Improvements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1896-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
Improvements in Car Couplings.
I ROBERT COOKE SAYER of 11 Clyde Road, Redland Bristol Civil Engineer
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 :-
The object is to enable car couplings to pass electric and other powers from one
to another car, to act as buffer and draw bar springs, to make them automatic in
action, but extended and withdrawn by pneumatic or other power controlled by a
tap through handles at the sides of the cars: for which they are fixed on bogie
trucks when used to reduce the lateral thrust of car on car and bring them more
nearly tangential to curves traversed.
This is attained as set out in the following detail description and drawings where
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the coupling:
Fig. 2 a cross sectional elevation showing the means of its automatic regulation
for non bogie cars.
Fig. 3 a plan with its universal joint in section which with Fig. 4 in cross section
shows flexibility on curves.
Fig. 5 its automatic lateral regulation for bogie-cars in elevation.
Fig. 6 a central vertical section :
Fig. 7 central sectional plan:
Fig. 8 section at a-b to c-d:
Fig. 9 a section of the piston passage:
Figs. 10 and 11 positions of the tap:
Figs. 12 and 13 sections at e-f and 9-h and
Fig. 14 elevation of fixing lever: all in detail.
A tube shaft A, Figs. 1 to 3 is carried on the bogie or car frame 14 in bearings
to rotate, it is attached to the joint B by its limb 1 and its cross formed of the two
tubes 2 and 3, nuts 4 and stop ends 5 to its limb 6, which produced carries a grooved
annular sleeve C keyed to slide on it and actuate its toothed bar 7 when acted on
in the groove by the lever 8 carried and centering on the rod 9 that extends to the
sides of the car, where handles 10 are attached, and is kept in position by the
lever 11, Fig. 14, centering on the frame 14 at 12 and forced down against a flat
on it by the spring 13: the toothed bar 7 works the tap D by the pinion 15: the
limb 6 has a double valve E formed at 17 as a non-return valve, at 18 as a face
valve of larger area with passages 19: passages 29 and 92 to the shaft A: 28 to
the atmosphere and 30 to the angular sectioned cylinder F which is secured to the
limb 6 at 20, formed with a bell-mouthed head 21, has one or more recesses 22 with
a cushion 23, non-return valve 24 leading to a passage 25 connecting with the
limb 6 and joint B to the shaft A: openings 26: passage 27 from tap D, Figs. 6
and 13, and a collar 31 formed in two and screwed together by the bolts 32, Fig. 5,
to rotate on the bearings 33 supported by the spring 34 between the arms 35
carried by the curved support 36 of frame 14 and prevented from rising by the
stop 37: F centers on the joint B, can be thrust up, down, or laterally, in the case
of bogie cars, by the Y lever G which centers on the frame 14 at 38, hinges on
the car body frame 41 at 39 so that their differing plays, when passing round
curves thrusts the Y lever G and bolts 40, whose heads are thrust out by the
springs 42 against the arms 35 and sends the cylinder F to the concave side of the

page_text: curve of the centre line of railway, more or less proportionate to its radii or
straight the same obtains in the case of non-bogie cars by the wheel H, Figs. 1
and 2, of single rail railways, or pair of wheels of two railed, whose connecting
arm 43 hinges at 44 on the car frame 14 and at 45 on its spindle 46 supported in
bearings 51 and carries a hinge 47 able to give lateral motion to the lever 48 that
centers on the frame 14 at 49 and carries the bolts 40 whose heads take against
the projection 50 of the arms 35 and thrusts the cylinder F laterally.
F contains a double acting angular sectioned tubular piston J which has a
passage 100, Fig. 9, leading from its back to its front, and for tight coupling a non-
return valve 89. A tubular rod K, Figs. 6 to 13 with packed glands 52 and 53,
telescopic electric conductors 54 and 55 insulated at 56 supported by a plate 57
and thrust by the nuts 58 to make contact with the flattened ends 60 of the
conductors 59 and 159, Fig. 12: the tubes 54 and 55 terminate in bolts 61 and 62,
Figs. 6 and 7, whose nuts 63 and 64 draw them up to their insulation 56 and the
diaphragm 65 of the tube K: the bolts 61 and 62 form contact with the ends 66
and 67 of the conductors 68 and 69 of the head 70 which is screwed into K at 71,
they are insulated at 56, have elastic cushions 72 and 73 so that as 70 is screwed
in the contacts are forced together and by conductors 68 and 69, spring contacts 74
and 75 complete the circuit to and from 70 by the studs 76 and 77 and spring 78,
Fig. 7, but when the studs 76 and 77 are thrust in, Fig. 6, by the head 170 of a
coupled car the insulation 93 of the studs prevent the return of the current until
it has passed through the coupling and the second car: the head 70 is formed with
a chamber 79, has non-return valves 94 and 81 forming part of the rod 80
shouldered at 82 and packings 83: the end of rod 80 takes against the insulation 56
and power always in chamber 79 acting on 82 thrusts it and the studs 76 and 77
out, but when 80 is thrust in the valve 81 opens the passages 84 which it had
closed, and the bases of the lugs 90 to the tap D: one or more of the lugs 90 has
a passage 85 non return valve 86, and all have packings 87 and annular passage 88
of smaller area than the base.
The working is as follows viz. -
The electric power is sent to the conductors 59, 60, 54, 61, 66, 68, 74 stud 76
and returns by the spring 78 stud 77 conductors 75, 69, 67, 62, 55, 60 and 159.
Other power is delivered through the shaft A to the tap D which cuts it off by
its position, Fig. 6, and by passages 25 and 29 to the valves E and 24: the piston J
and its head 70 are thrust in by the power left at the front of J and is retained by
the closed tap D.
The cylinder F of bogie cars is always kept in position laterally for coupling
by the lever G, Fig. 5, thrusting it over by its bolts 40 proportionate to the
curvature or straight of the rails by the differing plays of the car and bogie
frames 41 and 14: non bogie car couplings are acted on similarly by the direction
of the rail or rails thrusting over the wheel or wheels H, Figs. 1 and 2, which
acting on the Y lever 48 at 47 thrusts it over by the bolts 40 and projection 50.
To couple one car to another one of the handles 10 is turned to bring the tap D,
by the lever 8, sleeve C, rack 7 and pinion 15 to position, Fig. 11, in the case of
tight coupling, this exhausts by passage 27, the power in front of piston J, then
tap D is sent to position, Fig. 10, which alone is required for loose coupling, and
sends the power from shaft A by passages 92, 30, the face 18 of valve E which
opens it to the back of the piston J, its area being greater than its front it is
driven out and its head 70: the handle 10 being released the tap D is thrust by
the coil spring 91 acting on the rod 9, to its normal position, Fig. 6: the cars
meeting, the head 170, Fig. 6, enters the bell mouth 21, the studs 194 and 195
meet their fellows 76 and 77 of head 70, all are thrust in against the pressure of
the shoulder 82 with the valve 81 of the rod 80, and lets the pressure in passages 30
to 84 and the bases of all the lugs 90, which act against that in chamber 79 in 88
and thrusts them out into the recesses 22 and openings 26, the former against the
cushion 23 to form a tight passage for the power from the shaft A and pipe 25,
ahen the valve 86 of the lug 90 meets the valve 24 and thrusts it against its stop,

page_text: which reacting opens valve 86 and lets the pressures in the shaft E of both cars
equalise through passages 85, 84, 30 valve 18 passage 29 and shaft A, and pass by
valve 94 to the chamber 79: the couplings are kept the right way up by the
lever 11, Fig. 14, acting on the shaft A dotted, as on rod 9.
The impact of the meeting heads 70 and 170 drives in the piston J against the
power at its back and forces it through the passage 100, Fig. 9, to its front, which
as the blow or power of traction reacts is thrust back, forming a cushion each way
and acting as a spring buffer and draw bar spring: but in the case of tight coupling,
the valve 89 retains the power in front of piston J, and tightens up the coupling
to what is desired, by the driver attaining speed and suddenly checking his motors
and letting the trailers "over-run" them.
When the studs 76 and 77 are driven in by their fellows, Fig. 6, the electric
circuit is stopped from returning through the first car until it has circulated the
second or any number, by their insulated parts 93 severing the circuit, and sending
it through the stud 194 the coupled coupling F and its car, and back as before by
studs 195 and 77 to the conductor 69 contact 67 tube and rod 55 of telescope,
contact 60 and conductor 159, Fig. 12.
To uncouple the cars the tap D is sent by handle 10 from position, Fig. 6, to its
dotted position exhausts the back of piston J closes valve E, and in the case of
loose coupling the front of J is also exhausted by passage 100, Fig. 9, until the
pressure in the chamber 79 of the head 70 acting on the front of the lugs 90 by
passages 88 can thrust them back, then the power remaining in front of piston J
thrusts it back into the head 21 and the tap D goes to its position, Fig. 6, the
valves 94, 86, 24, and 81 close and the studs 76 and 77 are thrust out, Fig. 7:
but for tight coupling the tap D after exhausting the back of piston J by the
dotted position, Fig. 6, is sent to position, Fig. 11, to exhaust the front of the piston J
and act as for loose couplings to thrust and keep it in: should the power in front
of J become quite exhausted the position of tap D, Fig. 11, dotted withdraws J.
Rotary power is transmitted from car to car by the angular section of the
cylinder F, piston J, and the heads 21 and 70, so that if one or any number cupled
be turned the whole act together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed: I declare that what I
claim is
1st. Fixing the couplings of cars on bogie truck frames: adjusting them
automatically for the projected head 170 of a coupling to enter the head F of
another, by the differing plays of the bodies of cars 41 carried on bogie trucks 14,
and that of the bogie frame 14 actuating a lever G to thrust the coupling laterally
when traversing curves: and for non bogie cars, by the curvature of the rail or
rails thrusting a wheel H or wheels laterally which acting on a lever 48 above its
fulcrum 49 carried on the frame 14 of the car gives a lateral thrust to the coupling
by the other end of the lever 48 substantially as described and shown on the
drawings.
2nd. Giving car couplings lateral and vertical play allowed by universal
tubular power transmitting joints B, that may be rotated substantially as described
and shown on the drawings.
3rd. Regulating the power carried in a tube 6 from a universal joint B to a car
coupling, by a tap D in the tube 6 to which motion is sent from handles 10 at
the sides of the car through a shaft 9 and lever 8 acting on a keyed annular grooved
sleeve C to slide it on the tube 6 with its toothed rack 7 giving motion to a
pinion 15 on the spindle of the tap D: fixing the shaft 9 and tube 6 by a spring 13
forcing a lever 11 against a flat on them to which position a coil spring 91 acting
on the shaft 9 rotates it when released by the operator substantially as describe!
and shown on the drawings.
4th. The angular sectioned car coupling attached by a tube 6 to the tap D

page_text: and joint B having a head 21 recesses 22 and 26 to receive lugs 90, 22 having a
cushion 23 valve 24, a pipe 25 carrying power from shaft A and joint B to 24,
pipes 27 from tap D to the front of a piston J carried within F, 30 from tap D to
the back of J and valve E, 29 in tube 6 to valve E, 92 to the tap D, and 28 from
tap D to the atmosphere: a double acting angular piston J and packings its
tubular rod K carrying an angular head 70 positive and negative telescopic
insulated electric conductors 54 and 55, contacts 60, 66 and 67, conductors 68
and 69 by which an electric circuit through the coupling is taken to and from the
insulated studs 76 and 77 by the spring contacts 74 and 75 and connected by
contact 78 insulations 93 to divert the circuit, when the studs 76 and 77 are
driven in, through other cars and their couplings and similarly return: a chamber 79
with valve 94 in the head 70 to always retain the power to act in passages 88 to
keep the lugs 90 in a shouldered rod 80 to thrust out the studs 76 and 77 with
its valve 81 attached to regulate the power in passages 30 to 84 and base of the
lugs 90 of greater area than 88 to thrust them out to enter the recesses and
openings 22 and 26 in the head 21 of the other coupling and couple itself, effect
a tight passage by cushion 23 for the powers of the two cars to interchange
through the valves 24 and 86: a passage 100 connecting the front and back of the
piston J and valve 89, their action on the power by which loose and tight coupling
are effected with buffer and draw bar cushions or springs substantially as described
and shown on the drawings.
5th. For transmitting electrical, together with pneumatic or other power or
pressure, and mechanical rotary power through car couplings when coupled together,
independent of the normally closed tap D which regulates the power for actuating
the couplings substantially as described and shown on the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of May 1896.
ROBERT COOKE SAYER.