employment of an arm A, formed or provided with a slot a and hook D,
hinged or pivoted to the end of the usual draw bar and acted upon by a spring,
the said arm being slightly curved or bevelled at its projecting end whereby
the arm is hinged back and the coupling automatically effected when the arm

page_text: of the coupling of the second wagon comes in contact therewith, substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
3. In an automatic coupling for railway wagons, carriages and similar vehicles,
the means whereby the coupling is released consisting of a bar E, having an
inclined face, carried by a hinged arm F, operated from either side of the wagon
by handles or levers G, substantially in the manner as herein before described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.