An Improved Automatic Coupling for Railway Carriages, Wagons, Trucks, and such like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1899
Comalain Onnnifination L
545 Ana 4.000
Ancoated 26th May 1000
Date of Application, 6th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1000 Accepted, 26th May, 1000
An Improved Automatic Coupling for Railway Carriages, Wagons,
Trucks, and such like.
1
I, JAMES ARTHUR STEWARD, of Chart House, Hurst Hill, near Bilston, in the
County of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention is an improved automatic coupling for railway carriages, wagons
and the like, which renders the coupling and uncoupling of such vehicles sure,
instantaneous, and perfectly safe to a shunter or other person.
The coupling according to this invention comprises two mechanisms identical.
in construction, one of which is fitted to the end of one vehicle and the other to
the end of another vehicle, to act upon each other when the ends of the two
vehicles come together; the said mechanisms being disposed on each end of the
vehicle in the ordinary position, viz.-between the buffers. As both mech-
anisms are alike the description of the parts of one, and then the action of the
one mechanism in conjunction with the other for coupling and uncoupling,
will suffice; it being understood that in practice a similar mechanism is fitteil
between the buffers upon both ends of each carriage or wagon in a train.
66
The said coupling mechanism is as follows:-Standing out from the buffer
beam or bar of a railway vehicle, approximately central between the buffers
is a hook-ended draw bar, attached to the under-framework either as a fixture or,
as in the case of a passenger coach, adjustable, so as to be drawn in for what is
known as
shackling the coaches, viz. the drawing together of the coaches,
after actual coupling has taken place, so that the buffers come together and are
forced into a state of compression. Loosely hinged upon the inner portion of
this hook-ended draw bar, near to the buffer beam, is a flap or wing having a
curved outer edge which, when the said flap is lifted into a horizontal position,
comes in line with the tip of the hook part on the draw bar and reaches therefrom
to the buffer beam, and covers in or closes the mouth of the said hook so that
nothing can engage the hook so long as the said flap is in this position; the
said flap being also so formed as to constitute, when lifted, a pusher-off" to
a catch or latch hereinafter described which engages the hooked end under certain
conditions. This Hap is so weighted that normally it hangs vertically down out
of action.
66
Connected by a bracket to the other side of the draw bar at the back of the
hook is a lever having two arms, one projecting outward in advance of the
hook end of the draw bar in the same direction, and the other inwards towards
the buffer beam; the said outer end being formed so that its extremity shall be
capable of chgaging a hooked end similar to the other before de-
scribed upon the draw bar. The said lever latch is so fulcrummed
that its outer arm always tends to close in towards the draw bar,
and its extremity is so inclined in an outward direction that if it
comes against any rigid part in the same line it will wipe over it. by a lateral

page_text: movement upon its joint. The said latch's joint pin is preferably set at an angle
slightly inwards of a vertical line, and the formation of its outer end similar to
an eye--preferably stirrup-shaped. The fulcrum or joint of this lever is adjust-
able by a bracket upon the draw bar.
Connected with the inner end of the said lever, preferably by a pin on the one
engaging with a slot upon the other, is the one end of a transversely moving link,
whose other end is connected to the short arm of a bell-crank lever pivotted onto
an outstanding peg above the buffer beam; the end of the long arm of such
lever being weighted and connected by a flexible chain with the hinged flap before
described. The link, as aforesaid, is adapted to be moved back and forth by the
bell-crank lever, and operates at a certain time the hinged flap, so as to lift it
and the latch or catch so as to rock the latter, the said bell-crank lever being
itself moved by a handle which is operated from the side of the vehicle just
over one of the buffers; the said handle being so formed that it can engage
behind a fixed part on the framework of the vehicle or upon the box of the.
buffer to hold the bell-crank lever in a certain position.
With this bell-crank lever is also connected devices such as cords or chains
which, in the case of slipping a carriage from a train as is now common, is
operated by the guard or other person in charge to rock the bell crank lever and
operate the latch and hinged flap or "pusher-off."
In making connection between two coaches with a coupling constructed' as
described, the latch of the mechanism on the end of one carriage wipes over the
hooked end of the draw bar on the other carriage and then engages it whilst, at
the same time, the latch of the mechanism upon the other carriage also engages
in the same manner the hooked end of the draw bar of the other carriage, a double
connection being thereby effected. This movement is an automatic one, the
hooked ends in each case forcing back laterally the arms of the latches until the
latter snap behind the hooked ends of the draw bolts and engage in their throat
parts. In uncoupling, one of the bell-crank levers is rocked either by the
handle, or by the chain or cord, which lifts the hinged flap and rocks the
latch to which the said crank lever is connected, the hinged flap simultaneously.
pushing off out of engagement with the hooked end, the latch upon the end of
the other coach; it being understood that in order to do this the coaches must
be brought together so that the extremities of the latches leave the throats of
the hooks and are free of the tips of the hooks upon the draw bars.
**
The crank-lever mechanisms and arms are so mounted that they can bodily.
move upon thoir supports for "shackling" or unshackling," and the parts of
the mechanisms are all easily detachable and capable of duplication.
3
Dated this 5th do n£ Tul 1000
An Improved Automatic Coupling for Railway Carriages, Wagons,
Trucks, and such like.
I, JAMES ARTHUR STEWARD, of Chart House, Hurst Hill, near Bilston, in the
County of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner. the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is an improved automatic coupling for railway carriages, wagons.

page_text: and the like, which renders the coupling and uncoupling of such vehicles sure,
instantaneous, and effective under all conditions whether on a gradient, a curve,
or between new and old vehicles which differ..considerably at times in the height
of their draw bars from the level of the rails, and perfectly safe to a shunter, or
other person superintending the breaking, or making up of a train.
The coupling according to this invention comprises two mechanisms identical
in construction and working, one of which is fitted to the end of one vehicle and
the other to the end of another vehicle to act upon each other, when the ends, as
aforesaid, of the two vehicles come together and are to be separated; the said
mechanisms being disposed on the vehicle ends in the usual positions, namely,
approximately central between the buffers. As both mechanisms are alike, the
description of the parts of one, and then the action of both mechanisms in respect
of each other for coupling and uncoupling two vehicles fitted therewith, will
suffice; it being understood that in practice a similar mechanism is fitted between
the buffers upon both ends of cach carriage, truck or wagon in a train.
In order to clearly describe the coupling according to this invention and show
its working two sheets of drawings are annexed, one sheet showing the one end
of a railway truck with one mechanism fitted and the parts of the said mechanism
separated, and the other sheet diagrams of the adjacent ends of two trucks
coupled and uncoupled. In these sheets Fig. 1 is a top-side plan and Fig. 2 an
end elevation of a mechanism of the coupling in a norinal position, or ready for
automatic action to couple, whilst Fig. 3 is a like plan as Fig. 1 but with the
parts of the mechanism in the positions they assume for uncoupling, which said
uncoupling position may be either momentary or extended to prevent coupling,
as will be hereinafter defined. l'ig. 4 shows the parts of the mechanism Figs. 1
to 3 separated. Fig. 5 is the diagram showing the ends to two vehicles coupled,
and Fig 6 the diagram with the same ends uncoupled.
In Figs. 1 to 4, c is a hook-ended draw bar standing out from the buffer beam
or bar a of the truck a approximately central between the buffers a³, a. This .
hook-ended draw bar is attached to the frame-work as of the buffer beam either
as a fixture or, as in the case of a passenger coach, adjustable so as to be drawn
in for what is known as shackling" the coaches, viz. the drawing together
of the coaches after actual coupling has taken place. This hook-ended draw bar
is also so attached to the buffer beam as to have a side and top and bottom dis-
placement at its point of connection with the said buffer beam, a kind of wabbling
movement. is the mouth of the hooked end of the draw bar, 3 its throat part
and its inclined or curved nose.
Loosely hinged upon the inner portion or shank of the said hook-ended
draw bar is a flap or wing d having a curved outer edge, which, when the said
flap is lifted into a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3, comes in line with
the curved tip of the nose c of the draw bar c and reaches therefrom to approxi-
mately, the buffer beam and covers in or closes the mouth of the said hook end;
EO that nothing can engage the hook so long as the said flap is in this position.
The said flap constitutes a "pusher off" when lifted, as in Fig. 3, to a catch or
latch, hereinafter described, which engages the hook-ended draw bar under cer-
tain, conditions, and is so weighted that normally it hangs vertically down out
of action, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
Connected by a bracket e to the shank of the draw bar c is a lever-latch g
having two arms g³, g³, the one arm projecting outwardly in advance of the hook
end of the draw bar e in the same direction, and the other arm inwardly towards
the buffer beam. The fulcrum pin of this lever latch is set in the bracket e
at an angle out of a vertical line, so that the outer arm g³ of the said latch always
tends to close in towards the draw bar. This arm g³ of the said lever-latch is of
an eye or loop formation, preferably stirrup-shaped as shown, and its extreme
outer end g³ is so inclined or curved outwardly that if this arm of the lever-latch
comes against any rigid part in the same line it will wipe over it by a lateral
movement upon its joint, and when clear of the said rigid part automatically

page_text: fall back if not prevented. The bracket e carrying the fulcrum pin g₁ of the
lever latch is welded upon or formed rigid with the shank of the draw bar c.
Connected with the inner arm g³ of the lever-latch g, by a pin or peg 96 on the
said arm engaging a hole or slot 3 in one of its ends, is a transversely moving
link whose other end his coupled to the short arm of a bell-crank lever i,
pivoted loosely onto an outstanding peg standing out from the buffer beam or
truck end, the long arm of the said lever being. weighted at and having
attached to it a flexible chain or cord (shown in Fig. 2) by which the said lever
could be operated by a driver or guard of a train for actuating the coupling and
slipping a coach or truck. The link, as aforesaid, is bifurcated at the end
engaging the peg 6 or is so formed that one part of it, h, comes against the
Hap d and the other engages the said peg, and it is adapted to be moved laterally
back and forth by the bell-crank lever i to operate and lift the said hinged flap
and also to rock the lever latch or catch, the said bell-crank lever being either
operated from the cord / or by a pull bar m, which is formed with a handle m
to be laid hold of by a shunter and which is disposed just over one of the buffers.
The pull barn has a projecting part m³ upon it for engagement behind a strap o
fixed upon the body of a truck or upon the crown of the buffer, in order to hold
the coupling mechanism in the position shown by Fig. 3, viz.:-out of action.
Referring to the diagrams Figs. 5 and 6 as to the working of the coupling, and
assuming the two trucks to be coming together for coupling, the parts of the
two mechanisms would be in the positions shown by Figs. 1 and 2. On the
trucks being bumped and their ends brought together, the lever-latch g of the
one mechanism wipes over the nose of the hooked end of the draw bar on the
other truck and then engages it, whilst at the same time the lever-latch of the
mechanism upon the other truck also engages in the same manner the hooked
end of the draw bar on the other carriage, a double connection being thereby
effected. This movement is an automatic one, the hooked ends of the draw bar
in each case forcing back laterally the arms of the latches until the latter snap
behind the noses of the said hooked ends and engage the throat parts In
uncoupling one of the bell-crank levers is rocked either by the armi m or chain
or cord, which travels the link h, lifts the particular hinge flap and rocks
the lever-latch to which the said link is connected, the movement of lifting
the hinge flap pushing off out of engagement the latch upon the end of the
other coach; it being understood in order to do this the trucks must be "eased
up" to cause the extremities g of the latches to leave the throats of the hooks
and be free of their tips.
In order to put the coupling mechanisms out of action one mechanism is put
into an uncoupling position from the handle bar m and the projection m³ made
to engage at the back of the strap o; the mechanism is then in the position
Fig. 3.
The bell-crank lever mechanism and arms are so mounted that they can bodily
move upon their supports for "shackling "and unshackling, and the parts of the
mechanisms are all easily detachable as shown by Fig. 4, casy of fitting together,
and capable of duplication.
The lower end g of the extremity of the lever latch g is curved outwardly
or from the draw bar, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to form a lead for the curved
edge of the flap d onto the said extremity and to ensure the said flap not getting
underneath the said extremity if there is an appreciable difference in the height
of the mechanisms on the ends of any wagons.
The pitching of the lever latch so as to cause its outer arm to normally fall
towards the draw bar ensures the latch from leaving the throat of the hook-
ended draw bar accidentally, and prevents the necessity of too heavily weighting
the long arm of the bell-crank lever."
The coupling according to this invention can be manipulated from either side
of a train by the operation of a single part, and by one hand only, and also
without a light at night time; and its parts are so arranged and fitted that there

page_text: is no strain upon the uncoupling mechanism when the wagons are being drawn,
but only upon the draw bars.and the lever-latches.
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:.
First. A railway or like coupling distinguished by a pair of hook-ended draw
bars attached to the adjacent ends of two carriages or wagons, two looped lever
latches fulcrummed to the said draw bars to work on the sides opposite the hook
ends, and a pair of swinging flaps or their equivalents operating to prevent the
said lever latches engaging the hooked ends of the draw bars and which con-
stitute "pushers off" to the said latches when uncoupling, all operating sub-
stantially as described.
Second. A railway or like coupling comprising a pair of hook-ended draw
barse attached to the ends of the carriages or wagons, two looped lever latches g'g
fulcrumed to the said draw bars on the sides opposite the hooked ends, a pair of
swinging flaps d d loosely hung on the shanks of the said draw bars inwards of
the hooked ends, and links hh connected with the inner ends of the said lever
latches, and which are operated by hand to move the latter and the flaps for
uncoupling, but which will allow an automatic and independent movement of
the lever latches for coupling, substantially as described and set forth.
and
Third. A railway or like coupling liaving in its combination hook-ended draw
bars c, c, attached to the ends of the carriages, preferably so as to wabble, two
lever latches g g fulcrummed to the shanks of the said draw bars on the opposite
side to the hook ends, a pair of swinging flaps d d also mounted upon the said
draw bar shanks, a pair of links hh connected with the lever latches
arranged to move the flaps dd, and two weighted bell-crank levers
crummed to the ends of the carriages or wagons and connected to the links. h h,
and means for rocking the said bell crank-levers and holding them when rocked
against their own gravitation, substantially as described and set forth in l'igs. 1
to 4.
ful-
Fourth. A railway or like coupling liaving in its combination a pair of book
ended draw bars fixed to the ends of the carriages or wagons to wabble, a
pair of looped lever latches g g fulcrummed to the said draw bars on the sides
opposite the hooked ends, and which are so fulcrummed, as aforesaid, that their
outer arms tend to swing inwardly towards the said draw bars, and two swinging
flaps loosely mounted upon sbanks of the draw bars inwards of their hooked
ends, the whole operating and operated in the manner and by the means sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
Fifth. A railway or like coupling composed of two mechanisms alike in con-
struction and which are arranged and fitted to the adjacent ends of two carriages
or trucks to operate in combination and to be operated in the manner and by
the means described and set forth in the drawings.
1 1000
Dated this 4th day of April 1980.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also at Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant..