Year: 1886

page_text: We, JOHN LOCKETT and ARTHUR LOCKETT, both of Rose Cottage, Biddolph,
Congleton in the County of Stafford Builders, and WILLIAM GREENHALGH, Mount
Pleasant, Biddolph, in the aforesaid County, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for coupling vehicles together by means of a
link attached to the one vehicle and a bolt carried by the other vehicle.
At the respective ends of the vehicles are drawheads, each of which has a link
pivotted to it and is recessed to receive the end of a link attached to another
vehicle.
A bolt capable of movement in a vertical sense is so arranged in a suitable guide
in connexion with the draw-head and the link pivotted thereto that when that
link is hanging down the bolt extends across the recess in the draw head, thus-if
a link attached to another vehicle has been previously pushed into the recess, the
bolt will secure it there.
When the bolt is raised a block or support is caused by a counterbalanced lever
or equivalent device to assume such a position as to retain the bolt in the raised
position until the said block or support is moved back by a link entering the recess
in the draw-head; when this takes place the bolt being released descends through
and secures to the draw-head the link whereby the block or support was moved
back. The link and bolt are connected by a stirrup or frame which in turn is
linked or connected to a transverse shaft by partial rotation of which the link and
bolt can be simultaneously operated. The shaft may be provided with arms or
handles for operating it.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Apparatus for venicies.
We, JOHN LOCKETT and ARTHUR LOCKETT, both of Rose Cottage, Biddolph,
Congleton, in the County of Stafford, Builders, and WILLIAM GREENHALGH, of
Mount Pleasant, Biddolph, in the aforesaid County, Manager, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for coupling vehicles together by means of a
link attached to the one vehicle and a bolt carried by the other vehicle.
At the respective ends of the vehicles are drawheads, each of which has a link
pivotted to it and is recessed to receive the end of a link attached to another
vehicle.
A bolt capable of movement in a vertical sense is so arranged in a suitable guide
in connexion with the draw-head and the link pivotted thereto that when that
link is hanging down the bolt extends across the recess in the draw head, thus-if
a link attached to another vehicle has been previously pushed into the recess, the
bolt will secure it there.
When the bolt is raised a block or support is caused by a counterbalanced lever
or equivalent device to assume such a position as to retain the bolt in the raised
position until the said block or support.is moved back by a link entering the recess
in the draw-head; when this takes place the bolt being released descends through
and secures to the draw-head the link whereby the block or support was moved
back. The link and bolt are connected by a stirrup or frame which in turn is
linked or connected to a transverse shaft by partial rotation of which the link and
bolt can be simultaneously operated. The shaft may be provided with arms or
handies for operating it.
20.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation
partly in section illustrating the application of coupling apparatus according to this
invention to the ends of two vehicles which are shown coupled thereby. Fig. 2
is a plan. Figs. 3 and 4 shew the coupling apparatus at the ends of two adjacent
vehicles in position for coupling. Fig. 5 represents partly in longitudinal section
and partly in elevation, a drawhead and attached parts according to this invention.
Each coupling apparatus is as follows:-1 is a coupling link pivotted at 2 to a
drawhead 3. The draw head is recessed at 4 as shewn, for the reception of the
coupling link of another vehicle; 5 is the draw-bar. 6'is a coupling bolt capable
of moving in a hollow tube or guide 7 secured to the draw head 3. 8'8 are vertical
holes formed through the drawhead. 10, 10, are two levers, constituting, a.stirrup
or frame, pivotted to the link 1 at 11, 11. The upper end of each lever 10 is
jointed to a ring or collar 12 that can slide vertically upon the tube or guide 7.
13, 13, are pins or projections.secured at opposite sides to the bolt 6 and arranged
to slide in corresponding vertical slots 14 in the tube or guide 7; their length is
Buch that when the ring or collar 12 is raised it will come into contact with the
pins or projections 13 and raise the bolt 6 as indicated in the apparatus to the
right hand in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 4. 15 15 are transverse shafts carried in bearings
16 secured to the under side of the buffer beam 16a.

page_text: To each cross shaft is secured a lever arm 17 connected to the lower end of one
of the levers 10 by means of a link 18 as shewn. 19, 19, are handles or levers
secured to the outer ends of the transverse shafts 15, 15%; they serve to operate
the levers 10 through the lever arms 17 and links 18. 20 is a transverse rod
capable of end wise movement to lock either of the handles or levers 19 in
position, as shown to the right hand in Fig. 1, and to the left hand in Fig. 2. In
lieu of using two transverse shafts 15 as shewn, one may be employed extending
entirely across the vehicle. 21 is a block or support arranged to slide in guides 22
formed in the drawhead 3; its outward movement is limited by shoulders 23 at
the outer ends of the guides 22. 24 is a spring that tends to force the said block
or support outward into such a position that when the bolt 6 is raised it passes
beneath the bolt and maintains it in its raised position as shewn in Figure 5.
Coupling apparatus such as herein before described is arranged at each end of
vehicles to be coupled.
The operation is as follows:-
When the several parts of the apparatus are in the respective positions shewn
in Figs. 3 and 4, the adjacent vehicles when brought together will be coupled
automatically. The bolt 6 of the apparatus shewn in Fig. 3 is maintained in its
raised position by its block or support 21, the coupling link 1 hanging vertically.
The coupling link 1 of the apparatus shewn in Fig. 4 is shewn as having been
raised to the horizontal or coupling position by operating one or other, or both,
of the handles or levers 19 and attached parts.
The link is maintained in such horizontal position by the locking bar 20. The
raising of the link 1 by the levers 10 will also lift the bolt 6; it will be held in
its raised position by its block or support 21.
If the vehicles be now brought
together the link 1 of the apparatus shewn to the right (Fig. 4) will enter the
recess 4 in the draw-head of the apparatus shewn to the left (Fig. 3) and will force
back the guide or support 21 against the action of its spring 24 whereupon the
bolt 6 previously supported by the said guide or support will fall into the position
shewn in Fig. 1 thereby retaining the said link 1 in the drawhead 3 as indicated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In coupling apparatus the combination with a coupling link and a coupling
bolt of a block which as soon as the coupling bolt is raised comes automatically
into position and holds the said bolt ready to engage with a link and remains in
that position until it is forced away by the link of the corresponding vehicle
entering the coupling substantially as described.
2. The improved coupling apparatus substantially as described.