Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct.. 1887
I EDWARD JACOB HILL, of 6 Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, in the City
of Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to means of facilitating the uncoupling of railway vehicles,
the unharnessing of horses from road vehicles and the detaching of hook connections
generally.
I will describe the invention first as applied to railway vehicles.
The invention consists essentially in the combination with a draw hook, of a device
for lifting the coupling link off the draw-hook, such device being worked by means of
suitable connections extending to either side of the vehicle.
The link lifting device consists of a slide or pivoted arm moving within, through or
alongside of the draw-hook.
The device is counterweighted so that it will normally stand above the point of the
draw-hook in position for receiving a coupling link.
In the act of coupling up, the weight of the coupling link overcomes the counter-
weight, causing the link-lifter to descend as the coupling link falls over the point of
the draw-hook into the properly coupled up position. In this position, the link-
lifting device is directly beneath the coupling link in readiness to lift it off the
draw-hook.
In order to uncouple, the device is raised by pulling cord or other connections
attached thereto, and running through suitable guides to the side of the vehicle,
thereby lifting the coupling link completely out of the draw-hook.

page_text: In order to adapt the device to existing vehicles, the ordinary drawhook would be
replaced by one of special form, having lugs for attachment by a joint pin to the end
of the draw-bar.
In applying the invention to the trace connections of a vehicle, the whole of the
releasing devices would be operated simultaneously by a cord within reach of
the driver.
E. J. HILL.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improved Means of Uncoupling Railway Vehicles, Unharnessing
Horses from Vehicles, and Disconnecting Hook Attachments
Generally.
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL of 6, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street in the City
of Westminster, 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 principally to means of enabling railway vehicles to be
uncoupled without danger of injury to the attendant; and it consists essentially in
the combination with the draw-hook of a device for disengaging the coupling link of
the adjacent vehiclo therefrom when the train is backed for shunting, such device
being operated by connections extending to either side of the vehicle. The uncoupling
device which is applicable for disconnecting hook attachments generally, is adapted
by its form to take under the part of the coupling link which lies in the draw-hook so
as, when operated as hereafter described, to raise the link completely out from the
drawlook. The uncoupling device is preferably pivoted to the draw-bar so as to
move in the are of a circle, but instead of being pivoted it may be fitted to slide
through or alongside of the draw-hook; the pivoted arrangement being preferred as
it may be more readily applied to the hooks of vehicles now in use.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, wherein figure 1 shews an end view of part of a goods wagon shewing
my uncoupling device applied to the draw hook; and figures 2 and 3 are side views
of the sanie figures 1 and 2 shewing the device in the position it occupies when the
coupling of another vehicle is hooked on to the draw hook and figure 3 shewing the

page_text: device as in the act of releasing the said coupling. Figure 4 shews a side elevation
and figure 5 a plan of the uncoupling device as applied to the draw-hook of a tightly
coupled railway carriage or other railway vehicle. Figure 6 shews a side elevation
of the uncoupling device adapted to slide through a slot in the hook, the slide being
shewn in two positions; and figure 7 is a plan of the same. Figure 8 shews the device
separate from the hook. Figure 9 shews the device as applied to a hook used for
raising and lowering goods. The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in all
the figures.
Referring to figures 1, 2, and 3, in which A is the draw hook, B the coupling link
which is connected to the draw bar head and is for the time being out of use, and C is
the link of the coupling of the adjacent wagon which is coupled up to the draw hook A
and which it is required to uncouple therefrom; it will be seen that the uncoupling
device consists of an arm D pivoted at each side of the draw hook, the pivotal centre
being for convenience, the link B of the coupling which is permanently connected to
the draw bar head immediately in rear of the draw hook. Each of these arms is
provided with a nose d which takes under the end of the coupling link C as it lies in
the draw-hook, as shewn in figure 2. Each nose is provided with a laterally
projecting lug d' which takes under the side member of the link C and serves as a
fulcrum upon which said link oscillates when it is raised to a certain height, so as to
cause its bow end to pass over the point of the draw-hook as indicated in figure 3.
In order to ensure simultaneous action, the two arms are connected and act together
as one, by a bow-shaped end, as shewn in figure 1, to which the chains or cords E are
attached for operating the device. These chains pass over sheaves F mounted in a
bracket fixed to the end of the wagon above the draw hook and through guide eyes or
staples to the sides of the wagon where they terminate in a ring, or handle. By
pulling either of these chains when the train has been backed up for uncoupling, so as
to slacken the couplings, the link C may be quickly lifted off the draw-hook A.
After uncoupling, the device is left in the position shewn in figure 3, in which position
it is retained by the weight of chains F and their friction in their guides, in readiness
for coupling up, the nose d being on a level with the point of the draw-hook. When
the coupling is hooked on to the draw hook, its weight causes the uncoupling
device to descend to the position shown in figure 2. The eye of the uncoupler is
formed with a gap or opening wide enough to slip over the link B when the
uncoupler is turned up close against the end of the wagon, so as to permit the
application or removal of the uncoupler but, in order to prevent the surreptitious
removal of the device, this cannot be done without first removing the sheaves F.
In the arrangement shewn, the link B is removable from the drawhead by turning
it into a certain position, but this has no reference to my invention which is equally
applicable in cases where the link B is not removable from the drawhead.
The foregoing description applies also to figures 4 and 5, which differ from figures 1,
2, 3, in being fitted with a shackle coupling, the uncoupling device being pivoted on
the pin of the shackle, as shewn. The draw hook shewn in figures 4 and 5 also
differs in the form of its point, which is such as to admit of a tight coupling being
uncoupled by the uncoupler so that the device may be used as a slip hook for express
trains.
Referring to figures 6, 7, and 8, the uncoupling device consists of a plate or bar D
fitted to slide up and down through a slot in a socket formed at the under part or back
of the draw hook A to receive it and between guide lips a at the upper part of the
hook, the motion of the plate D being limited by a cross-pin a passing through a
slot y in the plate D. In the front edge of this plate there is a gap or notch adapted
to receive the end of the link C. The full lines shew the device in the coupled
position and the dotted lines shew it in the position it occupies in the act of coupling
or uncoupling. The device is operated by chains, as before, which in this example
may be counterweighted to hold the device in the raised position. On placing the
coupling link C in the notch of the plate D in the act of coupling up, the weight of
the link will overcome the counterweights and cause the sliding plate to descend as
the coupling link falls over the point of the hook into the coupled up position. Instead

page_text: of the device consisting of a single plate sliding through the draw hook it may be
double and of U-shape, so as to straddle the draw hook, and slide between lugs on the
sides of the hook, as will be readily understood, the double plate being notched and
acting in the same way as in the case of the single plate. Whether the plate be
single or double, it is necessary to employ a draw hook specially adapted to receive it
and, in order to adapt this form of the device to the draw-bars of existing vehicles,
the most convenient way is to cut off the old draw-hook and replace it by one of the
special form required, and having lugs A¹ for attachment by a joint pin A² to the end
of the draw-bar, as shewn in figures 6 and 7. The same mode may be adopted in
applying the pivoted form of the device first described, to existing vehicles should the
form of the draw-hook be unsuitable.
The device shewn in figure 9 is similar to that described with reference to figures 6,
7, and 8, the principal difference being that the hook occupies a different position it
being in this case attached to the lifting chain of a crane or hoist. The plate D is
fitted to slide through a socket formed in the back of the hook which is extended to
form a guide for the plate the upper and lower edges of the latter being also guided
by grooves in the nose of the hook and in an extension of the upper part of the hook.
In addition to the cross-pin z, there is a locking pin z which when inserted in a hole
at the rear end of the slide prevents any motion of the slide, so that the load cannot
be accidentally or prematurely detached from the book. When the load is deposited,
the slings may be detached from the hook, by pulling the line attached to the front
end of the slide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed; I would observe that the uncoupling
device herein described is comprised in another application for Letters Patent
filed by me on the 22nd day of November 1886, No. 15196, wherein it is described
as a detaching gear for ships boats and that particular use of the invention is there-
fore not intended to be claimed under the present application, but I declare that
what I do claim is ;
1. The application to the drawhook of a railway wagon, of an uncoupling device
consisting of a pivoted arm or arms adapted to engage with and act on the coupling
link to be disconnected, substantially as herein described and illustrated in figures 1
to 3, of the drawings, the said device being operated by chain connections extending
to the side of the vehicle, as described.
2. The application to the draw-hook of a railway wagon, of an uncoupling device
consisting of a single or double plate sliding through or alongside of the hook and
notched or otherwise adapted to engage with and lift the coupling link out of the
draw-hook, substantially as described and illustrated in figures 4, 5, and 6, of the
drawings.
3. The application to suspension hooks of hoisting chains generally of means
substantially as herein described, of disconnecting the load from the hook.
Dated this 15th day of September 1887.
E. J. HILL.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.