Improvements in Couplers for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplers for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
I, LEWIS STEPHEN WILLIAMS, of 3, Princes Street, Barry, near Cardiff, Wagon
Examiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in couplers for railway wagons, and similar
vehicles has for its object an improved arrangement whereby the vehicles can be
readily coupled and uncoupled without the necessity for going between them
which is so often the cause of accidents and loss of life.
According to this invention the end of the drawbar on each vehicle is formed
with an enlarged end and to this a link is attached in such manner that a certain
amount of sliding movement is permitted. Preferably a cotter is used for the
purpose working in a slot in the enlarged end of the drawbar. The outer end of
this link is provided with a forked end within which in the case of the hook
mechanism, is pivoted the hook bar having the hook at one end, while at the
other end is pivoted a link connected to a suitable operating handle. In the case
of the shackle mechanism, a second link is pivoted to the link which is attached
to the drawbar. The outer end of this second link is adapted to receive a spindle
which is square in section at one portion of its length and on this square portion
the shackle itself is received. Another link is also fitted on the same spindle
and this link is connected by suitable connecting arms to a shaft which can be
turned by means of a handle. The shackle is preferably formed of side members
connected by means of a pin with which the hook engages.
The connections from the operating handle to the hook mechanism are arranged
so that the hook and shackle normally occupy the coupling position. When the
vehicles to be coupled are brought together the shackle rises over the hook so that
the vehicles are coupled. The hook has only sufficient movement to allow for the
requisite play while in motion. To uncouple the vehicles the hook and shackle
are suitably operated by means of the handles. It will therefore be seen that the
coupling is effected automatically while the handles provide means for uncoupling.
The slots in the enlarged ends of the drawbars permit of the play necessary for
the effective working of the arrangement.
The operating handles are preferably arranged on shafts extending across
the vehicle and fitted with handles at each side so that the mechanism can be
operated from either side.
Preferably a hook and shackle mechanism is fitted at each end of the vehicle
so that even if the vehicle is turned round it can be coupled with other vehicles.
One set of handles may however be arranged to operate both sets of mechanism.
Dated this 10th day of November 1898.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Couplers for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles,
I, LEWIS STEPHEN WILLIAMS, Wagon Examiner, of 3, Princes Street, Barry,
near Cardiff, 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;
This invention for improvements in couplers for railway wagons, and similar
vehicles has for its object an improved arrangement whereby the vehicles can be
readily coupled and uncoupled without the necessity of going between them
which is so often the cause of accidents and loss of life.
In order that this invention may be more clearly understood reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which Fig.1 is a side elevation
of one set of mechanism and Fig. 2 an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a
small view showing the general arrangement for two vehicles coupled together.
At the end A of the drawbar a pivotted portion B is attached below the book C
which is the ordinary drawhook at present in use. To the portion B the link or
shackle D is attached. The new mechanism can therefore be applied to the
ordinary drawbar.
:
Within the link or shackle D and upon the same pivot is arranged the hook
bar E having the hook E at one end. To the hook bar E is pivoted the link F
connected by means of the link F to the spindle G operated by handles, G¹ G¹
arranged at each side of the vehicle.
To the link or shackle D an arm H is attached and by means of the arms H¹ I
a movement is also imparted to the link or shackle D by means of the shaft G.
The link or shackle D may be either formed of one piece of metal as shown or
may consist of side members connected by means of a pin with which the hook
engages.
On the drawings the coupling apparatus is arranged so that there is a hook and
a shackle mechanism at each end of the vehicle the two mechanisms being com-
bined instead of being separated as described in my Provisional Specification so
that it does not matter whether the vehicles are all the same way round or not.
They can also be either single or double coupled as desired.
In Fig. 3 a general view is shown of two vehicles approaching together just
before coupling. The hook E¹ and the link or shackle D are in the positions
normally occupied and as the vehicles approach, one or other of the links or
shackles D will pass under the other link or shackle D and then rise over the
hook so that the vehicles are coupled. The other link or shackle can then be
coupled to form a double coupling if desired. To uncouple the vehicles, the
handles G G are operated and the link or shackle is raised somewhat while
at the same time the hook is lowered slightly.
The spring J attached to the extension J¹ serves to ensure the correct positions
of the hook E and link or shackle D and the spring K ensures the return of the
shaft G and handles G G after each operation.
The parts should be arranged so that a certain amount of play is allowed for
the effective working of the arrangement. Also it is immaterial which link
or shackle effects the coupling operation.
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) A coupling apparatus for railway wagons and similar vehicles comprisino.

page_text: a hook mechanism pivoted upon the draw bar, a link or shackle mechanism also
pivoted upon the drawbar, the hook fitting preferably within the link or shackle,
and links or arms providing the connection of both mechanisms to a shaft extend-
ing across the vehicle and provided with operating handles so that the hook and
the link or shackle are suitably operated to uncouple while the coupling operation
is effected automatically by the bringing together of the vehicles, substantially
as described.
(2) In an automatic coupling apparatus for railway wagons, and similar
vehicles, the combination of the drawbar, pivoted portion B, link or shackle D,
hook bar E, hook E, link F, link F¹, spindle G, operating handles GI G¹,
arms H H', arm I, and springs J K all arranged and operating substantially as
described with reference to the drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 9th day of August 1899.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.