Improvements in Couplings for Railway Cars.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1895-Accepted. 18th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Cars.
We GUSTAV ADOLF LYNCKER of 94 Schleissheimerstrasse, Lieutenant in the
German Army Retired List and ANTON SCHROPP of 26 Schwindstrasse of no
occupation, both of Munich in the Empire of Germany 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:—
This invention consists in improvements in couplings for railway cars as illustrated
and described hereinafter and intended to obviate the danger of injury or fatal
accident incurred in the coupling and uncoupling of railway cars.
In this invention the well known and approved draw hook system is retained, but
is arranged so as to be operated from the sides of the cars.
In the annexed drawing
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved coupling showing the parts at one end of
a car. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof.
Figs. 3 to 8 are detail views of parts and modified constructions.
The link a is connected to the draw hook z by means of a cross bolt and is
provided with two arms n projecting at an obtuse angle, each of which arms, has a
hole, for receiving a wire rope. The latter is passed around a knob or pin cas
shown in Fig. 2, on the bottom of the hook and thence passes back towards the
edge of the car frame, as shown in the drawing. On the link a, there is pivoted or
hinged the link b (Fig. 4); said link b is provided with the arme which latter bears
against the underside of the link a.
with a
2
In Fig. 2 the portion drawn in dotted line shows the link when disengaged and
hanging freely. When the link is to be engaged, it must be first lifted by means of
a pull exerted on the wire rope, which can be effected from the side of the car in
the following manner. As shown in Fig. 7, the wire rope may be passed through
or over a pin or pulley arranged on the under edge of the car or through a ring,
pulley lying behind it, and may then be led towards the side of the car to a
handle h so that the engaging and disengaging of the link is operated by simple
pulling and releasing, or as shown in Fig. 8, the wire may be passed over a small
drum by which, on turning the hand crank q the link is made to rise or fall. A
further arrangement for lifting the link is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 where a double
armed lever H is used which is at one extremity provided with a segment (Fig. 1)
and
upon which latter the wire rope passes, when the lever turns on its pivot o,
which lever can be turned froin the side of the car by means of a handle g arranged
below. Fig. 6 shows the link in its highest position and ready to drop into the
hook 2. The position marked in dotted lines shows the link when hooked, and
Fig. 2 lastly represents the coupling ready for the starting of the train. In order
now to get the coupling into this position ready for starting a further manipulation
"the closing up" of the coupling is necessary. In order that this operation may
also be effected from the side of the car, the draw rods of the car is divided aud
connected by a screw , which at the end is provided with a toothed collar or
pinion m (see Fig. 1). This latter is moved by means of the detachable crank k
(Fig. 3) through bevelled gear m² m² (Figs. 1, 2, 3) and thus the link is drawn
tight. This closing up construction is, as to be seen from the drawing, located on
the bottom of the car, and in no way interferes with the action of the draw bars,
while it is easily and conveniently handled.

page_text: Another method of operating the engaging and disengaging of the cars, is
illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the annexed drawing. In this instance the link r
(analogous to the link a) is provided with arms n at an obtuse angle with holes for
the wire rope. The screw spindle w which is actuated by means of the pivoted
handle d arranged on the collar or flange t connects the link r, with the coupling
links which is provided at one end with a screw-threaded socket. At the extremity
of the screw w a conical ring e¹, Fig. 11 is screwed on and rivetted, and this presses
against the end of link s, when the coupling is released; the purpose of this is to
prevent the links from twisting, when hanging down. The pins i on the link r
between which the lever d is simply turned over (see Fig. 9 and 10) also serve to
prevent the parts from twisting in order that during the coupling the links may
always come into the horizontal plane.
To close up and loosen this coupling it is necessary to pass between the cars, as
with ordinary couplings, but as the closing up of the couplings need not be done
until the cars are ready ranged, and connected, namely shortly before the train
starts, (while the train is not yet moving), there is no danger in this action after
the engaging of the coupling link has first been duly effected from the side of the
cars through the wire rope.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
In couplings for railway cars: .
1. The herein described means for coupling and uncoupling or engaging and
disengaging the links provided for this purpose with arms, consisting in the wire
rope or the like and gear for transmitting movement thereto from the side of
the car.
2. The means for closing up or tightening the couplings consisting of the
bi-partite drawing rod, connected by screw and socket (v), said device being operated
by the gearing (m m³ m²) by means of a hand crank, the latter actuated from the
side of the cars.
3. A modification of the coupling to be operated from the side of the car
consisting in the threaded bolt w connecting the two links r and s the lever d and
the means for preventing the links from turning when uncoupled the whole
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 27th day of March 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicants.