IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Darling of Glasgow in the County of Lanark,
North Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND
UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND
IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Darling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1883.
JOHN DARLING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
TRUCKS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR
">
This Invention which relates to improvements in Coupling and uncoupling
Railway Carriagés, trucks, and other vehicles and in the apparatus or means
employed therefor is a development of the Invention for which Letters Patent were
granted to the said John Darling No 331 dated 20th January A.D. 1883..
In carrying this Invention into practice there are provided in the shanks of the
vertical Coupling hooks vertical hinged joints outside the buffer beams so that the
said hooks are hinged thereto.-Against the backs of the hooks springs are caused
to bear in a forward direction and to the front of the said shanks stops are provided
so as to prevent the hooks from being uncoupled in any but a vertical direction,
but enabling them to Couple themselves automatically when any two vehicles
fitted with the said Coupling hooks approach each other.-Any arrangement of
spring may be used to keep the Coupling hooks in their required position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Darling in the Patent Office on the 12th January 1884.
JOHN DARLING of Glasgow in the County of Lanark North Britain
IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
TRUCKS AND OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR
This Invention which relates to improvements in coupling and uncoupling
Railway carriages, trucks and other vehicles and in the apparatus or means
employed therefor is a development of the Invention for which Letters Patent were
granted to me the said John Darling N° 331 dated 20th January A.D. 1883.
In carrying this invention into practive [sic] there are provided in the shanks of
the vertical coupling hooks, vertical hinged joints outside the buffer beams so that the
said hooks are hinged thereto.-Against the backs of the hooks, springs are caused
to bear in a forward direction and to the front of the said shanks stops are provided
so as to prevent the hooks from being uncoupled in any but a vertical direction, but
enabling them to couple themselves automatically when any two vehicles fitted
with the said coupling hooks approach each other. Any arrangement of spring may
be used to keep the coupling hooks in their required position.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system mode or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings and to the Letters and Figures marked thereon,
that is to say -
Figure 1, is a plan of the upper side of a pair of couplings constructed according
to and constituting my present Invention.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of the same.
Figure. 3, is a plan of the underside of the same.
In carrying out my present improvements I pivot the shanks a, of the coupling
to any buffering projection that may be provided on the buffer beam b, or preferably
(as shewn on the accompanying Drawings) to the existing hooke, of the ordinary
link coupling. The improved coupling hooks d, are formed with the vertical
hinged joints e, and they are hinged to the shanks a, of the couplings.—Spiral or
other equivalent springs are caused to bear upon the hooks d, in such a direction
as to return the said hooks to the position in which they are represented on the
accompanying Drawings after they have been deflected from such position either
.from coupling or other reasons. When the coupling hooks d, are acted upon by
spiral springs (as in the coupling represented) these springs are secured at one
end to the pins upon which the hooks d, work, and at their other or opposite end to
the said hooks d. The shanks a, are provided with the projections f, to prevent
the hooks d, disengaging with each other in any direction other than a vertical
direction which is imparted to the said coupling hooks by. means hereinafter
described. The projections f, enable the hooks d, to couple themselves automati-
cally when any two vehicles, fitted with the said couplings, approach each other;
under these circumstances the forward ends of the hooks d, come against and pivot
on the forward ends of the said projections f, of the opposite couplings and the
points of the hooks d, thereby pass over and couple with each other. The vertical
motion before mentioned is imparted to the couplings by means of the bifurcated
levers 9, which are carried at one end on squares formed on the shafts h, which
are supported in bearings i, fixed to the buffer beam b; or the shaft h, may be
carried in any other convenient manner. At the underside of the shanks α, the

page_text: guides j, are formed (as represented in dotted lines on the accompanying drawings)
for the working therein of the pins or projections k, formed on the levers g. At
the ends of the shafts h, there are secured the hand-levers 1, and the said shafts h,
are also provided with stops of any suitable construction, for retaining the couplings
in position after they have been coupled or uncoupled. In the stop arrangement
represented, there is provided the plate m, secured to the end of the buffer beam b,
or to any other convenient part, and the disc n, carried by the shaft h. In the
disc n, there is fixed a pin which enters holes formed in the plate m, these holes
being drilled in the necessary position for retaining the couplings either in a coupled
condition or in an uncoupled condition as shewn in dotted lines. The spring o, is
provided to retain this stop arrangement in these positions and is in compression
between the collar q, or its equivalent formed on the shaft h, and the bearing or
fixed collar q. The squared portion of the shaft h, allows of the said shaft being
drawn lengthwise through the arms of the lever g, and at the same time allows the
said lever g, to be raised or lowered by means of the said shaft h.
The pivoting of this coupling mechanism to the existing hook of couplings
admits of two vehicles one provided with these improvements and the other not so
provided being coupled together by means of the ordinary link coupling.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system, mode or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is -For coupling and
uncoupling railway carriages trucks and other vehicles, the apparatus consisting
of the shanks a, vertical hinged hooks d, projections f, guides j, plate m, disc n,
spring o, and their attachments operating substantially as hereinbefore set forth
with reference to the accompanying drawings or the mechanical equivalents of
all or any of the said parts.
In Witness Whereof I the said John Darling have hereunto set my hand
and seal this tenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
TOTIN DARLING