IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE CONNECTIONS OF THE SHAFTS WITH VEHICLES OR TO PARTS THROUGH PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hill, of Heywood, in the County of
Lancaster, Thomas Collingwood, of Rochdale, in the same County,
and Edward Collingwood, of Littleborough, in the same County,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO THE CONNECTIONS OF THE SHAFTS WITH VEHICLES OR TO PARTS THROUGH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hill, Thomas
Collingwood, and Edward Collingwood at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th October
1875.
We, RICHARD HILL, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, THOMAS
COLLINGWOOD, of Rochdale, in the same County, and Edward COLLING-
WOOD, of Littleborough, in the same County, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE CONNECTIONS OF THE SHAFTS WITH VEHICLES OR TO PARTS

page_text: THROUGH WHICH TRACTIVE FORCE IS TRANSMITTED TO VEHICLES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates, in the first place, to the couplings employed to
connect together the vehicles constituting a railway train, and has for
its principal object to enable the connection and disconnection to be
effected with less danger than when the ordinary couplings are used.
To or on the end of the draw bar we fix or form a head, in which is
jointed a hook which is formed with a projecting heel, and on a shaft
passing through the said head is fixed or formed an abutment which
projects from one side of the said shaft, and is pressed towards the shank
or head of the hook by means of a spring. When free the hook falls or
swivels on its joint pin into such a position as will release the link into
which it may be hooked. When the hook is raised out of this position
the said heel becomes depressed until it passes the end of the said abut-
ment, which then moves forward and forms an abutment to prevent the
rising of the heel, and as a consequence the falling of the hook. To the
said head is jointed a coupling link, which can be supported in a raised
or horizontal position by means of a prop which can be readily turned
into position to support the said link. The hook is formed with a face
which when the hook is in its lowest position extends in an upward
direction above the axis of motion of the hook, and by preference ter-
minates in a projection. When a vehicle is moved against another for
the purpose of coupling the end of the extended link of one vehicle
strikes the said face on the hook of the other vehicle, and thereby turns
up the hook, which is then locked in position by the said abutment, the
aforesaid prop being released by the movement of the link, and the
coupling or connection is effected. The end of the said link is formed
with a straight part which acts upon the said face. The aforesaid shaft
is preferably furnished with a handle at each end, whereby the said shaft
may be rotated to the extent required to release the hook by an operator
standing on either side of the vehicle and outside of the buffers.
We may apply safety guards projecting from one coupling to come into
contact with one or the other of fingers, levers, or handles on the shaft
of the other coupling, so as to uncouple the vehicles whenever one
vehicle is out of line with the other to an excessive extent, as, for
example, when one vehicle has left the rails.
Our Invention relates, in the next place, to vehicles drawn by horses,

page_text: and consists in employing a modification of the aforesaid coupling in
the connection of the horses with the said vehicles.
In one arrangement each shaft is jointed to the vehicle by means of a
pin, which is held by a hook which is formed with a heel to bear against
an abutment which can be moved away from the said heel, as in the
case of the aforesaid coupling. The fulcrum rod or joint pin, on which
the said abutment is fixed or formed, is arranged to be rotated to the
necessary extent by means of a chain, cord, or other appliance, which
can be acted upon by the driver, so as to simultaneously release both or
all of the shafts in the event of such a proceeding being considered
to be advisable under any circumstances.
C
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Hill, Thomas Collingwood, and Edward
Collingwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th April
1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
HILL, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, THOMAS COLLINGWOOD,
of Rochdale, in the same County, and EdwarD COLLINGWOOD, of Little-
borough, in the same County, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
fortieth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Richard Hill, Thomas
Collingwood, and Edward Collingwood, Her special licence that we, the
said Richard Hill, Thomas Collingwood, and Edward Collingwood, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Richard Hill, Thomas Collingwood, and Edward Collingwood,
our 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
“IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE CONNECTIONS OF

page_text: THE SHAFTS WITH VEHICLES OR TO PARTS THROUGH WHICH TRACTIVE FORCE IS
TRANSMITTED TO VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Richard Hill, Thomas Collingwood, and Edward Collingwood,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or one of our 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 we, the said Richard Hill and Edward Colling-
wood, for ourselves and on behalf of the said Thomas Collingwood, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (and accompanying Drawings),
that is to say :-
Our Invention relates, in the first place, to the couplings employed to
connect together the vehicles constituting a railway train, and has for
its principal object to enable the connection and disconnection to be
effected with less danger than when the ordinary couplings are used.
To or on the end of the draw bar we fix or form a head, in which is
jointed a hook which is formed with a projecting licel, and on a shaft
passing through the said head is fixed or formed an abutment which
projects from the said shaft, and is pressed towards the shank or head of
the hook. When free the hook swivels on its joint pin into such a
position as will release the link into which it may be hooked. When
the hook is raised out of this position the said heel becomes depressed
until it passes the end of the said abutment, which then moves forwards,
and forms an abutment to prevent the rising of the heel, and and as a
consequence the falling of the hook. To the said head is jointed a coupling
link, which can be supported in a raised or horizontal position by means
of a prop which can be readily turned into position to support the said
link. When a vehicle is moved against another for the purpose of
coupling the end of the extended link of one vehicle runs up the
inclined face of the hook on the other vehicle until it passes the point a
of the hook, when it falls into the hook, and the coupling or connection
is effected. The aforesaid abutment is arranged to be acted upon to

page_text: release the hook by an operator standing on either side of the vehiclc,
and outside of the buffers.
Our Invention relates, in the next place, to vehicles drawn by horses,
and consists in employing a modification of the aforesaid coupling in the
connection of the horses with the said vehicles.
In one arrangement each shaft is jointed to the vehicle by means of a
pin, which is held by a hook which is formed with a heel to bear against
an abutment which can be moved away from the said heel, as in the
case of the aforesaid coupling.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood we
have appended hereunto a Sheet of Drawings made for the most
part about one-fourth of the full size, and marked with letters of
reference, corresponding parts indicating the same parts in the various
Figures.
Referring in this place to the said Drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation
representing a railway carriage coupling with the parts in position as
when the process of coupling is being effected, Fig. 2 representing the
parts in the position assumed when the coupling is completed.
In the said Figs. A, A, are the buffer planks of two railway
vehicles; B, B, are the draw bars of any usual or suitable form and
construction; and C, C, are the aforesaid "heads" forged or formed on
or fixed to the ends of the said draw bars. Each head is formed with two
cheeks a, a, between which is a space in which the hook D is fitted, the
said hook being formed with an incline on the face, and being mounted
on a pin b, which is fixed in the said cheeks. On a second pin c is
mounted a lever E, which is formed with a short projecting finger d
which constitutes the aforesaid abutment. A shaft F is fitted to revolve
or rock in bearings formed in or attached to the under framing of the
vehicle, and is arranged to be turned by means of a key or handle from
one side or from both sides of the vehicle, as preferred. On the said
shaft is fixed a lever arm e, the outer end of which is provided with an
antifriction bowl which bears against the under side of the lever E.
When the said shaft is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow
the lever E can be raised into the position represented in the left hand
of Fig. 1. The hook is formed with a heel or shoulder f, which bears
against the abutment, the hook being thereby retained in the position of
the right-hand hook, but when the lever E is raised the abutment is

page_text: withdrawn from the said heel, and the hook losing its support falls into
the position represented in the left hand of Fig. 1. On the shaft F is
placed a spur segment g, which gears with a spur rack fixed or formed on
a sliding bar, which is formed with a projecting arm h. When the said
shaft is turned to lower the lever E this arm is advanced towards the
hook, and bearing against the back thereof raises the hook into the
higher position, and on the contrary when the said shaft is turned to
raise the said lever the said arm is withdrawn from the hook and per-
mits it to fall. A coupling link G is mounted on the outer ends of the
pin b, and on one side of the link is formed a projection j, which bears
against the end of a prop k, which is fitted to swivel on a stud fixed to
the side of the head, the said prop sustaining the coupling link in an
extended or horizontal or nearly horizontal position. When the said prop
is turned out of the way of the said projection the link is permitted to fall
into a vertical position. The said prop and projections being supposed
to be on the other side of the head represented to the right hand in
Fig. 2 do not show, but if preferred both sides of the link may be formed
with projections, and the head be provided with a prop on each side, in
which case the said prop might be fixed on the ends of the pin c, so that
the two props would move together when one was turned out of the way.
The outer end of the link is made somewhat in form as seen in Fig. 3,
in order that it may be more suitable to slide up the face on the hook.
When the coupling is to be effected one of the coupling links is propped
in the extended position, the hook on the other vehicle having been
raised into its upper position, as represented in Fig. 1. If the vehicles
are now brought together the end of the coupling link will come in
contact with the inclined face of the hook, and will slide up the said
face until the end of the link drops past the point of the hook, when the
coupling will have been effected. To uncouple the vehicles the shaft F
is rotated to raiso the lever E, whereby the hook will be permitted to
fall and to release the link. It will be seen that a recess is formed in
the upper side of the lever E. When the vehicles are at rest this recess
enables the said lever to be raised sufficiently high to release the hook,
but when a strain is put upon the draw bars the shoulder at the outer
end of this recess is drawn within the slot in the buffer plank, as seen in
Fig. 2, and the lever cannot then be raised sufficiently high to roleasc
the hook. In the example the weight of the said lever tends to keep
the said abutment in position to support the hook, but if preferred a
spring may be employed to draw down the said lever. A modification in
"

page_text: this arrangement may be made by forming the hook with a projection
(as indicated by the dotted lines 2) against which the end of the link.
would strike, the hook being thereby raised. In such a case the spur
-segment-and rack might be dispensed with.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the latter part of our Invention. In this
example m represents the end of a carriage shaft, and n a part of the
vehicle to which the shaft is jointed. A swivelling hook O fitted in a
jaw formed in n and mounted on a pint is formed with a heel or
shoulder which bears against an abutment p, the hook being thereby
prevented from swivelling: A pin r fixed to the shaft engages with the
hook, the connection being thereby effected. The abutment is connected
by means of a rod's with the corresponding abutment of the joint of the
other shaft. When it is desirable to release, the shafts the said rod is
raised by means of a cord, strap, or chain, and the abutments are thereby
withdrawn from the hooks, which may then fall so as to release the
pins, whereby the shafts are disconnected from the vehicle.
.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said In-
vention, and means whereby the same may be carried into practical
effect, we would have it to be understood in conclusion that we claim,-
First. The swivelling hook in conjunction with the movable abutment,
arranged and acting substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
set forth and indicated.
Secondly. The railway couplings, substantially as set forth and indi-
cated herein-before and in the accompanying Drawings.
And, Lastly. The shaft joint and connections, substantially as set
forth and indicated herein-before, and in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness- whereof, we, the said Richard Hill and Edward
Collingwoood, for ourselves and on behalf of the said Thomas
Collingwood, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth
day of April, in the year of our Lord 1876.