AN IMPROVED COUPLING LINK POR RAILWAY VEHICLES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Dixon, of Hillsbro' Hall, Sheffield; in the
County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COUPLING LINK
POR RAILWAY VEHICLES AND OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication from
D.L
Sealed the 24th November 1868, and dated the 27th May 1868
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Dixon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1868.
I, JOSEPH DIXON, of Hillsbro' Hall, Sheffield; in the County, of York;
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
COUPLING LINK FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES AND OTHER PURPOSES," a communication
to me from abroad by Aimé Durieux, of Louvain, Belgium, to be as
follows:
It is proposed to substitute in lieu of the coupling links hitherto
used, the welded eyes of which are constantly breaking, twisted coupling
links made as follows:-Two, three, or more pieces of iron or steel
wire, according to the size of coupling link required, are each welded
into a ring; these rings are then heated to a red heat, are drawn out,

page_text: the one being on the other, and thus elongated and twisted together
like a rope by means of two pins, "goujons," which at the same time
form the eyes of the link exactly to any required size, and needing no
further labour to fit them for the placing of the bolts and nuts by which
they are attached.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Dixon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
DIXON, of Hillsbro' Hall, Sheffield, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Dixon, Her special licence that
I, the said Joseph Dixon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Dixon, my exccutors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED COUPLING LINK FOR
RAILWAY VEHICLES AND OTHER PURPOSES," a communication to me from
abroad by Aimé Durieux, of Louvain, Belgium, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Dixon, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Dixon, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to ha

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters of reference placed
thereon:-
Ordinary coupling links are constantly breaking and generally at the
eye, which being welded on forms its weakest point. Now this improved
coupling link is not only stronger in every part without increase in
weight or size, but specially so at the eyes where there is no welding.
This improved coupling link is made as follows:-A piece of iron or
steel wire (as shewn, Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawing) is welded into a
ring, as at Fig. 3. Two, three, or more of these rings are superposed,
as at a, b, c, Fig. 4, then heated to a red heat, and in this state are
elongated on each other, as at Fig. 5, and twisted together, as at Fig. 6,
by means of the two pins d, e, which at the same time form the
eyes f, g, of the link to the exact size required, and needing no further
preparation to fit them for use. Fig. 7 represents one of these improved
coupling links bent to the ordinary shape. Any number and thickness
of rings may be used according to the dimensions to be given to the
link, which may be of any suitable metal; the size of the eyes will
depend upon the thickness of the pins d, e, and the twist may be
given by any ordinary means. A coupling link thus made may be bent
to any desired form.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Dixon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight