Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
"
:-
This invention has mainly for its object to make what are known as "Shiels
and Elliot couplings for electric wires so that they, under certain conditions,
shall be self-opening. The improvements are specially adapted for the couplings
when applied to railway trains.
When the "Shiels and Elliot" coupling is applied to railway carriages, if the
latter are properly connected together there should be no tension or pull on the
coupling but as there is a possibility that through carelessness or neglect on
the part of the railway officials the electric coupling may be properly coupled whilst
the carriages themselves may not be coupled or may be insecurely coupled
together. Should the carriages thus happen to be insecurely coupled together.
immediately the strain would come on the electric coupling, as at present made, it
would break. To obviate liability of breakage from this source, I, under this
invention, make the coupling self-opening.
To enable the coupling to open automatically cach part is made with a bent
connecting arm or extension. The arms or extensions may be made one with or
secured to the parts of the coupling. The connecting hose pipes or tubes are fitted
on the extensions or arms of the coupling. With this arrangement immediately
a horizontal pull or tension comes on the coupling it will automatically uncouple.
The parts or "clamps" of my improved coupling are, preferably, each made
with a recessed part or hollow having a seat or ledge at the bottom. On the seat
or ledge the insulating plug is fitted. The insulating plug may be turned with a
groove in which the electric terminals or contacts are fitted. The clectric
terminals or contacts are or may be brought up to the proper slope by means of
wedges. A ledge or rim may also be made in the recess or hollow for the usual
india-rubber ring to sit in.
As I find in practice that the ordinary solid drawn copper wires, as used for
electrical purposes, do not stand the bending incident to their use in the "Shiels
and Elliot" coupling, I use in lieu thereof wires made of a number of fine strands
twisted together.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1891.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Electric Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., 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 has mainly for its object to make what are known as " Shiels
and Elliot" couplings for electric wires so that they, under certain conditions,
shall be self-opening. The improvements are specially adapted for the couplings
when applied to railway trains.
When the "Shiels and Elliot" coupling is applied to railway carriages if the
latter are properly connected together there should be no tension or pull on the

page_text: coupling but as there is a possibility that through carelessness or neglect on
the part of the railway officials the electric coupling may be properly coupled
whilst the carriages themselves may not be coupled or may be insecurely coupied
together. Should the carriages thus happen to be insecurely coupled together
immediately the strain would come on the electric coupling, as at present made,
it would break. To obviate liability of breakage from this source, I, under this
invention, make the coupling self-opening.
To enable the coupling to open automatically each part is made with a bent
connecting arm or extension. The arms or extensions may be made one with or
secured to the parts of the coupling. The connecting hose-pipes or tubes are
fitted on the extensions or arms of the coupling. With this arrangement
immediately a horizontal pull or tension comes on the coupling it will automatically
uncouple.
The parts or clamps "of my improved coupling are, preferably, each made
with a recessed part or hollow having a seat or ledge at the bottom.
On the
seat or ledge the insulating plug is fitted. The insulating plug may be turned
with a groove in which the electric terminals or contacts are fitted. The electric
terminals or contacts are or may be brought up to the proper slope by means of
wedges. A ledge or rim may also be made in the recess or hollow for the usual
india rubber ring to sit in.
As find in practice that the ordinary solid drawn copper wires, as used for
electrical purposes, do not stand the bending incidental to their use in the "Shiels
& Elliot coupling, I use, in licu thereof, wires made of a number of fine strands
twisted together.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings whereon :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the parts of the coupling locked together.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one part of the coupling.
Fig. 3 is a transverse longitudinal section of the part or ઃ clamp" Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shows the position assumed by the parts of the coupling when they are
pulled asunder or unlocked by a horizontal strain.
65
Figs. 5 & 6 show different methods of constructing the "clamps."
Fig. 7 is a view showing the shape of the interior of
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views.
-
at
clamp."
Referring to the drawings
A is one <<
clamp or part and B the other clamp or part of the coupling.
Each part or clamp has a bent arm or extension C which may be either cast in
one piece with the body of the "clamp," as shown at Fig. 5, or be screwed into
the end of the body as shown at Fig. 6. If desired, however, instead of being
screwed in place it may be push jointed. The extensions C are hollow, as shown,
for the passage of the electric wire or wires D. D¹ is an insulating covering.
In the coupling shown two wires are used. The wires are, by preference, made of
thin strands, twisted together, so that they will stand repeated bending. E repre-
sents the usual hose pipe for suspending the parts of the coupling from the ends
of the carriages. F is a clip or ring for retaining the end of the hose in place.
The clamps, both of which are identical in construction, are, in this invention,
made or cast with ledges G, G1, G2 (Fig. 7) for supporting the vulcanite plug H.
The plugs are made with a groove I round them and into this groove the arc-
shaped terminals or contacts J, J' are fitted. The terminals or contacts, of which
there are two, one for each wire, have a screw or pin K passing through or
projecting from their under sides. Fitted on the lower end of the pin of each
terminal is an elongated plate or washer L (see plan view Fig. 9) to which the
strand wire or wires D, is or are secured. The washer is held tightly in place
by the nut M. The terminals and their accessory parts are shown clearly in side
view at Figs. 8 and 10.
To give the terminals the proper inclination a small wedge N is inserted under
one end as shown at Fig. 8.

page_text: O is the usual rubber ring. The dotted lines at P represent a pin which is
passed through the plug H to retain it in place.
With this coupling immediately it is subjected to a horizontal pull it is bent or
forced upwards as shown at Fig. 4 and so uncouples itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A coupling for electric wires, having its parts or "clamps" made with bent
extensions or arms substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
2. A coupling for electric wires constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown on the drawings annexed.
nd thin 01-4 1 of Damho 1001
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.