Patent GB-190806464-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Cars.
Inventor: BERGLUND GUSTAF HENRIK FABIAN
Filed: 1908-03-23
Granted: 1908-07-16
Abstract: 6464. Berglund, G. H. F., and Lindencrona, H. A. H. March 23. Couplings, automatic.-In a car coupling of the type in which a pivoted hook upon each coupler head engages with a link or equivalent coupling- element upon the opposing head, the locking- mechanism for the hook is completely enclosed so as to prevent the entry of dust, ice, snow, &c. A coupler head 3 pivoted at 1 to the ordinary drawhook carries at one side of the centre a coupling- eye, which may be connected directly to the head, as shown at 49, Fig. 5, or may be attached thereto by a distance-rod 7, Fig. 1 ; at the other side of the centre, the coupler head carries a hook 11, Fig. 6, pivoted at 10. The locking-mechanism is enclosed in a chamber 14 fitted with a tight lid 15, and comprises a crank 20, Fig. 7, which is formed upon the pivot 10 and has its free end 22 connected by a tension spring 24 to one end of a locking-piece 21, which is mounted upon a second pivot 27. The parts 20, 21 are formed with cam-surfaces 25, 26 respectively, which are shaped so that, when in the locked position shown in Fig. 7, the common normal at their point of contact passes through the axis of the piece 21. The lock 21 is operated'by a cross-shaft 31, which is connected by an arm 30 and chain 29 to a crank 28 fitted on the pivot 27 at the outside of the lock-chamber. For uncoupling, the lock 21 is moved in a clockwise direction, whereby the cams 25, 26 are separated and the coupling-hook is raised through the spring 24 and crank 20 until its tail 12, Fig 6, contacts with the coupling-eye with which the book was engaged. The lock 21 is prevented from backward rotation when in this position by the action of the spriug 24, the centre line of which falls to the right of the axis of the lock 21. When the coupling-eye is removed, the hook swings further upwards through the influence of the spring 24 until the locking-parts take up the position shown in Fig. 9, in which they are retained by engagement of the portions 25<a>, 26<a> of the cams. In recoupling, the entering coupling-eye engages the tail 12 of the hook so as to rotate the hook into engagement and the lock into the position shown in Fig. 7. In a modified form of locking-mechanism, the cams are shaped so as to be in contact in all positions, and so that the continued upward movement of the hook and its crank, as the opposing coupling-eye is removed, tends to turn the locking- piece back towards the locked position. In order to preclude coupling, the lock 21 is retained in the unlocked position, shown in Fig. 9, by sliding the operating-shaft 31 axially until its handle 32 rests upon a bracket 33. The coupler head 3, Fig. 1, is centralized and retained in the horizontal position by a pair of spring bolts 54, which are connected to an arm 13 pivoted at 9, but may be dropped down into a vertical position, in order to free the drawhook for engagement with ordinary couplings, by folding the bolts 54 into recesses at the rear of the head. In a modification, the head is formed with lugs 19, Fig. 5, having cylindrical faces which bear against spring plungers 37, and as this arrangement cannot be dropped to the vertical position, the head is formed with a slot 41 for the entry of an ordinary coupling-link. Couplings, non-automatic.-Each head may be formed on the underside with a hook which carries a loose link adapted to serve for connexion to the standard reserve coupling-hook on the opposing car. Buffers; draw-gear.-The arrangement of spring plungers 37 described above is adapted to act as a central buffer, the inner ends of the plungers being guided by a cross-bar 38 which is secured to the corners of the car by adjustable rods 39.