IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY VEBICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake
and Co Patent Agents Southampton Buildings, London for au Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY VEBICLES
communicated to him from abroad by Charlie C. Mark of Flint, Michigan,
United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR
RAILWAY VEHICLES," [A communication to him from abroad by Charlie C. Mark
of Flint, Michigan, United States of America]
This Invention relates to improvements in devices for coupling railway vehicles
together, by means of which the couplings at the ends of each vehicle are coupled
with each other and adapted to be coupled with the adjoining ends of the adjacent
vehicles provided with similar devices, so that the draft is applied directly through
the train to the couplings themselves, rather than to the vehicles as in the couplings
heretofore in use which are secured to each end of the vehicle in such a manner
that the draft is communicated to the body of the vehicle and thence through the
coupling to the body of the adjacent vehicle; while by the use of my improved
coupling the draft is communicated directly to the line of couplings connected
together under the whole train.
The said Invention consists, first, in the connecting together of the couplings at
each end of a vehicle, so that the draft is communicated directly from coupling to
coupling rather than to the vehicle; and second in the peculiar construction of the
various parts and their combination and operation, as more fully hereinafter
described.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a central section which
connects the inner end of the draw bars together; for the purpose of this
connection the said central section is provided with a yoke at each end, and to the

page_text: enter;
ends of each of these yokes is secured a socket through which the inner ends of the
end sections pass, and are secured from being withdrawn by suitable keys passing
through the slots, in the ends of such sections. The free ends of these sections
terminate in hooks. Rectangular iron boxes rest upon plates or stirups one for
each end of the vehicle; they are pivotally secured at their rear ends, each to its
own section, by a bolt or pin the plate forming the fulcrum upon which such box
may oscillate; a spring limiting such movement vertically. The free ends of this
rectangular box terminate in an enlarged mouth, such enlargement being downward
and lateral, and with the upper front portion of said mouth closed by the over-
hanging part of a casting, leaving a bell mouth opening below for the link to
the mouth leads into an elliptical shaped chamber so that the link (which
is of the usual description) entering abuts against the rear wall of such chamber,
allowing the hook to engage with it. This hook will always be in one position
except when forcibly raised for the purpose of letting the links free or when raised
by the entering link, as soon as its end passes the hook, the latter will drop and
engage with it. The peculiar shape of the hook and the peculiar shape of the
chamber are such that the link, when in place, will always be held horizontally
except when forcibly deflected by entering the coupling of an adjoining vehicle,
which may be upon a lower or higher plane. The said sections of the draw bar are
enclosed within the rectangular boxes, and springs are sleeved upon the inner ends.
of these sections to perform the functions of springs of the usual character on draw-
bars of the ordinary construction, except that-when the draft is applied at one end
of the vehicle it first exerts its force upon the coupling at the opposite end of the
vehicle and then upon the spring upon the section of the draw-bar to which the
draft is applied, followers being so arranged with reference to the springs, the end
-sections, and the points of resistance as to allow of this action. The timbers
under the floor and sill of the vehicle should be arranged with special reference
to securing these coupplings in place, but such arrangement is but an ordinary
exercise of mechanical skill, requiring no inventive power. A pin or link passing
through a suitable slot or hole in the top of the box is secured to each of the end
sections near their outer ends, and links or chains are arranged with suitable levers,
so shat the books may be elevated at will for the purposes of uncoupling from the
top of the vehicle or from the sides thereof, thereby preventing the necessity of
entering between the vehicles for this purpose. I do not desire to confine myself
to this precise method of uncoupling, as any of the known methods may be adopted
for this purpose. The rectangular boxes which enclose the draw-bar perform the
usual function of buffers by their indirect connection with the springs through the
medium of the pivotal point where such boxes are connected to the draw-bars, and
should from any accident the hooks be broken, an ordinary coupling pin may be
inserted through the hole in the top through which the pin passes, and thereby
form a coupling with the link, in which case those rectangular buffer boxes would
become portions or sections of the draw-bar, but under no other circunstances will
they perform any of the functions of the draw-bar as usually constructed except
the functions of buffing; they simply form guides for the link and draw-bar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Williain Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS FOR
RAILWAY VEHICLES A communication to me from abroad by Charlie. C. Mark,
of Flint, Michigan, United States of America.
ม
This invention relates to apparatus for coupling railway vehicles and consists
partly in providing means for connecting the couplings at each end of a vehicle
together, so that the draught is applied to the coupling rather than to the vehicle,
it also partly consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as
hereinafter described.
According to the said invention the couplings at the ends of each vehicle are
connected with each other, and are adapted to couple with the couplings of the
adjacent vehicles provided with similar devices, so that the draught is applied
directly through the train to the couplings themselves, rather than to the
vehicles as is the case where the couplings now in use are employed. These latter
couplings are secured to each end of a vehicle, in such a manner, that the draught
is communicated to the body of the vehicle and thence through the couplings to the
bodies of the adjacent vehicles.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is an underside view of a coupling constructed according to this
invention
Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the position of the coupling hook when not
coupled to an adjoining vehicle.
Figure 4 is an end view of a vehicle provided with the improved coupling
Figure 5 is a view of a detail hereinafter described
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A, A indicate the two end sections or draw-bars, and B the central section which
connects the inner ends of these draw-bars together, one of such draw-bars being
provided for each end of a vehicle. For the purposes of this connection the central
section B is provided with a yoke a at each end, and to the end of each of these
yokes is secured a socket b through which the inner end of a section A passes.
The said sections are secured from being withdrawn, by suitable keys c passing
through slots in their ends. The free ends of the sections A terminate in the
hooks C.
D. D indicate rectangular iron boxes resting upon the plates or stirrups E one
for each end of a vehicle. Each of the said boxes is secured at its rear end to its
section A by the bolt or pin d, the plate E forming a fulcrum upon which the
box D may oscillate, the spring F limiting such movement vertically.
The free ends of these rectangular boxes D terminate in enlarged mouths G, as
shown in Figures 2 and 3. The upper front portion of each of the said mouths is
closed by the overhanging part of the casting H, leaving an opening I below for
the link to enter. The mouth I is shewn distinctly in Figure 3 and leads into an
elliptically shaped chamber J, so that the link on entering, abuts against the rear
wall of the said chamber, allowing the hook C to engage with it.
This book will be in the position shewn in Figure 2, except when moved for the
purpose of letting the links free, or when raised by the entering link; as soon as

page_text: the end of a link passes the hook the latter will drop and engage with the said
link. The hook C and the chamber J are of such shape that the link, when in
place, will always project horizontally and be held in that position, except when
the outer end of the link is deflected to enter the coupling of a vehicle which may
be upon a lower or higher plane.
The sections A are enclosed within the rectangular boxes D, and springs K are
placed upon the inner ends of the sections A to perform the functions of the
springs ordinarily used on draw-bars, except that when the draught is applied to
the coupling at one end of the draw-bar it first exerts its force upon the coupling
at the opposite end of the draw-bar and then upon the spring on the section of
the draw-bar to which the draught is applied. The followers L are so arranged
with relation to the springs, the sections A, and the points of resistance M, as to
allow of this action. The timbers under the floor and sills of the vehicle should,
be arranged with special reference to securing these couplings in place. A pin or
link N passing through a suitable slot or hole in the top of the box D, is secured to
each of the sections A, near its outer end, and links or chains ☐ are arranged with
suitable levers P, so that the said books may be elevated at will from the top of
the vehicle or from the sides thereof, for the purpose of uncoupling the vehicles
thereby preventing the necessity of entering between the vehicles for this purpose
I do not confine myself to this method of uncoupling as any of the well known
methods may be adopted for this purpose.
The rectangular boxes D which enclose the draw-bars are connected with the
springs K at the pivotal point d, where such boxes are connected to the draw-bars.
Should, from any accident, the hooks C be broken, an ordinary coupling pin may be
inserted through the hole in the top through which the pin N passes and thereby
form a coupling with the link, in which case the said rectangular boxes would
become portions or sections of the draw-bar, but under no other circumstances will
they perform any of the functions of the draw-bar as usually constructed, except as
buffers; they simply form guides for the link and draw-bar.
Having thus fully described the said invention as Communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I Claim.
First. A coupling device for railway vehicles constructed substantially as
described, whereby the couplings of a train form a continuous draw-bar, as set
forth.
Second. A device for coupling railway vehicles together, composed of three
sections, the outer end of each end section being provided with a hook or link
while the opposite ends are connected by suitable joints to the ends of the central
section, substantially as specified.
Third. A coupling device for railway vehicles wherein the draw-bar is enclosed
within a box, the said parts being pivotally connected, and the box adapted to
perform the functions of a buffer, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In a coupling device for railway vebicles, the combination of a draw-bar
having a hooked end, with an enclosing box provided with a mouth to guide the
entering link on one end of the coupling of an adjoining vehicle, and an elliptically
shaped chamber for receiving the end of the said link and the point of the hook of
the draw-bar, substantially as, and for the purposes, described.
Fifth. In a railway vehicle coupling device composed of a draw-bar in three
sections, the central section secured at each end by a suitable joint to the inner
ends of the outer or end sections, the latter being provided with springs,
substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Sixth. In a coupling device for railway vehicles, the combination, with the
draw-bar enclosed therein and pivotted thereto, of a buffer box supported upon a
plate or stirrup which serves as a fulcrum, and provided with a spring by means of
which the vertical movement of the said buffer box is limited, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: Seventh. In a coupling device for railway vehicles, the combination of the
hooked draw-bar A enclosed within the buffer-box D and pivotally secured
thereto, the springs K, the followers L and plate M, all constructed and arranged
to operate substantially as, and for the purposes, described.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourteenth day of August in the year of Our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
W. ROBT. LAKE (LS.)