Improvements connected with Draw Hooks of Railway Vehicles for Preventing Accidental Unhooking of the Coupling Links.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements connected with Draw Hooks of Railway Vehicles for
Preventing Accidental Unhooking of the Coupling Links.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH RefFell, of The Bungalow, Shere, Surrey, Brewer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to fit a pivotted claw lever to a draw hook of a
railway vehicle in such a manner that one end of said lever in the form of a claw
will project across the gap or jaw of the hook and prevent the coupling link from
being unhooked, unless the pivotted lever be pushed over to clear the gap for the
link to pass out of the hook and allow a truck or carriage to be detached.
For the purpose of my invention, I attach to or form the back portion of the
draw hook with a lug or lugs as a trunnion upon which a counterweighted lever
is pivotted, its lower end being in the form of a claw which normally projects
across the gap or jaw of the draw hook, its tip resting against the nose of the
latter but which can be caused to lie close up to the inner side of the gap by tilting
the counter-weighted lever over from a slanting to a vertical position, or slightly
beyond, thus offering no obstacle to the raising and removal of the link from the
draw hook.
.
The pivotted lever may be in two parts or jointed in order to obtain a longer
travel of the weighted end, ears being formed at the under side of the joint to
engage with and move the claw portion.
:
By this invention, the coupling link cannot become unhooked by jerks during
running or from other accidental causes.
Improvements connected with Draw Hooks of Railway Vehicles for
Preventing Accidental Unhooking of the Coupling Links.
"
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH Reffell, of The Bungalow, Shere, Surrey, Brewer, 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:-
The object of my invention, is to fit a pivotted claw lever to a draw hook of a
railway vehicle in such a manner that one end of said lever in the form of a claw

page_text: will project across the gap or jaw of the hook and prevent the coupling link from
being unhooked, unless the pivotted lever be pushed over to clear the gap for the
link to pass out of the hook and allow a truck or carriage to be detached.
For the purpose of my invention and as shown on the annexed drawings,
Figures 1 and 2 side elevations, attach to or form the back portion of the draw
hook A with a lug or lugs B as a trunnion or pivot bolt 13 upon which a counter-
weighted lever C is pivotted, its lower end being in the form of a claw D) which
normally projects across the gap or jaw of the draw hook, its tip resting against
the nose E of the latter but which can be caused to lie close up to the inner side of
or within the gap F by tilting the counterweighted lever Cover from a slanting
to a vertical position, or slightly beyond, thus offering no obstacle to the raising
and removal of the coupling link G from the draw hook A.
The pivotted lever may be in two parts or jointed as in side elevations, Figures 3
and 4, in order to obtain a longer travel of the weighted end, ears H being formed
at the under side of the joint to engage with and move the claw portion.
The jointed lever C, D, as by Figures 3 and 4, by the descent of the weighted
end C going downwardly to a greater distance exerts additional leverage to retain
the claw Din contact with the nose E of the draw hook A, than with that shown
at Figures 1 and 2 and is not so liable to be thrown over from concussions of the
vehicles to which my invention may be applied.
In practice, for uncoupling purposes, an attendant has only with his hooked
staff to force the weighted end C forwardly for the claw D to be freed from the
nose E and then to lift the coupling link G over the nose E, and in coupling up,
the link G has only to be lifted and dropped over the nose E into the hook A,
whether the claw D be closed or not, when if closed the weight of the counter-
poise C is easily overcome and then readjusts itself.
With regard to the double lever arrangement, Figures 3 and 4, the ears H are so
arranged that in coupling up and the claw 1) closed, the weight C is not thrown
so far as that it should drop over to block the opening but should such happen,
the lever C is easily thrown back by the attendant's staff, as he retires his lift hook
from the link G.
By this invention, the coupling link cannot become unhooked by jerks during
running or from other accidental causes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is, to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The hereindescribed improvements connected with draw hooks of railway
vehicles, consisting of a weighted lever claw D within the body of the draw hook Ä
and pivotted to act as and in the manner set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2
of the annexed drawings.
2. The hereinbefore-described jointed lever arrangement referred to with regard
to Figures 3 and of the annexed drawings for the purposes set forth.
The 10th day of January 1899
R. CORE GARDNER,
Patent Agent; 166, Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said William Joseph Reffell.