Improved Means for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Vehicles."
Year: 1899

page_text: Reprinted
as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptroller General
dated the 3rd day of April 1901.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improved Means for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Vehicles."
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL of 11, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer; do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the coupling and uncoupling of railway vehicles by means
of a manually-operated pole and has more particularly for its object to obviate the
liability to accident which still attaches to the operations of coupling and uncoupling
wherever the ordinary chain couplings are employed, notwithstanding the use of such
a pole for carrying these operations into effect from a position outside of the track.
The invention consists essentially in providing the coupler link (ie. the end link of
the chain which takes on to the hook on the adjacent vehicle) with means whereby it
may be readily engaged by a pole made as hereafter described and may, when coup-
ling up, be lifted from its hanging position into a position whence it may be dropped
over and into engagement with the hook of the adjacent vehicle; such lifting being
effected merely by giving the pole a half turn (more or less) about its axis. The
same means is adapted to be used conversely for uncoupling, the end link in this case
being, when engaged by the pole, raised and disengaged from the hook by a similar
angular movement of less extent and in the opposite direction. In either case the
simple turning of a single, link suffices to effect the desired operation, without the
necessity of the shunter taking the whole weight of the coupling chain upon his pole.
Comparatively little exertion is thus required on the part of the shunter and he is
enabled to readily disengage his pole from the coupling, an advantage of obvious im-
portance under certain circumstances.
The coupling chain is formed of two, instead of three links as usual, the connection
between the links being such that when hanging free the two links are in substan-
tially the same plane. This may be effected in various ways, as for example by
twisting one or both of the links at or towards their mutually engaging ends, or by
connecting the links by means of a hinge joint lying in the plane of both links; or
by interposing between the two links a shorter link so closed upon the end or coupler
link as to be virtually integral with the latter.
When the coupler link alone is twisted, the twist is so situated relatively to the
length of said link as to leave a loop, in engagement with the hanging link of a length
only sufficient to permit of the insertion of the end of the pole which is flattened or
spatula-shaped. This loop lies in a plane at right angles to the general plane of the
coupler link, and therefore at all times presents its broad or open sides towards the
sides of the track. The width of the loop is so reduced as to prevent the flattened
end of the pole from turning in the link which, when the pole is rotated about its
axis, is levered up in readiness when coupling up to be dropped over and into engage-

page_text: ment with the hook of the adjacent vehicle, or vice-versa when the coupling is to be
detached.
When an intermediate link, virtually integral with the coupling link, connects the
two links of the coupling chain, such intermediate link (lying like the loop above
described, in a plane at right angles to the general plane of the coupler link) is made
of a length and width only sufficient to admit the spatula-shaped end of the pole.
When the mutually engaging ends of the two links are both twisted, or are con-
nected by a hinge joint, the side limbs of the coupler link would carry a pair of hooks
or loops (or their equivalent) in such position and of such form as to permit of said
hooks or loops being engaged by the end of the pole in such manner as to enable the
desired turning and lifting of the coupler link to be effected.
The pole instead of being plain and flattened at its extremity, might have a forked
end adapted to engage the limbs of the coupler link which in such case would have
lugs projecting from either or both sides of each limb so as to abut against the tines
of the fork whilst the pole is rotated about its axis in the act of coupling up or
uncoupling. The rear end of the pole would preferably be received in a sheath
attached to the arm of the shunter so as to enable him to perform the operation of
coupling up or uncoupling with one hand only. The pole would also be flattened or
otherwise shaped throughout the middle portion of its length to avoid liability of its
slipping round in the hand.
Dated this 05th day of Anil 1900
66 Improved Means for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Vehicles.”
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL, of 11 Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil
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 :-
My invention relates to the so-called safety system of coupling and uncoupling rail-
way trucks wherein a manually-operated pole or stick is made use of for lifting the
coupler-link over the nose of the draw-hook, and my invention is especially designed
with the view of obviating the liability to accident to which a shunter is still exposed
in coupling and uncoupling notwithstanding that in making use of such pole or stick
he occupies a position beyond the track.
The invention consists essentially in so forming or constructing the coupler-link
(i.e. the end link of the chain, which takes on to the draw-hook on the adjacent
vehicle) that it may be engaged by an instrument made as hereafter described and
adapted to turn or lever the link so that in the operation of coupling-up, said link
will receive both an angular movement in a longitudinal vertical plane about its point of
connection with the adjacent link as a centre, and also a movement of translation towards
the adjacent vehicle, until the link projects upwardly with its free extremity just
above the nose of the draw-hook, from which position the link may then be dropped
over and into engagement with the hook. This operation is effected by merely in-
serting the end of the instrument (which may be a straight or bent rod or lever) in
the coupler-link and then giving the instrument a half turn (more or less) about its
axis, at same time using the instrument as a lever while it is supported on a fulcrum
which may be constituted by the buffer or by a bracket specially provided for the
purpose.
In the operation of uncoupling, the end of the coupling stick or lever having been

page_text: inserted in the coupler-link, the stick is first employed as a lever to move the link in
the direction of the length of the chain until the coupler-link reaches a position to
clear the nose of the hook and is then rotated about its axis, whereupon the coupler-
link is turned upwards and so raised clear of the draw-hook by an angular movement
similar to that above described.
In both cases the simple turning of a single link in a vertical plane, and the giving
of said link a slight movement of translation, suffices to effect the coupling or
uncoupling of the truck, and the shunter is relieved of the burden of taking the
whole weight of the coupling chain upon his pole as in the present poling system. As
a result comparatively little exertion is required on the part of the shunter, and he is
inoreover enabled to readily disengage his lever or stick from the coupling, which is
an advantage of obvious importance under certain circumstances.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a
perspective view of a railway truck fitted with my invention and serving to illustrate
the operation of coupling. Figures 2 and 2ª, 3 and 3, 4 and 4* shew (in side
and face views respectively) coupling chains embodying three forms of coupler-link
slightly differing from one another but all embodying the same principle of construc-
tion. In these figures the draw-hook to which the chain is permanently attached is
indicated by dotted lines, and Figure 2 is shewn partly in section. Figure 5 is a
perspective view of one end of the lever or coupling stick.
As is well known the coupling chain usually comprises three links, viz :-the
coupler-link A at the free end of the chain, which when coupled up, lies with its side
limbs in a substantially horizontal plane; an intermediate link B which under like
circumstances lies in a vertical plane; and a link C permanently connected to the
vehicle. On referring to the drawings it will be seen that I so combine the coupler-
link A and interinediate link B that these virtually form a single link; thus for
example the two links may be welded together at their point of connection d as in
the form illustrated in Figures 3 and 3°; or they may be constituted by a single
link twisted at a point e about midway in its length so that the two portions lie in
planes perpendicular to one another as in the form illustrated in Figures 4 and 4* ;
or the links A and B (which in this case may be the existing links) may be separate
but so rigidly connected as to move as one, the connection between them in such
case being preferably effected by pinching or bending together the side limbs bb of
the intermediate link B at the end adjacent to the coupler-link A so as to bite and
tightly grasp the latter as shewn at ff in Figures 2 and 2ª, the bowed end of one or
both links being flattened at their point of contact so as to ensure such rigidity of
connection that the two links shall turn as one about the point of connection c with
the link C. In each case the open looped portion 61 of the intermediate link B or
corresponding portion of the combined link A B is made somewhat shorter and
narrower than in the usual intermediate link.
The effect of the arrangement is that the intermediate link B (or the corresponding
portion of the combined link A B) always presents its open side towards the side of
the track, in readiness to receive the flattened, spatula-shaped, or rectangular end of
the coupling stick or lever G which in the operation of coupling up or uncoupling is
passed from outside the track through the loop b¹ of the link and so engages with the
side limbs bb that when the stick or lever is rotated about its axis it communicates
to the intermediate link Ban angular movement in a longitudinal vertical plane about
the point as a centre, such angular movement being participated in by the coupler-
link A in consequence of the latter being integral, or virtually integral, with link B.
In order to facilitate the rotation of the coupling stick or lever G about its axis, its
handle end may be bent as at g and the stick or lever may be supported on a fulcrum
bracket H attached to the vehicle, both these features being illustrated in Figure 1
of the drawings; but these features, are not claimed as part of the present invention
as they form the subject matter of subsequent applications for Letter Patents. In
Figure 5 however is shewn a convenient form for that end of the coupling stick or
lever which engages in the loop 61 of the link. This end of the stick (which may be
shod with metal) is flattened, tapered and pointed as at g¹ to facilitate its introduction

page_text: into the loop 61, the cross-sectional area of the flattened portion G¹ being such as to
fit loosely within the loop 6¹. A stop g2 projects from each of the flat sides of the
portion G¹ to prevent the stick being thrust too far through the link, and the flat
faces may be grooved transversely throughout part of their width from one edge as
at g³ in order the better to retain the end of the stick in engagement with the link
during the operation of coupling up and uncoupling.
The operations of coupling-up and uncoupling are performed as follows:-In
coupling-up the shunter thrusts the end G¹ of his coupling stick or lever G through
the loop 6 of the combined link A B, and by turning the stick about its axis raises
the free end a of the coupler-link as shewn in Figure 1. At the same time he so
moves the handle end of the stick or lever as to cause the coupler-link A to approach
the adjacent vehicle (not shewn) until the raised end a of that link passes over the
nose of the draw-hook on said vehicle. The link A is then allowed to drop into
engagement with the draw-hook, when the stick or lever may be withdrawn.
In un-
coupling, the shunter thrusts the end G¹ of his coupling stick or lever G through the
loop 61 and after moving the lever so as to bring the link A into a position to clear
the nose of the draw-hook when raised, he turns the stick about its axis so as to raise
the end a of the coupler-link A over the nose of the draw-hook with which it has been
in engagement; he then again uses the stick as a lever so as to move the link A
horizontally away from the hook. The coupler-link being thus completely disengaged
from the draw-hook, the coupling chain may be allowed to drop to its normal or
resting position by the withdrawal of the stick G from the loop b
It will be apparent that the above described operations of coupling-up and un-
coupling may be performed by the shunter with one hand only, his other hand being
left free for holding a lamp if need be, the danger resulting from setting the lamp on
the ground where it may be overturned or left (in consequence of the movement of
the vehicle) in a practically useless position, being thus avoided; whilst the ease
with which the coupling stick or lever may be inserted in or withdrawn from the link,
the absence of any hook which might be liable (as in the present practice) to become
entangled with the coupling chain, and the absence of any necessity for the shunter
to sustain the whole weight of the coupling chain upon his stick, co-operate to
minimise both fatigue and risk of accident.
The coupling stick or lever may, if desired, constitute a permanent attachment to
the vehicle and coupling chain, the end of the stick or lever which engages with the
chain as described being in such case provided with means for preventing its with-
drawal from the chain, and the stick or lever being loosely supported in a ring or eye
on a bracket constituting the fulcrum of the lever. In this case the handle end of the
stick or lever would be made as short as possible and would preferably be cranked to
facilitate the rotation of the stick about its axis for the purpose of raising the coupler-
link.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The employment in a chain coupling for railway vehicles of a coupler link so
formed that it may be engaged by a coupling stick or lever such as hereindescribed
(and which is adapted when rotated about its axis to communicate to said link an
angular movement in a longitudinal vertical plane) for the purpose of thereby enabling
the coupler link to be passed over the nose of, and into or out of engagement with,
the draw-hook on the adjacent vehicle, substantially as specified.
2. A coupling stick or lever having a flattened, spatula-shaped, or rectangular end
adapted to engage in the-coupler-link-of-a-coupling-ehain-for-railway-vehicles--pro-
vided-with a coupler-link of the kind specified, so that by the rotation of said stick
about its own axis an angular movement in a longitudinal vertical plane will be com-
municated to the coupler link for the purpose specified.
3. A coupling chain for railway vehicles wherein the coupler link is combined with
the adjacent or intermediate link of the coupling chain in such manner that these

page_text: two links are integral with one another and are adapted to move as one when raised
by an angular movement in a longitudinal vertical plane for the purpose of enabling
the coupling link to be engaged with or disengaged from the draw-hook on the
adjacent vehicle as described.
4. Means-for-effecting the manipulation-of the-coupling chain of a railway vehicle
consisting-of-a-coupling-stick-adapted to engage with a portion of the coupling chain
so that by the rotation of said-stick-about its-own-axis-an-angular-movement in a
longitudinal-vertical-plane-will-be-communicated to the coupler-link-for-the-purpose
specified.
A M & WM CLARK
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane. London.
A M & WM CLARK
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane. London.