Improvements in Railway Vehicle Couplings.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Vehicle Couplings.
We, FREDERICK LINDE of Donaldsonville, County of Ascension, Louisiana,
U.S.A., Jeweller, and MARK STREICHER of same place Jeweller, 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 :-
The railway vehicle coupling of this invention is shewn in the accompanying
drawing,
Fig. 1 being a central vertical section thereof with part of a railway vehicle,
Fig. 2 a plan view of same,
Fig. 3 a rear elevation partly in section of one of the drawheads of the
coupling.
Fig. 4 a detail perspective view of the lower jaw of the coupling, Fig. 5 a
similar view of the upper pivotted jaw,
Fig. 6 a detail side view of a modified form of coupling link to be used with one
of our coupling drawheads and an ordinary coupling, and
Fig. 7a detail perspective view of the end of a passenger carriage platform,
shewing the invention applied thereto.
A is the railway vehicle, B the lower jaw of the coupling drawheads, C the
upper pivetted jaw, D the uncoupling cam lever and E the coupling link.
The lower jaw B of each drawhead is provided with heavy laterally extending
lugs or projections & adapted to abut against the end beam of the vehicle frame A
in the act of coupling. It is also provided with upwardly extending lugs b', in
which the respective ends of a shaft b*, on which the jaw is loosely mounted,
are secured. The upper surface of the jaw B is preferably flattened, so that the
lower flattened surface of the jaw will lie smoothly upon it when the two are
together. The forward portions of both jaws are constructed to form the usual
bevelled circular opening to admit the arrow head e of the coupling link. A recess 6*
is formed in the upper surface of the lower jaw B to receive the arrow head e of
the link. A square shoulder & is provided by the formation of this recess for the
squared heade of the link to catch upon. Just back of the recess 64 is formed
another and deeper recess 6 for the accommodation of the lower outer free end of
a stout link lifting lever C, hereinafter more fully described. A groove &* is cut
backward from the last mentioned recess to a spring retaining recess t' to permit
of the movements of said lever C. The upper jaw C, as before described, is
pivotally mounted upon the shaft & between the lugs 61 of the jaw B, so as to be
capable of having its outer end forced upward by the arrow head of the coupling
link to permit the head to enter a recess c, formed in the under side of the said jaw.
The formation of this recess c leaves a square shoulder c', similar to shoulder b',
for the upper half of the arrow head of the link to catch against. The lifting
lever C' is bolted to the under side of the jaw C, and its forward end is inclined
downward and curved in cross section, so as to exactly, fit the contour of the link
head under which it lies, and which it is intended to elevate when the jaw C is
raised. The lever C¹ extends rearwardly, with its end terminating immediately
over the spring recess . The recess is of such depth that in order to maintain
the required strength of the draw head a bulge is forined in the casting just below

page_text: the bottom of the recess. A coil spring c³ is mounted in said recess and bears.
with its upper end against the rear end of the lever C¹, and the jaw C is thus
normally held down tight upon the jaw B and prevented from shaking or rattling
unduly. A plate D¹ is secured to the top of the projecting ends a of the longitudinal
beams of the vehicle directly over the end of the lever C. The plate is provided
with an aperture d directly over the rear end of the lever C¹ and lugs d'on each
side of said aperture. The lever D, having a cam end d², is pivotted between
said lugs. When said lever is in a horizontal position, its cam end does not
project through the aperture d, but when it is raised into a vertical position the cam
end is projected and engages the end of the lever C' aud pushes it down. This
movemeut raises the jaw C and disengages it from the arrow head of the link, or
from the shoulder of the recess therein. As the jaw C moves upward the forward
end of the lever C₁ engages the under side of the link head and raises it clear of the
shoulder 6 of the recess in the jaw B. The jaw B is extended rearwardly to form
a draw bar B. The bar is mounted in the usual manner, with a spring buffer 60 to
receive the shock in coupling. The bar is guided by a slot and pin connection b
and 6. The jaw B protrudes forward of the jaw C, so that the concussion of
coupling comes on the jaw B alone, and the jaw C and its pivotal connection are
thus relieved of any injurious shock. Any suitable chains or rods may be connected
to the lever D, whereby it may be operated either from the side or the top of the
vehicle. The forward downwardly inclined end of the lever C' is not a light or
springy structure, but is firm and solid, so that the link may be accurately and
positively lifted to the desired height to clear the shoulder by the raising of the
jaw C. A link similar to that shewn in Fig.
may be employed when a vehicle
provided with our improved coupling draw heads is coupled to a vehicle provided
with the ordinary link and pin coupling. In this link a head is formed upon one
head to engage the jaws B and C, and a loop f' upon the other end to be engaged
by the coupling pin.
In the application of our invention to a passenger vehicle, as shewn in Fig. 7,
the plate D is omitted and the cam lever is mounted upon a pin f2 secured in a
portion of the platform frame. In this case the cam end of the lever projects
through a suitable aperture cut in the platform, so as to engage the end of the
lever C¹.
Our coupling can be substituted for the old coupling without altering or making
any changes in the vehicles other than substituting our coupling draw heads for oli
ones, and that, too, in a very short time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a railway vehicle coupling, the combination with a lower jaw, of a hinged
upper jaw, said jaws constituting the draw head, a link lifting lever attached to
said latter jaw and projecting to the rear of the same, a spring acting on said lever
for keeping the jaw normally closed, and a cam lever adapte.l to engage said lifting
lever to raise the upper jaw and disengage the coupling link, substantially as
described and shewn.
2. In a railway vehicle coupling, the combination with a lower jaw forming one
part of the draw head, and having laterally extending projections and upwar lly
extending lugs, of an upper jaw forming the other part of the draw head, and
pivotted between said lugs, a link lifting lever attached to said latter jaw, and
means for lifting said jaw to disengage the coupling link, substantially as described
and shewn.
3. In a railway vehicle coupling, the combination with a lower jaw, of an upper
jaw pivotted thereto, but being shorter than the same, said jaws constituting the
draw head, and applied so that the shock of concussion is received by the lower jaw
alone, a link lifting lever attached to the upper jaw, and means for lifting said upper
jaw, substantially as described and shewn."

page_text: 4. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts constituting:
the railway vehicle coupling, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 26th day of February 1897.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants..