Year: 1886

page_text: [Communicated. from abroad by JAMES DADSWELL, of the City of Mexico, in the
Federal District and Republic of Mexico.]
I, ALBERT RICHARD SCHADE of 21 Parkhurst Road, Holloway in the County of
Middlesex, Reporter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for coupling and uncoupling
railway rolling stock and has for its object first to cause the vehicles to couple
automatically on being brought into contact with each other; second enabling the cars
to be uncoupled at will by the drawing out of a handle or other suitable appliance
placed conveniently on the car, thus avoiding the dangerous necessity of attendants
having to go between the vehicles for this purpose; third, dispensing with detachable
pins links and other parts which are liable to become lost.
These objects are attained by the mechanism hereinafter described. To the end
of a railway car is attached the drawhead which is constructed with a rectangular
opening one side of which opening is formed with an elbow, said elbow constituting
the retaining hook for the link on the adjoining car. On the opposite side of this
rectangular opening is attached a hinged pin or catch made straight on the outer side
and with a curve on the inside, and kept in position against the elbow by spiral or
other springs.
To the inner side of this pin or catch is connected a rod and chain or
wire for use in uncoupling the cars the said chain passing over or round a pulley
situate on the inner side of the car and connected to a draw handle or pull outside the
saine. The connecting link is so constructed as that the parallel bars thereof will
freely admit the pin or catch between them and is maintained in position laterally by
spiral or other springs a shoulder or projecting flange being formed on the inner end
butting against a bedding of india rubber or other elastic material contained within a
box or casing suitably attached to the body of the vehicle.

page_text: In coupling cars according to this invention the operation is as follows:-On
the cars coming into collision the connecting link is driven against the hinged pin or
catch and forces the same inwards. When the link has escaped the said catch the
latter is freed by the action of the springs and resumes its original position against the
elbow, and the link, on moving either car away, will fall down the inner side of the
hinged pin or catch into the hollow formed by the elbow and the cars be securely
coupled together.
The uncoupling the cars is effected by pulling or withdrawing the handle or pull and
releasing the pin or catch when on the least slackening of the cars the springs and elastic
bedding will bring the link to a position between the elbow and opposite side of the
rectangular opening and upon moving either of the cars away from each other the link
will be released and the cars become uncoupled.
ALBERT RICHARD SCHADE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway
Rolling Stock.
I ALBERT RICHARD SCHADE of 21 Parkhurst Road, Holloway in the County of
Middlesex, Reporter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (communicated
to me from abroad by James Dadswell of the City of Mexico in the Federal District
and Republic of Mexico) 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 apparatus for coupling and uncoupling
railway rolling stock and has for its object first to cause the vehicles to couple
automatically on being brought into contact with each other; second, enabling the
cars to be uncoupled at will by the drawing out of a handle or other suitable appliance
placed conveniently on the car thus avoiding the dangerous practice of attendants
having to pass between the vehicles for this purpose; third dispensing with detachable
pins, links, and other parts which are liable to become lost.
The mode of carrying out this invention is as follows:-To the end of the car is fitted
the drawhead which is constructed with a rectangular opening, one side of this
opening is formed with an elbow, said elbow constituting the retaining hook for the
connecting link of the adjoining car when coupled. On the opposite side of this
rectangular opening is attached a hinged pin or catch (of triangular or other suitable
form in plan) the inner or free end of which pin at the base of the triangle is maintained
in position against the elbow or retaining hook by spiral or other springs.
To the inner end of this pin or catch is connected a rod and chain or wire for use
in uncoupling the cars the said chain passing over or round a pulley situate on the
inner side or wall of the car and connected to a convenient draw handle or pull
easily accessible from the side or other convenient part of the car.

page_text: Or the said pin or catch may if desired be maintained in position by its own weight
in which case the pin would be suspended from the inside of the top of the drawhead,
the elbow underneath and the two parallel bars of the connecting link being on the
same horizontal plane.
The connecting or coupling link is formed with an inwardly curved or forked part
at the outer end so as to readily catch the pin on its being inserted into the rectangular
opening of the Drawhead and by sliding past the said hinged pin engage the elbow or
retaining hook formed on the drawhead between the two parallel bars of said link, it
being maintained in position laterally and horizontally by spiral or other springs; a
shoulder or projecting flange is formed on the inner end of the link which butts or
works against a bedding of indiarubber or other elastic or yielding material contained
within a box or casing attached in any suitable manner to the end of the vehicle. Or
the said connecting link may be connected to the car by hinges or any other suitable
means which will allow the requisite movement thereto.
The mode of attaching the link to the body of the car forms no part of the present
invention but it should be so arranged as to be capable of a cortain amount of play in
any direction thus enabling cars of different heights to be coupled.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of the Drawhead showing the peculiar
form of connecting link.
Figure 2 is a face view of the Drawhead showing the rectangular opening and parts
in connection, the front of the Drawhead being partly broken away.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the Drawhead and end of car showing the position of
the parts before coupling.
Figure 4 is a similar view showing the coupling link in the act of coupling, the
hinged pin or catch being pushed inwards by the entry of the coupling link into the
rectangular opening of the Drawhead.
Figure 5 is a similar view showing the position of the link and actuating parts when
the cars are coupled.
A is the end wall of the car, to which is fitted the Drawhead B formed with a
rectangular opening C. D is the elbow or retaining hook for the link H on the
adjoining car A¹. E is the pin or catch hinged at a to the drawhead, and maintained
in position against the inner end of the retaining hook or elbow D by the action of the
spring or springs b and c said pin or catch being operated in uncoupling the cars by
the pull handle F and chain or wire F¹ passing over or round a pulley or pulleys d
to a connecting rod G hinged at e to the inner or free end of the retaining pin or
catch. His the connecting or coupling link which is formed with a forked end h (see
figure 1) for readily catching the pin E, (on coupling the cars), and, by passing said
pin, engage the elbow D between the parallel bars of the link (see figure 5) said link
being maintained in position laterally and horizontally by the springs fand J. The
inner end of this coupling link is connected with the car in any convenient manner
so as to be capable of a certain amount of play in any direction and is formed with an
enlarged part or surrounding flange butting against a bedding of indiarubber or other
elastic material I contained within a box or casing K suitably fitted to the end of the
main body of the vehicle.
In coupling cars according to this invention the operation is as follows:-On the
cars being pushed together the coupling link H is brought against the pin or catch E
and forces the same inwards. When the link has escaped the said catch the latter
is freed by the action of the springs b and c and resumes its original position against
the elbow D. On moving either car away the link H will slide along the inner slightly
curved side of the hinged pin or catch into the hollow or hooked part of the elbow D
thus effectually securing the coupling of the cars.
The uncoupling the cars is effected by pulling or withdrawing the handle or pull F
from the side of the car which operation through the intervention of the chain F¹ and
rod G releases the pin or catch È and on the least slackening of the cars the springs,
and g will bring the link to a position midway or thereabout between the elbow D
and opposite side of the rectangular opening and upon moving either of the cars

page_text: away from each other the coupling link H will be released and the cars become
uncoupled.
It will be obvious that the hinged pin or catch E may be so arranged as to form in
itself the retaining hook and by its own weight to resume its normal position after the
coupling link has passed said pin (in the act of coupling the cars) the hinged pin
being in that case attached to the top of the drawbar and resting at its lower or free
end against a projection or shoulder formed inside the bottom of the Drawbar and
withdrawn from said shoulder by the handle or pull; or the said pin may rest at its
lower or free end against a second hinged pin attached to the inside of the bottom of
the drawbar said second hinge pin being actuated by the handle or pull. As I make
no claim to these arrangements I therefore consider it unnecessary to illustrate them
as they will be readily understood without drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an automatic car coupler the use of a pin or catch connected at one end with
the drawhead, by means of a hinge pin and at the other end (or at any other convenient
part of said pin or catch) by a hinge pin to the actuating rod or chain as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
2. The combination of the hinged pin or catch and one or more springs with the elbow
or retaining hook D as specified.
3. The combination of the hinged pin or catch, the actuating rod and chain or wire
and handle, for the purpose of releasing the link and uncoupling the cars as horein-
before described and illustrated.
4. The peculiar construction of coupling link substantially as described and
illustrated.