Year: 1886

page_text: We, WILLIAM BOUCHER and JOSEPH BOUCHER both of Bullo Pill, near Newnham
in the county of Gloucester, Railway wagon builders, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
A
By this our invention we provide a coupling which cannot be accidentally
detached and which at the same time occupies only a small space. Moreover by a
mechanical arrangement hereinafter described the coupling can be hooked and
unhooked without the necessity of a man going between the wagons and carriages,
a practice which bas caused much loss of life. Our invention may be briefly
described as follows:-*
We provide a hook of a novel construction secured by any efficient means at end
of carriage between the buffers. This book is different to that ordinarily used by
being formed with a guide or stop at its top edge which said guide or stop answers
the double purpose of guiding the shackle of the adjacent vehicle into the hook
aforesaid and also prevents the coupling from accidentally unhooking. The bottom
edge of our hook terminates in a point longer than that on ordinary hooks and
this also serves to guide the shackle of adjacent vehicle into the hook.
Our coupling consists of the book beforementioned and of two links suspended
therefrom and intended for attachment with the adjoining vehicle. One of the
links is of the ordinary shape being long and narrow and is passed through an
aperture made for the purpose at the back of the hook. The other link is of novel
shape and hangs from the first link. It consists of two loops of different sizes one
of the loops being made wide at one end and brought in close at the other end,
there it is welded, turned over and welded again to form the second loop the
reverse way to the first and larger loop. Or the second loop could be formed by
bringing together the two ends of the larger loop, placing a ring or band round
them welding all together, and by punching or drilling a hole through same.
we would form the second loop or hole in any other suitable manner. The link is
suspended by this smaller loop on to the long, narrow link beforementioned and
the coupling is ready for attachment to the hook of the adjacent vehicle. In use
the links aforesaid are attached to hook and the corresponding links on other
vehicle hang down. By our invention we dispense with the shackle at present in
use which is apt to become stiff to work and has been known to cause serious
injury to life and property. In case however the old pattern hooks are required
to be used a shackle may be applied. The object of forming one link with two
Or

page_text: loops reverse ways is to enable the coupling to be attached to the hook on adjacent
vehicle without the necessity of employing an additional link, and by reason of the
joint being about the centre of the coupling said coupling falls out of the way
when the buffers are compressed by the vehicles coming closer together.
In order to hook or unhook our coupling we provide a lever which consists of a
rod of iron bent or cranked of any desired shape for the purpose of lifting the
coupling on or off the hook on adjacent vehicle. Our lever is worked by a handle
from the outside of vehicle or by a person from the inside or standing on the buffer
and is so arranged that it will also lift the coupling of adjacent vehicle from the
hook of vehicle to which it is attached.
It will be seen that our coupling made as proposed, will clear all stop blocks and
will suit all kinds of railway vehicles. It will not be any hindrance to the tipping
of wagons to discharge same of their contents and in these respects has a great
advantage over other couplings which have been used or proposed to be used. Our
coupling is so simple in its construction that it is specially adapted to the require-
ments of railway companies. When vehiclés require to be tightly coupled together
we propose to make the second link of our coupling in three parts viz-a loop for
hooking on having one wide end and the other narrowed off, the narrow end
having a longitudinal aperture tapped for a screw. A smaller loop also having an
aperture at one end capped for screw and a centre piece having a screw thread at
each end for the purpose of connecting the two loops together-With this arrange-
ment and by the aid of rope or chain or other simple appliance we propose to
tighten or slacken the coupling as required from the outside of vehicle.
When using our coupling for vehicles that require to be tight coupled we prefer
to dispense with the long point at bottom edge of hook-the aperture for permanent
attachment of coupling to hook through which aperture the ordinary link with
single loop passes, we prefer to make of oblong shape in order that double couplings
may be used if required.

page_text: We, WILLIAM BOUCHER and JOSEPH BOUCHER both of Bullo Pill, near Newn-
ham, Gloucestershire, railway wagon builders, 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:-
By this our invention we provide a coupling which cannot be accidentally
detached and which at the same time occupies only a small space. Moreover by
a mechanical arrangement hereinafter described the coupling can be booked and
unhooked without the necessity of a man going between the wagons and carriages
a practice which has caused much loss of life. Our invention may be briefly
described as follows:-
We provide a hook of a novel construction secured by any efficient means at end
of carriage between the buffers. This hook is different to that ordinarily used by
being formed with a guide or stop at its top edge which said guide or stop answers
the double purpose of guiding the shackle of the adjacent vehicle into the hook
aforesaid and also prevents the coupling from accidentally unhooking. The bottom
edge of our hook terminates in a point longer than that on ordinary hooks and this
also serves to guide the shackle of adjacent vehicle into the hook.
Our coupling consists of the hook beforementioned and of two links suspended
therefrom and intended for attachment with the adjoining vehicle. One of the
links is of the ordinary shape being long and narrow and is passed through an
aperture made for the purpose at the back of the hook. The other link is of a
novel shape and hangs from the first link. It consists of two loops of different sizes
one of the loops being made wide at one end and brought in close at the other end,
there it is welded, turned over and welded again to form the second loop the reverse
way to the first and larger loop. Or the second loop could be formed by bringing
together the two ends of the larger loop, placing a ring or band round them
welding all together and punching or drilling a hole through same, or we would
form the second loop or hole in any other suitable manner. The link is suspended
by this smaller loop on to the long narrow link beforementioned and the coupling is
ready for attachment to the hook of the adjacent vehicle. In use the links afore-
Baid are attached to hook and the corresponding links on other vehicle hang down.
By our invention we dispense with the shackle at present in use which is apt to
become stiff to work and has been known to cause serious injury to life and pro-
perty. In case however the old pattern hooks are required to be used a shackle
may be applied.
The object of forming one link with two loops reverse ways is to enable the
coupling to be attached to the hook on adjacent vehicle without the necessity of
employing an additional link, and by reason of the joint being about the centre of
the coupling the said coupling falls out of the way when the buffers are compressed
by the vehicles coming closer together. In order to hook or unhook our coupling
we provide a lever which consists of a rod of iron bent or cranked of any desired
shape for the purpose of lifting the coupling on or off the hook on adjacent vehicle.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of our improved coupling, shewing the trucks
coupled and the coupling out of gear, as indicated by the dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
•
Fig. 3 is an elevation of an alternative form of our coupling (with three links of
ordinary construction) hereinafter more fully described.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3 shewing more clearly the arms of bent lever for
operating our alternative form of coupling.
In a truck or vehicle of the ordinary form and provided with a hook, also of the
ordinary form, we provide a lever A securely fixed, but free to turn in bearings a
or in any other suitable way; the said bearings being securely bolted to the head
stock or end piece of vehicle.
This lever A which is made preferably round, passes the entire length of the
truck or vehicle, and is bent at right angles or cranked in such a manner as to form
hand levers or arms A' by means of which our coupling is hooked or unhooked.
To the hook C, which is of ordinary shape, and through an aperture c in its
shank or rear part, is placed a link D of any suitable form, but which in the
annexed drawings is shown long and narrow, in order that it may clear the hook
when being raised or lowered.
The aperture c in the hooks C, C may be made oblong in order to allow the
link D to move freely, when it is required to use double coupling simultaneously-
the one passing over the other. Through the link D is placed another link D'
which is shorter than the link D and having formed at its top and lower sides, two
eyes, loops or projections d d. To this link D is also formed another link d¹ in
one piece and moving rigidly with the said link D¹ and which is either made of the
ordinary shape, or is suitably narrowed at its junction with the link D¹ made
wider at its other end that it may freely pass over the hook 0¹.
.

page_text: To the lever A and at a suitable distance from its centre, I attach a lever B at
right angles and in the same plane with the two arms 'A¹ A¹.
This lever B may be either round, or flat and narrow in shape, and having
formed at its projecting end a boss 6 projecting at right angles to it, and to which
is formed the pin b' either in one piece with, or separately from, the said boss b-
the said pin being of such a diameter that it shall pass through the aperture
formed in the loop d and be capable of turning freely in the said aperture. The
loop d may be more securely attached to the pin b' in several ways,—namely by a
washer 6 placed on, and a small pin placed through the projecting part of the
lever pin 6. When the lever B is made round in shape, it may be simply bent or
cranked at its projecting end in such a manner that it shall pass through the
aperture in the loop and form a journal in which the link Di is to work. To
the lower side of the link D and to the projection d³ formed thereon we attach
rigidly a crank arm E which is either bent or suitably cranked in such a manner
that it forms a crank pin e of such a length and diameter that it is free to move in
and enter the slot f formed at the projecting end of the lever F. The lever F made
in any suitable form is fastened at one end to a shorter lever G by a bolt passing
through suitable eyes formed at the extremities of the said levers F and G.-We
may however vary this mode of attachment as may be most convenient. The
short lever G is securely attached to the lever A either by screwing or any other
suitable means and simultaneously moving rigidly with the said lever A.
The projecting lever F is at its farthest end suitably widened in order that it
may be slotted or have formed at its extremity the loop in which the pin e is
'free to travel. In order to simplify our invention we may however dispence with
the levers G. F, and the crank arm E in combination with the projection d' on the
link D¹ the former combination being used only where greater rigidity and even-
ness of motion are required.
Having now described the several parts of our invention, we will now proceed to
describe the manner in which the combination of levers and links are operated
and the manner in which the trucks or vehicles are coupled and uncoupled. The
trucks or vehicles when required to be uncoupled are brought together until the
link formed in one piece with the link D is clear of the overhanging part or
point of the hook C¹. Having thus brought the vehicles together, the arms A¹
are slightly lifted carrying with them the levers B. F, and at the same time
causing the link to be lifted from off the hook C-the vehicle or vehicles are
then drawn apart and the arms A¹ of the lever A together with its projecting
levers B and F and the links D and D¹ are allowed to fall when they will, owing
to the length and action of the levers B and F, take up the position shewn by
dotted lines.
It will be seen that the projecting link dis brought into an angular position
when at rest so that when the lever arms A' together with the combination of
levers and links are again brought into a horizontal position, the said projecting
link slides up the rounded or bevelled edge of the hook b¹ and falls into place
when the levers are released, said levers taking up the horizontal positions shewn
so long as the vehicles are coupled.
By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that our arrangement of levers, may
be used for coupling or uncoupling the links of the ordinary chain now in use,
with but slight alterations and additions to the shape of the several parts. To the
lever A which is attached either over or under the buffers to the headstock or
front piece of the truck or vehicle in the manner hereinbefore described, we again
secure firmly (as before) the lever B but having its cranked end 6* made longer in
order that it may pass under one or two arms H, H, hereinafter described. To the
front link J we attach a band ; which is formed of a flat piece of iron or other
suitable metal bent to fit the rearward carved portion of the link J and having its
ends cut in such a manner that they form clips which are bent over each side of
the link J forming a rigid attachment. To the two sides of the band jare welded
or otherwise secured two arms HH,-the said arms H H being formed of any

page_text: convenient shape or section and being projected first upwards and then downwards
until they meet beneath the second link K in the manner shewn at k thus forming
the loop through which passes the cranked pin or arm 6 of the lever B. The
third link L is formed wide at its fore end and tapers off towards its rear end,
having at its two ends two eyes, 1, 7 through which passes a bolt which secures it
to the hook C₁ in the usual manner.
To the band we attach or screw a projecting pin or arm M which is of such a
length and section that it enters and moves freely in the slot f formed at the end
of the lever F said lever being the same as that described in Figs. 1 and 2 and
attached in the same way to the levers A and G.
Having now described the several parts of our alternative arrangement we now
proceed to describe the manner in which the combination of parts is manipulated.
After bringing the trucks or vehicles closely together as before the levers or
arms A¹ of the lever A together with the levers B and F are slightly raised
simultaneously carrying with them the link J and lifting it from off the hook C.
The arms or levers A¹ A' are then allowed to fall, when they will hang vertically
at the side of the vehicle, and the combination of levers and links will assume the
position shown by the dotted lines, and readily understood by comparing similar
letters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. A shackle consisting of two links substantially as and for the purposes
herein before set forth and described.
2nd. A lever A passing along the entire headstock or front piece of an ordinary
railway truck or vehicle in combination with one or two levers B and F, as may
be convenient, suspended therefrom, operating on a link and combination of
links D. D¹ in such a manner that the trucks or vehicles may be securely and
easily coupled and uncoupled substantially as and in the manner herein before set
forth and described.
{
3rd. An alternative arrangement by which the said combination of levers may
be applied to an ordinary shackle commonly in use, in such a manner that the said
shackle is hooked and unhooked, substantially as described and set forth.
4th. The construction and general arrangement of our "Improvements in coup-
lings for railway vehicles," substantially as and for the purposes herein before set
forth illustrated and described.
T
1000