IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND OTHER COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Guy Wilson, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical
Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW
AND OTHER COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND OTHER
VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Franz Anton Sürth, Engineer,
of Dortmund, Westphalia, and Charles Steinhaus, Engineer, of Cabel, West-
phalia, both in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Guy Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1876.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND OTHER COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
WAGONS, AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Franz Anton
Sürth, Engineer, of Dortmund, Westphalia, and Charles Steinhaus, Engineer, of
Cabel, Westphalia, both in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention has for its object the construction of a safety coupling for railway
wagons and other vehicles, which dispenses with the necessity of the usual side
chains, inasmuch as if one part of such coupling breaks there is provided an
additional or reserve coupling which immediately comes into play. In carrying
out one modification of this Invention each extremity of the draw bar at each end
of the railway wagon or other vehicle is provided with a cross-head carrying a pin
upon which is mounted a main swivelling hook and a pair of angular arms radiating
from each other at a suitable angle. To one extremity of these angular arms is
connected right and left handed screw coupling, and to the other extremity a
reserve swivelling hook. The method of connecting two vehicles together, fitted in
accordance with this modification, is as follows:-The connecting link of the one
screw coupling is passed over or hooked on to the main swivelling hook carried by
the cross-head of the vehicle to which it is to be attached; the screw coupling is
then tightened in the ordinary manner. This done, the reserve hook carried at the
extremity of the angular arms of the first mentioned coupling is then hooked into
the connecting link of the reserve screw coupling, which is now hanging loosely
[Price 6d.]

page_text: down, and this completes the coupling operation. Now in case of the tightened
coupling breaking, it will be readily apparent that the reserve coupling will
immediately be brought into the horizontal position and will henceforward take all
the strain, the vehicle being thus prevented breaking loose from the other part of
the train.
In another modification of this Invention, instead of having the radiating angular
arms in one piece, each extremity of the draw bar is provided with a screw coupling
connected by a pair of links to the pin of the cross-head as herein-before described;
but in this case the reserve hook is connected to a pin passing through a projection
formed upon the lower part of the main swivelling hook, and thus in case of the
swivelling hook breaking at or near its curve, a connection is still preserved
by means of the reserve coupling. This Invention is equally advantageous as
a safety chain coupling by substituting a chain coupling for the screw coupling
herein-before described. As a further preventive of accident from the break-
ing of the draw bar the draw bar is arranged on the inner side of the beam or
frame of the vehicle and at a suitable distance from its extremity with a right
and left handed screw nut and washer, which by coming in contact with the beam
or frame in case of the draw bar or its spring breaking serves to take the strain,
and thus prevents a complete severance of the vehicle from the other part of
the train.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Guy Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th September
1876.
"
JOHN GUY WILSON, of the City of Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent
Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND OTHER COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
WAGONS, AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Franz Anton
Sürth, Engineer, of Dortmund, Westphalia, and Charles Steinhaus, Engineer, of
Cabel, Westphalia, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention has for its object the construction of a safety coupling for railway
wagons and other vehicles, which dispenses with the necessity of the usual side
chains, inasmuch as if one part of such coupling breaks there is provided an
additional or reserve coupling which immediately comes into play; this extra
coupling being neither connected to the framework of the carriage nor requiring a
separate elastic or spring arrangement for drawing.
In order that the said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood, I
have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings illustrating three modifications of
the Invention, similar letters marked on the several views being used to denote
similar parts.
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of one modification of this Invention. Figs. 2 and 3
are sectional plans of part of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a front end view of part of Fig. 1,
but shewing the screw coupling released or hanging loosely down.
Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of another modification, and Fig. 6 is a back view
of part of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a side view of a further modification of the same
Invention.
In all the views A represents the extremity of the draw bar which differs from
ordinary draw bars, inasmuch as instead of having the usual hook formed at its
extremity a forked head A¹ is substituted for carrying a swivelling hook B. This
look B is mounted upon the central portion of a pin C, which passes horizontally
through the forked head A', and also carries at its extremities, but on the outside
of the forked head, a pair of arms or links D, which are permanently connected to
the screw coupling E as illustrated. The screw coupling E only differs from the

page_text: screw couplings in general use in the double arms or links D taking the place of
one of the usual connecting links F as seen retained at the other extremity of such
coupling. Each extremity of a railway carriage or other vehicle being fitted with
a swivelling hook B and screw coupling as just described, the method of connecting
such vehicles together is as follows:-The connecting link F of the one screw
coupling is passed over or hooked on to the swivelling hook B appertaining to the
carriage to which it is to be attached, when such screw coupling is then tightened
in the ordinary manner; this done, the connecting link F of the reserve screw
coupling is then passed between the arms or links D of the other screw coupling
and over the swivelling hook B of the first-mentioned carriage, and the coupling is
now completed, the parts being in the relative positions seen in Fig. 1.
Now in case of the tightened coupling breaking or the swivelling hook breaking
at or near its curve, it will be readily apparent that the reserve coupling will
immediately be brought into the horizontal position or drawing line, and will
henceforward take all the strain, the vehicles being thus prevented breaking loose
from the other part of the train.
In the modification represented in Figs. 5 and 6, instead of connecting the reserve
coupling on to the swivelling hook B, a special hook G and link Hare provided and
suspended from a separate pin I passing through the swivelling hook B as illustrated.
This modification possesses the advantage of rendering the coupling operation some-
what simpler as the parts are more accessible, whilst it also affords facilities for
connecting together in precisely the same manuer as that illustrated in Fig. 1, and
as indicated by the central line X.
In Fig. 7 a pair of angular arms J, radiating from each other at a suitable
angle, take the place of the double arms D herein-before described, one of
such arms carrying the screw coupling K, and the other a reserve swivelling
hook L. The action of this modification will be fully apparent without further
explanation.
Each of the swivelling hooks B is constructed with a shoulder M, which by coming
in contact with the underside of the forked head A', so prevents itself falling too far,
and in order to avoid the possibility of accident in case of the draw bar breaking, a
shoulder O, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, may be affixed upon such draw bar by means
of a cotter P to come in contact with the metallic plate Q, so that in case of the
draw bar breaking behind such shoulder O, the strain or pull will be transferred
from the usual springs to the wooden beam or framework of the body of the vehicle
upon which the metallic plate Q is affixed. Or the extremity of the draw bar may
be formed in a separate piece from the main draw bar and be connected thereto
by cotters R or by a right and left handed screw S and nut T, as seen in Fig. 7,
the washers U serving to receive the strain by coming in contact with the
beam or framework V in case of the draw bar breaking. Any undue shock
may be obviated by introducing india-rubber washer or other suitable compression
springs between the washers U (or shoulder O) and the beam or framework of the
vehicle.
Although this Invention has only been described with reference to the employ-
ment of screw couplings, it is equally advantageous as a safety chain coupling by
substituting a chain coupling for the screw coupling herein-before described.
It will thus be seen that this Invention provides an effectual safeguard in case of
breakage in the drawing parts of railway carriages, wagons, and other vehicles, and
this without the use of expensive safety chains, whilst at the same time it obviates
the necessity of a vehicle being taken out of use in order to be repaired, as the
broken part can be replaced upon the spot.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, .
together with the best methods of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it
to be understood that I claim the swivelling hook B, when mounted at the forked
extremity of the draw bar of railway carriages, wagons, and other vehicles, in
conjunction with a pair of arms carrying a screw coupling or chain coupling capable

page_text: of being used as a safety coupling, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Guy Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord 1876.