Improvements in and relating to Couplings and Coupling-buffers for Railway and other Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Couplings and Coupling-buffers
for Railway and other Vehicles.
1, ALFRED BUCKINGHAM IBBOTSON, of Ibbotson Brothers & Co. Limited.
Globe Steel Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to automatic and other couplings and coupling-buffers, and
more especially to couplings and coupling-buffers of the kind or class described in
the Specifications of British Letters Patents dated 15th April A.D. 1876 No. 1607;
2nd November 1878, No. 4446; and 24th August 1889 No. 13400, wherein a hinged
hanging locking pin attached to a hinged lid is employed.
may
The chief feature of my invention consists in introducing into coupling apparatus
for railway vehicles a slack-gathering wedge, that is to say, a wedge which can be
employed for taking up the slack after the vehicles are coupled together. I
use the said wedge in a variety of forms, and 1 may provide for operating it by
hand either directly or through the medium of suitable gearing. I make the said
wedge preferably of iron or steel, and I may secure it in any desirable manner to
the buffer heads of either or both of two vehicles intended to be coupled, and when
only one loose link is employed for the two coupling heads the slack may be taken
up from either or both ends of the coupling link.
In cases where a hinged hanging locking pin attached to a hinged lid is employed
in an automatic coupling buffer as described in the aforesaid prior Specifications
I prefer to take up the slack where required by inserting either by hand or by
means some of which are hereinafter indicated, a suitably formed wedge between
the back of the hanging pin and the inside of the end of the coupling link after
the vehicles have been coupled. I may in cases where it is necessary make pro-
vision for preventing the wedge from dropping out of position. For instance
I may use a locking pin which is passed through holes in guides provided for the
wedge and through a hole in the wedge.
"
The simplest form of my said device consists in a wedge which is arranged to be
inserted by hand directly into suitable guides and passed between the link and
locking pin after the vehicles have been coupled. This arrangement I call a
'plain" slack-gathering wedge. In a modification I provide the wedge with rack
teeth, adapted to gear with a pinion suitably mounted on or secured to the buffer head,
and which pinion is arranged to be actuated by a hand wheel in order to provide
for inserting and withdrawing the slack-gathering wedge. I sometimes use a slack-
gathering wedge of a horn or crescent shape and employ a lever and link to actuate
the said wedge. Or I may arrange the slack-gathering wedge to slide within
suitable guides and connect the same by links or otherwise to a nut which works on
a screw conveniently mounted in the coupling-head. The said screw is provided
with a hand wheel or handle whereby it can be rotated, and the nut caused to
traverse the screw, thereby moving the slack-gathering wedge into or out of the
coupling link. Or I may mount the slack-gathering wedge directly upon a screwed
spindle so arranged that when the said screwed spindle is rotated by means of a
hand wheel or handle, the said wedge is actuated to take up or give out the slack
as the case may be. In another arrangement I use an eccentric in order to actuate
the wedge, said eccentric being connected with weighted handles for rotating the
same when desired.
Although I have hereinbefore mentioned several methods by which I may carry
out this part of my invention I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not

page_text: limit myself to the use of the said devices as it is obvious that I may modify them
without departing from the nature of my invention,
Another part of my invention relates to the particular form of coupling buffer
described in the aforesaid prior Specification No. 13400 A.D. 1889 where I employ
a telescopic tightening lever or frame, and consists in providing the said telescopic
frame with a spring or springs to ensure the engagement of the teeth on the said
frame with the teeth of the circular rack on the coupling head. The said spring
or springs prevents or prevent the disengagement of the aforesaid teeth and the
consequent slackening of the coupling by the jarring or jolting that occurs when
the vehicles are in motion.
In a modification of the latter part of my invention I reverse the position of
the tightening lever so that it may be operated from below instead of from
above still using a spring or springs to prevent the disengagement of the teeth
as aforesaid.
Dated this 20th day of November 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
CUMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Couplings and Coupling-buffers
for Railway and other Vehicles.
I, ALFRED BUCKINGHAM [BBOTSON, of the firm of Ibbotson Brothers & Co.
Limited, Globe Steel Works, Sheffield in the County of York, Merchant, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in automatic and other couplings and
coupling-buffers and more especially to couplings and coupling-buffers of the kind
or class described in the Specifications of British Letters Patent No. 1607
dated 15th April 1876 No. 4446 dated 2nd November 1878, No. 13400 dated
24th August 1889, and No. 6184 dated 10th April 1891, and wherein a binged
hanging locking pin attached to a hinged lid is employed.
My invention is also capable of being adapted for use with automatic-coupling
buffer-heads of the type in which the well known Norwegian hook is employed, as
well as for use with the old form of coupling-buffer head in which a plain vertical
non-automatic locking pin holding a plain coupling-link is employed.
The chief feature of my invention consists in introducing into coupling apparatus
for railway vehicles a slack-gathering wedge, that is to say, a wedge which can be
employed for taking up the slack after the vehicles are coupled together. I may
use the said wedge in a variety of forms and I may provide for operating it by
hand either directly or through the medium of suitable gearing.
I make the
said wedge preferably of iron or steel and I may secure it in any desirable manner
to the coupling-buffer heads of either or both of two vehicles intended to be coupled
or to the bodies of the said vehicles and when only one loose plain link is employed
for the two coupling-heads the slack may be taken up from either or both ends of
the coupling link.
In cases where a hinged hanging locking-pin attached to a hinged lid is employed
in an automatic coupling-buffer as described in the aforesaid prior Specifications,
I prefer to take up the slack, where required by inserting either by hand or by
means some of which are hereinafter indicated, a suitably-formed wedge between
the hanging locking-pin and the inside of the end of the coupling-link after the
vehicles have been coupled and the buffer faces pressed closely together. I may, in
cases where it is necessary, make provision for preventing the wedge from dropping
out of position for instance I may use a fixing peg preferably of the kind known as

page_text: a French locking-pin which is passed through holes in guides provided for the
wedge, and also through a hole in the wedge.
It is an important feature of my said wedge that it is made of such a shape as to
fit snugly and with a proper bearing, between the coupling link and the locking-
pin or between any other surfaces between which it is inserted to perform the
operation of gathering slack.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure is a longitudinal central section of an automatic-coupling buffer-head
fitted with a slack gathering wedge according to my invention, to be operated
directly by hand.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the wedge, in a position at right angles to that which
it occupies in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of part of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal central section of an automatic-coupling buffer-head to
which a modification of my said invention is applied, wherein the wedge is operated
by toothed gearing.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a portion of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of an automatic coupling buffer-head in which I
employ a slack-gathering wedge of a horn or crescent shape, arranged to be
actuated by links pivoted to the buffer-head.
Figure 7 is a plan of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a side clevation of an automatic-coupling buffer-head in which the
slack-gathering wedge slides within the buffer-head, and is connected by links to a
nut, operated by a hand-wheel and screw situated above it.
Figure 9 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus illustrated in
Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of an automatic-coupling buffer-head in which the
slack-gathering wedge is operated from below by a screw which is directly connected
therewith.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of a similar buffer-head in which a slack-gathering
wedge is operated by an eccentric, said eccentric being connected with weighted
handles, for operating the same when desired.
Figure 12 is an elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 11, at right
angles to the position it occupies in the former figure.
Figure 13 is a central section of a pair of opposed automatic-coupling buffer-
heads coupled together, each provided with a curved wedge forming part of a lever
of peculiar construction by which it is operated and each having a different
appliance for retaining the wedge in any position to which it may be adjusted.
Figure 14 is a plan of the buffer-head and its appurtenances illustrated in the
left-hand portion of Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a rear view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 14..
Figures 16 and 17 are respectively a side elevation and plan of a pair of opposed
automatic coupling buffer-heads, one of which is of the well-known "Norwegian
type. fitted with my improved loop link, and hereinafter particularly described.
Figure 18 is a separate plan of the said "Norwegian buffer-head with my
loop link.
Figure 19 is a side elevation of the said
the customary Norwegian" hook.
":
66
Norwegian
buffer head fitted with
Figure 20 is a transverse section on the line of Figure 16.
Figure 21 is a side elevation of a pair of opposed automatic-coupling buffer-heads,
one of which is a "Norwegian "head fitted with my loop link as aforesaid, the
other being an improved buffer as described in the Specification of the aforesaid
prior Patent No. 1340089.
Figure 22 is a side elevation of an automatic coupling buffer-head of the
kind described and illustrated in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent
No. 13400 having certain improvements applied thereto as hereinafter set forth.

page_text: Figure 23 is a transverse section on the line a of Figure 22.
Figures 24 and 25 are side and end elevations respectively, of another improve-
ment relating to the particular form of slack-gathering automatic-coupling buffer
described and illustrated in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 13400%.
Figure 26 is a central elevation of a pair of opposed coupling-buffers, one
being a central coupling buffer of an old and well-known form with my improved
loop link fitted thereto in the manner hereinafter explained, and the other one
being a form of my automatic coupling buffer intended to be fitted with any of the
hereinafter described forms of my slack gathering wedges.
Figure 26 is a plan of the loop link shewn in Figure 26.
Figures 27 and 28 are side and end elevations respectively, of an automatic-
coupling buffer-head of the kind described and illustrated in the Specification of
the said prior Letters Patent No. 134000 which has certain improvements applied
applied thereto as hereinafter set forth.
<<
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
With reference to Figures 12 and 3, which illustrate the application of what
I call the plain" slack-gathering wedge to an automatic-coupling buffer-head, A is
a guide-casing or sleeve secured to the under-side of the buffer-head. B is the
wedge which is adapted to slide up or down within the said guide, the upper end B¹
of the wedge is bevelled as shown, and its front and rear faces B and B are curved,
for a purpose hereinafter set forth.
C is a handle by which the said wedge is operated D is a chain attached to the
handle of the wedge and connected to the body of the vehicle as shown, the wedge,
when not in use may hang by the said chain.
E, E, are holes formed in the wedge as shown and F Fare similar holes formed
in the guide-casing or sleeve; G is a fixing peg preferably a French locking pin
connected to the body of the vehicle by chain D and employed to enter the
holes E, F, to retain the wedge at various points in the said guide-casing or sleeve.
H is the locking pin and I is an ordinary plain coupling-link.
The bevelled end or nose B' of the wedge is inserted by hand from below into
the space between the rear of the locking pin and the inner end of the link embracing
the said pin, and is moved upward sufficiently far to fill the space between the
rear of the locking pin and the said inner end of the link so as to take up
any slack which may exist in the couplings after the act of coupling and pressing
the buffer faces close together has taken place. When the slack has thus been
taken up the wedge is secured in position by the fixing peg G. The thickness
of the wedge from its front face to its rear face, is made proportionate to the
amount of slack for which it is to compensate, when inserted different distances
into the space between the locking pin and the link and the said front and rear
faces of the wedge are curved to fit or approximately fit the inside of the coupling-
link and the outside of the rear of the locking-pin so that it corresponds in con-
figuration with the space it is designed to fill and no unnecessary play will occur
when the wedge is between the said link and pin.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the wedge
which is of similar form to the wedge illustrated in Figures 12 and 3 is provided
with teeth B. J is a toothed pinion geared with the said teeth on the wedge
and secured upon a spindle journaled in bearings formed upon the guide
sleeve or casing A, and provided with hand-wheels K by which the said spindle
may be turned, to cause the pinion J to raise or lower the wedge as may be
required.
To retain the wedge in any position to which it is adjusted by the spindle as
aforesaid, I preferably pivot to the guide-casing or sleeve, immediately over the
pinion, a pawl or catch L, adapted to engage with the teeth of the said pinion to
keep it from rotating. L' is a handle by which the pawl L may, when desired, be
retained out of engagement with the pinion J, to allow it to rotate freely when the
wedge is to be lowered.
The use of the said arrangement of gearing permits of easier and finer adjustment

page_text: of the wedge than is possible with the arrangement of apparatus described in
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 I dispense with the guide-
casing or sleeve, and employ a wedge B of horn or crescent shape, pivotted upon
a transverse horizontal spindle N, the ends of which are held by links or radius
bars adapted to turn upon suitable pivot pins P secured on the buffer-head.
O O are projections formed upon the links or radius bars O; P¹ P' are studs or
stops placed upon the buffer head in such a position that they will limit the
movement of the projections with the links or radius bars, and prevent the said
links or radius bars from moving downward beyond the positions in which they are
indicated in full lines in Figure 6. Q is a pin upon which the front face of the
wedge bears. F Fare holes made in the buffer head for a purpose hereinafter
stated. G is a fixing peg hung from the buffer-head or from the body of the
vehicle by a chain D as shown.
To take up the slack in this arrangement, the links or radius bars O are turned
by hand so that they and the wedge move from the position in which they are
shown in full lines in Figure 6, into the position in which they are shown in
chain lines in the same figure, the wedge being thus inserted between the
locking pin H and the link I to the extent desired so as to fill the space between
the rear of the locking pin and the inner end of the link to take up any degree of
slack that may exist in the couplings after the act of coupling and pressing the
buffer faces close together has taken place. When the links or radius bars O have
been turned to raise the wedge as described the fixing peg G is put into the
holes F and under the said links or bars to prevent them from falling back, so that
the wedge is maintained in place. Instead of placing the holes F through the body
of the buffer-head as shown, I may place thein through a projection provided for
the purpose under the buffer head. The front and rear faces of the wedge are
curved to fit snugly between the coupling link and the locking pin, in the same
manner as described with reference to the wedge illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 a wedge B curved on its front
and rear faces as aforesaid is secured upon a transverse bar N¹ the ends of which
project through guide slots A¹ formed in the buffer-head. On the top of the said
buffer-head a frame R is provided in which other guide slots R' are formed to
receive the ends of a cross-head S, which project through the said guide slots R'
and are adapted to slide therein. T is a screw-threaded spindle which passes
through the top of the frame R and through the cross-head S wh.ch is screw,
threaded to receive it. The said spindle is free to rotate in the frame R and in the
cross-head S, but is prevented by suitable means from having any endwise move-
ment. T is a handle by which the screw is rotated to raise and lower the
cross-head S in the guide slots R¹. U, U are links by which the ends of the
cross-head are connected to the ends of the bar N¹.
To operate the wedge, the cross head is raised or lowered by operating the
screw T, whereupon the links U raise or lower the bar N and with it the wedge B,
which takes up or lets out the slack of the coupling in the manner hereinbefore
described with reference to the similar wedge illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The links U are of such a length that with the cross head in its lowest position,
as indicated in Figure 8, the point or nose of the wedge is just below the end of
the locking-pin H, so that after the coupling link becomes engaged with the said
locking-pin a small movement imparted to the wedge by means of the screwed
spindle T will take it in between the said hanging locking pin and link.
In Figure 10 is shown a modification of my invention wherein the wedge B is.
arranged to move up or down in a guide casing or sleeve A. secured to the under-
side of the buffer head as in Figure 1, but mounted directly upon a screwed
spindle T which is arranged to turn in a suitable recess in the lower part of the
wedge and passes through a screw-threaded aperture in the bottom. of the guide-
casing or sleeve. T is a hand wheel secured to the spindle T to enable the same

page_text: to be conveniently rotated to raise or lower the wedge and to enable the adjustment
thereof to be effected with nicety. Upon the said hand-wheel T' are lugs T3 with
which a spring-hook engages. The said spring-hook is attached to the end of the
chain D which is secured to the buffer-head and is employed to prevent the
hand-wheel from turning, so that the wedge may be retained in any position to
which it may be moved. As an alternative the said wedge may be fixed by a peg
adapted to enter suitable holes in the guide casing or sleeve and in the wedge, as
described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figures 11 and 12 illustrate an alternative device wherein the wedge is raised
and lowered in a guide-sleeve or casing by means of an eccentric V, secured upon
a tranverse spindle N journalled in bearings in extensions of the lower ends of the
said guide-casing or sleeve. The front and rear walls of the guide casing or sleeve
are slotted at A in order that the eccentric as it turns with the spindle N may
meet with no obstruction to its movement. N, N2 are weighted handles so secured
upon the spindle in relation to the eccentric that they tend always to turn the same
into position to move the wedge to the upper extreme of its travel. G is a fixing
peg attached to the spindle by a chain D'.
E, E are holes formed in the eccentric as shown, and F is a hole formed in the
wall of the guide casing or sleeve, so that by passing the fixing pin G through the
hole in the guide casing or sleeve into one of the holes in the eccentric the said
eccentric, and consequently the wedge, can be kept in either of the positions to
which it is adjusted.
With reference now to Figures 13, 14 and 15 which illustrate a further modifi-
cation of my invention, each buffer-head is provided with a lever W, which is
forked, and is pivoted at both sides thereof at W₁. A curved wedge B³ is formed
integrally with or secured to each said lever between the bifurcations, as shown, the
shape of the curve of each wedge being such that when the lever and wedge turn
about their pivots the said wedge will enter between the locking pin and coupling
link in a manner similar to that described with reference to the curved wedge shown
in Figures 6 and 7.
To keep the levers W and the wedges B' in the positions to which they may
be adjusted, I provide curved bars hinged to a lug on the underside of each
buffer-head, with their free ends passed through a suitable slot W2 in each lever.
In the buffer-head which is shown in the left-hand portion of Figure 13 the curved
bar is provided with a number of holes E and the lever W is provided with corre-
sponding holes a fixing peg G is attached to the body of the vehicle by the
chain so that when the lever has been turned about its pivot the fixing peg G
may be passed through the said lever and one of the holes in the curved bar, so
that, the lever cannot move relatively to the bar, and the wedge is maintained in
the position to which it has been adjusted. The levers W are preferably bent as
shown in Figure 15, the bend being so formed on each lever that when two
vehicles are brought together the lower ends of the levers thereon will overlap
each other, without coming into contact. By this arrangement the risk of injury
to the hand of the operator is avoided, and, moreover, he will be enabled to
grasp the ends of both levers with one hand, after they have been moved to
adjust the wedges, and to insert the fixing pegs in the curred bars with the other
hand. In adjusting and securing the wedges in position by the use of the said
holes, pegs, and curved bars as aforesaid, the operator must use both hands, and I
have therefore designed the alternate form of hinged bar X' illustrated in the
right-hand portion of Figure 13, in order that the adjustment of the wedge and the
insertion of the fixing peg may both be effected by one hand. The said bar is
provided with teeth on its underside, the points of the teeth being presented towards
the front of the buffer. A single tooth W³ of corresponding dimensions is provided
in the slot of the lever W, so that after the said lever is moved forward to adjust
the wedge, it is prevented from returning backward by the said teeth, as the curved
bar will always drop into engagement with the tooth W³ by the action of gravity.

page_text: Thus, after the wedges have been adjusted by the use of one hand the operator may
release the levers which will then be automatically retained by the curved bars,
and he will be enabled to insert the aforesaid fixing-peg conveniently with the
same hand.
In order to effect a saving of time in the working of the said apparatus I prefer
that a fixing-peg should be attached to the vehicle on each side of the buffer-head.
In Figures 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 the buffer-head is the well-known form of
automatic-coupling buffer-head in which a Norwegian hook (Figure 19) is ordinarily
used. In order that at a trifling expense and without any alteration to existing
stock, the said buffer-heads may be coupled to automatic coupling buffers of the
kind described in the Specifications of prior Letters Patent No. 4446 of 1878 and
No. 6184 of 1891 I employ in the said head in substitution for the Norwegian hook,
an improved loop link fastened in the buffer-head in the same manner and by the
same means as the Norwegian hook was fastened therein.
The said improved loop link is formed with an eye at one end, the said eye
lies in the same axial line as the loop 6 but in a plane at right angles thereto, so
that the said improved loop link when in position in the buffer head will rest on
the solid part a thereof and will project from the said head at an angle such as is
indicated by the chain lines in Figure 16 so that its loop 6, when approaching or
when approached by any one of the coupling-buffers described in the aforesaid
prior Specifications of Letters Patent or the buffer-head shown for example at e
will enter and mount the sloping mouth thereof until it passes and becomes engaged
by the hanging locking pin H. The slack can then be gathered by any of the
devices described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,400 A.D. 1889, or
described herein.
It is of course to be understood that when not in actual use, either the Norwegian
hook or my improved loop link may be conveniently hung upon suitable supports -
provided at the end of the vehicle.
Figure 21 is a side elevation shewing the adaptation of the before mentioned
Norwegian coupling buffer head, so that it shall be capable of coupling with
automatic-coupling buffers of the type described in the said Specification of
Letters Patent No. 13,400 of A.D. 1889.
By substituting my loop-link for the Norwegian hook in the Norwegian
coupling buffer head a and at the same time by removing the locking coupling-link
described in the Specification of aforesaid prior Patent from line 40 page 6
to line 13 page 7 of the said Specification and substituting therefor a spring plate K'
as fully directed in the above cited lines, these two types of automatic coupling
buffers when coming together will couple automatically exactly as described with
reference to Figures 9 and 9 in the aforesaid Specification. The Norwegian
hook during the substitution of my loop-link and the locking coupling link during
the substitution of my spring plate K'can both be hung conveniently upon the end
of their respective vehicles.
C
Figures 22 and 23 illustrate an improvement upon a slack-gathering device
previously patented by me No. 13,400 in which the gathering of the slack is
effected by a lever made in two parts ¹², the parts a being movable endwise
relatively to the parts a² and connected by a cross-bar so that the whole forms a
telescopic frame, in order that the teeth on the parts a' may be engaged with or
disengaged from teeth on the buffer head. The improvement upon this arrange-
ment consists according to my present invention, in the provision of springs
attached to the parts a and a of each lever as shown in such a manner as always
to maintain a pull upon the parts in the direction of the parts a² so as to prevent
the disengagement of the said teeth from each other and the consequent slackening
of the coupling by the jarring or jolting that occurs when the vehicles are in motion.
In the modification of this part of my invention illustrated in Figures 24 and 25
I extend the levers a² downward, as well as upward from their fulcra, so that they
may be operated from below to take up the slack, and I provide at their upper ends

page_text: shorter extensions upon which are placed studs d. is a small frame, provided
with a handle and with teeth y adapted to engage with the teeth on the buffer-
head. The ends of the said frame are provided with holes through which the
studs d pass, and a spring is placed between a nut at the upper end of each stud
and the said ends of the frame, which slide upon the said studs. The said springs
act to keep the teeth on the frame in engagement with the teeth on the buffer-head
so that the levers a² are kept in position after adjustment.
In Figure 26 I have shewn how a buffer head fitted with one of the forms of
my improved slack gathering wedge is coupled automatically with a buffer head
of an old form in which the retaining pin is simply dropped by hand from
above through a plain or ordinary coupling link. To enable this old form of
buffer head to be used I remove the plain coupling link and substitute therefor
one of my loop links which is provided with a spring which keeps the said
link in proper position and at a suitable angle for entering the mouth of any of
the before mentioned types of automatic coupling buffer. The loop link is shewn
in plan in Figure 26.
Figures 27 and 28 illustrate a slack-gathering automatic coupling buffer of the
kind illustrated in Figures 24 and 25 but without any downwardly-extending lever.
This arrangement is adapted for use in cases where it is not necessary to employ so
great a leverage as may be exerted in the use of the device illustrated in the said
Figures 22, 23, 24 and 25.
I wish it understood that I may vary the proportions and arrangement of the
apparatus herein before described by way of example, without departing from my
said invention; and although I have herein before described the insertion of the
wedge between the coupling-link and the locking pin of an automatic coupling the
said wedge is obviously applicable with equal advantage to any other form of
coupling wherein a like section is desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A coupling or coupling-buffer provided with a slack-gathering wedge for the
purpose specified.
2. A coupling or coupling buffer provided with a slack-gathering wedge which is
shaped to fit or to approximately fit the space into which it enters to take up slack
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the slack-gathering wedge of a guide casing or sleeve
wherein it is adjustable and of a fixing peg, substantially as hereinbefore described,
for the purpose specified.
4. The provision of teeth on the slack-gathering wedge in combination with
gearing engaging with said teeth to actuate the wedge, with or without the locking
pawl, substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
5. The modification of my invention wherein the slack-gathering wedge is pivoted
to and actuated by radius arms which are pivoted to the buffer-head, substantially
as herein before described for the purpose specified.
6. The means for limiting the movement of the radius arms, substantially as
described with reference to Figures 6 and 7.
7. The method of raising the wedge by means of a screw and links, substantially
as described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, or by a screw alone as in Figure 10,
or by an eccentric and weighted handles as in Figures 11 and 12.
8. The modification of my invention wherein the slack-gathering wedge is integral
with its hinged or pivoted operating-lever with or without the adjusting and fixing
devices substantially as described in Figures 13, 14 and 15.
9. The combination with the telescopic tightening lever or levers of a spring or
springs, substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
10. A coupling or coupling-buffer provided with a slack-gathering wedge with or

page_text: without locking devices, constructed and arranged substantially as described with
reference to any of the accompanying drawings and operating as specified.
11. The coupling or coupling buffers constructed as described with reference to
Figures 22 and 23 or 24 and 25 or 27 and 28 for the purpose specified.
Dated this 19th day of August 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.