IMPROVED COUPLING CHAIN LIFTER AND COUPLER FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, THOMAS HODDER HEARD, of Nether Green Road, Ranmoor, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Iron Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion for an "IMPROVED COUPLING CHAIN LIFTER AND COUPLER FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES," and in what manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of a tool constructed in two or more parts and fitted
together by means of slide rings or loops formed at one or both ends of each part
of the said tool, each slide, ring, or loop, being made of a required diameter,
breadth and thickness; so as to slide upon each other after the manner of a
telescope that is to say;-when the tool is at rest the part or parts will close of
telescope upon each other, thus enabling the tool to lie in a half, or less, space than
when in operation.
The improved tool can be made by casting it in malleable cast iron, cast steel;
or their equivalents, or it can be formed of forged, or rolled, bars of iron or steel,
and can be of any section desired, but I prefer to manufacture it as herein-after
specified.
The improved tool consists of two or more bars of Steel or Iron, of suitable
lengths and section, having at the end, or ends, of each bar, a hole, ring, or eye, of
a required diameter, made exactly to fit and slide upon the shanks of each other,
after the manner of a ring upon an iron rod.
By preference, I would have one eye, or hole, formed upon one end only of-
each bar.
In the manufacture of the improved tool or appliance, I take two bars or rods
of Steel or Iron etc, as before described, and forge, or fly, or cut out, from one end
of each of the said bars or rods, a loop or eye, bent at the end of the rod proper, so
as to stand in a perpendicular position to the rods when level.
The end of each rod is then passed through the others eyehole, and can be
drawn outwards so that when the two eyeholes meet the appliance will appear as
one rod only.
The eyeholes as before described can be welded or fastened to the bars or rods,
or may be forged from the rods as before specified.
The improved tool can also be made of tubes of cast iron, steel, or other suitable
material, telescoping into each other, or can be made with a slot, or slots, running
longitudinally in one or more of the bars before described, with a suitable button,

page_text: +
stud, or their equivalents formed upon the end of the bar to be fitted into the
said slot or slots, so that the appliance will draw out or close after the manner
of a telescope.
The end of the bar intended to be applied to the end link of the coupling chain
is fastened to the said end link either by means of welding, or by bolts and nuts,
rivets, or their equivalents.
The upper or top end of the bar, slides or rests in a ring or rowlock of a required
diameter and strength, the said ring or rowlock being attached to the buffer of
the waggon in a required manner, so that when the apparatus is closed or at rest,
the bars will be lying upon each other.
When the apparatus is required for use, the operator simply draws out the top
bar, thus lengthening it considerably, and by means of the leverage obtained from
the ring or rowlock, throws up the coupling chain into position to pass over the
draw-bar hook to be coupled, and when coupled, the operator closes the bars back
upon or into each other, so as to prevent any unnecessary projection from the side
of the waggon buffer.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.
Fig. 1. is a front view in elevation shewing coupling apparatus at rest.
Fig. 2. is a plan shewing position of apparatus with chain coupled.
Fig. 3. is a side view in elevation shewing position of coupling apparatus when
at rest.
Fig. 4. is a view shewing a few sections of steel bar ready for forming the eye
by welding or otherwise.
Fig. 5. is a side view shewing the eye formed.
Fig. 6. is a view shewing the steel bars in position, ready to be coupled.
Fig. 7. is a view shewing bars coupled.
Fig. 8. is a view shewing the bars coupled, with extra eyes twisted to make it
more secure.
Fig. 9. is a view shewing rod slit.
Fig. 10. is a view shewing rod sliding in slot in slit bar as shewn in Figure 9.
Fig. 11. is a view shewing a telescopic movement.
Fig. 12. is a view shewing bars flyed out T shaped and the top part of T bent
over corresponding bar forming slide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly, an improved coupling chain lifter and coupler for Railway vehicles.
Secondly, a coupling apparatus consisting of two or more rods telescoping into
or onto each other, fixed under or over the buffer plank or in any other convenient
position, for the purpose of lifting and coupling the coupling chain onto the draw-
bar hook.
Thirdly, in the construction of a coupling chain lifter and coupler as herein-
before specified, described, and illustrated by accompanying drawings.