Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 5th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 15th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
I WILLIAM BURNELL of 6, Mackworth Terraco Swansea in the County of Glamorgan
Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in Couplings for Railway Vehicles
and is designed so as to avoid the person whose duty it is to comple or uncouple,
to go between or under the buffers of such Railway Vehicles for that purpose.
Being automatic it is a ready and easy means of coupling vehicles.
By depressing a small hand lever conveniently fixed near each buffer the vehicles
are uncoupled or disengaged.
In constructing couplings under this invention, I provide & fix to the new
standard draw hook now adopted by the Railway Companies of Great Britain by
order of the Board of Trade in the Year 1888. à combined draw shackle and hook
forged or cast in one piece, and I pivot the same in the hole (which I elongate for
the purpose hereinafter mentioned) now provided for the ordinary draw link, or
chain, in the said standard draw hook. The front part of the combined draw shackle,
& hook, I recess for the purpose of allowing the said standard draw hook, of
another vehicle, to go into when the buffer plungers are driven home, when the vehicles
are running, or are being shunted. I square, or make flat, three sides of each eye of
the said combined shackle, and hook-by so doing it can only remain in two positions ciz.
a horizontal position for the purpose of coupling and when the vehicle is in running
And a downward vertical position, when the
order, in conjunction with others.
vehicle is uncoupled or for any other purpose. This is done by means or force of a
steel plate or plates, cambered and fashioned so as to act as a spring against the
sides of the said eyes. For the purpose of preventing the combined draw shackle
and hook taking a greater upward vertical position than what is required for the
purpose of coupling or uncoupling the former when the buffers come near or in
contact with each other, I fix the hand levers hereinafter mentioned in such a position
that the headstock of the vehicles acts as a stop Block.
Attached to one side of the said combined draw shackle and hook some distance
from the pivot 1 fix one end of a link or rod at the other end of the link fix the jaw
of a lever which is fixed on to a transverse shaft or spindle working beneath the under-
framing of the vehicle. At each end of the said shaft or spindle, 1 fix a small band
lever, by depressing which, I disengage or uncouple the combined draw shackle, &
hook, which falls downward to a vertical position and is kept in such a position by the
force of the said steel plate or plates acting as herinbefore stated.
When I wish to put the vehicle into running order I simply raise the said hand
lever and immediately the combined draw shackle and hook is forced to a horizontal
position and kept in this position by the force of the said spring. When the vehicle
is shunted on to another vehicle, it automatically couples and is in running order.
It will be understood when the combined draw shackles and hooks are buffed
against each other for the purpose of coupling, the elongated hole which I make
in the said standard draw hook will allow the said steel plate or plates acting as
a spring for the purpose of keeping the combined draw shackle and hook in the two
before named positions to act also as a cushion for the blow that would be occasioned
by the combined draw shackles and hooks striking against each other. The force of
the said spring, also keeps the combined draw shackles and hooks, when riding over
each other, to remain in close contact and coupled which is a great preventative and
safe guard against the vehicles getting uncoupled when running fast or? in' severe

page_text: For the purpose of relieving any undue twisting strain that may be occasioned the
combined draw shackle and hook when vehicles run on very sharp curves at colliery
sidings and elsewhere, I fix on the pivot pin of the combined draw shackle and hook;
two (one on each side of the standard draw hook) steel split washers, to act as spiral
springs. The before mentioned elongated hole being bevelled for this purpose.
It may be advantageous to form another inverted hook beneath the hook on the said
combined draw shackle & hook to equalize the pull or draw on the standard draw
hook. I claim as an alternative plan for the combined draw shackle and hook a
similar draw shackle & hook with this additional inverted hook.
WILLIAM BURNELL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
I WILLIAM BURNELL of 6 Mackworth Terrace Swansea in the County of
Glamorgan Marine Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES 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 for its object improvements in Couplings for Railway Vehicles
and is designed so as to avoid the person whose duty it is to couple or uncouple to go
between, or under the buffers of such Railway Vehicles for that purpose.
Being automatic it is a ready and easy means of coupling vehicles.
By depressing a small hand lever conveniently fixed near each buffer the vehicles
are uncoupled or disengaged.
In constructing couplings under this invention I provide and fix to the new standard
draw hook now adopted by the Railway Companies of Great Britain by order of the
Board of Trade in the year 1888, a combined draw shackle and hook forged or cast
in one piece and I pivot the same in the hole (which I elongate for the purpose
hereinafter mentioned) now provided for the ordinary draw link or chain in the said
standard draw hook. The front part of the combined draw shackle and hook I recess
for the purpose of allowing the said standard drawhook of another vehicle to go into
when the buffer plungers are driven home when the vehicles are running or are
being shunted. I square or make flat three sides of each eye of the said combined
shackle and hook by so doing it can only remain in two positions viz. a horizontal
position for the purpose of coupling and when the vehicle is in running order in
conjunction with others. And a downward vertical position when the vehicle is
uncoupled or for any other purpose. This is done by means or force of a steel plate
or plates cambered and fashioned so as to act as a spring against the sides of the said
eyes. For the purpose of preventing the combined draw shackle and hook taking a
greater upward vertical position than what is required for the purpose of coupling or
uncoupling the former when the buffers come near or in contact with each other I
fix the hand levers hereinafter mentioned in such a position that the headstock of the
vehicles acts as a stop block.
Attached to one side of the said combined draw shackle and hook some distance
from the pivot I fix one end of a link or rod at the other end of the link I fix the
jaw of a lever which is fixed on to a transverse shaft or spindle working beneath
the underframing of the vehicle. At each end of the said shaft or spindle I fix a
small hand lever, by depressing which I disengage or uncouple the combined draw
shackle and hook which falls downward to a vertical position, and is kept in such a
position by the force of the said steel plate or plates acting as hereinbefore stated.
When I wish to put the vehicle into running order I simply raise the said hand
lever and immediately the combined draw shackle and hook is forced to a horizontal
position and kept in this position by the force of the said spring. When the vehicle
is shunted on to another vehicle it automatically couples, and is in running order.

page_text: It will be understood when the combined draw shackles and hooks are buffed against
each other for the purpose of coupling the elongated hole which I make in the
standard drawhook will allow the said steel plate or plates acting as a spring for the
purpose of keeping the combined drawshackle and hook in the two before named
positions, to act also as a cushion for the blow that would be occasioned by the combined
drawshackles and hooks striking against each other. The force of the said spring
also keeps the combined drawshackles and hooks when riding over each other to
remain in close contact and coupled which is a great preventative and safe guard
against the vehicles getting uncoupled when running fast or in severe shunting.
For the purpose of relieving any undue twisting strain that may be occasioned to
the combined draw shackle and hook when vehicles run on very sharp curves at Colliery
sidings and elsewhere I fix on the pivot pin of the combined draw shackle and
hook, two, (one on each side of the standard draw hook) steel split washers to act as
spiral springs-the before mentioned elongated hole being bevelled for this purpose.
It may be advantageous to form another inverted hook beneath the hook on the said
combined drawshackle and hook to equalize the pull or draw on the standard draw
hook. I claim as an alternative plan for the combined draw shackle and hook, a
similar drawshackle and hook with this additional inverted hook.
The accompanying drawings will show clearly the construction and working of my
said invention.
Fig. 1. shows a plan of two of my automatic couplings attached to the ends of two
vehicles when coupled or running in conjunction with each other. A is the combined
drawshackle and hook. B the steel plate or spring bolted to the headstock. C con-
necting link. D lever. E transverse shaft or spindle for lever D. F small hand
levers for uncoupling the vehicles when required.
Fig. 2. shows a part end elevation of a Railway Vehicle with one of my automatic
couplings in position for coupling.
Fig. 3. shows a longitudinal view of my automatic couplings when engaged.
Fig. 4. shows a longitudinal view of my automatic coupling when disengaged, either
for the purpose of uncoupling or for the purpose of putting it out of working gear
when running with other vehicles provided with the ordinary standard drawgear.
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
Firstly. The combined draw shackle and hook A, constructed with a recess in the
front part and operating as, and for the purpose herein set forth and shown by the
drawings.
Secondly. The combined draw shackle and hook A with an additional inverted
hook beneath the said hook on the combined draw shackle and hook A. for the purpose
herein set forth.
Thirdly. For holding the combined draw shackle and hook A or the combined draw-
shackle and hook A with the additional inverted hook-the spring B constructed and
operating together with the combined drawshackle and hook A or the combined
drawshackle and hook A. with the additional inverted hook, and the standard draw
hook, as, and for the purpose herein set forth and shown by the drawings.
Fourthly. The split washers or spiral springs on the pivot pin of the combined
drawshackle and hook A. constructed and operating together with the combined draw
shackle and hook A, and the standard drawhook, as, and for the purpose herein
specified and shown by the drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of Anril 1889.