Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
Improvements in Car Couplers.
A communication from JOSEPH HENRY COLEMAN, of the Village of Tottenham,
County of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, Merchant.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 object of the invention is to devise an extremely simple automatic car-
coupler, and it consists, essentially, of an arrow-headed link designed to fit into a
socket made in the interior of the draw-head, a movable block being inserted into
the draw-head into such a manner as to lock the arrow head of the link in the
socket; substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved automatic car-coupler attached
to the end of a box-car.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the improved draw-head with its link
locked in.
Figure 3 is a perspective detail of the locking block.
In the drawing A represents the draw-head which may be made any desirable
design and connected to the car in any suitable manner.
B is a block made any suitable shape and design to fit into a hole of
corresponding shape made in the draw-head A as indicated. A hole 6 is made
in the block B as large as the mouth of the draw-head at one end and reduced
at its inner end so as to be larger than the diameter of the body of the link.
C is a socket made in the inner end of the draw-head A which socket is made
so that the head D of the link E shall be a loose fit. When the link E enters the
mouth of the draw-head A, its head D comes in contact with the top of the hole b,
and as the block B is loose, it raises the said block until the head D passes it and
enters the socket C its head being clear of the block B, the latter falls, the hole b
permitting the said block to fall down behind the head D, thus locking the said
head inside the socket. As the head D of the link E is thus held clear of the
block B, the rocking of the link E has no effect upon the block B, as the said
block receives and withstands the entire draft.
1
The socket is the leading feature of the device as it holds the head T of the link
clear of the block B which block serves as an effective lock which cannot be
disturbed until the opening of the coupler is desired. Various devices may be used
for accomplishing this purpose. One plan is illustrated but my correspondent-does
not confine himself to the one shown. In the plan exhibited, is shown a horizontal
rod F carried in proper bearings on the end of the car G. An arm H extends
from the rod F and is flexibly connected to the block B, as shown. The arm H
is connected to the crank-lever I pivotted on the top of the car G. In this way
the block B may be raised either from the top of the car or from either side of it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreigu correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is,―
A draw-head A having a socket C made in it in front of which is placed a

page_text: movable block B with a hole b made through it in combination with a link E having
the head D formed on it substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 7th day of March 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOUlt,
Agents for the Applicant.