Partly Coupling for Railway
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr.. 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
Partly Coupling for Railway
ԵՐԱՆԵՑ,
CHARLES SHANKS 5 Bryson Street Belfast Ireland Iron Turner do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A new system of railway waggon & carriage safety coupling to enable vehicles
being coupled and uncoupled without the danger of men going beneath the
buffers.
Fig. 1 shows a side view of waggon end with buffers & side of frame removed
and showing centre coupling bar to have a joint at end of waggon for the draw
hook & coupling link to work in, the old draw hook at present in use is a solid
continuation of the centre coupling bar which this new safety coupling is intended
to supersede.
Fig. 1 also shows the manner of working & controlling the safety coupling with
the draw hook in the position for drawing a waggon after it.
Fig. 2 is also a side view of an opposite or following waggon showing the
coupling link in its position when coupled to the waggon in front.
Fig. 3 is the plan of Fig. 1 showing the relative positions of the various parts
described in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is the plan of Fig. 2 showing link & joint arrangement with spiral springs
to allow the link to accommodate itself to sharp curves. Neither Fig. 4 or Fig. 2
shows the mechanical arrangement that works the draw hook or coupling link as it
is already shown in Figs. 1 & 3.
Figs. 3 & 4 show buffers which could not be shown in Figs. 1 & 2 without
confusing the view of draw hook & link.
In the process of vehicles being coupled the buffer springs are compressed and
before the buffers separate the vehicles are coupled as shown in Figs. 3 & 4.
These couplings are reversible they will either draw or follow & can readily be
set to suit the position of the vehicles. There are two shafts projecting through
the side beams X at each end of the vehicle, the uppermost shaft A has a
socket L on each end in which a portable lever M can be inserted to turn the draw
hook For coupling link J to any position. On each end of the lower shaft Wis
fastened a handle N which is used to lock or unlock the coupling when set in the
desired position.
On shaft A is fastened two bent levers B. B one on each side of coupling bar C,
between the lower ends of levers B. B is a moveable crosshead D with a hole in
centre through which projects a connecting rod E one end of which is attached to
draw hook F and on the other end is a nut to regulate the spiral spring H which
becomes compressed when the spiral spring I on end of coupling bar C is
compressed, the simultaneous compression of spring H and spring I prevents the
possibility of any disarrangement in the action or working of draw hook For
coupling link J as they both work between the forked end of coupling bar C and on
the same centre pin K.
On shaft A at side of beam X is fastened a boss Y with three checks 1, 2, 3 cut
in the edge of it.
On shaft W is fastened a lever V a connecting rod U connects lever V with a
check pawl T.
When lever M in socket L is used to bring draw hook F into the position shown
in Fig. 1 check 1 in boss Y will be opposite the check pawl T by pulling down the

page_text: lever N check pawl T is brought into check 1 which locks the coupling, the
coupling will remain locked until lever N is pulled up as the check pawl T is kept
in its position by the continuous pressure of the spiral spring S in box R.
When lever N is pulled up the coupling is free to become uncoupled and by
pulling down portable lever M draw hook F becomes separated from the coupling
link J.
When it is desired to set the coupling for shunting or set it that it would not
catch, check pawl T should be in check 1 Fig. 1 and in check 2 Fig. 2 (check
pawl & boss Y are not shown in Figs. 2 & 4) and when setting the coupling link J
for coupling to draw hook F check pawl T should be in check 3 in Fig. 2, when in
that position the vehicles when forced together become coupled as the coupling
link J rides the angle of the draw book F when it comes to the open it is drawn
into the hook F by the action of the spring H Fig. 2. Close to forked end of
coupling bar C the coupling link J has a joint G Fig. 4 each side of joint G has
projecting wings P P P P between which are fastened tight fitting spiral
springs O, O Fig. 4 which enables the coupling to accommodate itself to any quick
curves the vehicles have follow.
Dated this 15th day of A 1905
CHARLES SHANKS 5 Bryson Street Belfast Ireland Iron Turner 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:
A new system of railway waggon & carriage safety coupling to enable vehicles
being coupled & uncoupled without the danger of men going beneath the buffers.
In the drawings left with the Provisional Specifications,
Fig. 1 shows a side view of waggon end with buffers & side of frame removed &
showing centre coupling bar to have a joint at end of waggon for the draw
hook & coupling link to work in, the old draw hook at present in use is a solid
continuation of the centre coupling bar which this new safety coupling is intended
to supersede.
Fig. 1 also shows the manner of working & controlling the safety coupling with
the draw hook in the position for drawing a waggon after it.
Fig. 2 is also a side view of an opposite or following waggon showing the
coupling link in its position when coupled to the waggon in front.
Fig. 3 is the plan of Fig. 1 showing the relative positions of the various parts
described in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is the plan of Fig. 2 showing link & joint arrangement with spiral springs
to allow the link to accommodate itself to sharp curves neither Fig. 4 or Fig. 2
show the mechanical arrangement that works the draw hook, or coupling link as
they are already shown in Figs. 1 & 3.
Figs. 3 & 4 show buffers which could not be shown in Figs. 1 & 2 without
confusing the view of draw hook & link.
In the process of vehicles being coupled the buffers become compressed and
before the buffers separate the vehicles are coupled as shown in Figs. 3 & 4.
These couplings are reversible they will either draw or follow & can be readily set
to suit the position of the vehicles. There are two shafts projecting through the
side frames X at each end of the vehicles the uppermost shaft A has a socket L on
each end in which a portable lever M can be inserted to turn the draw hook F or
coupling link J to any position. On each end of the lower shaft W is fastened a

page_text: handle N which is used to lock or unlock the coupling when set in the desired
position. On shaft A is fastened two bent levers B, B one on each side of
coupling bar C, between the lower ends of levers B, B is a moveable cross head D
with a hole in centre through which projects a connecting rod E one end of which.
is attached to draw hook F and on the other end is a nut to regulate the spiral
spring H which becomes compressed when the spiral spring I on end of coupling
bar C is compressed, the simultaneous compression of spring H & spring I prevents
the possibility of any disarrangement in the action or working of draw hook F or
coupling link J as they both work between the forked end of coupling bar C and on
the same centre pin K. On shaft A at side of beam X is fastened a boss Y with
three checks 1. 2. 3 cut in the edge of it, on shaft W is fastened a lever Va
connecting rod U connects lever V with a check pawl T. When lever Min
socket L is used to bring draw hook F into position shown in Fig. 1 check 1
in boss Y will be opposite the check pawl T. By pulling down the handle N
check pawl T is brought into check 1 which locks the coupling, the coupling will
remain locked until handle N is pulled up as the check pawl T is kept in its
position by the continuous pressure of the spiral spring S in box R. When the
handle N is pulled up the coupling is free to become uncoupled and by pulling
down portable lever M draw hook F becomes separated from the coupling
link J. When it is desired to set the coupling for shunting, or set it that it
would not catch, check pawl T should be in check 1 Fig. 1 and in check 2
Fig. 2. Check pawl T & boss Y are not shown in Figs. 2 & 4. When setting the
coupling link J for coupling to draw hook F, check pawl T should be in check 3
Fig. 2, when in that position the vehicles when forced together become coupled, as
the coupling link J rides the angle of the draw hook F, when it comes to the open
it is drawn into the hook F by the action of the spring H Fig. 2. Close to forked
end of coupling bar C the coupling link J has a joint G Fig. + each side of joint G
has projecting wings P, P, P, P, between which are fastened tight fitting spiral
springs O, O, Fig. 4 which enable the coupling to accommodate itself to any quick
curves the vehicles have to follow.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what I
claim is
1. The entire book and link coupling as shown in drawing Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4.
2. The entire locking arrangement as shown in drawing Figs. 1 & 3.
Dated this 6th day of January 1896.
CHARLES SHANKS.