provements in Car Coupling and Uncoupling Apparatus
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1895-Accepted, 8th June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Car Coupling and Uncoupling Apparatus
I, AI BERT GREENWAY of Marong, in the Colony of Victoria Miner, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manner in which the same is
to be used to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
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My invention comprises improvements relating to automatic car couplers, and its
objec is to facilitate coupling and uncoupling by apparatus which has no springs
no undesirable duplication of parts, and of which the elements are extremely few
simple and inexpensive, and reasonably capable of adoption on railway rolling
stock
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shows in side elevation part of one of my coupling and uncoupling
apparatus, and Figure 2 shows a plin view of the same parts, the said coupling
apparatus being shown as attached to each truck end
Figure 3 shows in perspective my couplers fitted to the adjacent ends A, B of
two trucks in the position assumed when the couplers are beginning to automatically
couple togethei
Figme 4 shows in side elevation the parts in Figure 3, in the position assumed
when the coupling operation has been completed
Figure 5 shows in side elevation the parts attached to one truch B as in Figure 4
in the position a sumed immediately on uncoupling
My apparatus as attached to each truck end is constructed of suitable metal and
consists of a draw hook C at the middle of the truck end, a U shaped link D
pivoted at its rear ends to a horizontal bolt N (which may be passed through the
shank of the draw hooh) limbs E E connected preferably by a bar M, and
attached to a cross shaft F which is journalled in any suitable bearings R attached
to the truel or car, handles or levers G one of which is connected to each end of
shaft F, Interally extending projections or lugs H, II one on each side of C, for
supporting link D in the equned horizont il position for the purposes hereinafter
mentioned, and supporting E, L and projections or lugs J, J one extending
outward from each side of D said projections being forward of H H and above
the fore-ends O of each limb E
The outer edge K of each link D, is bevelled above and below so as to be wedge
shaped, and the outer surfice L at the points of each draw hook is bevelled or
sloped at a suitably low angle to facilitate coupling
When the car ends A and B approach one another the respective horizontally
set links D D strike each other, and owing to their having wedge shaped edges,
one or other slips uppermost and is raised more and more as the cars approach its
weight resting upon the underneath link which therefore remains steadily horizontal
The front edge K of the underneath link thus always strikes the inclined surface L
of the draw hook opposed to it, whereupon the further closing together of the
cars causes the front of the under hook to slide upwards over the said opposed draw
book until it passes the point of the litter and drops down on the hook shank The
link which happens to be uppermot being in an inclined position does not reach
so far as to strike the hook which is opposed to it
When the parts are as in
Figure 4 (or nearer according to circumstances) the weight of the uppermo t link
serve he purpose of keeping down the under link and preventing it from
disengaging from its opposed hook except when the di engagement is effected
purposely, which in practice is done in the manner next described In order to
D

page_text: uncouple, (when the cars are sufficiently close) one of the handles G (on that car
to which the link which happens to be coupled is pivoted) is operated, so turning
shaft F and raising limbs EE The inner ends of E E are so connected to F as
to move with it except that while shaft F may slide laterally, the limbs C E cannot
being prevented from so doing by stops X When E E rise their outer ends 00
bear up against the projections J J and rai e the under link D clear of its opposed
book, the upper link (which has been acting as a weight) being raised by the
lowest one until free from the latter when said upper link (if not kept up by means
of the lever adapted to operate it) drops on to its supports H as shown in Figure 1
and becomes horizontal
The levers G may be hept down as in Figure ɔ, so as to keep links D raised if
required This enables trucks to be "kicked In order to cause levers G to be
adapted to remain (when required) so that shaft F will keep the link D up, and
also in order to enable the shaft to be operated again when required by moving the
handle G at either side of the car I preferably affix to the car block I having a
horizontally extending aperture V of square or other non-circular section, through
which the shaft F passe- fieely so as to be able to turn therein A pait Y of the
shaft near said block T is of the same section as V, and the shaft is adapted to be
moved laterally by pushing either handle G, until such part Y of the shaft enters
and fits the aperture V so that the shaft cannot then turn The links D are
sufficiently long and strong for the purposes contemplated and are heaviest at their
outer ends
The apparatus used in carrying out this invention need not be made in the
precise form as set forth, it being su.ceptible of modifications as will be well
understood For example, the link D and bolt N might be in one so as to form a
continuous link, the parts 0 O might be turned inwardly under D, so as to do
away with the use of the lugs and instead of F being of two different
sections it might be of one section only and be provided with a lug or stud, and the
said stud be adapted to enter a recess in F, upon lateral movement being imparted
to the shaft in order to keep the lil s up
It will be observed further that the connection M might be dispensed with, the
limbs E E being otherwi e kept each from lateral movement, but the said connecting
bar M is preferred since it serves the useful purpose, is seen in Figure 5 of
venting the links being raised quite to the vertical position, and of holding the
links steady when jared, so that jolting cannot objectionably affect them, and they
are always adapted to assume the horizontal by virtue of gravity alone when the
shaft is disengaged from its stop at V oi as the case may be
The shafts F might also be arranged below the books (instead of above is
shown) in which case the limbs E L would still be used although necessarily
longe
I do not claim as new each individual feature of the coupling described, some
of them being previously known, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
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1 In car coupling apparatus a draw hook provided with a lug on each side, in
combination with a link having a wedge shaped fore-end and pivoted at the rear
of the hook shank, said link extending forwardly beyond and enclosing the hook,
and being supported in a horizontal position by said lugs, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth
2 In car coupling apparatus the limbs E E resting on lugs H H said limbs
having ends 00 adapted to bear against lugs JJ on a link as D, in combination
with a shaft F and operating levers G said shaft bung adapted to be moved
laterally and also to be turned and having a part adapted to be engaged in a block
or fixture T so as to lock the shaft and support limbs E L in raised position all
substantially as and for the purposes set forth

page_text: 3 In a car coupling the aforesaid apparatus attached to the end of one car in
combination with the like apparatus attached to the contiguous end of an adjoining
car whereby the cars are coupled together, as herein before described and as illustrated
in Figure 4
4 In can coupling apparatus the arrangement and combination of parts C, D, J,
F, E, and M as described whereby position of the link D when raised is as shown
in Figure 5 substantially as and for the purposes set forth
Dated this 6th day of May 1895
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
Agents for Albert Greenway