AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES."-A communication from abroad by
George Dennis Spooner, John Frederic Fish Hale, and Anrel Clement
Stiles. all of Rutland. Vermont. United States of America.
Sealed the 17th May 1867, and dated the 20th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office." No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Cop-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
The said Invention relates to a universal self-locking coupling device
whereby railway carriages of different heights may be readily and securely
connected. A central horizontal partition is formed in each of the draw
heads of the coupling, which partition allows the link or shackle bar to be
readily adjusted for carriages of different heights. A stop is provided in
combination with the said central partitions and with the coupling pins,
whereby the coupling pin in one draw head can be readily adjusted in the

page_text: proper position to correspond to the position of the shackle bar in the other
draw head, or to corresponding to the difference which may exist in the height
of the carriages. The holes in the draw heads are narrowed toward their
rear or inner ends to keep the shackle bar straight and in the proper
position to enter the draw head of the approaching carriage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings forming part of this Specification :-

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, and shown how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First, the arrangement of a horizontal partition a in the draw beads A, A',
in combination with the moveable stop c, and coupling pin b, constructed and
_ operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second, the double stop-c-in combination with the horizontal partition a
and coupling pin b, constructed and operating substantially-as--and for the
purpose set forth.
Third, narrowing the holes in the draw heads A, A', towards their inner
or rear ends, substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.