Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 12th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
similar Vehicles.
I, THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK, of 32, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to coupling apparatus of the kind wherein each
of the coupling hooks suspended from the draw hooks of adjacent railway wagons
or similar vehicles (hereinafter referred to as wagons) has its pointed outer end
or hooked portion proper bent sideways from the remainder or shank portion of
the hook so as to be in a plane inclined to a longitudinal vertical plane so that
when two such hooks at the adjacent ends of two wagons are engaged with one
another, they will be in positions inclined to each other, say at an angle of
about 90°, as for example in the construction of coupling apparatus described
in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me No. 12955
of 1898.
Now the present invention has reference to an improved construction and
arrangement of coupling apparatus having hooks of the kind referred to, designed
to simplify such apparatus and permit of the two hooks on the adjacent ends of
two wagons sliding forward and backward past each other to a considerable extent
when the wagons are brought together without interfering with the automatic
coupling of the wagons when the latter are afterwards moved apart to a small
extent by the buffer springs, the construction of each coupling hook moreover
being such as to ensure as far as possible, that after the coupling hook has
been moved sufficiently to disengage it from an adjacent hook, whilst the vehicles
are close together, it shall not be liable to fall back into engagement with such
adjacent hook.
Each coupling hook is suspended by a link from the draw hook of a wagon in
the ordinary way and is provided with a rearward extension arranged to enter
and bear against the back portion of a recessed holder or socket that is fixed to
the adjacent head stock or end of the wagon and extends backward below the
same. This socket or holder is so constructed and arranged that it serves to
normally support the suspended coupling hook in the coupling position whilst
leaving it free to rise and it also serves to receive guide and retain in the proper
coupling position, the forward end of a similar coupling hook on an adjacent
wagon when such hook slides over the first mentioned hook when two wagons
provided with such hooks are brought forcibly together, so that upon the vehicles
afterwards moving apart by the action of the buffers the second coupling hook
will be in the proper position to engage with the first one. In conjunction
with the coupling hook there are provided means such as a cross shaft or shafts
and lever arm or arms, fork or forks or equivalent device or devices whereby a
person at either side of the vehicle can move the coupling hook forward and
upward for the purpose of disengaging it from an adjacent similar coupling hook
with which it may be engaged, or, for the purpose of putting the coupling book
out of position for use, and can afterwards bring it into position for use as may
bo auired

page_text: In one construction the coupling hook is provided with a single rearwardly
projecting extension or tail piece that extends through a vertical slot in the
recessed holder or socket and is provided with two oppositely arranged horizontal
lateral pins or projections that bear against the front recessed side of the holder
or socket. This holder or socket, which is or may be of rectangular or approxi-
mately rectangular shape in end view, has its interior of gradually decreasing
size as it proceeds backward, the top being inclined downwardly and backwardly,
the sides inwardly and backwardly, and the bottom upwardly and backwardly, the
angular inner end of the recess so formed being nearer the bottom of the socket
than the top. Above and partly to the rear of the holder or socket is a cross
shaft provided with a slotted or bifurcated lever arm that is adapted when turned
by the cross shaft in a forward or outward direction to receive the inner end of
the extension or tail piece of the coupling hook and act upon the lateral pins or
projections thereon in such a way as to move the coupling hook forward and
upward and disengage it from a similar coupling hook with which it may have
been engaged.
To obviate liability of the coupling hook after being thus disengaged from an
adjacent coupling hook falling back into engagement with the adjacent hook
whilst the vehicles are close together, each hook is or may advantageously be
constructed as shown and described in the Specification of another application for
Letters Patent filed by me No. 7512 of 1899 so that on being raised it will be
forced to one side by the hook with which it was engaged and upon rising above
the top of such hook it will automatically move in the reverse direction and fall
over the opposite side of the hook and so become effectually disengaged there-
from. For this purpose the body portion of each hook, that is to say the portion
thereof between the laterally bent point or hook proper and the suspension eye
is made of greater depth than is the case in the hook described in the Specification
of my said other application for Patent No. 12955 of 1898 and is slightly curved
in the direction of its length. Its cross sectional area gradually decreases in
width from its rounded bottom edge to the top where it terminates in a narrow
rounded edge, one of its sides, viz. that which is opposite to the side from which
the hook proper projects, being inclined to the vertical, and it may be of more or
less convex or concave shape and the other side being either vertical or inclined,
so as to form a twisted or screw like feathered ridge on the upper surface of the
shank of the hook. The construction is such that when one of two coupled hooks
constructed as described and suspended from the draw hooks on two adjacent
vehicles is moved forward and upward it will be forced in a lateral direction by
reason of its inclined laterally bent hook portion sliding against the rounded lower
side of the feather or screw-like ridge on the shank portion of the adjacent
coupling hook, the result being that after the free end of the hook portion of the
hook that is being raised passes from under the adjacent hook it will slide up the
side surface of the screw like ridge on such hook until it reaches the top edge
thereof over which it will mount and be automatically forced by reason of the
tendency of the hook to assume a direct longitudinal position whereupon the
hook will fall down at the opposite side of the adjacent hook and thus become
completely disengaged therefrom.
The improved coupling apparatus is specially suitable for use with existing
wagons the stroke of the springs of whose buffers is such as to permit the draw
hooks on adjacent vehicles abutting against each other when the vehicles are
brought forcibly together.

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for Railway Wagons and
similar Vehicles.
I, THOMAS ATTWOOD BROCKELBANK, of 32, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to coupling apparatus of the kind wherein each
of the coupling hooks suspended from the draw hooks of adjacent railway wagons
or similar vehicles (hereinafter referred to as wagons) has its pointed outer end
or hooked portion proper, bent sideways from the remainder or shank portion of
the hook so as to be in a plane inclined to a longitudinal vertical plane so that
when two such hooks at the adjacent ends of two wagons are engaged with one
another they will be in positions inclined to each other, say at an angle of
about 90°, as for example in the construction of coupling apparatus described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me No. 12955 of 1898.
Now the present invention has reference to an improved construction and
arrangement of coupling apparatus having hooks of the kind referred to, designed
to simplify such apparatus and permit of the two hooks on the adjacent ends of
two wagons sliding forward and backward past each other to a considerable extent
when the wagons are brought together without interfering with the automatic
coupling of the wagons when the latter are afterwards moved apart to a small
extent by the buffer springs, the construction of each coupling hook moreover
being such as to ensure as far as possible, that after the coupling hooks has
been moved sufficiently to disengage it from an adjacent hook, whilst the vehicles
are close together, it shall not be liable to fall back into engagement with such
adjacent hook.
Each coupling hook is suspended by a link from the draw hook of a wagon in
the ordinary way and is provided with a rearward extension arranged to enter
and bear against the back portion of a recessed holder or socket that is fixed to
the adjacent head stock or end of the wagon and extends backward below the
same. This socket or holder is so constructed and arranged that it serves to
normally support the suspended coupling hook in the coupling position whilst
leaving it free to rise and it also serves to receive guide and retain in the proper
coupling position, the forward end of a similar coupling hook on an adjacent
wagon when such hook slides over the first mentioned hook when two wagons
provided with such hooks are brought forcibly together, so that upon the vehicles
afterwards moving apart by the action of the buffers the second coupling hook
will be in the proper position to engage with the first one. In conjunction
with the coupling hook there are provided means such as a cross shaft or shafts
and lever arm or arms, fork or forks, or equivalent device or devices whereby a
person at either side of the vehicle can move the coupling hook forward and
upward for the purpose of disengaging it from an adjacent similar coupling hook
with which it may be engaged, or, for the purpose of putting the coupling hook
out of position for use, and can afterwards bring it into position for use as may
be required.
Figs.
and 2 of the accompanying illustrative drawings are elevations at right
angles to each other showing part of a vehicle provided with coupling apparatus
according to this invention.
Fig. shows the adjacent end portions of two vehicles provided with such
coupling apparatus, the coupling hooks being engaged one with the other and in
the positions that obtain when the one is pulling on the other,

page_text: Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but showing the vehicles moved nearer together
and the hooks in such positions that they can be disengaged from one another by
hand.
Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 but showing one hook in the act of being
disengaged from the other by means of hand operating mechanism as hereinafter
described.
Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5 showing how the coupling hooks can be
caused to slide one over the other, without becoming disengaged from each other,
even when the wagon buffers are pressed right home.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing the coupling hook in its in-
operative position.
I
Figs. 8 and 9 show the coupling hook separately in plan and end view res-
pectively. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are sections of the hook on the lines A A, B B
and CC respectively of Fig. 8.
༡
C
The coupling hook a is suspended by a link b from the draw hook e of a railway
vehicle and is, in the example shown, provided with a single rearwardly pro-
jecting extension or tail piece that extends through a vertical slot e in the
recessed holder or socket f and is provided with two oppositely arranged horizontal
lateral pins or projections g that bear against the front recessed side of the said
holder or socket. The hook a, rearwardly extending tail piece d and lateral
pins gare preferably formed integral as one forging or steel casting. The holder
or socket f, which is or may be of rectangular or approximately rectangular
shape in end view as shown, has its interior of gradually decreasing size as it
proceeds backward, the top being inclined downwardly and backwardly, the
sides m inwardly and backwardly, and the bottom upwardly and backwardly.
At the inner end of the socket so formed is a recesso that serves to receive the
lateral pins on the tail piece d and normally support the suspended coupling
hook a in the coupling position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 whilst leaving it free to
rise. To reduce friction and facilitate the working of the apparatus, the holder
or socket f is preferably provided, adjacent to the slot e therein, with guide ribs p
over which the lateral pins can slide into or from the recess o. Partly to the
rear of the holder or socket f is a cross shaft's provided with a slotted or bifurcated
lever arm that is adapted when turned by the said cross shaft in a forward or
outward direction by means of a hand lever at the side of the vehicle to receive
between its two side members, the inner end of the extension or tail piece d
of the coupling hook a and act upon the lateral pins or projections g thereon in such
a way as to move the coupling hook a forward and upward as shown in Fig. 5
and disengage it from a similar coupling hook a with which it may have been
engaged.
To move the coupling hook from the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2
and allow it to hang, when desired, in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 7,
the bifurcated lever arm is made of the peculiar shape shown so that by de-
pressing it to a sufficient extent it will act upon and depress the lateral pins g
of the coupling hook until they slip under the lower edge of the holder or
socket whereupon the coupling hook with tail piece will fall by gravity into
the inoperative position shown in Fig. 7, the lateral pins g running along the
lower side of the bifurcated lever and coming to rest against its bifurcated
rear portion . The coupling hook a can be again raised into its operative
position (Figs. 1 and 2) by moving the rear arm u of the bifurcated lever tu
downward and forward to a sufficient extent to bring the lateral projections
in front of the holder or socket, whereupon they run up the guide ribs and
enter the recesso under the action of the weight of the hook a. To facilitate
coupling by hand, one of the side members of the rear arm of the bifurcated
lever tu is provided with a web or extension that is adapted, by contact with
one of the pins on the extension of the coupling hook, to impart a lateral
or canting action to the hook when the same is being thrown upward and for-

page_text: ward, for the purpose of coupling, by the said rear arm of the lever. Each hand
lever with the part of the cross shaft w carrying it, is preferably made separate
from the cross shaft s, the inner end of each part shaft being provided with
two fork like parts that loosely engage the prong-like members y of the adjacent
fork-like part of the adjacent end of the cross shaft s. This cross shaft may con-
veniently be supported in bearings 1 formed by the lower portions of two slots 2
that are formed in rearwardly extending portions 3 of the holder or socket e and
are open at their upper ends so as to admit of the cross shafts being readily put
in place or removed; 4 are set screws extending across the slots 2 to normally
retain the cross shaft s in place. The part cross shafts w may be each supported
in a pair of bracket bearings 5 fixed to the headstock 6 of the vehicle. The
means hereinbefore described for disengaging the one hook from the other and
for causing it to move into its inoperative and operative positions at will have
been found to give satisfactory results in practice but I do not limit myself to
the use of these particular means.
By the construction of coupling apparatus described, when two vehicles are
brought forcibly together for coupling purposes and the plungers of the spring
buffers are pushed back (see Fig. 6) one of the two coupling hooks a can ride
over and slide endways upon the hook portion proper a¹ of the other hook and
cach of the two coupling hooks can, if necessary, enter the holder or socket f
on the opposite vehicle so as to enable the wagons to come close together with-
out liability of damaging the coupling apparatus, each holder or socket f at such
times serving to receive, guide and retain the forward end of the coupling hook
on the opposite wagon in proper position to ensure that it shall engage with the
other coupling book, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when the two wagons are after-
wards moved apart. That side f¹ of the holder or socket f that will be next
the coupling hook a on the adjacent vehicle, may be made, as shown, to extend
forward to a greater extent than the opposite side, to assist in retaining the said
coupling hook in position.
To obviate liability of the one coupling hook a after being disengaged by hand
from an adjacent coupling hook, as hereinbefore described, falling back into
engagement with the adjacent coupling hook a whilst the vehicles are close
together, each hook is or may advantageously be constructed as shown and des-
cribed in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me
No. 7512 of 1899, so that on being raised it will be forced to one side by the
hook with which it was engaged and upon rising above the top of such hook will
automatically move in the reverse direction and fall over the opposite side of the
hook and so become effectually disengaged therefrom. For this purpose the body
portion of each coupling hook a, that is to say the portion thereof between the
laterally bent point or hook proper al and the suspension eye a*, is made of greater
depth than is the case in the hook described in the Specification of my said
former Patent No. 12955 of 1898 and is slightly curved in the direction of its
length as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The cross sectional area of the body portion
of the hook gradually decreases from its rounded bottom portion to the top where
it terminates in a rounded edge as shown in Fig. 11, one of its sides, viz. that a
which is opposite to the side from which the hook proper al projects, being
inclined to the vertical, and it may be of more or less convex shape, as shown,
or of concave shape, and the other side a being either vertical, as shown, or
inclined. When one of two coupled hooks a constructed as described and sus-
pended from the draw hooks c on two adjacent vehicles, is moved forward and
upward as hereinbefore described, it will be forced in a lateral direction by
reason of its inclined laterally bent hook portion a sliding against the rounded
lower side of the body portion of the adjacent coupling hook, the result being
that after the free end of the hook portion a¹ of the hook that is being raised
passes from under the adjacent hook it will slide up the side surface 3 of such
hook until it reaches the top edge thereof over which it will mount and be
automatically forced by reason of the tendency of the hook to assume a direct

page_text: longitudinal position, whereupon the hook will fall down at the opposite side 2
of the adjacent hook and thus become completely disengaged therefrom.
The improved coupling apparatus is specially suitable for use with existing
wagons the stroke of the springs of whose buffers is such as to permit of the draw
hooks on adjacent vehicles abutting against each other when the vehicles are
brought forcibly together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In coupling apparatus for railway wagons and similar vehicles, the com-
bination with a coupling hook of the kind herein referred to suspended from the
draw hook of a vehicle and having a rearward extension with lateral projections,
and means for operating the coupling hook by hand from either side of the
vehicle, of a recessed holder or socket fixed to the adjacent end of the vehicle
and so constructed and arranged as to normally support the suspended coupling
hook in the coupling position whilst leaving it free to rise, and also to receive,
guide and retain in proper coupling position, the forward end of a similar coupling
hook on an adjacent vehicle when two vehicles provided with such coupling
apparatus are brought close together, substantially as herein described for the
purpose specified.
2. Coupling apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim wherein
the suspended coupling hook is provided with a single rearward extension or tail
piece arranged to work through a vertical slot in the recessed holder or socket on
the vehicle and provided with lateral pins or projections adapted to bear against
the front side of the said holder or socket, the said hook being arranged to be
moved into its coupling or uncoupling positions at will by a slotted or bifurcated
lever that is arranged to work through the slot in the holder or socket and act
upon the pins or projections on the rearward extension or tail piece of the hook
and is carried by a cross shaft adapted to be operated from either side of the
vehicle, substantially as described.
3. Coupling apparatus for railway wagons and similar vehicles constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
and shown in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 12th day of March 1900.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
1 1900.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.