Improvements in or relating to Coupling Devices for Railway Cars and Similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1897-Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Coupling Devices for Railway Cars
and Similar Vehicles.
We, DIEGO TARDITI DI GIUSEPPE, Railway Works Manager, of Piazza Santarosa
3, Savigliano, VIRGILIO VINEIS DI GIUSEPPE, Engineer, of Piazza Cavour
2, Savigliano, and TOMASO GALETTO, Railway Works Manager, of Via Danna,
4, Savigliano, in the Kingdom of Italy, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and.by the following statement:
-
The object of the present invention is an improved coupling device for railway
cars and similar vehicles.
The present system of attaching railway cars having been the cause of so many
disasters, the present invention has been devised with a view to render such
coupling easier or more certain and to reduce the expenses of such work enabling
a smaller number of workmen to be employed.
The automatic coupling illustrated in Sheets I and II of the accompanying
drawings and marked A is effected by pushing the cars against each other the
hooks a being in a horizontal position. These hooks engage with the fixed shackles b,
after which the final engagement is effected by screwing in the shackle b until
the buffers touch. This screwing in is effected by turning a hand-wheel g secured
on a spindle d transmitting its rotary motion to a worm wheelf by means of a
worm e. The hub of this worm wheel ƒ forms a nut for a screw-rod connected to
the shackle which is thus caused to tighten on the hook a.
The coupling being effected, the shackle being free to move at the back can con-
form to any oscillations and follow the train in any of its movements.
To disengage the cars the operation must be reversed.
turned in the opposite direction, then a lever i on the spindle
a cross-piece m to be lowered which raises the hook a, that is
ment, by depressing the tail m¹.
The hand wheel g is
is lowered and causes
to say out of engage-
This device has been tested in practice with two complete frames of railway
cars made 1/5th full size. The line on which they were tried had a curve of the
smallest radius used on railways and generally the line was made with all the un-
favourable features that are generally to be met with on main lines, and both cars
were unevenly loaded. It was found that after instantaneous engagement the
tightening was effected in a much shorter time than that usually employed with
the present coupling systems.
In order to make the invention better understood, the hook is shown separately
in Fig. 4 Sheet III. It will be easily seen from this figure that the engagement
s ensured even under most unfavourable circumstances by making the end or point
of the hook considerably inclined and sufficiently long.
This figure also shows more clearly the action of the cross-piece m acting on
he tail of the hook and maintaining the latter in the position shown in dotted
ines. Figs: 5, 6 & 7 are detail views of the worm gearing, and Fig. 8 is a similar
iew of the shackle & hook pivot sunport.

page_text: In case it is desired to use a coupling according to the present invention or to
convert an old coupling and in both cases to retain the ordinary coupling, a special
device shown in Fig. 9 on the Sheet IV may be used.
In Sheet I and II the parts marked B represent the above mentioned com-
bination of couplings in elevation and plan.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim
is:-
1. A coupling device for railway cars and similar vehicles characterised by a
pivotted hook or hooks adapted to automatically engage with the opening of a
corresponding shackle or shackles when the cars are brought together the engage-
ment being rendered secure by tightening the shackle by means of a worm gearing
or equivalent substantially as described.
2. In a car coupling device of the character described a pivotted hook provided
with a tail, as n¹ and means such as i m, for depressing said tail, substantially as
described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete car
coupling substantially as described and illustrated in Figure A Sheets I and II,
or in Figure B, Sheets I and II.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.