IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY WAGONS OR OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Roberts of the firm of Charles Roberts and
Company Limited of the Railway Wagon Works Horbury Junction Wakefield
in the County of York for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS
FOR RAILWAY WAGONS OR OTHER VEHICLES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1882.
CHARLES ROBERTS of the firm of Charles Roberts and Company Limited of the
Railway Wagon Works Horbury Junction Wakefield in the County of York
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY WAGONS OR OTHER VEHICLES
"
My Invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient coupling for
railway wagons or other vehicles combining in the one device the advantages both
of a spring draw-bar and of a spring buffer-According to my said invention I
form one part of the outer end of the rod which constitutes the draw-bar and stem
of the buffer with a broadened or buffer-like extension and also with a coupling
hook rigid therewith; the other of the pair of couplings will have a shackle or
loop in place of the coupling hook-The shanks or stems of the couplings are each
provided with a buffer spring which may be of the ordinary construction but it is
situated between two plates on the stem of the coupling the one plate compressing
the spring in one direction when the couplings act as draw-bars and the other
plate compressing the spring in the other direction when the couplings act as
buffers The hook of the one part of the coupling is formed with an inclined
surface up which the loop of the other part of the coupling runs when the vehicles
are run towards each other so that the coupling of the vehicles is effected
automatically, the shackle or loop being supported in a position which will cause it
to bear on the inclined part of the hook which latter may be provided with a
spring guard piece to prevent the couplings being accidentally infastened―The
shackle part of the coupling may also be provided with a stop to prevent its being
accidentally thrown out of position when raised.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Roberts in the 'Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1883.
CHARLES ROBERTS of the firm of Charles Roberts and Company Limited of the
Railway Wagon Works Horbury Junction Wakefield in the County of York
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY WAGONS OR OTHER VEHICLES
13
My Invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient coupling for
Railway wagons or other vehicles combining in the one device the advantages
both of a spring draw-bar and of a spring buffer.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed Sheet of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a pair of combined-draw-bars and buffers
constructed according to my Invention and engaged together. Figure 2 is another
view of the same at right angles to Figure 1, but with the parts disengaged.
According to my said Invention, I form the one part of the pair as follows: The
outer end of the rod A, which constitutes the draw-bar and stem of the buffer as a
broadened or buffer-like extension B, and also a coupling hook C, rigid therewith.―
The rod A³ of the other of the pair of couplings as a shackle or loop D in place of
the coupling hook and is also provided with a buffer-like part B.-The shanks or
stems of the couplings are provided with buffer springs E, which may be of the
ordinary construction (or of any suitable kind, such as conical, volute, pyramidal, or
spiral springs or India-rubber may be used) but they are situated between two
plates F and G, on the stem of the coupling the plates G compressing the spring in
one direction when the couplings act as draw-bars and the other plates F' com-
pressing the spring in the other direction when the couplings act as buffers. H are
the framings containing the springs and plates; h and h² are a cotter and collar
which form a convenient means for retaining the parts in position. The hook C, of
the one part of the coupling is formed with an inclined surface as shewn clearly in
figure 1, up which the loop D of the other part of the coupling runs when the
vehicles are run towards each other so that the coupling of the vehicles is effected
automatically; the shackle or loop, being supported in a position which will cause
it to bear on the inclined part of the hook which latter may be provided with a
spring guard piece to prevent the couplings being accidentally unfastened―The
shackle part of the coupling may also be provided with a stop to prevent its being
accidentally thrown out of position when raised.
Figure 3 represents in side elevation a modification wherein the ends of each
of the buffer bars (A A³) are provided with both a hook (C and C) and a loop
(D and D) The loop (D and D) which is not in use is allowed to hang down as
shewn with regard to the loop D³-Although I have not shewn the springs in this
modification, it will be understood that it is provided with springs as in the
arrangement first described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is:
The improved couplings for railway wagons or other Vehicles consisting of a

page_text: combined draw-bar and spring buffer arranged or constructed substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Roberts have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of May One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-three
Witness, RONALD Graham
Secretary
Horbury
Nr Wakefield.
CHARLES ROBERTS (L.S.)