IM- PROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY COUPLINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY COUPLINGS." A communica-
tion from abroad by Léon Verlinde, of Lille, France.
Sealed the 9th May 1879, and dated the 22nd November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1878.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH
RAILWAY COUPLINGS." [A communication from abroad by Léon Verlinde, of Lille,
France.]
The improved couplings which form the subject of the present Invention consist
of a hook on the end of a bar, part of which is round and threaded. On this
threaded part is a nut which bears against a spiral spring and passes freely into a
bevel wheel. This bevel wheel gears with another bevel wheel to which a toothed
wheel is fixed, and this toothed wheel in its turn gears with a pinion whose shaft
extends to both sides of the carriage, and is fitted with a handle at each end. By
turning either of these handles in one direction or the other (which can be done
without going between the rails) the gearing above described causes the hook bar
to advance or recede as required. On the outer end of the hook bar a jointed link
is hinged; the inner end of the link is toothed and gears with a toothed sector on a
rod which extends to both sides of the carriage and is fitted with a handle or lever
at each end. By turning either of these handles or levers the link can be moved
into or out of the corresponding hook on the next adjoining carriage. When the
Price 621

page_text: carriages are coupled up the adjoining ends have a double coupling, that is to say,
the link on each carriage takes into the hook on the other carriage.
Sometimes the toothed wheel and pinion before described are dispensed with, the
handle for causing the hook bar to advance or recede being then connected to one
of the bevel wheels which are a little excentrated.
Sometimes also the hooked bar is caused to advance or recede by means of an
endless screw and epicycloidal wheel, the endless screw being formed on a shaft
extending to both sides of the carriage where it is fitted with handles.
On the nut there is an index or pointer extending to each side and showing if
the buffers are sufficiently brought together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1879.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH
RAILWAY COUPLINGS." (A communication from abroad by Leon Verlinde, of Lille,
France.)
The improved couplings which form the subject of the present Invention consist
of a hook on the end of a bar, part of which is round and threaded. On this
threaded part is a nut which bears against a spiral spring and passes freely into a
bevel wheel. This bevel wheel gears with another bevel wheel, to which a toothed
wheel is fixed, and this toothed wheel in its turn gears with a pinion whose shaft
extends to both sides of the carriage and is fitted with a handle at each end. By
turning either of these handles in one direction or the other (which can be done
without going between the rails) the gearing above described causes the hook bar
to advance or recede as required. On the outer end of the hook bar a jointed link
is hinged; the inner end of the link is toothed and gears with a toothed sector on
a rod which extends to both sides of the carriage and is fitted with a handle or
lever at each end. By turning either of these handles or levers the link can be
moved into or out of the corresponding hook on the next adjoining carriage.
When the carriages are coupled up the adjoining ends have a double coupling, that
is to say, the link on each carriage takes into the hook on the other carriage.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 represents a coupling constructed according
to this Invention. A is a hook on the end of a bar A', part of which, A2, is round
and threaded. B is a nut on the threaded part bearing against a spring C and
passing freely into a bevel wheel D. This wheel gears with another bevel wheel D¹
to which a toothed wheel is fixed, and this last named wheel gears with a wheel E
whose shaft extends to both sides of the carriage and is fitted with a handle Fat
each end. By turning one of these handles in the necessary direction the gearing
causes the hook bar A¹ to advance or recede as required. G is a jointed link fitted
on the end of the bar A; the inner end of this link is formed with teeth, as shown,
and gears with a toothed sector H on a rod which extends to both sides of the
vehicle and is fitted at each end with a handle or lever I. By turning either of the
handles I the link G can be moved into or out of the corresponding hook on the
next adjoining vehicle. As the link G is jointed it is not liable to slip out of its
hook when the buffers are driven inwards.
Sometimes the toothed wheel and pinion E before described are dispensed with,
the handle F for causing the hook bar to advance or recede being then connected
to the bevel wheel D', as shown in Figure 2.
Figures 3 and 4 represent the couplings shown in Figures 1 and 2 coupled
together; it will be seen that the coupling is double. On the nut B there is an
index or pointer extending to each side and showing if the buffers are sufficiently
brought together.
Sometimes the hook bar A¹ is caused to advance or recede by means of an endless
screw J and epicycloidal wheel K, see Figures 5 and 6, the endless screw J being
formed on a shaft extending to both sides of the carriage, where it is fitted with
handles F. In Figure 5 the coupling is shown fitted to a vehicle with springs in
the middle; and in Figure 6 to a vehicle with springs against the cross beam.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that I claim,-
The combination or combinations of parts forming improved mechanism for

page_text: effecting the coupling of railway vehicles, substantially as herein before described
and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.
J. C. MEWBURN. (L.S.)