Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 22nd Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1887.
A communication from THOMAS L. MCKEEN, residing at Easton, in the County of
Northampton, United States of America, Gentleman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The salient features of this invention are a hook having an inclined face presented
to the opposing vehicle. A link pivotted in the body of the hook the hole being
preferably elongated in a horizontal direction to give free play and the link or pivot
being connected by a chain or otherwise with an arm projecting from a cross bar
which extends across the vehicle the ends being bent into or provided with handles-
A certain amount of longitudinal play is allowed to the cross bar so that the
supporting arm may be so located as to rest upon either one of two or more (usually
two) supports. The action is as follows:-If it is desired that the vehicles when run
together should couple themselves automatically the arm which supports the link is
placed on a low support and the link then lies in a horizontal plane or thereabouts
projecting forwards from the end of the vehicle and as the two vehicles come together
this link runs up the inclined face of the hook upon the second vehicle until it reaches
and falls into the hook or recess prepared for it. The link upon the second vehicle
meantime has been held out of the way by reason of the arm being rested
upon a higher support than that of the first vehicle; or the link having been thrown
back or dropped down altogether out of the way, or if both links be left down the
lower one will raise the upper one and throw it back. The apparatus upon both
vehicles is the same and the uncoupling is effected by turning the cross bar by one
of its handles raising the arm and link to which it is connected.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1886.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplers for the Rolling Stock of Rail
or Tramways.
A communication from THOMAS L. MCKEEN, residing at Easton, in the County of
Northampton, United States of America, Gentleman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
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 drawing represents the end of a railway vehicle with the coupling apparatus
upon it.
The salient features of this invention are a hook A having an inclined face A¹
presented to the opposing vehicle. A link B pivoted at B¹ in the body of the hook
the hole being preferably elongated in a horizontal direction to give free play and the
link B or pivot C being connected by a chain D or otherwise with an arm E projecting
from a cross bar F journalled in suitable brackets H which extends across the vehicle
the ends being bent into or provided with handles G. A certain amount of longi-
tudinal play is allowed to the cross bar so that the supporting arm may be so located
as to rest upon either one of two or more (usually two) supports I and K. The action
is as follows:-If it is desired that the vehicles when run together should couple them-
selves automatically the arm E which supports the link B is placed on a low support K,
and the link then lies in a horizontal plane or thereabouts, projecting forwards from
the end of the vehicle, and as the two vehicles come together this link runs up the
inclined face of the hook upon the second vehicle until it reaches and falls into the
hook or recess on the other vehicle prepared for it.
The link B upon the second vehicle meantime has been held out of the way by
reason of the arm E being rested upon a higher support I than that of the first
vehicle; or the link having been thrown back or dropped down altogether out of the
way, or if both links be left down, whichever happens to be the lower one will raise
the upper one and throw it back. The apparatus upon both vehicles is the same and
the uncoupling is effected by turning the cross bar F by one of its handles G raising
the arm E and link B to which it is connected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same is
to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a car coupling such as described the combination with a hook such as A
having an inclined face A' up which the link of the opposing vehicle rides when being
coupled, of a link such as B loosely pivoted in the said hook A, and controlled by an

page_text: arm such as E operated from the side of the vehicle and connected with link B by a
chain D or equivalent means substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a car coupling such as described the combination with the controlling arm E
capable of lateral movement, of two or more supports such as I K placed side by side
and at different elevations for the purpose of supporting the said lever E and link B
which is connected with E at different heights, substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
3. A car coupling such as described and consisting of a draw hook such as A
having an inclined face A¹, a link such as B loosely pivoted in A and connected by a
chain or equivalent D with a controlling lever E, a cross bar such as F journalled in
brackets upon the end of the car across which it extends and provided with a handle
at each end, and supports such as I K at different levels, the whole constructed and
operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1887
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.