Improvements in and relating to Railway Couplings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
Improvements in and relating to Railway Couplings.
I, HENRY NORFOLK, of 511, Green Lanes, Harringay, London, N., Ironmonger,
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:-
i
This invention relates to improvements in means for automatically coupling
together railway vehicles, such as locomotives, carriages, wagons or trucks, and
the invention has for object to facilitate and render safe the coupling and
uncoupling of such vehicles.
My invention consists in providing as means for coupling these vehicles
together, a special device consisting of a link engaged by a coupling pin on
the adjacent vehicle, each end of each vehicle being, thus provided to the sides
of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle with a link or slotted bar and a coupling
pin, intended to engage with the corresponding coupling pin and link or slotted
bar of the preceding or following vehicle. The device is arranged to be operated
by one or more suitable hand levers, and means are also provided for throwing
the automatic coupling device out of operation when so desired, as for instance
when the wagons etc. are to be shunted.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, upon which is illustrated
the application of my invention to ordinary railway wagons,-
Figure 1 represents a side elevation shewing the abutting ends of two wagons
ready for coupling together.
!
Figure 2 is a similar view but illustrates the altered position of the various
parts when the wagons have been coupled together.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of a wagon illustrating the general arrangement
of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan view drawn to an enlarged scale shewing position of the
plates A and link H.
Upon these drawings A A represent the slotted coupling bars, BB are the
CC are
pivoted T-shaped levers, and bb are noses or projections on the same.
the coupling pins or bolts and DD are the tail pieces of the levers B. The
projections of the levers B are arranged to engage with and be locked by
springs E. whilst FF are brackets or hangers carrying the said levers B.
GG, as will be seen, are the hand levers for operating levers B, and H H are
the links in which the pins CC travel.
When it is desired to couple two wagons together, the hand levers G are
raised so as to cause the various parts to assume the position shewn in Fig. 1.

page_text: Upon the wagons being driven or brought together the front ends of the
slotted coupling bars AA will simultaneously strike against the tail pieces 1)
of the lever B, causing each of these latter to assume the position shewn in
Fig. 2, e. with coupling pins pressed down through the slots in the coupling
bars A A. In this position the wagons will be securely locked together, the
coupling pins being held down by the projection or tooth engaging with
the notch in the upper end of the spring E.
To release the wagons previously to their being separated the hand levers GG
are raised, the pivoted levers B being thus caused to resume their normal
positions, and the coupling pins are raised from out of the slotted bars A.
In this position the tooth engages with the lower notch on the spring plate E
and holds the pin C ready for coupling.
When it is desired to detach a wagon from a train, down a siding, or else-
where, the coupling pin C is first withdrawn from out of the coupling bars A,
as above described, and the wagon or wagons detached or broken off from the
train; as soon as this is accomplished the pin C is pressed down through the
link H. If now the engine or train is backed on to the released wagon or
wagons the front end of the plate A will strike against the lowered pin C in
lieu of the tail piece D and thereby cause the wagon to be driven in the required
direction.
Upon reference to Figure 3 it will be seen that the slotted coupling bars AA
and the pivoted lever with its coupling pin Care arranged one on either side
of the centre line of the wagon so as to enable any two wagons to be coupled
from either end.
'
The lever G is arranged to raise or lower the coupling pin by means of the
fulcrumed T-head from either one side of the wagon only, or from either
side of the wagon. In the former case only a single lever G is needed, pivoted
between the T-head B and the handle of the lever, and in the latter case
two levers G are arranged one on each side of the hanger or bracket F and
similarly pivoted. Or a single compound lever might be employed for the same
purpose.
!
As shewn on Figure 3, the pin C is prevented from swinging back when
struck by the nose of the slotted bar A (eg. during shunting operations, or
when "kicked back" by the locomotive) by means of a strut or angle iron h.
The slotted bar A should not be longer than is necessary since it might
otherwise prevent the tail 1 from swinging back vertically when the pin C
is to be raised by means of the lever G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I do not claim generally the application and use of a drop pin
or pendant upon one railway or tramway vehicle adapted to engage with a
loop or eye upon another like vehicle as a means for automatically coupling
them together, but I declare that what I claim is:-
1. An automatic railway-coupling, comprising a slotted bar projecting from
one end of a vehicle and arranged to pass between the jaws of a double link,
projecting from the abutting end of the adjacent vehicle, the said slotted bar
thereby striking the tail piece of a T lever bracketed from the said second
vehicle and causing a coupling pin to descend passing through the slot in the
said bar, and locking the same, thereby coupling the vehicles together, the
coupling pin being retained in its desired position by means of a plate spring,
and the coupling connection being afterwards broken by means of a lever
raising the coupling pin from its socket, substantially as described.
2. In an automatic railway-coupling device, the combination of a slotted
bar A engaging the tail piece D of a T-lever B, provided with a pendant
coupling pin C and slot traversed by a hand lever G, of a plate spring E
engaging a projection upon the lever B, of a double link through which the
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page_text: coupling pin travels and having a guide or stay h confining the motion of said
pin, substantially as and for the purposes described, and as illustrated upon
the annexed drawings.
Dated this 10th day or June 1999.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.