Improvements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplings.
I, LOWELL EDWARD REDDEN, of Tempe, in the County of Maricopa, and
Territory of Arizona, United States of America, Mining and Prospecting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The invention relates to improvements in car couplings. The object of the
present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient car coupling
capable of coupling automatically and adapted to be readily set for uncoupling to
hold the coupling pin elevated out of engagement with a link until the latter has
been withdrawn from the draw-head by the separation of the cars. A further
object of the invention is to provide such a car coupling which will permit the
cars of a train to be successively started, similar to the ordinary pin and link car
couplings.
The invention consists in the construction, and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings
and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a car coupling constructed in accordance with
this invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the car-
coupling.
Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the bell crank lever.
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the link..
Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of
the drawings.
1 designates a draw-head designed to be secured to a car in the usual manner
and provided with a link opening and having a longitudinal slot 2, extending
through its top and bottom, and receiving a bell-crank lever 3. The bell crank
lever is fulcrumed at its angle by a transverse pin or pivot 4 and it is composed of
a substantially L-shaped rearwardly extended weighted arm 5, and a forwardly
and downwardly extending arm 6 disposed at an inclination and arranged to be
engaged by a link 7 entering the draw-head. A forwardly-extending arm 8 is
pivoted to the top or angle of the bell-crank lever by the transverse pin 4 and it
is bifurcated to receive the lever 3 and it is adapted to rest upon a fug or pro-
jection 9 formed integral with the bell crank lever and extending forward from
the same and located a short distance below the pivot point.
The weight of the arm 5 is adapted to swing the inclined arm 6 upward in
position to be engaged by the link, and also to raise the forwardly-extending arm 8
above the draw-head to lift a coupling pin 10, which is carried by the front end
of the arm 8 to a position above the link to permit the latter to enter the draw-
head preparatory to automatic coupling. The coupling pin is pivoted in the
bifurcation of the front end of the arm 8 and may be of any desired construction
but is preferably flattened instead of round like the ordinary coupling pin and
when the link enters the draw head and engages the inclined arm 6, the bell crank
lever is swung rearward causing the coupling pin to fall and engage the link.
The link has extended terminals 11 and when the coupling pin is in engagement
with the link, the latter maintains the inclined arm in a depressed position and
prevents the weight from raising the pin out of engagement with it.

page_text: Any suitable means may be provided for enabling the operation of uncoupling
to be performed from the top and sides of a car or from a coach and as the
upward extending arm is capable of swinging independently of the bell crank
lever it is adapted to be raised to disengage the coupling pin from the link to
effect the operation of uncoupling. The arm 8 is held in an elevated position
until the link has been withdrawn from the draw-head by a pivoted catch 12
which is mounted on top of the draw-head at the rear end of the slot or opening 2.
The catch is pivoted at its rear end and it is provided at its front end with a
depending lip 13 which engages opposite shoulders 14 of the rear end of the arm 8
and the shoulders are located at opposite sides of the bifurcation thereof. As
soon as the link is withdrawn from the draw-head and the angle of the bell crank
lever engages the catch and lifts the same out of engagement with the arm 8 the
parts are ready for automatic coupling.
It will be seen that the car coupling is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in
construction that it is positive and reliable in operation and capable of automatic
coupling and that it possesses the advantages of the ordinary pin and link car
coupling in that it permits the draw-heads sufficient play to enable the cars of a
train to be successively started.
Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any advantages of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a bell-crank lever
fulcrumed on the draw-head and comprising a rearwardly-extending weighted arm
and a downwardly extending inclined arm arranged to be engaged by a link, a
forwardly-extending arm pivotally connected with the draw-head and supported
by the bell-crank lever, a coupling pin connected with and carried by the
forwardly-extending arin, substantially as described.
2. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a bell crank lever
fulcrumed on the draw-head and composed of a rearwardly extending weighted
arm, and a forwardly extending inclined arm, a coupling pin, a forwardly
extending arm pivoted to the draw-head and carrying the coupling pin, and
arranged to be supported in an elevated position by the bell-crank lever, and a
link adapted to engage the inclined arm to cause the coupling pin to fall, said
link having its end portion extended sufficiently to maintain the inclined arm in a
depressed position, when in engagement with the coupling pin, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
3. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a longitudinal slot,
the bell crank lever 3 fulcrumed in the slot of the draw-head by a transverse pin
and composed of a rearwardly-extending weighted arm, and an inclined arm
extending downward and forward, said bell crank lever being provided at its
front below its pivot with a lug 9, the arm 8 pivoted to the draw-head by the
said transverse pin and supported by the lug 9, a coupling pin secured by the
arm 8, and a link having elongated ends and adapted to engage the inclined arm
of the bell crank lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a weighted lever
fulcrumed on the draw-head, a forwardly extending arm pivotally connected with
the draw-head, capable of movement independently of the weighted lever and
supported by the latter, a coupling pin connected with the forwardly-extending
arm and carried by the same, and a catch arranged to engage the arm auto-
matically when the latter is swung upward from the lever, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
5. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head, bell crank lever
fulcrumed on the draw-head, a forwardly-extending arm pivotally connected with

page_text: the draw-head and supported by the bell crank lever and provided with a shoulder
and a pivoted catch mounted on the drawhead in rear of said arm and adapted to
engage the same to hold the arm elevated, such catch being adapted to be
engaged and released by the lever after a link has been withdrawn from the
draw-head, substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of June 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.