IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ernest Wallis, of Coombehurst, Basingstoke, in the
County of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR
THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ernest Wallis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1878.
JOHN ERNEST WALLIS, of Coombehurst, Basingstoke, in the County of Hants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS."
According to my present Invention I construct railway couplings as follows:-
To the outer end of the draw bar, in place of the ordinary coupling hook, is hinged
horizontally a forked piece, one limb of which is in the form of a horizontal hook
having an incline from the shank towards the beak, this being directed towards
the other limb which is in the form of a vertical loop. The positions of the hook
and loop are reversed at each end of the carriage or truck, so that whichever of the
ends of two carriages are brought together the hook on the one carriage will always
be opposite the loop of the other carriage, and vice versa. The loop is made of some
depth, so that it will always engage with the opposite hook although the draw bars
of the two carriages may be at different lovels. The forked piece has a tail
extending backwards, and acted upon by a spring or springs connected to the draw
bar, so that while the fork is free to move horizontally to the one side or the other
within certain limits, the spring tends to keep it in the central position. On two
carriages or trucks being pushed close together the loop of each coupling in coming
in contact with the incline of the opposite hook pushes it to one side until it has
passed the point of the beak, when the two hooks will spring back simultaneously
so as to engage with the two loops, thus effecting automatically a double coupling
of the carriages.

page_text: The couplings may be so arranged relatively to the spring buffers, when these are
used, that they will only engage with each other in the manner described when the
buffers are compressed to a certain extent, so that when coupled they will keep the
buffers in such compressed condition; in this case, for the purpose of uncoupling,
the draw bar is arranged so that it can be moved forward somewhat either by a
lever, screw, wedge, or cam, thus advancing the coupling so that the hooks are no
longer engaged with the loops. When in this position the tail of the coupling is
inoved laterally by means of a rod attached thereto, so as to bring the coupling
into the position in which the loops are in line with the space between the hook
and the loop of the opposite coupling, whereupon the carriages can be drawn
apart.
The draw bar may be secured in the backward position by causing a block or
filling piece to enter between a collar on the draw bar and the frame in which it
works, such block being withdrawn when the draw bar requires to be advanced.
If desired, the uncoupling may also be effected without advancing the draw bars,
by merely pushing the carriages together and compressing the buffers sufficiently
to bring the couplings into the above-described position.
The couplings may also be so arranged that they will engage with each other
when or even before the buffers are in contact; in this case it is preferred to arrange
the draw bars so that after the coupling has been effected they can be moved back-
ward either by a lever, screw, wedge, or cam, to such an extent as to bring the
buffers together with the required degree of compression.
In constructing the above-described coupling the shank of the hook is by pre-
ference placed at a greater distance from the centre line of the coupling than the
loop, so as to insure that the latter shall always come in contact with some part of
the incline on the hook of the opposite coupling, although the two carriages may
not be exactly in line with each other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Ernest Wallis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
September 1878.
JOHN ERNEST WALLIS, of Coombehurst, Basingstoke, in the County of Hants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS.'
"
According to my present Invention I construct railway couplings as follows:-
To the outer end of the draw bar in place of the ordinary coupling hook is hinged
horizontally a forked piece, one limb of which is in the form of a horizontal hook.
having an incline from the shank towards the beak, this being directed towards the
other limb, which is in the form of a vertical loop. The positions of the hook and
loop are reversed at each end of the carriage or truck, so that whichever of the ends
of two carriages are brought together the hook on the one carriage will always be
opposite the loop of the other carriage, and vice versa. The loop is made of some
depth so that it will always engage with the opposite hook, although the draw bars
of the two carriages may be at different levels. The forked piece has a tail
extending backwards and acted upon by a spring or springs connected to the draw
bar, so that while the fork is free to move horizontally to the one side or the other
within certain limits the springs tend to keep it in the central position. On two
carriages or trucks being pushed close together the loop of each coupling, in coming
in contact with the incline of the opposite hook, pushes it to one side until it has
passed the point of the beak, when the two hooks will spring back simultaneously
so as to engage with the two loops, thus effecting automatically a double coupling
of the carriages.
The couplings may be so arranged, relatively to the spring buffers, when these
are used, that they will only engage with each other in the manner described when
the buffers are compressed to a certain extent, so that when coupled they will keep
the buffers in such compressed condition; in this case, for the purpose of uncoupling,
the draw bar is arranged so that it can be moved forward somewhat either by a lever,
screw, wedge, or cam, thus advancing the coupling so that the hooks are no longer
engaged with the loops. When in this position the tail of the coupling is moved
laterally by means of a rod attached thereto, so as to bring the coupling into the
position in which the loops are in line with the space between the hook and the
loop of the opposite coupling, whereupon the carriages can be drawn aparat.
The draw bar may be secured in the backward position by causing a block or
filling piece to enter between a collar on the draw bar and the frame in which it
works, such block being withdrawn when the draw bar requires to be advanced.
If desired, the uncoupling may also be effected without advancing the draw bars,
by merely pushing the carriages together and compressing the buffers sufficiently
to bring the couplings into the above-described position.
The couplings may also be so arranged that they will engage with each other
when or even before the buffers are in contact; in this case it is preferred to
arrange the draw bars, so that after the coupling has been effected they can be
moved backward either by a lever, screw, wedge, or cam, to such an extent as to
bring the buffers together with the required degree of compression.
In constructing the above-described coupling the shank of the hook is by pre-
ference placed at a greater distance from the centre line of the coupling than the
loop, so as to insure that the latter shall always come in contact with some part of
the incline on the hook of the opposite coupling, although the two carriages may
not be exactly in line with each other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
m

page_text: shews a longitudinal section; and Fig. 4 a cross section of the arrangement shewn
at the left-hand side.
To the projecting end of the draw bar A is pivotted the forked piece B, the limb
B' of which is formed as a horizontal hook, while the limb B2 is formed as a vertical
loop. The positions of the fork and loop are reversed in the coupling at the other
end of the carriage, so that whichever ends of two carriages are brought together,
the hook of the one coupling will always be opposite the loop of the other coupling,
as shewn at Fig. 1.
The fork has a tail B³ extending back some distance, the end of which is situated
in a loop A' fixed to the draw bar, and containing two springs acting on opposite
sides of the tail B³, so that when the forked coupling is turned somewhat to one
side or the other of its pivot the springs will tend to bring it back into its middle
position, with the tail in line with the draw bar. Thus it will be seen that when
the two opposite couplings are pushed close up together, the loop B* of each coupling
in coming in contact with the inclined face of the opposite hook B₁ will tend to
push the coupling somewhat to one side, as shown in the diagram at Fig. 5. until
the loop has passed the beak of the hook, when both couplings will spring back into
their original position so as to engage with each other, as shown at Fig. 6. In
order to insure that the end of the loop shall always come in contact with the
incline of the opposite book, notwithstanding that the carriages may not be exactly
in line with each other, the stem of the hook is formed at a greater distance from
the centre line of the coupling than the loop; also in order to allow for difference in
level of the two couplings, owing to the one carriage being weighted more than the
other, the loops are made of some depth, as shewn, so that the opposite hook will
still engage with it when the centre line of the one coupling is some distance above
or below that of the other.
For passenger carriages it is preferred to make the couplings project only to such
an extent relatively to the spring buffers that the latter must be compressed to some
extent before the couplings will engage as described, so that when coupled they
will hold the buffers in the required compressed condition. In order to uncouple
the carriages again the draw bar is so arranged that it can be advanced to such an
extent as to bring the loops out of the hooks, whereupon the one coupling is moved
to one side, as shewn at Fig. 1, so as to bring its loop and hook clear of those of the
opposite coupling, whereupon the carriages can be drawn apart.
Various arrangements may be employed both for advancing the draw bar and
coupling, and for moving the latter sideways for the purpose above described.
In the arrangements shewn in the left-hand side of Fig. 1, and in Figs. 2 to 4,
both motions are effected by one and the same lever C at the side of the carriage.
This lever is on the end of a shaft D, having a crank D¹, that is connected by a link
to the end of the draw bar A, so that when the lever is turned into the position
(shewn in which it is held by a suitable catch at E) the crank is turned into the
position shown in full lines, thereby advancing the draw bar and coupling
sufficiently to disengage it from the hook and loop of the opposite one, while when
the crank is brought into the diametrically opposite position, shewn in dotted
lines, by turning the hand lever into the dotted position shewn at Fig. 2 (in which
it is also held by a catch) the coupling and draw bar are drawn back. A shaft F
carried inside the framing has an arm F¹ at the front end, which is connected by a
link to a rod F2 passing through a slot in the tail B³ of the coupling, the rod having
collars on each side of the tail, so that while this is free to move forward with the
draw bar a lateral motion of the rod F will cause it to be drawn to one side, as
shewn at Figs. 1 and 4. At the other end of the shaft F is an arm F³, against
which an arm D on the shaft D is made to bear when this has nearly completed
the forward motion of the coupling, so that on its completing such motion it at
the same time turns the shaft F so as to bring the coupling into the angular position
shewn. On again turning the shaft D so as to draw the draw-bar and coupling into
the backward position the coupling will of itself spring back into the central position
as soon as the arm Dhas released the shaft F.

page_text: It will be seen that if the proportion between the length of the lover C and the
throw of the crank D' be such as to afford sufficient power, the couplings B may be
advanced so as to effect the coupling of the carriages when the buffers are merely
in contact without compression, and the carriages may then be drawn together so
as to compress the buffers to the requisite degree by drawing back the draw bars
and couplings, as above described, as the lateral canting of the couplings only takes
place at the end of the forward motion they could be sufficiently advanced for
coupling them together before any canting can take place. If sufficient power for
the above purpose could not be obtained by directly connecting the lever C to the
crank shaft D, the lever may be on a separate axis carrying a pinion, in gear with
a toothed wheel on the shaft D, so that for turning the crank D' through the half
revolution required it would be necessary to turn the lever through one or more
complete revolutions.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew respectively a side view and plan of an arrangement whereby
the required side motion of the coupling at the end of the forward stroke.is simply
effected by means of a pin B' at the side of the coupling coming in contact with a
hook G fixed to the end framing of the carriage, so that a very slight motion of the
coupling at the end of its forward stroke, after it has come in contact with the
hook, will cause it to be moved sideways. Instead of the hook a chain or link
might be used, attached at one end to the carriage frame and at the other end to
the pin B'.
Fig. 9 shews a modified arrangement, in which an eccentric D' is formed or fixed
on the shaft D in place of the crank in the previous arrangement, the eccentric
being made to work between checks A2, A2, on the side of the draw bar A.
In the arrangement shewn on the right-hand side of Fig. 1 the forward motion
of the draw bar A for uncoupling is effected by a lever H pivotted at H¹; and the
draw bar is secured in the backward position by a forked collar I, which is with-
drawn by the handle I' into the dotted position when the draw bar is to be
advanced. The lateral motion of the coupling is effected by a separate rod K, con-
nected to the tail of the coupling as shewn.
In the arrangement shewn at Figure 10 the forward and backward motion of the
coupling is effected by forming a screw thread on the end of the draw bar A, on
which is fitted a nut L confined in a frame M, and having a bevil pinion L¹, in gear
with which is another pinion N' on a shaft N extending to the side of the carriage,
and provided with a crank handle N², so that by turning the nut in one direction
or the other by means of the shaft N the draw bar and coupling are moved forward
or backward. The frame M may either be fixed rigidly to the carriage framing, or,
if it be desired to afford the draw bar a spring action, springs O may be introduced
between M and the framing. In like manner the bearings of the crank shaft D of
the arrangement at Fig. 1 could be mounted on springs to afford the draw bar
spring action. In this case the bearing of the outer end of the shaft D or N would
have to be so arranged as to allow the inner end thereof the requisite amount of
play.
The tail of the coupling B at Fig. 10 is moved by a separate rod K, as in the
right-hand arrangement of Fig. 1, and it is brought back to the middle position by
springs P attached to the framing.
Although it is preferred to arrange the coupling to be moved forward as
described for the purpose of uncoupling, yet it will be evident that this might be
dispensed with and the uncoupling be effected by pushing the carriages together, so
as to compress the buffers sufficiently to disengage the couplings from each other,
whereupon the one coupling would be moved laterally as described, so that the
carriages can be drawn apart.
For goods trucks, where there are no spring buffers, and where it is not required
to have a close coupling, the arrangement may be employed as shewn at Fig. 11, in
which the coupling B is made to project such a distance relatively to the buffers
that the two couplings will engage with each other, as indicated by the dotted lines,
while the buffers of the two trucks are still a short distance apart. The inner end

page_text: of the draw bar A is made to bear against a caoutchouc washer G to afford a certain
amount of spring action. The tail of the coupling B is in this case held in its
central position by a single spring R. Instead of jointing the coupling B to the
draw bar outside the carriage framing and providing it with a tail, as in the above-
described arrangements, it may be made in one piece with the front part of the draw
bar, which is in that case provided with a hinge joint at any convenient part of its
length.
Fig. 12 shews a plan of such an arrangement, the coupling B being formed in
one with the part A of the draw bar, which is hinge-jointed to the part A¹, so as to
allow of the requisite lateral motion of the coupling. The rod K for actuating the
coupling passes loose through an eye in the bar A and has a collar K', against which
the bar A and coupling B are kept by the spring K². The rod K is acted upon by
spring K³, so as to keep the coupling in the central position. It will be seen
that the coupling has freedom to move sideways in either direction on passing round
a curve, compressing the spring Ks when moving in one direction and pushing the
rod K outwards against the action of the spring K³ when moving in the other
direction. The hole in the carriage framing through which the draw bar passes
requires of course to be slotted in this case to allow of the angular motion of
the rod.
If it be required to provide the carriages or trucks with ordinary draw hooks and
chains in addition to my improved coupling the hooks might readily be attached to
the draw bar behind the coupling and below it, so as not to interefore with its
action.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I am aware that it has
already been proposed to construct railway couplings with a hook and a loop com-
bined in one and the same coupling, and I do not therefore claim this generally,
but I claim,
First. The use of an automatic double coupling consisting of a solid forked piece,
the one limb of which is formed as a horizontal hook, while the other is formed as
a vertical loop, the coupling being pivotted to the draw bar and acted on by a
spring or springs, so that when brought in contact with the opposite coupling it
will first be moved laterally thereby and then spring back, so as to cause the hook
of the one coupling to engage with the loop of the other coupling, substantially as
herein described.
Second. In combination with couplings arranged and operating as set forth in
the preceding claim, the provision of ineans for advancing the draw bar and coupling,
and for moving the coupling laterally for the purpose of uncoupling, substantially
as herein described.
Third. The construction of double coupling B with hook B¹ and loop B², arranged
and operating as herein described with reference to the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ernest Wallis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN ERNEST WALLIS (ra)