Improvements in and relating to Central Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Central Couplings for Railway
Vehicles.
1, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in and relating to or connected with
central automatic couplings, and more particularly to the system known as "Golds"
in which and other like systems it has hitherto been necessary for all vehicles to be
provided with facsimile couplers and it has therefore been impossible under present
conditions to couple carriages so provided, with others having the usual European
couplings.
My inven ion permits this to be done, and in carrying it out as applied to the
"Gold" system for example, I propose to fix upon the top surface of the coupler
a flat arm or plate securely held in the centre upon a strong bolt or stud, on which
it can turn horizontally for self adjustment.
The ends of the said arm extend on each side, and a double ended joint piece at
each end supports a swinging crosshead, from which centrally one or more links are
suspended to engage with the drawbar hook of a vehicle provided only with the
ordinary couplings.
lu connection with this method of coupling the two before mentioned classes of
vehicles, it is necessary for the carriage having a central coupler, to be provided
with side buffers to engage with those of the ordinary system when so required,
and also capable of being withdrawn when not so required.
1 therefore construct a buffer having a short tubular plunger the inner end of
which bears against either a coiled spring, or an annular block or blocks of rubber,
held in a suitable case.
The buffer rod passes through both the plunger, the spring, and the back of the
case and is secured by passing a pin or cotter through it.
Through the projecting front end of the plunger I make a slot or keyway and in
two positions through the buffer rod I make corresponding slots, and I also provide
a key long enough to pass through both sides of the plunger, and a simple means
for securing same in position.
Although I prefer the above simple means of constructing a buffer in which the
buffer head may be extended to a desired position and be firmly secured there, or
be closed when not required, I may use other alternative means to obtain this
result.
D1101000
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and relating to Central Couplings for Railway
Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCк of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield
Manufacturer 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 improvements in and relating to or connected with
central couplings, and more particularly to the system of coupling known as "Goulds;"
in which it has hitherto been necessary for all the vehicles of a train to be provided
with facsimile couplers, and it has therefore been impossible under present
conditions to couple carriages so provided with other carriages having only the
usual European screw couplings.
My invention overcomes this difficulty, and the annexed drawings illustrate how
the invention is carried into practice, similar letters of reference indicate similar
parts in any of the figures in which they occur.
Fig. 1, is a plan of the coupling appliance which I prefer, affixed to the Gould
coupler, the details of which are not shown.
Fig. 2, a side elevation of same.
Fig. 3, a front elevation of a double arm.
Fig. 4, plan of a single arm with a non-adjustable link.
Fig. 5, side elevation of an adjustable buffer, shown partly in section.
Fig. 6, plan, partly in section, of a single screw coupling appliance.
The coupling appliance shown in Figs. 1 & 2 is a double arm and double screw
adjustable coupler, it is affixed to a Gould coupler G, in the following manner;
A is an arm, fixed upon the upper surface of G, by means of a strong stud or
bolt B, in such a manner that it can turn upon the bolt for self adjustment.
It has depending sides C, and a crosshead D, passing underneath the coupler G,
through which the bolt B, passes and is secured by a nut N, see Figs. 2 & 3.
Connected with the sides C, are links E, and regulating screws F, which pass
through a cross bar H, provided with links I, to engage with the drawbar hook of
an ordinary coupling on the European method, and having nuts J, for adjustment.
This arrangement divides and equalises the strain, and is selfadjusting when
there is a difference in the height of the vehicles at the drawbars, and avoids undue
strains when passing round curves.
Fig. 6, represents a single screw adjustable coupling appliance; the screw F2, is
pinjointed in a recess K, made in a crosshead L, carried by the Gould coupler as
before described.
Upon the screw F2 is a nut M, having a lever O, or like means by which it may
be turned, and carrying a shackle P, and a coupling link 12.
The object of this arrangement is to construct an adjustable coupling device in a
small compass; it may be carried by a single or a double arm.
In Fig. 4, I show a more simple arrangement but not such an effective one as
the adjustable appliances before described.
It consists of an arm A, to be secured upon the top face of the coupler G, the
ends being turned down to enable a double link Q, to be pinjointed to it. The
other end of the link Q, is pin jointed to a crosshead R, provided with coupling
links I. This arrangement has no adjusting screw, and it is affixed to the top face of
the coupler only.
Fig. 5, represents an adjustable buffer which is necessary for use in this inter-
changeable system of coupling the two classes of vehicles; it is constructed with a
short tubular plunger R, the inner end of which bears against either a coiled spring

page_text: or other form of metallic spring, or a block of rubber S, as shown, enclosed in a
suitable case T.
The buffer rod U, passes through the plunger, the spring S, the back of the
case T, and also the carriage frame V, and is secured by the cotter W.
Through the front end of the plunger R, I make a slot or keyway X, and two
corresponding slots through the buffer rod, one of which Y, is seen close to the
buffer head.
I also provide a long key Z, to fit into and pass through the said slots in the
plunger and the buffer rod, so as to secure them together in either of the two
positions.
The buffers so constructed may be readily extended to engage with those of
carriages having ordinary buffers, or may be shortened to suit the arrangement of
carriages fitted with Goulds couplings.
The buffer rod may be secured to the plunger by other equivalent means, such
as providing the buffer rod with a screw thread for the required distance from the
head, to engage with an internal screw thread in the front part of the plunger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:
1. The double screw adjustable coupling appliance to be used in combination
with "Goulds" or other similar central couplers, as hereinbefore described, and as
shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of the annexed drawings.
2. The single screw adjustable coupling appliance to be used in combination with
"Goulds" or other similar central couplers, as herein before described, and as shown
in Fig. 6, of the annexed drawings.
3. The coupling appliance for use with "Goulds" or like central couplers as
herein before described and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
4. The adjustable buffer, for extension and contraction, as hereinbefore described
aud as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, or any mere modification thereof..
Dated the 18th day of March 1897.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant.