IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wright of Plymouth in the county of Devon
Brassfounder and John Pethick of Plymouth in the county of Devon,
Contractor for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY
AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wright and John
Pethick at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November
1882.
WILLIAM WRIGHT of Plymouth in the County of Devon Brassfounder and
JOHN PETHICK of Plymouth in the County of Devon Contractor. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
"
We prefer to employ a spear beaded draw bar projecting from the end of each
of the pair of vehicles to be joined ; a slotted face plate faces each of the spear heads
and has ears to direct the head into the slot. Two sides of the bead are rounded
off in such manner that as the head is forced into the opposing slot (to the longer
axis of which in its normal position the broad part of the head lies at right
angles) it is turned nearly or quite at right angles to its usual position and thus
freely enters the slot, a suitable spring or equivalent bringing it back to its normal
position as soon as the head has got inside the plate By this means all that is
needed to join two vehicles is simply to push them together and they couple them-
selves. Many different means may be adopted for releasing this coupling; for instance
a projecting arm upon the draw bar engages with a projecting arm upon a horizontal
shaft or bar which runs across the vehicle and is twisted into the form of a very coarse
pitched screw which engages with a fixed nut or equivalent; the ends of the cross
bar project and carry suitable haudles. When these handles are turned the coarse
screw forces the cross bar along and its arm engaging with that of the draw bar
turns it and so releases the head of the draw bar. Any suitable arrangement of
bell crank or other levers or gearing may however be employed
The requisite springs, joints, screws levers and the like are employed to give the
necessary elasticity and play, and the position and arrangement of the draw bars
and slotted plates can be varied to suit circumstances.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Wright and John Pethick in the Great Seal Patent
Oflice on the 4th May 1883.
WILLIAM WRIGHT of Plymouth in the county of Devon Brassfounder and
JOHN PETHICK of Plymouth in the county of Devon Contractor. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
"
We prefer to employ a spear-headed draw bar projecting from the end of each of
the pair of vehicles to be joined; a slotted plate faces each of the spear heads and
has ears to direct the head into the slot. Two sides of the head are rounded off in
such manner that as the head is forced into the opposing slot (to the longer axis of
which in its norinal position the broad part of the bead lies at right angles) it is
turned nearly or quite at right angles to its usual position and thus freely enters
the slot, a suitable spring or equivalent bringing it back to its normal position as
soon as the head has got inside the plate. By this means all that is needed to
join two vehicles is simply to push them-together and they couple themselves.
Many different means may be adopted for releasing this coupling; for instance a
projecting arm upon the draw bar engages with a projecting arm upon a horizontal
shaft or bar which runs across the vehicle and is twisted into the form of a very
coarse pitched screw which engages with a fixed nut or equivalent; the ends of the
cross bar project and carry suitable handles. When these handles are turned the
.coarse screw forces the cross bar along and its arm engaging with that of the draw
bar turns it and so releases the head of the draw bar. Any suitable arrangement of
bell-crank or other levers or gearing may however be employed.
The requisito springs, joints, screws, lovers and the liko are employed to give the
'necessary elasticity and play and the position and arrangement of the draw bars
-and-slotted plates can be varied to suit circumstances.
In the accompanying Drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side clevation of a passenger carriage coupled to a truck at each
end the framing being partly in section to show how the apparatus is fixed :-
Figure 2 is a plan of the framing and apparatus similar to Figure 1, and :—
Figures 3 to 10 are details of the apparatus.
Like letters of reference represent like parts in the different figures.
A is the draw bar B a helical spring or equivalent device to maintain it in the
position shewn in Figure 3. C is the draw bar head, and D the slotted plate or
'equivalent with ears D' to direct and turn the lead C as it approaches the slot.
E are rubber springs with plates between through which the end of the draw-bar A
passes and is secured at the back as shown in Figure 2. F are rods which are
secured to a plate F' (through a hole in which the draw bar A passes) at one end
and pass through the buffer plank at the other and secure the slotted plate D as
shown. The normal position of the head C is with its broad sides vertical as at C
in Figure 3, but when two vehicles are run together the head C entering between the
ears D' is twisted round against the pressure of the spring B till its broad sides are
horizontal in which position it passes through the slotted plate D and immediately
it has passed resumes its normal position. The twisting takes place in consequence
of two of the diagonally opposite edges or corners being bevelled off so as to present
an inclined plane to the cars, this is clearly shown in Figure 10. To uncouple the
apparatus all that is necessary. is to twist the draw bar A until its head C is in a
position to pass out through the slot in plate D. This may be accomplished by the
Hevers shown in Figures 2 and 3-G is a shaft which passes across the frame and has
handles H at each end outside the carriage-A curved lever I is also secured upon this
shaft and works against another slightly curved lever A' upon the draw bar A. As
the handle H is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 the lever I
engages with lever A' and gives the requisite twist to draw bar A. and head C.
This arrangement can of course be modified.

page_text: Instead of twisting the head to withdraw it, it may be shaped as shown in
Figures 4, 7, and 8 where it enters the slotted plate D as before but to save the
twisting it is itself provided with a bolo or slot C' through which a pin K passes
and retains it. The head C enters as shown in Figure 7 and strikes against the plate L
of the balance weight M which is pivotted at M', driving it back and raising the
weight and at the same time bringing down pin K which was previously held up
by lever M also attached to balance weight M.
Or pin K may be jointed as at K¹ Figures 4 and 5, and head C pushes the looso
portion back on entering and it falls into the slot C¹ when the head is far enough
in and provents it from returning until the whole pin is lifted by the levers or
equivalent.
Figures 11 and 12 show show the drawbar provided with hook N which can be used
with the ordinary couplings when the head C is thrown up as shown in Figure 11.
The head C is provided with projections C³ which prevent it from falling beyond
the horizontal line when lowered as shown in Figure 12, so that it may properly
enter the slutted plate of the next vehicle.
The pin K may be withdrawn for the purpose of uncoupling by any convenient
means such as the lever N shown in Figures 4 and 5 and which extends across the
end of the vehicle and is operated from outside the buffers. Or the shaft M'
Figure 7 can extend across the vehicle and have a handle on each end so that by
turning the shaft the pin K would be withdrawn. An independent shaft would
however be preferable as when the trucks were run together for coupling and
plate L received a heavy blow shaft M' and its handles would participate in the
sudden movement which would be dangerous.
In the case of goods trucks where a great deal of play is required the head has a
long slot as in Figure 9, or if the spear shape be employed the extra length is
provided upon the draw-bar. Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 7, and Figure 5 is
a front view of Figure 4. The details can of course be modified to suit circumstances.
Having now described our Invention and the method of performing the same we
wish it to be understood that we Claim:-
First: The draw-bar A having a head C with bevelled edges in combination with
the slotted plate D having ears or guides D' whereby the said head C is twisted to
enter the slot in plate D and resumes its normal position at right angles thereto
when past the plate substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shewn.
Second-The bevelled spear shaped draw bar head C, substantially as and for
the purposes described and shown.
Third-The slotted draw bar head CC and slotted plate and ears or guides DD'
to direct the head in entering in combination with pin K plate L and balance
lever M M M substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shewn.
Fourth-In combination with pin K the employment of the plate L and balance
lever M MM whereby said pin K is caused or allowed to enter the slotted
draw bar head C, substantially as set forth and illustrated.
Fifth The jointed pin K K¹ substantially as set forth and shown in Figures 4
and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth, The combination of the jointed head C and hook N substantially as
described and shown in Figs 2, 11, 12 of the accompanying drawings,
In witness whereof we the said William Wright and John Pethick have
hereunto set our hands and seals this second day of May in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.