804 EEPORT — 1886. 



the starting of a train, beinor screwed up so tight that the whole train is started 

 practically "simultaneously ; but with goods trains the case is different, the weight 

 there to be started is so iinuch greater that slack couplings are required in order to 

 enable the engine to start the train in successive portions, and then draw-springs 

 are requisite for easing the snatch upon each slack coupling-chain. The use of 

 carriages without draw-springs and with centre-buffers has been already effected 

 in this country, having been introduced on the Brighton line, and been worked 

 satisfactorily there for many years on suburban trains that are not required to 

 couple with ordinary carriages. 



Automatic couplings of different kinds with centre-buffers are used in several 

 countries, and various modifications of what is known as the ' Norwegian hook * 

 are extensively used, in which the coupling-hook moves vertically, instead of 

 horizontally as in the American carriage coupling, and on bumping the vehicles 

 together the hook rises, and falls again into place by its weight. These couplings 

 have, however, the defect of not ha\ang any means of tightening up to steady the- 

 carriage against side oscillation ; and this objection has been met by introducing a 

 cam movement on a tightening lever, and by a screw to tighten up the pin upon 

 ■which the hook catches ; but these plans involve the objection of not being in dupli- 

 cate at the two ends of the carriages to allow of coupling indiscriminately. 



Automatic coupling, although at first naturally appearing the most correct 

 system, is found to involve in practice the sacrifice of other points that are of im- 

 portance ; and it has to be borne in mind that the desire for automatic couplings 

 has arisen in this country mainly from the existence of the side-buffers and the 

 dangerous obstruction that they cause in the access to the couplings. It becomes 

 then a question for consideration whether an automatic coupling is really required, 

 or whether a satisfactory solution of the question can be obtained by other means ; 

 and with the view of aiding in this matter the following suggestion is now offered for 

 an improved coupling : — 



In the proposed carriage coupling a screw-coupling is used as at present, but is- 

 attached to a rigid draw-hook on each carriage without any draw-spring, and 

 placed just below the centre-buffers. The buffer-heads are coupled together by a 

 link with drop-pin, in the centre of each buffer-face (as in the American wagons) ; 

 and this link, which is of a strong square section, prevents either buffer rising 

 beyond the limit allowed for variation in height of the carriage frames, and pre- 

 vents any mounting of one frame upon the other, and telescoping of the carriages. 

 In the act of coupling up, the screw-coupling is first hitched on to the draw-hook 

 as usual and screwed up, and the buffer-link is then coupled, and takes the place 

 of the present safety-chains. 



In the proposed wagon coupling the coupling-chain is hitched on to a draw- 

 hook as at present on running the wagons together ; but this draw-hook is rigid 

 without any draw-spring, and takes the place of the present safety-chain. The 

 centre-buffers above this coupling-chain are then coupled by a link with drop-pin 

 as in the carriages, only this link is made long enough to allow the required extent 

 of slack between the buffer-faces ; the buffers are made with a combined buffing 

 and draw-spring as in the American wagons. In the proposed arrangement both 

 for carriao'es and wagons, the two ends of each vehicle are kept duplicates, as in 

 the present English practice, so that either end of any carriage can be coupled to 

 either end of any other carriage or wagon. 



In conclusion, it was suggested that the objects to be aimed at in the couplings 

 and buffers of railway vehicles, are — 



Central position for all connections between the vehicles. 



Prevention of telescoping by having a rigid connection vertically. 



Exact correspondence between carriages and wagons for mixed coupling. 



Duplication of both ends of the vehicles in the couplings. 



Avoidance of the shock of bumping carriages together for coupling. 



Second safety coupling besides the main coupling for all vehicles. 



It was suggested that these objects can be best obtained by a combination of 

 the English and the American systems, selecting for this purpose the best points of 

 each ; this has been attempted in the plan here proposed, which can be applied as 



