Improvements in Couplings for Railway Carriages, Cars, or Trucks.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway Carriages, Cars, or Trucks.
We, BENJAMIN MAYER, of Gordon Grove, Northcote, in the Colony of
Victoria, Cabinet Maker, and WALTER HENRY MITCHELL, of Meredith, in
Victoria, as aforesaid, Station Master, Victorian Railways, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES, CARS, OR TRUCKS," and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in couplings for use in securing together
railway carriages, cars, trucks, or waggons to make up a train, and without the
porter, guard, or attendant needing to go between the trucks for the purpose of
coupling. The important feature of our invention is that it can be applied to
railway carriages, trucks, locomotives, etc., without interfering with existing
couplings; and it is so arranged that should it be desired to couple a carriage or
truck fitted up in accordance with our invention with. a carriage or truck having
either the existing hook and chain or draw head and link coupling, then either of
such types of coupling can be coupled as ordinarily, our coupling being simply left
unused. Our coupling is also so devised that the draw hook, draw bar, or draw
head in use for existing couplings is retained by us as the draw bar for our inven-
tion. Our couplings are automatic in so far that when two carriages or trucks run
close enough to one another and the coupling hooks are down, said hooks rise and
couple with their engaging bar, whilst to uncouple the hooks, the porter, guard, or
attendant has simply to raise a lever at end of each carriage, car, or truck. The
bar operated by such lever is furnished with a lock device, by means of which the
coupling hooks can be held up clear of the coupling bars, and thus carriages or
trucks can run against one another without the couplings engaging.
A further feature of our invention is that when trucks or waggons are coupled
with it there is little or no play between the buffers, consequently the bumping
and jarring of the vehicles is prevented.
Our invention is constructed as follows:-Upon the draw hook or draw head
or draw bar of ordinary couplings we support a strong transverse bar, the ends
of which are further supported by eye or hook bolts projecting from end of
carriage or truck. Upon said transverse bar, at one side only, and between the
central draw hook or draw bar and said outer supporting bolt, we centre the eye
of a strong coupling hook, the transverse bar at other side of central draw hook
or draw bar being the engaging part for a similar coupling hook supported in a
similar manner from another carriage, car, or truck. Each of said coupling hooks
are engaged by a traverse or lifting arm projecting from a shaft supported in
bearings secured upon end of carriage, car, or truck, the shaft being provided at
each end with a handle or lever, whilst about midway of its length we arrange
a stepped lock device, by means of which the shaft can be retained at such a
position as to hold up its attached coupling hook clear of the engaging part of
the opposite transverse coupling bar. To produce the automatic engaging action
of the coupling we project downward and forward from each transverse engaging
bar in front of its said engaging part a slide or apron, so that when the coupling
hooks are down and their fore ends contact with the said slides or aprons the
hooks rise upwards and over the engaging part of transverse bar and automatically
couple. Said transverse bar, for a coupling that is to be applied where the hook
and chain couplings exist, is so constructed that it can be raised at one end to lift it
out of the draw hook to allow the coupling link to be placed on as ordinarily.
In order to fully explain our invention we will now describe it by a reference to

page_text: the attached drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout.
Figure 1 is a plan shewing our coupling attached to a carriage, car, or truck,
fitted with hook and chain couplings..
Figure 2, a side view of same, and with one of the coupling hooks shewn in its
coupled position, and the other held up or uncoupled.
Figure 3, a view shewing the end parts of two carriages, cars, or trucks, and
shewing them coupled with the ordinary hook and chain couplings, although one of
the trucks is also fitted with our invention.
Figure 4, an end view of one half of our coupling, and intended to exhibit the
use of the inclined slide or apron upon which the fore end of opposite coupling
hook travels to cause it to rise and automatically couple.
Figures 5 are details of the lock device attached to the operating shaft.
Figure 6, a plan of our invention shewing it applied to a car or carriage, the
couplings of which are of the draw head and link type, and
Figure 7 side view of same.
Figure 8 is a front view of the transverse draw bar.
In Figures 1. to 5, A are the ordinary draw hooks, having the chain.coupling
links B attached as shewn. C is the end part of carriage, car, or truck. D is the
transverse draw bar seated at its centre within hook A, and with its ends supported
by the eye bolt E and the square necked hook bolt E', both of which are supported
from the frame of carriage or car, and have springs E' at their back ends as shown.
Transverse bars D may either be constructed at its centre with a slot or hole D' to
receive the hook, or simply with a bend in it, as indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 1. One end of bar D has a hook d formed on it to engage the eye of
bolt E, whilst the other end has a turned down finger to pass over outer edge of
hook bolt E. F are the coupling hooks, one being centred by its eye at the
position shewn on each, bar D, a loose collar D' secured by pointed set pins being
arranged at the side of each hook to retain it in position. G are the traverse
or lifting arms projecting from a shaft H supported in bearings H¹ at end of
carriage, car, or truck. The fore ends of said lifting arms have a cross bolt
and thimble G¹ and a cross bolt G on them, and between which bolts the stem
of coupling hook F is loosely arranged. One arm of said lifting bar is widened,
as shewn in Figure 1, to allow the coupling hook to cant sidewise when the
engaging bar D is lifted from the draw hook, as shewn in Figure 3. Upon
shaft Ha tongue H2 is formed and adapted to work within a stepped lock
piece H³ also secured to end of carriage or truck. The purpose of said lock
piece is to determine the downward stroke or movement of the coupling hooks F
by the tongue H2 resting on the step h within the lock piece, and to hold the
hook up when the tongue rests on a higher step also therein. At each end
of shaft H is a hand lever H, and such shaft is capable of lateral movement to
allow of the tongue being placed at the requisite position within the lock
piece H³, also said shaft H is inclined sufficient to cause the said tongue piece
to gravitate to within the lock piece. J is the inclined apron or guide hinged to
bar Das shewn, at the end where opposite hook engages it, said apron being
retained in its position when down by resting on an arm or stay J' that is secured
to a squared portion of the hook bolt E. K are buffers of ordinary construction.
In Figures 6 and 7 our invention is shewn applied to couplings of the draw
head and link type, the bar D in this instance being either arranged behind the
draw head L or behind a collar shrunk or secured thereon, the central part of
bar D being formed with a hole D³ to allow of its being placed in such position.
Said bar D has two cranks or sets in it, one to receive the eye and the other to
receive the hook of the coupling hooks F. Bar D is supported at its ends by eye
bolts E furnished with springs as before described. Coupling hooks F
are centred as before described, but instead of being connected directly to
lifting arms G a connecting link G is arranged between them as shewn,
whilst the shaft H is furnished with the tongue, lock device, and hand levers as

page_text: before described. M is a tappet or stud projecting from end of car or truck, its
purpose being to lead the coupling hook upwards should it happen to pass over the
bar D. To provide for the radiation of the vehicles when running over curves we'
round the central part of bar D where it bears on the draw head, and thus an equal
strain is always upon both coupling hooks.
To allow bar D of the coupling shewn in Figures 1 to 5 to be raised clear of the
draw hook A it is necessary that provision be made for canting it upwards at oue
end, as shewn in Figure 3, and thus leave the draw hook clear to receive the link
of the ordinary couplings. In the coupling shewn in Figures 6 and 7 such a
provision is unnecessary, as the link or connecting medium between the draw heads
is capable of being placed in position without interfering with our coupling.
As before described, when our coupling hooks are let down by the hand lever to
their lowest position, and the carriages, cars, or trucks are run towards one another
the couplings then automatically engage by the fore end of the coupling hooks F
(Figures 1 to 5) being led upwards by the aprons J until the hooks drop over and
engage the bars D, whilst a similar action takes place with the coupling hooks F
(Figures 6 and 7), the tapered ends of which strike the bars D and thence travel
upwards until they drop over said bars D. Should the concussion be severe and
the hooks be thrown past said bars D, then the fore end of hooks contact with the
tappets M on end of cars or trucks, and which tappets cause the hooks to rise
vertically and so prevent damage being done by the hooks running into end of
carriage, car, or trucks. To uncouple, the guard, porter, or attendant simply lifts
the hand lever of each carriage or truck, and by so doing lifts the coupling hook F
off the bar D, then to retain the hooks up so that they will not couple the tongue
of shaft H is passed over the upper step of the lock piece, the latter being done
by the attendant or porter pushing end wise upon the hand lever. This provision is
also necessary to allow the cars or trucks to be shunted upon the railway lines.
To provide a safety appliance in our couplings we have the eye bolts or hooks
that support the ends of transverse draw bar D of such a strength that should the
ordinary draw hook or draw head break then said bolts will wholly support the
transverse draw bar D and take the load. Such safety appliance is stronger than
the safety chains now commonly used.
In applying our invention to railway carriages or trucks having the hook and
chain couplings care must be taken to leave the distance between fore end of
coupling hook and the frame of carriage greater than the combined strokes of any
two meeting buffers, so as to prevent the fore ends of the coupling hooks touching
the carriages should the buffers be driven home.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In couplings for railway carriages, cars, or trucks, the combination with the
draw hook or draw bar or draw head thereof of a transverse bar, supported mainly
from such draw hook, bar, or head, and carrying a coupling hook that is capable
of being raised or lowered by the movement of a hand lever at side of car sub-
stantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in our drawings.
2. In couplings for railway carriages, cars, or trucks, the combination with the
draw hook or draw bar or draw head thereof of a transverse bar D, eye and
hook bolts E and E', coupling hook F, lifting arm G, with its cross bolts G¹
and G2, the shaft H and operating handles H, substantially as herein described
and explained and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of our drawings.
3. In couplings for railway carriages, cars, or trucks, the combination with the
draw bar or draw head thereof of a cranked transverse bar D having a hole at
its centre to receive said draw bar, coupling hook F, eye bolts E, and the gear for
lifting the coupling hook, substantially as herein described and explained and as
illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8 of our drawings.
4. In couplings for railway carriages, cars, or trucks, the combination with the

page_text: transverse draw bar D of the inclined slide or apron J supported and arranged
substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
of our drawings.
5. In couplings for railway carriages, cars, or trucks, the combination of the
operating shaft H having lifting arm G and the tongue piece H' attached, with the
stepped lock piece H³ constructed and arranged substantially as herein described
and explained and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 of our drawings.
Dated this 17th day of September 1892.
BENJAMIN MAYER.
WALTER HY. MITCHELL.