Improvements in and relating to Railway Couplings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Couplings.
I, SAMUEL HARLOW of 140, St. James Street,. Burnley,. in the County of
Lancaster, Undertaker, do hereby declare. the nature of this. invention to be. as
follows:-
This invention relates to a novel method of connecting or coupling railway
carriages together, and consists of an arrangement of self-acting catches attached to
each carriage and working into each other, so that when a carriage is pushed
against another it will fasten itself, and it thereby renders it unnecessary for any
one to enter between the carriages, which are required to be fastened. The catch
coupling consists of a rod with a tapered catch at its end and suitably fixed to the
railway carriage, so as to meet a similarly tapered catch on the adjoining carriage.
When the catches meet the rods give way, so as to allow the catches to pass over
each other sideways. One of the rods may be provided with a double or anchor-
headed hook. This rod is centred on a stud parallel to the axle of the vehicle.
On the opposite carriage are arranged two rods or levers, centred on a small shaft
These rods or
or stud, which is fixed transversely to the axle of the carriage.
levers have hooked ends, which turn inwards towards each other, so that when the
carriages are pushed against each other, the anchor-head on the rod or lever on one
carriage; is forced between the jaws or hooks of the two rods or levers on the
other carriage.
The hooked ends of the two rods or levers, with which the anchor headed lever
engages, are sufficiently hooked to prevent disengagement in the line of traction;
but by means of a cord, chain or lever attached to the anchor-head, the latter may
be raised at will from between the jaws of the two levers or rods with com-
parative ease, in which direction no resistance is offered by the hooked ends of the
levers or rods. I prefer the employment of an anchor-headed lever or rod and two
rods or hooked levers on each carriage, so that the anchor head of one carriage will
engage with the respective jaws of the levers or rods of the other carriage. This
arrangement will not only add additional strength to the coupling, but will allow of
the carriages being reversed and coupled.
The draw bars, rods, or levers of the two adjoining carriages, may be drawn
towards each other by means of eccentrics or the like, to which the respective draw
bars, rods or levers are attached. The eccentrics may be fixed to cross-shafts
having a handle or wheel at each side of the carriage, by turning which the buffer
springs may be compressed or relieved at will as may be desired.
Dated, this 2nd day of November 1891.
THUS. RICHMOND,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Couplings.
I, SAMUEL HARLOW, of 140 St. James Street, Burnley, in the County, of
Lancaster, Undertaker, 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 relates to a novel method of coupling and uncoupling railway
carriages, and, consists of an arrangement of self-acting catches attached to each
carriage and working into each other, so that when a carriage is pushed against

page_text: another, it will fasten itself; and it thereby renders it unnecessary for any one
enter between the carriages, which are required to be fastened.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
in which-
Fig. 1 is a plan of the coupling attached to the ends of each carriage;
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of Fig. 1; both of these figs. are broken off for want
of space;
Fig. 3, is an end elevation of the carriage a of Figs. 1, and 2, with the draw bar
and the anchor headed lever in section on line A B in Fig. 2.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The coupling consists of a draw-bar d' with a tapered catch f¹ at its end and
suitably fixed to the railway carriage b, so as to meet a similarly tapered catch f
on the draw-bar d of the adjoining carriage a. When the catches fand f' meet
the draw-bars d and d' give way by the springs c c, so as to allow the catches to
pass over each other sideways; the springs c c pressing the draw-bars d and d'
towards the centre for the purpose of locking the catches f and f¹ together. One
of the draw-bars is provided with an anchor headed lever i and g, centered on a
hinge or stud h.
On the carriage a is arranged a lever centered on a small shaft or stud k, and
working in a quadrant m which is fixed parallel to the axle of the carriage. The
lever is provided with a hooked end ; which turn down and inwards towards the
arm of the anchor headed lever i and 9, so that when the carriages are pushed
against each other, the arm g of the anchor head on the draw-bar d on the
carriage a is forced between the jaws or hooks f and f' of the two draw-bars d
and d' on the carriage, thus forcing the arm i of the anchor headed lever outwards
against the hooked end ; and placing the lever in the position as indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 3. The hooked ends f and f¹ of the two draw-bars d and d¹
with which the anchor head engages are sufficiently hooked to prevent disengage-
ment in the line of traction; but by means of a cord, chain or lever with the
handle n pulled downwards, thereby forcing the arm j and the arm i of the anchor
head inwards towards the draw-bar d, and the arm g outwards to uncouple the jaws
or catches fand f', in which direction no resistance is offered by the hooked ends,
except by the springs c c. If preferable a small pulley may be attached to the end
of the arm j..
I prefer the employment of an anchor headed lever i and g pivoted at / to the
draw-bar d and two draw-bars d and d' with tapered catches on each carriage, so
that the catch of one carriage will engage with the respective catch of the other
carriage as described by dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The arrangement for uncoupling the carriages by mechanism hereinbefore
described is illustrated in each of the figs., viz. :-by means of the lever bar 1 and
the arm with the anchor headed lever i and g.
At the ends of the carriages I fix plates with slots o and in which slot each
draw-bar moves from one side to the other during the operation of coupling or
uncoupling.
To each draw-bar I form a hook e in case a draw-link is required, through a part
of my apparatus not being attached to a carriage which is coupled to the said
draw-bar.
It will be understood that the foregoing is given by way of illustration, and that
the shapes materials and parts may be varied in many ways within the scope of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
1. The combination of the apparatus for coupling and uncoupling railway
carriages, substantially as herein described and according to the accompanying

page_text: 2. In a railway coupling, the combination of the draw-bars d, d¹, catches f, f',
springs c, c, hooks e e, anchor headed lever i and g pivoted at h, with the lever l
handle n stud k arm j and quadrant m and plates with slots o, substantially as
herein described and according to the accompanying drawing.
3. In a railway coupling, the combination to be constructed of any material or
shape and with any modification of the various parts, substantially as herein
described.
Dated this 6th day of February 1902
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.