Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling
Railway Vehicles.
I WILLIAM HERALD of 226 Mottram Road Godley, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical and Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING RAILWAY
VEHICLES, 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 improvements in apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling
Railway Waggons and other Vehicles from outside the buffers so as to avoid the
dangerous practice of a person going between the Vebicles.
The present links and hooks as now used may be retained.
For this purpose I arrange a spindle or Bar supported by suitable brackeds
attached to end of Vehicle, these may be placed over buffers or other suitable
position.
The centre of this bar is prepared with an eye, or eyes, over the drawbar to
receive the ends of two levers F, F, the lower ends of these levers are jointed to
two rods the lower or outer ends of which are pivotted to two studs welded
or secured to sides of the end or outer coupling link These levers or rods when
jointed together form what are generally termed "Toggle Bars;" or the lower rods
may be crossed if desired when they will form what is known as a Lazy Tongs
Motion, or a modification of that motion, placed horizontally.
On the cross bar I place a sleeve or two sleeves which are supported in the
above mentioned brackets, these sleeves have each a small crank which are joined
together by a pin or bolt thus forming a sweep crank moving concentric with the
cross bar.
The sweep-crank pin being connected by small links or rods to the upper part of
Toggle Bars or Lazy Tongs levers, this connection opens or closes the motion bars
by revolving the sleeve cranks.
+
This movement enabling the coupling links to be raised quite close to its own
hook, or at any distance to full stretch of the coupling links, or in lieu of the
sleeves B, B, a rail suspended from cross bar with small levers, or cranks may be
used to open and close the motion bars, or the Toggle bars, or Lazy tongs motion,
may be suspended from the sleeves, and the arrangement for expanding and con-
tracting the motion may be attached to the cross bar instead of sleeves.

page_text: mediately under the cross bar and top levers I place two arms or supports
secured to end of Truck or Waggon, these two arms are formed and fixed so as to
sustain the two top levere, so that when the links are uncoupled they cannot fall full
stretch but by their own weight are taken back to a suspended position on their own
vehicle in a firm and snug position as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4, there is nothing
left loose or dangling dangerously.
The top levers and supports are so formed that the action of levers or motion,
are free to open or expand with the stretching of couplings links, The supports
are something like what a person gives a child under its arms from behind.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention and the method of
applying it.
Fig. 1 is the side elevation of a waggon end showing my apparatus and the
coupling links fallen back suspended out of use by their own gravity and automatic
action.
Fig. 2 shows the apparatus with links coupled to figure 1 waggon.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a Truck with my Toggle-Bar motion and coupling
links drawn bome in a state of rest.
Fig. 4 is also an elevation with the Lazy-Tongs, (or a modification of that
motion) and coupling links drawn back at rest.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation with a coupling apparatus being a modified form of
Lazy Tongs motion placed vertically with unequal rods, the top lever, or levers
being actuated by means of the sleeve motion and the lower levers by the cross bar
and handle.
In fixing the above apparatus ample freedom is given so as to allow the crossbar
to have a lateral motion and thus move the outer coupling link sideways so as
.to find the hook if necessary. The advantages of my invention are 1st retaining
the present hooks and links of whatever pattern.
2nd The automatic suspension of links so that they cannot drag, trail, or even
swing when the train is running, but are snugly placed under the hook as shewn
in drawings.
3rd Its suitableness for low bodied Trucks, as the highest part of apparatus need
not exceed ten or eleven inches above centre of drawbar, and when unhooked there
is nothing projecting past end of hook.
4th When the vehicle is in motion there are no loose swinging couplings or
levers.
5th General compactness and simplicity of working, vehicles with spring buffers
forced dead home and with hooks only some two inches off touching each other
may be coupled or uncoupled with facility.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A, A, A, A, are the brackets or supports; B, B, are the two sleeves; C, C, are the
small cranks connected by the pin or bolt D to which are jointed the two links or
rods E, E, also connected to the two levers or rods of Toggle bars, or Lazy_tongs
motion, F, F. G, G, are the two arms or supports to sustain the levers F, F, and
thus suspend the coupling links.
>
H, H, are the handles attached to sleeves which work sweep crank C, C, and D
to open and close the motion as before mentioned.
I, I, are the two handles attached to ends of cross bar or spindle which works
inside the sleeves, and on which are pivotted the two top levers of motion.
To couple two vehicles raise one of the handles I, I, with one hand thus
elevating the coupling links to the desired height, then with the other hand move
the handle H, to expand or contract the motion and coupling link to the desired
distance when it falls on to the opposite hook.
To uncouple raise one of the handles I, I, when the link will be immediately
disconnected and falling will move motion back on supports and suspend links as
'ehewn on drawings automatically.

page_text: 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
1st An arrangement whereby the present hooks and links as now used may be
coupled and uncoupled by a person outside the buffers.
2nd An arrangement called the Toggle Bars, or Lazy Tongs (or a modification
thereof) placed either horizontally as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, or vertically as in
fig. 5, and attaching same to either cross bar, or sleeves.
"
3rd The arrangement of sleeve, or sleeves, placed on cross bar, by the rotary
motion of which opens and closes the aforesaid motion and giving an in and
outward movement to the coupling links, or a cross rail and levers in lieu of sleeve
arrangement, and connecting the opening and closing motion to cross bar instead
of sleeves as may be arranged.
4th The arrangement of arms or supports to receive the levers when the links
are uncoupled and thus suspend them automatically by their own gravity.
5th The combination of crossbar with Toggle Bars or Lazy tongs levers, or
modifications of those motions, and suitable contrivances for operating the aforesaid
motions, connected to suitable attachments secured to ends of vehicles substantially
as described and illustrated.
6th The improved Coupling and Uncoupling apparatus constructed arranged and
operating as hereinbefore described and shewn in the Drawings.