Improvements in Couplings for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Couplings for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
We, JAMES GRAHAME, Clifton House, Nairn, Chartered Accountant, and COLIN
JOHN DUNLOP, of 62, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, North Britain, Coalmaster, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in couplings for railway wagons and
similar vehicles and has for its object to enable the links between the wagons to
be placed on and taken off the draw bar hooks by a handle and lever at either
side of the wagon so that it is unnecessary for a man to go between the wagons for
coupling and uncoupling purposes; and also for the purpose of dispensing with
a coupling pole.
In the adaptation of our invention, we do not disturb the existing three links
that is to say that our invention may be applied to existing wagons with
practically no alteration upon the existing three links and draw bar hooks.
We mount a rod across the front of the wagon, preferably at the under side
thereof, the said rod being operated by a handle and lever at the side of the
wagon.
At the middle of the rod are keved two iron bars one on either side of
the draw bar book, the said bars being for the purpose of raising and lowering
the coupling links. The third or end link is provided with a finger, or other
attachment, at the right and left thereof, these fingers being the means through
which the said link is actuated. The ends of the iron bars are slotted for the
purpose of receiving the said fingers of the said end link. If the iron bars are
set horizontally, by fixing the lever by means of an ordinary segment and pin,
or other fixing means, two opposing wagons can couple themselves automatically
hy reason of the front of the opposing hook striking the end of the third or last
link in such a way that the link is caused to be tilted up and falls into the hook.
In order to uncouple, the iron bars are elevated by actuating the lever at the
side of the wagon so as to disengage the end of the link from the hook. If the
iron bars are allowed to hang down, out of the horizontal, the coupling is effected
when the wagons are brought together, by giving a turn to the handle at the side
of the wagon so as to elevate the iron bars, in which motion the end of the last
link strikes against the underside of the hook whereby the end of the link is
depressed, under the influence of the guiding fingers formed upon it, passes the
point of the hook, assumes a horizontal position and is lowered back into the
hook. To effect the required tilting of the end link, the fingers are preferably
formed upon the link at a point near the back end thereof.
Dated this 14th dor of Santamba 1900
JOHNSONS,
Petitioner's Agents,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.

page_text: Improvements in Couplings for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
We, JAMES GRAHAME, Clifton House, Nairn, Chartered Accountant, and CoLIN
JOHN DUNLOP, of 62, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Coal Master, 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:
This invention relates to improvements in couplings for railway wagons and
similar vehicles and has for its object to enable the links between the wagons.to
be placed on and taken off the draw bar hooks by a handle and lever at either
side of the wagon so that it is unnecessary for a man to go between the wagons for
coupling and uncoupling purposes; and also for the purpose of dispensing with
a coupling pole.
In the adaptation of our invention, we do not disturb the existing three links
that is to say that our invention may be applied to existing wagons with
no material alteration upon the existing three links and draw bar hooks.
But in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and
easily carried into effect we will proceed to describe the same with reference to
the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation and
Fig. 2 a plan of the head stocks of two wagons, coupled together.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a wagon with dumb buffers, shewing
the links in the act of being raised to effect the coupling.
Referring to the said drawings, we mount a rod or wyper shaft A across the
front of the wagon, preferably at the under side thereof, as shewn, the said rod
or shaft being operated by handled levers B one of which is situated at each
side of the wagon.
At the middle of the shaft A are keyed two iron bars or
wypers Cone on either side of the draw bar hook D, the said bars being for
the purpose of raising and lowering the coupling links. The third or end link E
is provided with a finger or snug e, or other attachment, at the right and left
thereof, these fingers being the means through which the said link is actuated.
The bars are preferably formed in two, hinged together at c, and have their
lower ends provided with slots c in which the fingers e slide, the said hinging
compensating for the eccentricity of the shaft A with the draw bar hook, whilst
the slots c prevent interference with the travel of the draw bar.
The iron bars are allowed to hang down, out of the horizontal, and the coupling
is effected, when the wagons are brought together, by giving a turn to one of
the handles at the side of the wagon so as to elevate the iron bars C, in which
motion the end of the last link strikes against the underside of the draw bar
hook D, whereby the end of the link is depressed, under the influence of the
guiding fingers e formed upon it, passes the point of the hook assumes a hori-
zontal position and is lowered back into the hook. To effect the required tilting
of the end link, the fingers e are preferably formed upon the link at a point near
the back end thereof, as shewn.
In order to uncouple, the iron bars are elevated by actuating the lever at the
side of the wagon so as to disengage the end of the link from the hook. If the
iron bars e are set horizontally, by fixing the lever B by means of an ordinary
segment and pin, or other fixing means, two opposing wagons can couple them-
selves automatically by reason of the front of the opposing draw bar hook striking
the end of the third or last link in such a way that the link is caused to be
tilted up and falls into the hook. In this case the uncoupling is performed in

page_text: the same manner as that described, after first releasing the lever from its
retaining segment.
The foregoing serves as an example of how our invention may be carried into
effect but we desire it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the
precise details herein before described as it is obvious that they may be varied
without departing from the scope of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
-
1. The general arrangement, construction and combination of parts constituting
the means whereby the coupling links can be placed on and taken off the draw
bar hooks of railway and similar wagons from either side, substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement and construction of the bars or wypers C and the means
whereby said bars or wypers are actuated and elevate or lower the links in
coupling and uncoupling railway wagons and similar vehicles, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
3. Forming or providing the third or end link of railway wagon couplings, with
the fingers e studs, or similar projections, and engaging same with the slotted
ends of the two bars or wypers C keyed to the transverse horizontal rod or
wyper shaft A actuated from either side of the wagon by a handled lever B; or
the mechanical equivalent of said parts; as herein before described and shewn in
the accompanying drawings.
Data 1 1
r
MAX