IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO Railway and other Carriages and Trucks
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Shephard, of Old Lenton, in the County of
Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS
APPLICABLE TO Railway and other Carriages and Trucks,”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Shephard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June 1877.
HENRY SHEPHARD, of Old Lenton, in the County of Nottingham. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COUPLING APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRAIGES
AND TRUCKS."
"
When applying my coupling apparatus to carriages or trucks having draw. bars
terminating in a hook, and carrying two or three links of a chain, I dispense with
such chains, and employ a hinged link having a he-and-she butt joint; one
end of such link loosely clips the hook of the draw bar, and also surrounds or forms
part of an axle rod, which can be operated by a lever on the outside of the carraige
or truck.
When the carraiges or trucks are not provided with draw bars, each link clips a
stud or hook provided for the purpose.
Each link can be lifted by the outer lever, and be placed upon the hook of the
next adjoining carraige or truck, but the joint dropping downwards allows the
buffers to act, the link contracting and expanding nearly half its length.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view of my improved coupling apparatus showing the outer
link in position for being placed upon or lifted off the draw hook of the next
adjoining carriage or truck; Figure 2 shows the same in plan.
Figure 3 is a side view of one set of my improved coupling apparatus, showing
its position just before it is placed at rest, as shown by the dotted lines, on its
own hook.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a front view and end view of an axle toothed
wheel and operating handle, hereafter referred to.
The several corresponding parts in each Figure are lettered alike.
The apparatus is shown applied to the left end of a carriage or truck, a corre-
sponding apparatus being applied to the opposite end.
To the under side of the frame of the carriage or truck I place at each end a
bracket A, which forms bearings for a short solid axle B and a longer hollow axle C,
the outer ends of which are also carried by outer bearings A¹ secured to the framing
at each side of the carriage. The centre of the hollow axle carries a toothed wheel D,
held in place by a collar D¹ on each side, so that it cannot slip endways on the axle,
but is free to turn upon it. The wheel D has a keyway cut in it to receive a
key E, shown by dotted lines at Figure 4; this key is passed through and carried
by a rod F, the key projecting beyond the rod, and sliding in slots in the axle C.
A side view of this arrangement, with the axle C in section, is shown at
.Figure 5.
The relative positions of the axles B and C may be reversed.
One of the collars D¹ has a keyway cut in it to allow the key to be withdrawn
from the toothed wheel E by the following means:-The rod F beyond the bearings
D¹ is somewhat thinner than the portion carrying the key, and upon one side of the
bracket A the rod is provided with a spring F1 coiled round it, which presses the
key into the keyway of the wheel D when not withdrawn by either of the handles
Hor H, each of which is hinged to a cap G secured on the outer ends of the axle C.
The rod F at each end passes through slots in the handles, and is provided with lock
nuts or a cap rivetted on each end. The axle C has two levers C³ secured upon it;.
the outer ends of these levers are hinged to the lower end of two links C2, which
are likewise jointed to the outer ends of two shorter links C³, the inner ends of
which are hinged to short arms B2, keyed fast on the axle B, which has a toothed
segment or wheel B³ secured on it. The outer ends of the links C are jointed to

page_text: studs on the outside of the longest of three links of a shackle I, the innermost link of
which is carried by the hook of the draw bar (where draw bars are used).
By means of apparatus constructed as above described, the coupling or un-
coupling of carriages or trucks may be effected in the following manner :- -Suppose
the coupling shackle I lies at rest, as shewn at Figure 3, the handle H being as
shewn at Figure 4, the spring F¹ will keep the key E in the wheel D, and upon the
handle being moved into the position shewn at Figure 1, the shackle will be lifted
off its own hook and be projected upwards and outwards, so that it can be placed
upon the hook of the next adjoining carriage or truck within reach. When required
to be coupled, the handle H, upon being drawn outwards, withdraws the key from
the wheel D, the handle being moved into the position shewn at Figures 3 and 4;
the shackle can be placed at rest upon its own hook. Thus the coupling -and un-
coupling of carriages or trucks can be more quickly and readily effected by the
attendant standing outside the framing of the carriages or trucks than by passing
under the buffers or between the carriages or trucks, as heretofore. j
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim for a coupling and uncoupling
apparatus, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Shephard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
HENRY SHEPHARD. (L.S.)