GB431194A - Improvements in or relating to towing couplings for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

431,194. Couplings for railway &c. vehicles. RICHARDS, M., Fir Wood Cottage, West Chiltington Common, Sussex. Dec. 23, 1933, Nos. 36273/33 and 12405/34. [Class 103 (v)] [See also Groups XXXI and XXV] Ball - and - socket coupling means for road and rail vehicles comprises a ballended shank 2 and a socket member comprising a pair of hingedly connected jaws 4, 4<a> on a shank 5 carrying a locking ring or sleeve 9 which is slidable over the hinged connection to hold the jaws closed, the surfaces being tapered, if desired, to take up wear &c. The sleeve may be pressed into action by a spring 10 or may be retained in position by a detent adapted to engage recesses in the shank. The ball and socket shanks 2, 5 may be respectively anchored, rigidly or resiliently, to the vehicle ends 3, 8, or each vehicle may carry a socket member for co-operation with a loose rod or link having a ball at each end. The ball 1 and jaws 4, 4<a> may be shaped as shown in figure 4 to allow endplay and to accommodate the head 16 of a spring-pressed rod 17 adapted ordinarily to apply the trailer brakes in the event of over-running ; when however it is desired to back the vehicles, such endplay may be prevented by swinging a forked arm 28 or dropping a saddle member into position, as shown, behind a loose collar 24 causing this to bear against the open end of the socket member. An automatic coupling is shown in figure 5 wherein, when the parts are uncoupled, a rod 31, slidable in an axial bore in the socket shank, is pressed forward by a spring 32, thereby lifting a loose or pivoted stop member 36, (previously seated in a recess 37), to hold the slidable collar 9 retracted. On re-coupling, the ball presses back the rod 31 whereon the stop member 36 drops or is pressed back into the recess 37 releasing the collar 9 which, under the pressure of the spring 10, lifts the jaw 4<a> and re-establishes the coupling. A pin 33 passing through a slot in the rod 31 limits the protrusion thereof.