Improvements in Couplings, more especially intended for Steam Tramway Engines and Light Railway Rolling Stock.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1891-Accepted. 19th Sept. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings, more especially intended for Steam
Tramway Engines and Light Railway Rolling Stock.
I EDMUND ROTHWELL of Rochdale in the County of Lancaster General
Manager of the Bury Rochdale & Oldham Tramway Company Limited do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference more particularly to the coupling for which Letters
5 Patent were granted to J. S. Ayton bearing date as of September 4th 1884
No. 11992 and my said invention has for its object to improve the construction of
such couplings whereby increased safety is obtained and facility is provided for
fitting the parts together and for removing and replacing parts when worn or
injured. Ayton's arrangement consists of a casing containing a spring buffer and a
hinged pawl the said casing being fixed to the end of the engine frame or carriage
or other vehicle to which the coupling is to be applied and on the adjacent vehicle
is provided a coupling bar having a shoulder or projection which enters the casing
on the other vehicle and is engaged by the pawl dropping over or behind the pro-
jection on the connecting bar and thereby securely connecting or coupling the two
vehicles. The axis of the pawl extends outside the casing or box and carries at
each end a weighted lever the outer weighted ends of which are cast with a large
boss to give as much weight as possible and are connected by a handle which I
form from a bar or rod of metal passing over the top of the casing and formed into
a loop (by twisting) at the centre to constitute the handle by which the pawl is
raised out of engagement with the projection on the connecting rod when it is
desired to uncouple the vehicles. On the engaging pawl I form a stop or pro-
jection to prevent it from being raised too high when uncoupling. To facilitate
the fitting to and removal of the pawl from the casing, I form slots in the sides of
the casing for the reception of the bearing portions of the axis of the pawl and in
these slots I fit bearings to hold the said pawl in position in the slots the bearings
being attached to the casing by set screws or the like. I also provide an additional
safety coupling which may be used in combination with existing coupling boxes and
consists in providing on the coupling box or casing of one vehicle a lug or eye piece
and on the end of the carriage to be coupled therewith I provide a coupling bar or
rod to which is attached by means of a short chain a bifurcated link having holes
in the two arms corresponding to the hole or eye in the lug attached to the other
vehicle. To connect this safety coupling the arms of the bifurcated link are made
to embrace the lug on the coupling box and a bolt or pin is passed through
them. This bolt or pin is provided at one end with a head or collar to prevent
it passing through the connection and the front end of the said bolt or pin is hinged
to the main portion thereof, which hinged end when the pin or bolt is inserted turns
to a right angle to the main portion and thereby prevents the said bolt being
accidentally withdrawn.
To disconnect this safety coupling the hinged end of the bolt is turned into a line
with the main portion thereof and is then withdrawn from the connection by means
f the head which may be provided with a loop for the introduction of a hooked
nstrument to facilitate its withdrawal.
The coupling bar employed with the self acting coupling device herein before
escribed may be provided with a hole at the end opposite to that on which the
rojection which engages the pawl is formed, and is attached to the coupling box
r casing of one vehicle by means of a bolt or pin constructed like that employed
or connecting the additional safety device hereinbefore described the said bolt or
in being passed through holes in the sides of the casing and through the hole in
[Price 8d 1

page_text: the said connecting bar. This bar is thus free to turn on the pin or bolt to admit
of the end having the projection rising into position to be engaged by the pawl of
the coupling box or casing of an adjacent vehicle.
Dated this 11th day of November 1890
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings, more especially intended for Steam
Tramway Engines and Light Railway Rolling Stock.
I, EDMUND ROTHWELL of Rochdale in the County of Lancaster. General
Manager of the Bury Rochdale & Oldham Tramway Company Limited, 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 has reference more particularly to the coupling described in the
Specification of Letters Patent No. 11992 granted to John Septimus Ayton
bearing date the 4th day of September 1884 and my said invention has for its
object to improve the construction of such couplings whereby increased safety
is obtained and facility is provided for fitting the parts together and for removing
and replacing parts when worn or injured.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which represents in side elevation a coupling device constructed
according to my invention,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 a front elevation of the
same,
Figure 4 are views of my improved additional safety coupling pin which may
be employed with existing coupling boxes.
In the arrangement described in the said Specification of Patent 11992 a
casing is employed containing a spring buffer and a hinged pawl the said casing
being fixed to the end of the vehicle to which the coupling is applied and on the
adjacent vehicle is provided a draw bar having a shoulder or projection at its outer
end which enters the casing, on the first named vehicle and is engaged by the pawl
dropping over or behind the projection on the draw bar thereby securely connecting
or coupling the two vehicles. The axis of the pawl extends outside the casing and
carries at each end a weighted lever the outer weighted ends of which are cast
with a large boss to give as much weight as possible and are connected by a handle
which form from a bar or rod of metal passing over the top of the casing and
formed into a loop (by twisting) at the centre to constitute the handle by which
the pawl is raised out of engagement with the projection on the draw bar when it
is desired to uncouple the vehicles. The handle thus formed is shown at G in the
accompanying drawing. On the engaging pawl I form a stop or projection E to
prevent it from being raised too high when uncoupling.
To facilitate the fitting to and removal of the pawl from the casing I form slots a
in the sides of the casing for the reception of the bearing portions of the axis of
the pawl and in these slots I fit bearings y to hold the said pawl in position in the
slots the bearings being attached to the casing by set screws or the like. I also
provide an additional safety coupling which may be used in combination with
existing coupling boxes and consists in providing on the coupling box or casing of
one vehicle a lug or eye piece w and on the end of the vehicle to be coupled
therewith I provide a coupling bar or rod to which is attached by means of
a link or short chain a bifurcated link having holes in the two arms corre-
sponding to the hole or eye in the lug w attached to the other vehicle. To
connect this safety coupling the arms of the bifurcated link t are made to embrace
the lug w on the coupling casing box and a bolt or pin s is passed through

page_text: them. This bolt or pin is provided at one end with a head or collar or other
suitable projection to prevent it passing through the connection and the front
end of the said bolt or pin is hinged to the main portion thereof, which
hinged end when the pin or bolt is inserted turns to a right angle to the main
portion, forming a crosshead and thereby prevents the said bolt being accidentally
withdrawn.
To disconnect this safety coupling the hinged end of the bolt is turned
into a line with the main portion thereof and is then withdrawn from the connection
by means of the head which may be provided with a loop for the introduction of a
hooked instrumfent to facilitate its withdrawal.
The draw bar employed with the self acting coupling device hereinbefore
described may be provided with a hole at the end opposite to that on which the
projection which engages the pawl is formed, and may be attached to the coupling
casing of one vehicle by means of a bolt or pin constructed like that (s) employed
for connecting the additional safety device herein before described the said bolt or
pin being passed through holes in the sides of the casing and through the hole in
the said draw bar. This bar is thus free to turn on the pin or bolt to admit of the
end having the projection rising into position to be engaged by the pawl of the
coupling box or casing of an adjacent vehicle as in the arrangement described in
Ayton's aforesaid Specification.
The length of the aforesaid additional safety coupling is such that there is no
slack and the end of the draw bar cannot leave the coupling should the draw bar
accidentally not be firmly held by the pawl.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the coupling device as
a whole substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The Ayton coupling improved as hereinbefore explained and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In combination with a coupling of a kind referred to an auxiliary safety
coupling arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. For securing the parts of the auxiliary safety coupling or for securing the
Iraw bar a pin or bar with an end hinged thereto or turning thereon so that when
he pin is put in place the said end falls into the securing position substantially as
erein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of August 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.