Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Trucks, Carriages, and other Rolling Stock.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 6th July, 1889
Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Trucks, Carriages,
and other Rolling Stock.
We JOHN HENRY FRYER of 75 Ladypool Road Birmingham Decorator and
WILLIAM HENRY BUTLER of 1 Lombard Street Birmingham Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the samo is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The aim and object of this our Invention is to automatically link or Couple
Railway trucks, Carriages and other rolling stock, and to un ink or uncouple the
same without the inconvenience and danger to life according to the system now
employed.
We will describe our invention as applied to the Coupling of Railway Trucks. A
rod of a required length is firmly secured to each end of the lower part of the frame of
the truck, the outer end which we call the terminal end is constructed as a hook with
an inclined surface, these hooks are equa-distant from the buffers and at or near to
the parts where they are secured to the Trucks, they are constructed to receive a
connecting plate or loop which works upon a common pin or joint, and when at their
lowest position they are parallel to the truck, and on a line with the inclined surface
of each hook, (one hook at each end of the truck and one loop plate, or link to each
hook) if the trucks are apart and required to be coupled, motion is given to the trucks,
the effect of which is to bring the loops plates or links to and upon the inclined
surfaces of the hooks up which they will travel until reaching a position when they
will fall and become locked together, and thus form an automatic double coupling.
The mode of uncoupling we effect as follows: At the end of each truck we arrange
a lever having a pin for its fulcrum, one end of each lever is bent or arranged to fall
under each plate or loop, the other end of the said lever extends beyond the side of
each truck sufficient that when power is applied it will raise the plates or loops from
the hooks, and the trucks become uncoupled, each lever will effect this purpose so that
there is no necessity to change from one side to the other for uncoupling neither to
pass between the trucks so that the danger is avoided.
Or by another mode in place of the hook with inclined surface we may employ a
plate having an aperture firmly secured to one end of the truck as above set forth.
A second or upper plate is connected to the first plate by means of a common pin or
joint, and is provided with a weighted lever swinging in an aperture, the other end
of the truck is provided with a plate similar to the first named having also an
aperture. When desirous of coupling the trucks are brought together the fixed plate
upon one truck meets the swinging lever, upon the other which allows the plate to
pass on sufficient for the two apertures to be opposite and for the swinging lever
to fall therein, and the trucks become automatically locked. The mode of uncoupling
is as above set forth.
Although we have described the latter as a single coupling it can also be arranged
as a double coupling.
And in order that this our said Invention may be more clearly' understood we will
now proceed to describe the same reference being made to the Sheets of drawings to
the various figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say)
No. 1 SHEET OF DRAWINGS.

page_text: Fig. is also a side view of Same at the point of couping.
No. 3 SHEET OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 5 is a side view elevation of our Invention in application to Railway trucks
preparatory for coupling..
Fig. 6 is also a view in elevation but the trucks coupled being a modification of the
previous figures.
No. 4 SHEETS OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 7 is a view in elevation, the parts meeting for coupling.
Fig. 8 is a view in plan in position as Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is an end view in elevation as Fig. 7.
The same letters of reference upon the several figures indicate like or corresponding
parts.
a, is the frame of the body of an ordinary Railway truck and b, is the buffers. c, is
the rod, d, is the terminal end being the hook with the inclined surface. e, g, is the
connecting plate or loop, h, is the pin or point, i, is the lever working on the fulcrum
pin, j, k, is the aperture in the plate g, Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, No. 3 and 4 sheet. I, is the
permanent plate with aperture. m, and n, is the weighted lever swinging from o.
p is also a loop or plate with aperture.
In Figs. 1 and 2 Sheet 1 we shew the position of the connecting plate or loop g
preparatory to meeting the incline e of d, and in Fig. 4 Sheet 2 we shew the
engaging to d and in Fig. 3 firmly together the coupling being thus effected.
In Fig. 5 No. sheet and Fig. 7 and 8 No. 4 sheet these are analogous to Figs. I
and 2 No. 1 sheet, and Fig. 4 No. 2 sheet.
In Fig. 6 No. 3 sheet, is analogous to Fig. 3 No. 2 sheet.
The above being our said Invention we wish to observe in conclusion that we do
not confine ourselves to the precise details herein given and set forth and shewn on
the accompanying sheets of drawings, but that we hold ourselves at liberty to alter
or modify the same without departing essentially from the principle of our said inven-
tion. We do not claim the construction of parts taken separately and apart from
each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. The construction of a Coupling automatic in its action, substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described and set forth.
2nd. The construction combination and arrangement of parts substantially as herein-
before described in the foregoing specification and shewn on the accompanying sheets
of drawings, the whole forming "Improvements in automatic couplings for Railway
trucks, Carriages and other rolling Stock."
Dated 6th Annil 1990