A New or Improved Automatic Coupling for Railway and Tramway Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Coupling for Railway and Tramway
Vehicles.
I, HENRY SWITHIN FRAMPTON, of 22, Staple Gardens, Winchester, in the County
of Hampshire, Builders' 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 a new or improved method of, and means for, auto-
matically coupling together railway and tramway vehicles, in combination with
means for uncoupling or disconnecting one vehicle from another without the need
of a porter or other attendant having to go between the vehicles for this purpose,
as obtains with the means of coupling and uncoupling in present use, my said
invention being operative for both coupling and uncoupling without regard as to
whether the said vehicles be upon level ground or an incline.
In order that the manner in which I purpose carrying my invention into
effect, and the manner of its use may be fully understood, I have hereunto appended
three sheets of drawings of which
Figs. 1 and 2 Sheet 1 are opposite side elevations of the complete apparatus
according to one method of construction, while Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations of
same as viewed from left to right, and right to left respectively of Fig. 2.
Figs. 5 and 6 are views of details of the previous figs. and hereinafter explained.
Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the two extreme positions of the coupling tongue of
the apparatus, also hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 9 Sheet 2 is a plan view of Fig. 2 while,
Figs. 10 and 11 are sections, upon the line A B of the same figure, the latter
illustrating the two positions of this part of the apparatus when being coupled to,
and uncoupling from, respectively a like apparatus upon another vehicle.
Fig. 12 is a section upon the line CD of Fig. 2.
Fig. 13 is a plan view illustrating the application of a pair of the said apparatus
for coupling together two trucks or other vehicles not "closed up."
Fig. 14 Sheet 3 is a plan view similar to Fig. 9, but illustrating a second method
of construction adaptable for use in connection with passenger coaches that are
usually coupled "close-up."
وو
Figs. 15 and 16 are end elevations of Fig. 14 as viewed from left to right, and
right to left respectively.
Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but illustrating the application of the device
Fig. 14 for connecting two coaches that are usually coupled up "close."
Similar letters of reference are used throughout the several views when referring
to the same or like parts.
Referring to the apparatus illustrated by Figs. 1 to 13 inclusive. My invention
consists of two portions Figs. 5 and 6, cast or wrought from any metal or combina-
tion of metals, the former comprising a block A, adapted to form a pair of jaws A¹
and A3, the latter comprising a block B and tongue B, the said tongue being
welded or otherwise firmly connected to, and adapted to form, or may be produced
from a draw-bar B2, as at present in use upon all such vehicles for the purpose of
coupling one vehicle with another. The jaws A1 and A2 and the tongue B' are

page_text: each provided with a hole a, so that a bolt and nut or the like C may pass through
all three and connect them together and form a pivot for B¹, when the latter is
in position between A¹ and A2 as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, the two parts Figs. 5
and 6 when so coupled together, being adapted to open and close somewhat after
the manner of a pair of shears, the position of these being such, that the inner faces
of A and B are always vertical, while the joint formed by BI A' and A2 are at an
angle of 45° or thereabouts relatively to the said faces of A and 13, the said faces
being always parallel with each other both when closed together as at a in Figs. 3
and 10, or separated as at Fig. 11.
The said blocks A and B are enclosed by a metallic frame D, the free ends of
which are screwed welded or otherwise connected to the upper and lower surfaces of
the block B, the block B being thereby held stationary, the said frame being formed
at D1 D2 at an angle of 45° or thereabouts relatively to the junction of A and B,
and forms a guide for the movements of A. The vertical face of the frame D is
constructed and arranged to carry one end of a tube E, adapted to be rotated in
both directions by the means of a handle-bar or its equivalent F, the inner surface
of E (for a suitable portion of its length) being provided with a female screw-
thread b (Figs. 4, 10 and 11) with which engages a male thread upon a rigidly
fixed or movable pin G, connected to the block A, the said pin G and the tube E
being of any diameter desired in order that the pitch of the threads upon these may
be such that one half rotation or thereabouts of E by F may serve to
withdraw A from B the distance required, and the said threads may be either right
or left handed, as may be found most convenient according as the dividing of A
and B may be best effected by a right or left hand motion imparted to E, by a right
to left, or left to right movement of the handle or the like F, as suggested by the
full and dotted outline of the latter in Fig. 9.
The block A has brazed, bolted, or otherwise connected thereto, or formied
integrally therewith an arm H, while the block B is similarly provided with an
arm JJ, the former having formed therein a slot c, while the latter is formed to
provide a like slot d open at its outer end, whereat the ends of J and J are enlarged
to receive a bolt and nut, pin, or its equivalent e, which forms a fulcrum for one
end of a tongue K, the opposite end of which said tongue passes through the slot c
in H and is extended in diameter at K¹, so as to engage with the blocked end of II.
The pivotted or fulcrummed end of K has an extension f, provided with a pin y.
which forms a pivot for one end of a rod L, which extends backwardly there from
through a cylindrical or other shaped metallic chamber M, secured to, or formed
integrally with the block B, the said rod within M being surrounded by a powerful
coil spring N, the tension of which serves to impart a pull upon the rod L in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 1, such pull operating to hold the tongue K in its normal
position, or that shewn by Figs. 1 and 2.
The arms H and J are so placed in connection with their respective blocks A
and B as to extend therefrom in an approximately horizontal direction, and either
parallel with each other or otherwise, but for preference I arrange the double arm J
perfectly horizontal, while the arm -H slightly deviates therefrom, as shewn, but
whatever may be the direction in which these extend from their respective blocks,
I make it a sine qua non, for the purposes of my invention, that their positions upon
the said blocks are always such that the tongue K held thereby is at an angle of 45°
or thereabouts with the junction line of the said blocks A and B, for reasons
hereinafter explained.
The apparatus described may be employed in connection with any vehicle at
present constituting the rolling stock of a railway or tramway company, but I
consider the device shewn by Figs. 1 to 12 inclusive more particularly adapted for
use in connection with luggage trucks or such vehicles as are usually coupled
together loosely, or in other words with their buffers not constantly in touch with
each other, as illustrated by Fig. 13. The drawbars upon such vehicles usually
terminate with a hook outside the vehicle but for the purposes of my invention I
either entirely dispense with such drawbar, or convert it so as to provide the draw-

page_text: bar B³, which passes through an opening in the end of the vehicle and is connected
beneath the same in the usual way; when one of my improved couplings, as
described, would stand out horizontally at each end of the vehicle, and by reason
of the arms H and J of these, and consequently their respective tongues K being
always in the same angular position upon each vehicle, it follows, that when the
end of one vehicle meets that of another the opposing tongues K upon the couplings
of the two so meeting would always cross each other at right angles, as shewn by K.
in full and dotted line in Fig. 3, and when two such vehicles would be brought
together with some force the said opposing tongues K would collide with each other,
when one or the other, or both, would recede inwardly against the force of such.
impact (as suggested by the dotted outline in Fig. 9) until one or the other of their
respective ends K' had passed beneath the centre or other part of the other, as
suggested by Fig. 7, the position of their rods L being then that shewn by dotted out-
line at a Fig. 9, and by the arrow Fig. 7, and when the said two tongues had passed
each other, their respective springs N would cause both to return to their normal
positions within the grooves c of their respective arms H, and be locked together,
and the vehicles firmly coupled as at Fig. 13, and any number of vehicles may be so
coupled without the need of any person getting between them for this purpose,
unless for any reason it may be desirable that the tongues K instead of engaging
with each other, as shewn in Fig. 13, be connected by one or more links of chain.
To disconnect two vehicles so coupled, a porter or other attendant would simply
move the lever bar F of one vehicle from the position shewn in full lines to that
shewn in dotted outline in Fig. 9. (or vice versa if the thread of the screw G be so
arranged and such movement of F would impart rotation to its tube E, and this by
engagement with the thread of its pin G, would cause its block A to recede from its
block B as illustrated by the sectional views Figs. 10 and 11, and such parting of A
from B would cause the former arm H to recede from the latters arm J (as indicated
by dotted outline in Fig. 9) thus releasing the tongue K, when, if the vehicles be
standing upon an incline the gravity force upon the vehicle to be released would
alone be sufficient to pull the tongue K so released in an outward direction, or that
indicated by dotted outline in Fig. 9, when the tongue of the vehicle to be released
would slip therefrom, or in cases where such vehicles may be standing upon
level ground, the tongue K so released, may be forced down by pressure imparted
thereto by the fixed tongue of the adjoining vehicle, when such adjoining vehicle
is removed by the attendants or an engine, the force imparted to the unlocked
tongue of the one vehicle, by the fixed tongue of the receding vehicle, being such
as to pull out and force down the said unlocked tongue, in the manner indicated
by the finger in Fig. 8, the same effect being exercised upon the unlocked tongue
if its own and not the adjoining vehicle be moved, and the said unlocked tongue
when released would immediately return to its normal position, shewn by full
lines in Fig. 1, by the tension of its spring N, its locking arm H remaining in the
position indicated by dotted outline in Fig. 9 as long as desired, it being only
necessary to replace H when its vehicle is to be again' coupled with another, such
replacement (as before described) being effected by returning its bar Ț to its
original position.
By reason of the angle of the junction of A1 A2 and B¹, relatively to the joint . it'
will be understood, that the direction at which the block A leaves the block B is that
of the guides D1 and D2, and that consequently the arm H recedes from the
arm J in the same direction, and further, by reason of A being integral with the
jaws A1 and A2, that such travel of A describes a small sector of a circle, the radii of
which is the bolt or the like C, and to accomodate the like movement of the screw G,
attached to A, I arrange, that the slot h in the frame D (by means of which the
tube E is connected to D) is of such an angle as to permit the said movement of G,
a's shewn in Fig. 2, and in order to facilitate the movements of A without jar.
or iam, I provide upon the inner surface of the block B. a parallel or tapered fixed
or loose pin P. which engages with a hole P¹ provided in the block A, as shewn in
Figs. 10, and 11, which serves to guide A back to the block B,

page_text: In Figs. 14 to 17 I illustrate an alternative method of construction for adapting
my said invention for passenger coaches and other vehicles such as R, that are now
usually coupled up "close," or in other words, in which their buffers m are always
in touch with each other, and their respective springs always slightly in tension.
For the purposes stated, I carry this arrangement of my invention into effect
by so arranging the draw-bar 132, that its outer end is welded or otherwise
connected to, or arranged to form a tubular frame S, in which is provided slots n,
which form guides for a sliding block 2, in fixed connection with a rod or spindler,
formed integrally with or firmly connected to, the member B₁ of the block B, the
said rod or spindler also forming a bearing for a circular metallic rotary frame
or case T, adapted to enclose the members A1, A2 and B1, and to the said frame or
case is connected, or formed integrally therewith a tube s, fitting loosely upon the
rod r, and occupying the whole length of this between its end p and the case T,
the outer surface of having a male screw-thread & formed thereon, which meshes
with a female thread upon the inner face of one end of the tubular frame S.
The mouth of the frame or case T has an annular surface of mitre teeth V, which
gear with like teeth upon a mitre-wheel W, mounted upon a sleeve w, surrounding
the tube E, and supported by a shield plate y upon the vertical face of the frame D,
and adapted to be rotated by any suitable form of handle or the like, such for
instance as that of a wheel X.
ور
In practice, the coupling of one coach R having been caused to engage with that
of another, in the manner herein before described, the two said coaches may then be
closed up
or drawn together by the rotation of the handle or wheel X of either,
or if necessary both coaches, the rotation of the said wheel X imparting (through n)
rotary motion to the wheel W, and this imparting a like motion to the case or
frame T, and the tube s connected thereto or formed therewith, and the latter by
its rotation being screwed into the tubular frame S, would thereby draw the sail
tubular frame and its draw-bar 132, and the case or frame T nearer to each other,
during which movement the block of the rod or spindler would slide in the
grooves n of the tubular frame S, and so prevent the otherwise possible rotation of
the latter, and consequently the coaches R would be brought together until their
buffers m were in touch with each other, and their springs more or less in tension,
as illustrated by Fig. 17, and when such coaches are to be uncoupled the before
mentioned movement of the lever rods F of either would, as previously described,
release the tongue K of that coupling and the state of tension of the buffer springs
of the two coaches would operate to facilitate the release of the said tongue.
From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will be
understood, that by the use of either of the devices according to my invention
I am enabled to automatically couple together, two vehicles or coaches of a railway
or tramway system, and to uncouple same without the need of the attendant having
to endanger his life by getting between the vehicles for either purpose, a further
and most important feature of my invention being that such uncoupling may be
effected regardless of whether such coaches be upon level ground or an incline.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1st. The herein described automatic coupling for railway and tramway vehicles,
with means for uncoupling the same without the attendant having to go between
the said vehicles, and irrespective of whether such vehicles be upon level ground
or an incline, substantially as herein set forth and shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
(2) The improved coupling for railway and tramway vehicles, consisting of a
block A having jaws A1 and A2, and block B having a tongue B¹, the said tongue
being arranged to form, connected to, or formed integrally with a draw-bar B2,
the said jaws and tongue being pivotally connected by a bolt or the like at a
point C, while the said blocks A and B are enclosed by a casing D D¹ D², and carry

page_text: arms J J and H, the former having pivotally connected thereto a tongue K adapted
to engage with a groove e in H by the tension of a spring N, actuating a rod L
connected to , the said block A with its arm H being caused to move upon its
pivot C for releasing or holding the tongue K, by the means of an internally threaded
tubular-handle E engaging with a right or left hand threaded fixed or movable
pin G upon the block A, when actuated by a lever arm or rod F, the whole
connected combined and operating for the purposes stated, and substantially as
herein described and shewn by rigs. 1 to 13 inclusive of the accompanying
drawings.
(3) The improved coupling for railway and iramway vehicles, consisting of a
block A having jaws A and A2, and block having a tongue B';
to the said jaws by a bolt or the like at a
pivotally connected
point C, the said tongue having connected thereto or formed integrally
therewith a rod or spindle r, carrying at its free end a block p, adapted to slide
in guide-slots formed in a tubular frame S, connected to or formed integrally
with a draw-bar B2, the said frame S having an internally threaded portion,
engaging with the external thread t of a tube s, connected to or formed integrally
with a case or frame T, and adapted to rotate therewith upon the rod or spindle r,
the said case or frame T having mitre-cogs or teeth V, which gear with like
teeth upon a mitre wheel W, fixed upon a sleeve w, mounted upon the face 1) of
a frame or casing D, D1, D2, by the means of a shield plate y, and adapted to be
rotated by the means of a wheel or handle such as X, the said sleeve w enclosing
an internally threaded tubular handle E, engaging with a right or left hand threaded
fixed or movable pin G upon the block A for actuating the movements of the
block A upon its pivotal connection C, when operated by a lever-arm or rod F, the
said blocks A and B being enclosed by the frame D, D1 D2 and carry armis H
and JJ respectively, the latter having pivotally connected thereto a tongue K
adapted to engage with a groove e in H, by the tension of a spring N, actuating a
rod L connected to K, the whole connected, combined, and operating for the
purposes stated, and substantially as herein described and shewn by the accom-
panying drawings, more particularly by that of Figs. 14 to 17 inclusive.
T: 4th day of January 1899
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.