IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arnold Budenberg, of the Firm of Schäffer.& Budenberg,
of the City of Manchester, Steam Gauge Manufacturers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS." A communication from abroad
by Christian Frederick Budenberg, of Buckau-Magdeburg, and Hiram Turner,
Chief Railway Engineer, of Potsdam, both in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arnold Budenberg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1878.
ARNOLD BUDENBERG, of the Firm of Schaffer & Budenberg, of the City of
Manchester, Steam Gauge Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS."
A communication from abroad by Christian Frederick Budenberg, of Buckau-
Magdeburg, and Hiram Turner, Chief Railway Engineer, of Potsdam, both in the
Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is to provide a cheap and effective coupling for
railway vehicles, and to dispense with the usual safety chains hitherto employed on
either side of the main or screw coupling.
Now this Invention consists in the use and application of a double hook formed
at the extremity of the usual draw rod instead of a single book as heretofore, and
of a left and right handed screw coupling connected to such hook, the upper hook
answering the purpose of the usual screw coupling whilst the lower hook serves to
receive the link of the screw coupling appertaining to the adjoining vehicle, which
is unscrewed and left hanging loose upon such lower hook, and so as to come into
play and act as a reserve coupling in case of the tightened coupling breaking. The
Dine 621

page_text: opening of the lower hook is guarded with a weighted catch or clasp opening
inwards so as to form no obstacle to the coupling process and yet prevent the
reserve coupling becoming detached accidentally.
As all the strain is thus thrown upon the draw rod, and it is found by experience
that the same never breaks except at the weakest part beneath the vehicle, I provide
such draw rod with a collar, or cotter, or other mechanical equivalent in its strongest
part, namely, immediately behind the buffer beam, and thus in case of a breakage
of such rod the collar, cotter, or other equivalent aforesaid comes in contact with
the back of the buffer beam and so prevents a severance of the vehicle from the
train.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arnold Budenberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May
1879.
ARNOLD BUDENBERG, of the Firm of Schäffer & Budenberg, of the City of
Manchester, Steam Gauge Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY COUPLINGS."
A communication from abroad by Christian Frederick Budenberg, of Buckau-
Magdeburg, and Hiram Turner, Chief Railway Engineer, of Potsdam, both in the
Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is to provide a cheap and effective_coupling for
railway vehicles, and to dispense with the usual safety chains hitherto employed on
either side of the main or screw coupling, such safety chains owing to their position
and weakness having been found unreliable, seeing that in most cases where a
rupture of the main coupling has occurred there a complete severance of the train
has taken place notwithstanding the presence and use of such safety chains.
Now this Invention consists in the use and application of a double hook formed
at the extremity of the usual draw rod instead of a single hook as heretofore, and
of a left and right handed screw coupling connected to such hook, the upper hook
answering the purpose of the usual screw coupling, whilst the lower hook serves to
receive the link of the screw coupling appertaining to the adjoining vehicle, which
is unscrewed and left hanging loose upon such lower hook and so as to come into
play and act as a reserve coupling in case of the tightened coupling breaking.
-
The construction of the double hook coupling will be clearly understood by
reference to the accompanying Drawing, illustrating several sectional views of
modifications of this Invention.
掌
In all the views A is the double hook, which it will be observed is simple in '
construction and yet of great strength, being formed all in one piece and welded
directly to the extremity of the present draw rod B. Each of these double hooks
is provided with its own right and left handed screw coupling C (of ordinary con-
structions), mounted as illustrated immediately behind the upper hook, and the
opening or entrance to the lower hook is guarded with a weighted catch or clasp D
opening inwards so as to form no obstacle to the coupling process and yet prevent
the reserve coupling becoming detached accidentally, the handle d serving to
facilitate the opening of the weighted catch or clasp D.
To couple two carriages fitted in accordance with this Invention it is only
necessary to connect one of the screw couplings of the one carriage to the upper
hook of the other carriage (as seen in Fig. 2), and then to tighten the same in the
usual manner; the other screw coupling is then connected to the under hook of the
first mentioned carriage and need not be tightened, as it is only designed to act as
a reserve coupling.
As all the strain is thus thrown upon the draw rod B, and it is found by
experience that the same never breaks except at the weakest part beneath the
vehicle, I provide such draw rod with a collar, or cotter, or other mechanical
equivalent E in its strongest part, namely, immediately behind the buffer beam F,
and thus in case of a breakage of such rod the collar, cotter, or other equivalent
aforesaid comes in contact with the back of the buffer beam F and so prevents a
severance of the vehicle from the train; and to provide against the possibility of
the draw rod breaking in its square or strongest part I sometimes apply a pair of
bolts G (see Figs. 2 and 3) to the buffer beam, one on either side of the draw rod,
and connect the heads of such bolts by links H to the pin I upon which the screw
coupling is mounted.
Wherever it is desired to connect a vehicle provided with the old safety side
chains to a vehicle fitted in accordance with this Invention it is easily effected, as
indicated in Figs. 1 and 4.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying the
same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I claim,-
1st. The double hook A, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described, and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. The use and application of the catch or clasp D for guarding the opening of
the lower hook, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The use and application of links H, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described," and illustrated on Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arnold Budenberg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
ARNOLD BUDENBERG. (LS.)