Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-02-29

politeness of Mr.. Boardly, the gentleman
ly engineer stationed upon the olarks-
burg residency of the N. w. Va. Railroad.
plans of the new car,coupling described
below. Our means ofjadging ofitsprac>
teal utility is limited, but we should
think it decided improvement upon the
old plan, and hope that it will be adopted
on this rond. We frequently see accounts
OF accidents happening while coupling
cars. This improvement avoids the ne
cessity of that dangerous duty. and will
save many lives and limbs.
Improved Railroad Coupling.
Among the dangers of life and limb
that have formed part of the institution
of railroads, there is no one cause that
has led to greater sacrifices than the risk
attending the coupling Of railroad cars.
Public indignation and sympathy arc
quickly excited when by negligence or
unavoidable accident a railroad passen.
ger is injured or killed, but the mulIifa.
rous dangers to which the employees of
railroad companies are exposed, and the
frequency with which they become vic.
Tins to those dangers, have censed TO ex'
cite comment. We appear TO have reach
ed the conclusion that the loss Of an arm
or leg. or total deprivation of life are
part OF the fortune Of war as much for
the railroad man as for the soldier, and
that neither can expect US to be very sen.
sibly affected by their misadventures.
Nevertheless humanity is as greatly out>
ragged by the unnecessary sacrifice Of tho
life Of a human brakeman as in that Of
the better known passenger. and the ef-
fort which removes or Lessons the risk TO
which the former is exposed is deserving
of attention and encouragement. This
end. we believe, has been very success.
fully accomplished by j. II. England, u
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, in the
invention Of a sclf.acting car coupler. So
many inventions intended to accomplish
this purpose have been brought to atten-
ton, and have so uniformly failed, that
railroad men have looked upon the FINAL
attainment Of the object as doubtful, and
adhered to the old mode of hand coupling
with all its risks to the employee, who is
required to stand between the cars 10
perform the operation, with the knowl.
edge that the slightest degree Of inex.
pertness on his part or of over impetus
from the locomotive will drive the cars
together and main or kill him. Mr..
England, however, has overcome the dit.
tcuIties that have perplexed Others and
has completed an apparatus that Is Of
once simple, and has every promise Of
entire efficiency. In form it does not dill.
Ter from an ordinary coupling apparatus.
Inside II has large iron bail, cast With
the coupling case. This ball, when The
coupling link is withdTawn, rolls down
towards the mouth Of the case, where Il
lodges against projecting lip and pre-
vents the coupling pin from falling down
When the ball is driven back by the en-
trance Of the coupling link, the pin falls
and the operation Of coupling is perform
ed. The ballalso performs another inn
portant purpose with equal facility:
When driven back it lodges upon the end
of the coupling link, holding il up 10 .
horizontal position. Railroad men VIII
easily understand from this description
the operation of the invention. 1t VIII
act with equal facility upon trains OF any
length, upon any grade aud upon hnJ
curve. All that is necessary Is 70 FIX tDs
coupling link at one end Of the car and .
raise the pin and to allow the ball to FOH
ANNA "aI0 az Iue .OLneF emo Ii sn
case the ball holds the coupling link y
position, IN the otherit supports the p,.'
All that Is then necessary TO push 70
cars together-tle ball Is pushed pc"
the pin falls. and the operation is perform
ed without loss Of time or danger 70 az
one. Mr.. England deserves both con-
mendation and reward for this iuyenliC.D,
the more so as II was attempted by hin
in the hope of preventing the painful
cidents which in the transaction o. y
immense business Of the Baltimore 81
Ohio Railroad are continually caussa "
the ordinary mode ofconpling cars