IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND. UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Darling, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING AND.
UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND
IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Darling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th January 1883.
JOHN DARLING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND
OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,"
This Invention which relates to Improvements in coupling and uncoupling of
Railway carriages, trucks and other vehicles is of that class which has for its object
to enable such coupling or uncoupling to be effected without necessitating an
attendant placing himself between the vehicles when being coupled or uncoupled.
The coupling hooks are constructed that they enter into each other in a vertical
position and they are attached to draw-bars fixed at their inner ends to the under
parts of the vehicles, their outer ends being attached to lovers and links by
lowering which, the coupling hooks are disconnected.-The inner ends of the draw
bars are fitted with springs which maintain the hooks properly coupled together
and stops are or may be provided on the hooks to prevent their being uncoupled
excepting at the required times and in the manner provided for uncoupling them,
namely, by the lowering of any one of the coupling hooks and draw bars by means
of one of the levers herein before referred to.
Stops or checks or their equivalents are provided at the inner ends of the draw-
bars to prevent the springs at those ends being unduly strained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jolin Darling in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
1883.
JOHN DARLING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, “IMPROVE-
+
MENTS IN COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRUCKS AND
OTHER VEHICLES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
My said Invention which relates to Improvements in coupling and uncoupling
of Railway carriages, trucks and other vehicles is of that class which has for its
object to enable,such coupling or, uncoupling to be effected without necessitating
an attendant placing himself between the vehicles whon being coupled or
uncoupled. The coupling hooks are so constructed that they enter into each other
in a vertical position in the act of any two railway vehicles coming into contact
with each other on the rails and they are attached to draw-bars fixed at their inner
ends to the under parts of the vehicles their outer ends, being attached to levers.
and links by lowering which the coupling hooks are disconnected. The inner ends
of the draw bars are fitted with springs which maintain the hooks properly coupled
together and stops are or may be provided on the looks to prevent their being
uncoupled excepting at the required times and in the manner provided for
uncoupling them, namely, by the lowering of any one of the coupling hooks and
draw bars by means of one of tho levers herein before reforred to.
Stops or checks or their equivalents are provided at the inner ends of the draw-
bars to prevent the springs at those ends being unduly strained.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode or manner'in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and Figures marked thereon, that is
to say:
i.
11.
Figure 1, is a part front elevation and part section of the mechanism constructed
according to and constituting my present Invention.
Figures 2 and 3, are respectively side elevation and plan of the same.
In carrying out my present Improvements, the coupling hooks a, are constructed
(as shewn) that they enter into each other in a vertical plane and they are each
pivoted to the draw bars b, by a bolt or its equivalent as shewn at Figures 2,
and 3. The draw bars b, are at their inner ends carried in the guides c, at the
under part of the vehicles, their outer ends being connected with the levers d;
secured to the horizontal bars e, which are held in the bonrings f; transversely
across the underside of the vehicles-Upon each end of these bars 6, there are
secured hand-levers g, by operating which, motion is transmitted to tho levers d,
and by means of the sliding connections h, between these levers'd, and the shanks,
of the coupling, the hooks a, are raised and lowered.-The inner ends of the draw-
bars b, are fitted with the springs j, and k, which by their tension pull the bars b;
inwards that is to say towards the centre of the vehicles and thus maintain the
hooks a properly coupled together. The stops 7, are provided on the shanks i, to
prevent the hooks being uncoupled by any backward motion of the vehicles causing
a sufficient compression of the buffer springs as for example when shunting, thus
the uncoupling is prevented from taking place accidentally and can only take place
in one manner, namely, by lowering one of the shanks i, and with it the hook a,
forming part thereof which effected by means of the levers d, and g, being let
down into the position represented in dotted lines at Figure 2, of the accompanying
Drawings.-The stops or checks n, are provided at the inner ends of the draw-bars b,
↑

page_text: to sustain the compression of the springs j, sliding upon the said draw bars b.-
The bars e, are fitted with the collars o, against which the springs p, bear and are
provided to allow of the locking of the said bars in the position in which the
couplings are engaged with each other during which the keys r, on the shafts e, are
drawn into the slots 8, so that the bars e, are thereby prevented from being turned
round. For releasing the couplings the bars e, are drawn horizontally by hand in
the direction opposite to that in which the thrust of the springs p, is exerted and
the said bars e, are then free to be turned by the levers g, as hereinbefore described.
-The shank i, is also acted upon by the spring q, for the purpose of retaining it
in position.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system, mode or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do
not limit myself in the carrying out of the same, to the precise form or detail
herein before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings as the same
may be varied in many ways without departure from the essential features of my
Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First. For coupling and uncoupling Railway carriages, trucks and other vehicles,
effecting the same by a vertical motion being imparted to the said coupling hooks
that is to say by raising or lowering. one of them substantially as and in the
manner hereinbefore set forth with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Second. For coupling and uncoupling Railway carriages, trucks and other
vehicles, the combination of apparatus consisting of the hooks a, draw-bars b,
levers d, and g, springs j, k, p, and q, and their attachments substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore set forth with reference to the accompanying Drawings
or the mechanical equivalents of all or any of the said parts.
Third. In Railway coupling hooks, the stops l, acting in the manner and for the
purposes herein before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Darling have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirteenth day of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.
JOHN DARLING (L.S.)