Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons, Coaches, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons, Coaches, and the
like.
I, ROBERT BOULTON LADBURY, Bredon Cottage, Hunt End, Redditch, in the
County of Worcester, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in couplings for railway waggons
coaches and the like by which such vehicles can be easily and quickly coupled
and uncoupled without having to stand between the waggons or coaches thus
materially lessening the risk or danger to life and with very slight alteration
may be applied to existing waggons or coaches.
In carrying my invention into practice I mount in suitable brackets say four
fixed to the underside at each end of the waggon or coach, a rod or bar which
is free to turn or move in its bearings. Fixed near the centre of this movable
rod or bar are two arms or brackets to the other ends of which are pivoted sliding
This coup-
pieces or sleeves which carry or support the loose end coupling link.
ling link is connected by a smaller link to the link or coupling which is per-
manently coupled to the usual coupling hook attached to the vehicle between the
buffers. Fixed at either end of the movable rod or bar is a handle or lever for
operating the coupling which when moved in one direction lowers the arms or
brackets which carry or supports the end coupling link into position ready for
coupling and if moved in the opposite direction lifts the coupling link back
against the end of the waggon or coach where it rests or hangs on a hook or its
equivalent. When the lever is moved so as to lower the coupling ready for
coupling on to the coupling hook of the next vehicle the end coupling link is
held in such a position by the arms or brackets and by a couple of chains or their
equivalents attached to the ends of the vehicle and to the arms or brackets for
limiting the movement of the movable rod or bar that as the vehicle is backed
up the coupling link slides automatically on to the coupling hook. The coupling
links when the vehicles are in this position are slack or hanging loose but as soon
as the vehicles are pulled forward the end link that is the one mounted in the
sliding pieces or sleeves is drawn forward in these sleeves and the coupling pulled
taut. Stop pieces or collars are formed on the sides of this sliding link so as
to limit its traverse in either direction.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Waggons, Coaches, and the
like.
1, ROBERT BOULTON LADBURY, Bredon Cottage, Hunt End, Redditch, in the
County of Worcester, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performd. to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object improvements in couplings for railway waggons,
coaches, and the like by which such vehicles can be easily and quickly coupled
and uncoupled without having to stand between the waggons or coaches thus
materially lessening the risk or danger to life and with very slight alteration
may be applied to existing waggons or coaches.
In carrying my invention into practice I mount in suitable brackets-say four-
fixed to the underside at each end of the waggon or coach, a rod or bar which
is free to turn or move in its bearings. Fixed near the centre of this movable
rod or bar are two arms or brackets to the other ends of which are pivoted sliding
pieces or sleeves which carry or support the loose end coupling link. This coup-
ling link is connected by a smaller link to the link or coupling which is per-
manently coupled to the usual coupling hook attached to the vehicle between the
buffers. Fixed at either end of the movable rod or bar is a handle or lever for
operating the coupling which when moved in one direction lowers the arms or
brackets which carry or support the end coupling link into position ready for
coupling and if moved in the opposite direction lifts the coupling link back
against the end of the waggon or coach where it rests or hangs on a hook or its
equivalent. When the lever is moved so as to lower the coupling ready for
coupling on to the coupling hook of the next vehicle the end coupling link is
held in such a position by the arms or brackets and by a couple of chains or their
equivalents attached to the end of the vehicle and to the arms or brackets for
limiting the movement of the movable rod or bar that as the vehicle is backed
up the coupling link slides automatically on to the coupling hook. The coupling
links when the vehicles are in this position are slack or hanging loose but as soon
as the vehicles are pulled forward the end link that is the one mounted in the
sliding pieces or sleeves is drawn forward in these sleeves and the coupling pulled
taught. Stop pieces or collars are formed on the sides of this sliding link so as
to limit its traverse in either direction.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto five double sized sheets of drawings
upon which I have illustrated examples of my couplings applied to railway trucks
or waggons but it must be understood that my couplings can with equal advantage
be applied to railway coaches or vans and other rolling stock.
Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing a portion of two trucks in position ready
for being coupled with my couplings applied thereto, one of the buffers of each
truck being removed so as to more clearly illustrate my invention.
Figure 1 is a similar view to Figure 1 but shewing the coupling link coupled
onto the draw bar hook in the position it assumes before the coupling is drawn
taught or in tension.
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 shewing the trucks coupled and the
coupling in tension.
Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2 both buffers being fixed in position.
Figure 4 is an end elevation shewing my coupling turned up against the end
of the truck after being uncoupled,

page_text: In carrying my invention into practice I mount in the brackets fixed to the
underside at each end of the waggon W the rod or bar B which is free to turn
or move in its bearings. Fixed on this bar B near the centre are the arms or
brackets A and on the ends of these arms or brackets are pivoted what I call the
sliding pieces or sleeves a¹ a¹ which carry or support the end coupling link L in
a diagonal position. This coupling link L is free to move or slide in the sleeves
or sliding pieces a¹ a', the collars or stop pieces 13 13 which are fixed to or formed
on each side near the front of the link are provided for the purpose of retaining
or holding the link in an inclined or diagonal position in the sleeves so as to be
ready for coupling onto the draw bar hook w² of the waggon W₁ as clearly shewn
at Figure 1. I may also if required fix stop pieces or studs on the opposite sides
of this link so as to prevent the sleeves from sliding off the link. Connected or
coupled to the link Lis the smaller link L' and this link L' is coupled to the link L³
permanently attached or coupled to the usual draw bar or coupling hook w3 which
hook is attached to the waggon W between the buffers F F¹. The weight of the
links L' and L³ cause the link L to always gravitate into a diagonal position when
the coupling is not in tension as clearly shewn at Figures 1 and 1*. Fixed to
either end of the rod or bar B is the handle or lever H or wheel or equivalent which
when moved in the direction of the arrow turns the bar B in its bearings and
lifts or raises the coupling link L into the position against the end of the truck
as shewn in dotted lines Figure 2 and in the end view Figure 4, the spring
catch J or catches or their equivalents, which clips the bracket A being provided
for the purposes of retaining or holding these brackets and consequently the
coupling links in an upright position when not in use, but if one of the levers H
is moved in the opposite direction the brackets and coupling link are brought into
position ready for coupling onto the waggon W₁ the chains R or their equivalents
which are connected to the arms A and to the end of the waggon W limiting the
traverse of these arms A or holding the coupling links L in the desired position
as clearly shewn at Figures 1 and 1ª. When the waggon W is backed or pushed
towards the waggon W the coupling link L slides up over and automatically
couples onto the coupling or draw bar hook was clearly shewn at Figure 1ª and
when the waggon W is drawn forward this coupling link L slides forward in
the sliding pieces or sleeves a¹ a¹ until the whole of the coupling links are taut or
in tension as clearly shewn at Figures 2 and 3. To uncouple, the waggons are
brought together when the weight of the links L' and L2 will draw link L
downwards until the stops or collars rest against the pivoted sleeves a¹ a¹ in
the position as shewn at Figure 1 so that by moving or turning one of the
levers H in the direction of the arrow a the arms or brackets A and consequently
the coupling links are lifted clear of the coupling hook was shewn in dotted
lines Figure 1 and at Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
CLAIMS.
First: The improvements in couplings for railway waggons coaches and the
like consisting essentially of the coupling link L mounted in such a manner that
the said link L automatically gravitates into a such like diagonal position as
seen at Figure 1 when uncoupled or of that shewn by Figure 1ª when coupled in
conjunction with any suitable sustaining arrangement such as the arms A with
their mountings substantially as herein set forth and shewn upon the accompany-
ing drawings.
Second-In railway wagons, coaches & other couplings the link L in com-
bination with the sleeves a al pivoted to the arms or brackets A fixed to the rod
or shaft B and supported by the chains R or their equivalents in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shewn upon the drawings.
Third: In railway wagons, coaches & other couplings mounting the arms or

page_text: bracket A on a shaft such as B capable of being turned or moved in its bearings
by a handle or lever such as H in combination with the sliding link L having
collars or stop pieces 13 13 in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
herein set forth and as shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Fourth In railway wagons, coaches & other couplings holding or supporting
the coupling link L in sleeves such as a¹ a¹ pivotedly connected to the arms or
brackets A fixed upon the bar or rod B capable of being moved in its bearings
in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shewn
upon the accompanying sheets of drawings.
Fifth-In railway wagons, coaches & other couplings the link L in com-
bination with the arms or levers A held in a diagonal position by the chains R
or their equivalents and mounted upon the rod or bar B in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shewn upon the accompany-
ing sheets of drawings.
נד
с
1000
ROBERT BOULTON LADBURY.
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.