Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
Improvements in Car Couplers.
A communication by ROBERT H. DOWLING and WILLIAM F. PERDEW, both of
Newark, in the County of Licking, State of Ohio, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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:-
"
This invention pertains to car couplers of the well known Janney type,"
wherein two coacting drawheads are each provided with a hinged and horizontally
swinging knuckle by the interlocking of which knuckles the cars are coupled.
The present invention consists essentially in a coupler of this character, having
the drawheads and the knuckles formed with elongated holes or openings for the
pivot pins, which pins are made of different cross section in different portions of
their length, so that when dropped to their normal position they shall hold the
knuckle against bodily outward movement and in locking engagement with the
drawheads, but that when the pins are raised to proper height the knuckle and
pins may move bodily forward, thereby permitting the unlocking of the knuckles,
preparatory to their swinging or rotary movement about their pivot pins.
The accompanying drawings illustrate this invention in its simplest and pre-
ferred form, but it is susceptible of modification in its details without departing
from the spirit and scope thereof.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a drawhead and knuckle constituting one member
of this improved coupling, the drawhead being broken away to show the interior
thereof and the arrangement of the knuckle therein;
Figure 2, a similar view with the pivot pin lifted and the knuckle moved
forward to withdraw its inner arm or extension and its forward locking shoulder
from locking engagement with the drawhead;
Figure 3, a like view showing the knuckle swung about its pivot to the unlock-
ing position;
Figure 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the pin in its normal
position;
Figure 5, a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the pin in its elevated
position, and the knuckle and pin noved forward;
Figure 6, a perspective view of the forward end of the drawhead;
Figure 7, a perspective view of the knuckle detached;
Figure 8, a perspective view of the pivot pin ;
Figure 9, a perspective view of the forward end of the drawhead showing the
pivot pin elevated and the knuckle moved forward to effect its unlocking, pre-
paratory to its being swung outward to the position indicated by dotted lines.
D
017

page_text: The purpose of this invention is to produce a coupling which shall be at once
strong and simple in construction, and efficient in operation.
The two drawheads with their knuckles and pivot pins being precisely alike,
it will be sufficient to describe and illustrate one of them.
With the stated objects in view, a drawhead 1 is formed of substantially the
usual outline or contour of the Janney coupler, but with shoulders or abut-
ments 2, and projecting lugs 3 formed upon the arms 4, in or between which the
kuuckle 5 is pivoted. The arms 4 are also provided with elongated holes or
openings 6, designed to receive the pivot pin 7, and a like elongated hole or open-
ing 8 is formed in the knuckle 5 for the same purpose. So too, the knuckle is
formed with shoulders 9 and 10, the former engaging with the shoulders 2 of
the drawhead when the knuckle is swung inward to the coupling pesition, and
the latter engaging said shoulders 2 when the knuckle is swing outward to its
uncoupling position, the shoulders 10 thus serving to limit the opening movement
of the knuckle.
The knuckle is further formed with vertical shoulders or abutments 11 to engage
with the projecting lugs 3 of the drawhead, indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1
and 2, and shown in full lines in Figure 6.
Referring now to Figure 1, it will be observed that when the knuckle is in its
coupling position, its inner arm or extension 12 extends into the open or box-like
body of the drawhead 1 the extreme nose or point 13 of said extension bearing
against the side wall of the opening in the drawhead, as plainly shown in said
Figure. So too, when the knuckle is in its locked or coupling position, the
shoulders 11 of said knuckle engage with the lugs of the drawhead, and thus
aid the arm 12 in holding the knuckle against rotation about its pivot pin 7.
From this construction and arrangement of parts, it will be seen that so long
as the knuckle is retained in the position shown in Figure 1, it will be impossible
for it to swing or rotate about its pivot pin, and that it cannot thus swing until
it is moved bodily forward in a straight line a sufficient distance to effect the
disengagement of the nose 13 of arm 12 from the wall of the drawhead opening,
and also the disengagement of shoulders 11 of the knuckle from the lugs 3 of the
drawhead.
To permit this bodily movement forward, the elongated openings 6 and 8 of
the drawhead and knuckle are provided, and a pivot pin 7 of the peculiar form
and construction illustrated in Figure 8 is employed. As will be seen by referring
to Figures 4, 5 and 8, the pivot pin 7 has two cylindrical portions 14, and two
portions 15, of elliptical form, or of a form to fit and fill the openings 6 and 8 of
the drawhead and knuckle.
The upper elliptical portion 15 is of a length or depth corresponding substan-
tially to the length or thickness of the upper arm 4 of the drawhead, as is also
the upper cylindrical portion 14. The lower elliptical portion is of a length or
measurement equal to the depth or thickness of the knuckle 5, while the lower
cylindrical portion 14 is of a length somewhat greater than the thickness of the
lower arm 4 of the drawhead, to provide for a cotter or fastening pin or an actuat-
ing lever, as the case may be.
When the parts are assembled and the knuckle is closed to locking position,
the pin 7 drops by gravity to the position indicated in Figure 4, the upper
elliptical portion 15 filling the elongated opening 6 of the upper arm 4 of the
drawhead, and the lower elliptical portion 15 filling the lower part of the opening 8
of the knuckle and also filling the opening 6 of the lower arm 4 of the drawhead.
From this is follows that the knuckle is held in the position indicated in
Figure with its inner arm 12 in locking engagement with the inner wall of the
drawhead and its shoulder 11 in locking engagement with the lugs 3 of the draw-
head arms 4, thus producing an exceedingly strong lock, and precluding the
possibility of accidental opening of the coupling.
By lifting the pivot pin to the position indicated in Figure 5, the circular or
cylindrical sections of pin 7 are brought within the elongated openings 6 of

page_text: the arms 4 of the drawhead, thus leaving the pin and the knuckle free to be
moved outward to the position indicated in Figure 5. This movement is sufficient
to effect a disengagement of the nose or point 13 of arm 12 from the inner wall
of the drawhead, and also to effect a disengagement of the shoulders 11 from the
lugs 3, and consequently to make the knuckle free to swing about its pivot.
For the purpose of thus elevating the pin, a suitable lever 16 is provided which
in the drawings is represented as having one end passed through the lower end of
the pin and there secured by a suitable through-pin or fastening 17, though it
will be readily understood that a lifting device may be attached to the upper
end of the pin if preferred.
The lever 16 is carried outward toward the side of the car a suitable distance
to enable it to be readily grasped by the operator, and a lug or hook 18 is formed
upon the under side of the drawhead, as shown in Figure 9, to support the lever 16
when lifted to the position indicated in Figure 5.
When it is desirable to uncouple two cars, it is only necessary to lift one or the
other of the pins 7 of the adjoining drawheads and to rest the lever 16 upon its
hook or support 18. The draft or strain brought upon the knuckles will then
cause the knuckle of which the pivot pin has been lifted, to move first directly
outward far enough to effect the disengagement of the locking parts, as indicated
in Figure 2, and then to swing horizontally about the pivot pin, as in Figure 3.
Should it be desired to set the knuckle to receive the companion knuckle of
another drawhead, this may be effected by first lifting the lever 16 to bring the
pin to the elevation indicated in Figure 5, then pressing the same forward to
move the pin and the knuckle outward to the position also indicated in Figure 5,
after which the lever may be swung horizontally and thus caused to throw open
the knuckle, as indicated in Figures 3 and 5.
A rod or handle is indicated by dotted lines in Figure 9 carried upward from
the top of the pin by which to raise and turn or manipulate the same, and it will
of course be understood that this is within the scope and spirit of the invention;
or, in other words, that any suitable appliance may be adopted for raising, turning,
or moving laterally the coupling pin.
The precise form of the pin is unimportant provided only it be cut away in
such form as to permit it to move lengthwise of the openings 6 and 8 of the
drawhead and knuckle when moved out of its normal position. The form indi-
cated is, however, deemed best.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a car coupler, the combination of a drawhead, a knuckle having a limited
movement backward and forward therein to carry it into and out of locking
engagement with the drawhead, and a pivot pin connecting said parts and of
different cross section in different portions of its length, whereby said pivot pin
when dropped to normal position is caused to lock the knuckle against outward
movement, but when raised a proper distance will permit such outward move-
ment.
2. In combination with a drawhead, a knuckle pivoted therein and adapted to
move a limited distance backward and forward therein, and thereby to carry its
inner arm into and out of locking engagement with the walls of the drawhead.
3. In combination with a drawhead having forwardly projecting arms pro-
vided with elongated openings, a knuckle pivotally supported between said arms
and likewise provided with an elongated opening and a pivot pin passing through
the openings of the drawhead arms and the knuckle, of different cross section
in different portions of its length, substantially as described, whereby it may be
caused to fill the elongated openings of the drawhead arms, or moved longi-
tudinally to bring its reduced portions in alignment with said arms preparatory
to a lateral movement of the pin and outward movement of the knuckle.

page_text: 4. In combination with a hollow drawhead 1, having arms 4 provided with
elongated openings 6; knuckle 5 provided with elongated openings 8 and with
arm 12, and pivot pin 7 having cylindrical portions 14 and elliptical portions 15,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In combination with a drawhead provided with lugs 3, a knuckle 5 having
shoulders 11 and adapted to move backward and forward in the direction of the
length of the drawhead, and also to swing about its pivot; and a pivot pin
connecting said parts and of different cross section at different portions of its
length, whereby it is adapted when in one position to hold the knuckle against
movement lengthwise of the drawhead and to retain the shoulders 11 in engage-
ment with the lugs 3, and when in another position to permit such movement
and consequent disengagement of the shoulders and lugs.
6. In combination with drawhead 1 having arms 4 provided with shoulders 2,
lugs, and elongated openings 6, knuckle 5 provided with elongated opening: 8,
shoulders 9, 10 and 11, and arm 12, and pivot pin 7 provided with reduced
portions 14 and enlarged portions 15, substantially as described and shown.
7. In combination with drawhead 1 having arms 4 provided with elongated
openings 6, and having also a hook or lug 18, knuckle 5 provided with arm 12
and elongated opening 8, pivot pin 7 of varying section in different portions of
its length; and lever 16 connected with said pin, all substantially as described
and shown.
Dated in 9th dive of A1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.