IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Barnes, of Sulham, near Reading, in the County
of Berks, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY
ROLLING STOCK."
Sealed the 13th March 1877, and dated the 20th September 1876.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Barnes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September 1876.
FREDERIC BARNES, of Sulham, near Reading, in the County of Berks, Farmer.
"IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTING AND DIS-
CONNECTING RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY ROLLING STOCK."
This Invention relates to certain improved means or apparatus to be employed in
connecting and disconnecting railway or tramway rolling stock generally, the object
of the Invention being to dispense almost entirely with the necessity of manual
labour, and thus diminish the risk of loss of life which the present systems of
coupling entail, requiring, in many instances as they do, that the porters or others
should get between the carriages to couple and uncouple them, which is a practice
very dangerous and often attended with fatal results.
The improved apparatus is constructed with a conical guide or shield secured to
one end of the engine, tender, carriage, wagon, or other railway or tramway vehicle,
and the apex of which is projected rearwardly in a squared or cylindrical form, and
is made or formed with slots or apertures in a line, and one of which is in each of
three of its sides. The exterior of this projected apex or neck has hinged or similarly
secured to it a weighted lever provided with a bevilled projection which enters the
slot in the side of the neck and bars the passage therethrough, and formed at its
upper end with a bifurcation yoke or catch; the lever is weighted to keep its
bevilled projection in the side hole of the neck, and to keep its bifurcation under a
flange on a vertical rod or bar which is held in position by suitable brackets car-
ried by the carriage or the guide immediately over the slots in the top and bottom
of the neck when the carriages are disconnected.
The contiguous end of the adjoining carriage is provided with a connecting bar
slotted longitudinally for a portion of its length and made with a bevilled point.

page_text: The connection of the carriages, wagons, or other rolling stock is made thus:-
The apparatus being in the position indicated, and the carriages or wagons approach-
ing each other, at the moment of contact the said connecting bar of the one carriage
enters the guide or shield of the next, and meeting in its neck the bevilled projection
of the weighted lever thrusts it outwardly through its side hole. This releases the
vertical rod, which immediately falls through the top and bottom slots of the neck,
and the slot in the connecting bar between them, the desired connection is thus
effected.
In disconnecting or slipping carriages thus connected the vertical rod is drawn or
raised up by a lever or by any other suitable means, upon which the connecting rod
is drawn out of the neck and the weighted lever immediately falls to the position
above indicated and again bars the passage through the neck and holds the
vertical rod also clear of engaging with the top and bottom slots therein and
ready for reconnecting.
The connecting bar may be made with a part hinged or jointed, so that in
the event of coupling on a curve the guide or shield shall not be injured,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederic Barnes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th March
1877.
FREDERIC BARNES, of Sulham, near Reading, in the County of Berks, Farmer.
"IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTING AND DIS-
CONNECTING RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY ROLLING STOCK."
This Invention relates to certain improved means or apparatus to be employed in
connecting and disconnecting railway or tramway rolling stock generally, the object
of the Invention being to almost entirely dispense with the necessity of manual
labor, and thus diminish the risk of loss of life which the present systems of coupling
entail, requiring as they do in many instances that the porters or others should get
between the carriages to couple and uncouple them, which practice is very dangerous
and is often attended with fatal results.
The Invention is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings in Figures
1 to 4.
The improved apparatus is constructed of metal, with a conical guide shield 1, the
apex of which is projected rearwardly (as herein-after described) in a squared form
as a neck 2 and is drilled with three holes 3, 4, and 5. The exterior of the neck
has hinged to it at 6 a weighted lever 7 provided with a bevilled projection 8
(which at times enters the hole 3 and then bars the passage through the neck) and
formed at its upper end with a catch 9. The lever is weighted to keep its pro-
jection 8 in the hole 3 and to keep its catch 9 under a conically topped flange 10 on
a vertical rod 11 which is held in position by a bracket 12 immediately over the
slots 4, 5, when the vehicles are disconnected. The shield is supported by brackets
12, 13, strongly rivetted to it. These brackets project rearwardly, and form the
top, bottom, and sides of the neck 2, and they are securely bolted together as
shewn.
On short lengths of line whereon the vehicles are not liable to be reversed
in position, I adapt the above described apparatus to one end only of each vehicle.
In this case I adapt the other end of each vehicle with a connecting bar 14 formed
with a longitudinal slot 15 and made with a bevilled forward extremity 16. The
bar 14 is made in two parts 14, 17, hinged or jointed at 18 rather loosely, so that
(as herein-after described) in the event of coupling on a curve the shield 1 will not
be injured. As a further means of ensuring this the framing of the vehicle (of
which the line 19 represents the end or back) at the part where the neck 2 passes
through is slightly bevilled inwards to allow of a little freedom of movement when

page_text: the shield is struck by a connecting bar not quite centrally, as may happen when a
loaded vehicle is connected to one unloaded. The inner end of the neck is con-
nected at 20 by a pin to a spring connected to the usual draw bar, so that the
apparatus is not suddenly strained when the vehicles are starting or running.
On long lengths of line whereon the vehicles are liable to be reversed in position
I adapt each end of each vehicle with the apparatus described in the third preceding
paragraph. I also use independent connecting bars provided with a spring 21
which when the bar is placed in connection with the one vehicle (the left hand one,
as shewn in Figure 4) rests within the shield as shewn, and holds the slotted portion
14 of the bar horizontally and in position ready to pass centrally into the shield of
an adjacent vehicle, see Figure 3.
The connection of the vehicles is made thus:-The apparatus being in the position
indicated, and shewn in Figures 2 and 3, and the vehicles approaching each other,
at the moment of contact the bar 14 in connection with the left vehicle enters the
shield of the right adjacent vehicle, and its end 16 meeting in the neck of the shield
the projection 8 thrusts it and the lever 7 aside as shewn in Figure 1; this releases
the rod 11 which immediately falls through the holes 4, 5, and the slot 15 in the
bar 14, see Figures 1 and 4, and effects the desired connection.
In disconnecting or slipping carriages thus connected the rod 11 is drawn up
clear of the holes 4, 5, and of the bar 14 by a lever 22 centred at 23 (and which
may either be actuated by hand from the outside of the vehicle or by a cord 24
passing from a hole 25 in the lever over a pulley 26 fixed in the framing of the
vehicle to the inside thereof) upon which the lever 7 immediately recovers its normal
position, Figures 2 and 3, and again bars the passage through the neck, and catch-
ing under the flange 10 holds the rod 11 clear of the said passage, but in position
ready for reconnecting; 27 represents plates acting as guides to the lever 22, the
motion of which is limited by pins 28; 29 is a hole through which a pin may be.
passed to hold the lever up and prevent the rod 11 dropping; and 30 is a hole
through which a pin may be passed to hold the lever down and keep a permanent
connection; 31 is a pin hinged to the lever 22 and passing through an eye 32 at
the top of the rod 11, and by which it is raised.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention the
novel and peculiar application and combination in apparatus used for connecting and
disconnecting railway or tramway rolling stock generally of a guide shield having a
rearwardly projecting neck, and a weighted hinged catch lever having a bevilled
projection, with a drop bar and raising lever, and with a jointed connecting bar
acting substantially as above described and as illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Barnes have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven
F. BARNES. (L.S.)