Improvements in and connected with Coupling Apparatus for Railway Rolling Stock.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coupling Apparatus for Railway
Rolling Stock.
We, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 14, Alma Road, Southampton, Gentleman, and
JAMES CARPENTER, of 2, Cambridge Road, Southampton, Mechanical Engineer,
both in the County of Southampton, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that type of coupling apparatus for railway rolling
stock, known as automatic or self-acting couplings, namely, couplings which
will automatically engage on the trucks, waggons, carriages, or other vehicles
being brought together, and the object of this invention is to provide a coupler
that will comply with the following requirements:-
1. That the vehicles can be coupled, and uncoupled without requiring men
to go between the vehicles.
2. That whatever the relative heights of the couplers, they couple, and uncouple
equally well.
3. That free slack as far as possible be dispensed with to reduce damage to
equipment and freight.
4. That vehicles can be coupled easily, and with a minimum of concussion to
encourage careful handling of vehicles.
5. That they be simple and durable and manufactured at a minimum of
cost.
6. That they couple on curves.
7. That they couple with certainty, and remain so without danger of parting
on the road.
8. That they be such as act favorably with brakes.
9. That coupling and uncoupling be unobstructed by inclement weather.
10. That the coupling be universal, or readily connecting with all other couplers.
According to this invention there is provided a buffer link which is adapted
to be carried by and engage with the ordinary draw-bar hooks of railway rolling
stock, say two waggons when brought together, and automatically couple them.
The following description gives an example of a buffer link coupler under this
invention, and adapted to fulfil the requirements above set forth.
The buffer link consists of a coupler comprising a cylindrical or equivalent
body. having a coupling shackle at each end adapted to engage with the ordinary
draw bar hooks of the waggons, and be held in a horizontal plane therewith.
Within the link body there is placed at each end a sliding buffer block. or
head controlled by coil or other springs, means such as pins or rests being
provided at the ends of the link to keep the shackles in a horizontal position
suitable for engaging with the draw-hooks of the waggon. To ensure the

page_text: shackles engaging with the draw-hooks, each draw-hook is provided with
vertically inclined plates or surfaces which extend below the hook and guide
the shackles into position for engagement with the hook, the ends of the coupling-
links, and the engaging parts are so shaped that the coupling of the waggons
can be effected irrespective of the relative heights of the waggons, and curve
of the railway line: The draw-hook is also provided with a lever or levers
fulcrumed on the hook, and adapted to lift the shackle out of engagement with
the book, and thus uncouple the waggons, suitable rods and levers being used to
work the shackle lever from the side or sides of the waggon.
In cases in which the waggons are already provided with spring buffers these
buffers with the link buffers serve to take up the "free slack".but in cases in
which the waggons are only provided with solid buffers or bumpers we provide
an auxiliary buffer or buffers on the waggon end at the sides of the draw-hook,
the heads of which butt on to heads or provisions on the spring block or head
of the buffer link, the action of these buffers together with the buffer link
serves to hold the buffer link in a horizontal position on the draw hook.
In operation the buffer link coupler is attached at one end by its shackle to
the draw-hook of a waggon, being held out from the draw-hook in the horizontal
plane, on the waggon being brought up to couple with another waggon, the
shackle at the other end of the buffer link rides over the draw-hook and engages
with it. To uncouple the waggons the shackle is lifted out of engagement with
the draw-hook by means of the shackle lever.
The buffer link coupler according to this invention can be used with ordinary
draw-hooks at present in use on railway rolling stock, or with like draw-hooks
by attaching the inclined plates and disengaging lever, and gear before men-
tioned, also the buffer link can be adapted to engage with hooks or like engaging
parts of other automatic couplings, in this case the sliding block or head is
provided with a hook device corresponding with the hook device of the coupling
it has to engage with.
REDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
Grant & Maddison's Bank Buildings,
Canute Road, Southampton, Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coupling Apparatus for Railway
Rolling Stock.
We, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 14, Alma Road, Southampton, Gentleman, and
JAMES CARPENTER, of 2, Cambridge Road, Southampton, Mechanical Engineer,
both in the County of Southampton, do hereby declare the nature of our said
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 relates to that type of coupling apparatus for railway rolling
stock, known as automatic or self-acting couplings, namely couplings which
will automatically engage on the trucks, wagons, carriages or other vehicles
being brought together, and the object of this invention is to provide a coupler
that will comply with the following requirements:-
1: That the vehicles can be coupled and uncoupled without requiring men
to go between the vehicles.

page_text: That whatever the relative heights of the couplers, they couple, and uncouple
equally well.
3. That free slack as far as possible be dispensed with to reduce damage to
equipment and freight.
4. That vehicles can be coupled easily and with a minimum of concussion to
encourage careful handling of vehicles,
5. That they be simple and durable and manufactured at a minimum of
cost.
6. That they couple on curves.
7. That they couple with certainty, and remain so without danger of parting
on the road.
8. That they be such as act favourably with brakes.
9. That coupling and uncoupling be unobstructed by inclement weather.
10. That the coupling be universal, or readily connecting with all other couplers.
According to this invention there is provided a buffer link which is adapted
to be carried by and engage with the ordinary draw-bar hooks of railway rolling
stock, say two wagons, when brought together, and automatically couple them.
The following description gives an example of a buffer link coupler under this
invention and adapted to fulfil the requirements above set forth.
The buffer link consists of a coupler comprising a cylindrical or equivalent
body, having a coupling shackle at each end adapted to engage with the ordinary
draw-bar hooks of the wagons and be held in a horizontal plane therewith.
Within the link body there is placed at each end a sliding buffer block or
head controlled by coil or other springs; means such as pins or rests being
provided at the ends of the link to keep the shackles in a horizontal position
suitable for engaging with the draw-hooks of the wagon. To ensure the
shackles engaging with the draw-hooks, each draw-hook is provided with
vertically inclined plates or surfaces which extend below the hook and guide
the shackles into position for engagement with the hook, the ends of the coupling-
links and the engaging parts are so shaped that the coupling of the wagons
can be effected irrespective of the relative heights of the wagons, and curves
of the railway line. The draw-hook is also provided with a lever or levers
fulcrumed on the hook, and adapted to lift the shackle out of engagement with
the hook and thus uncouple the wagons: suitable rods and levers, being used
to work the shackle lever from the side or sides of the wagon.
The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of a coupling apparatus
constructed according to our invention and like letters of reference are used
to indicate like parts in the drawings.
In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, shown, partly in section; of the
coupling apparatus.
Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a side elevation and Figure 4 is a plan of the draw-hook and
buffer-link, one end of the link only being shown.
Figure 5 is a side elevation and Figure 6 is a plan of the lever device for
disengaging the buffer-link from the draw-hook and for keeping the link in
its place on the draw-hook.
With reference to the drawings, A designates the end of a railway vehicle
and a denotes the draw-hook of the vehicle; b denotes the buffer-link, and e is
the lever device for disengaging the buffer-link from the draw-hook and for
holding the link in its place on the draw-hook when coupled. d is a slide which
is connected to the device by the rod this slide d works in a guide on the
vehicle end and is operated by a chain or cord worked by suitable levers provided
on the sides of the vehicle. e denotes a box, frame, or hollow head which is
fitted on the vehicle end and encloses the draw-hook. The front of the box e is
provided with a vertically inclined plate e¹, and inclined side plates or surfaces .
The inclined plate el extends below the draw-hook g and serves to guide the

page_text: shackle on the end of the buffer-link 6 into position for riding up the front and
point a of the draw-hook when engaging with it, and the inclined surfaces e
direct the link horizontally. The coupling or buffer-link b may consist of a
cylindrical or equivalent body adapted to engage with the draw-hook, in the
example shown in the drawings, in which one end only is shown, it is formed
of two side-plates 1, having guide slots 2 in which work a sliding buffer-block
controlled by a coil spring which is placed between the block 63 and a block
or stop 66 denotes the shackle which is fixed on the block 3 and moves
with it and is kept in a horizontal position by it so as to be ready to engage with
the draw-hook a. The lever device e is made in two parts bolted together.
provided with provisions el adapted to take into the usual slot, a hole a provided
in the draw-hook to receive the ordinary coupling chain-link, a suitable bolt
passes through the provisions ¹ and secures the device e to the draw-hook a and
serves as the fulcrum of the device c. Each half of the device c is provided with
a hook adapted to extend under the sides of the shackle so that when the
device is raised to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 it lifts the
shackle off the hook a. The device c is provided with a projection which comes
over the slot of the hook a and serves to keep the shackle on the hook a.
The top of the device c acts as a cover to the box e.
In operation the buffer-link coupler bis attached at one end by its shackle to
the draw-hook a of a wagon, being held out from the draw-hook in the horizontal
plane through resting on the plate a¹. On the wagon being brought up to couple
with another wagon, the shackle at the other end of the buffer-link brides over
the draw-hook and engages with it; the springs of the buffer-link providing
compensation to the link during the compression of the wagon buffers, when the
wagons come together in the act of coupling. To uncouple the wagons, the
shackle is lifted out of engagement with the draw-hook by means of the shackle
lever device c.
The buffer-link coupler, according to this invention can be used with ordinary
draw-hooks at present in use on railway rolling stock or with like draw-hooks
by attaching the box e having the inclined plates, and disengaging lever c and
gear. The buffer link can also be adapted to engage with hooks or like engaging
parts of other automatic couplings, in this case the sliding shackle or head is
provided with a hook device corresponding with the hook device of the coupling
it has to engage with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is―
1. A coupling apparatus for railway rolling stock constructed and operating
substantially as herein described, that is to say an apparatus comprising an
ordinary draw-hook, a buffer link adapted to engage with and be carried by said
draw-hook a box or frame surrounding said draw-hook provided with inclined
faces to guide the end of the buffer-link when engaging with the said draw-hook
and a lever device adapted to fulcrum on said draw-hook and provided with a
hook adapted to disengage the buffer-link from the draw-hook, and a projection
adapted to secure the buffer-link on the draw-hook when engaged as set forth.
2. In a coupling apparatus for railway rolling stock the buffer-link device
constructed and arranged substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2,
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a coupling for railway rolling stock the box or frame device for guiding
the buffer-link constructed and arranged substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a coupling apparatus for railway rolling stock the lever device for
disengaging the buffer-link from the draw-book and securing the link on the
draw-hook, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings,

page_text: 5. The coupling apparatus for railway rolling stock constructed, arranged, and
operating substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 24th day of Tonyo 1000
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH,
Grant & Maddison's Bank Buildings, Canute Road, Southampton,
Applicants' Agent.