Improvements in Coupling Devices for Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1839-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES MUNTOs, of 100, North Fifth Avenue,
Maywood, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of
America, Engineer.]
Improvements in Coupling Devices for Railway and like Vehicles.
1. HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to automatic couplers for railway cars.
In automatic car couplers of the kind comprising a forked drawhead, a pivoted
knuckle and a gravity locking pin or block, considerable difliculty has heretofore
been experienced from the gravity lock working upward, or "creeping or
climbing as it is termed, when the cars are coupled in a train and the Train
is in motion, thus permitting the cars to come uncoupled, and sometimes causing
disastrous accidents or wrecks. This creeping or climbing of the gravity lock
is due to the tail of the knuckle bearing against the lock and causing it to work
upward, under the combined intermittent action of pulling strains and the up
and down vibrations or jolting movements of the car when in motion.
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic coupler of a simple,
efficient and durable construction that will effectually overcome this difficulty or
objection, and in which the ordinary single piece solid locking pin or locking
block may be employed without any danger, or possibility of its creeping or
climbing upward, and thus permitting the cars of a train to become uncoupled
while in motion, while at the same time the lock is entirely free to be lifted
when it is desired to uncouple the cars.
accomplish this object or result, by combining with the forked drawhead,
pivoted knuckle and gravity locking pin or lock of the car coupler a movable
shield or protecting plate, which is interposed between the tail or rear arm of
the knuckle and the lock, and which fits between the upper and lower horizontal
walls of the drawhead, so that this shield itself can have no upward movement,
and can thus impart none to the lock. This shield or protecting plate is made
movable so that it may swing horizontally to permit the knuckle to open when
the locking pin is raised. The shield or protecting plate is also provided with
a horizontal grooved projection or ledge for the lower end of the lock to rest
upon when the lock is lifted into its elevated position and set to uncouple, so
that the brakemen or trainmen in uncoupling the cars may simply lift the lock
and set it in its elevated position without waiting for the cars to be separated
or pulled apart, and thus open the knuckle. When the knuckle opens, the
shield or protecting plate is moved under the lock and serves to support the same.
When the knuckle closes, the shield or protecting plate upon which the lock
rests is moved from under the lock, thus permitting it to drop into its locking
position.
My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices,

page_text: and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described
and specified in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in
which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout all the figures.
Fig. is a horizontal section of a car coupler embodying my invention;
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in another position; Fig. 3 is a vertical
longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4
of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the shield or protecting plate.
f
In the drawing A is the forked drawhead, B the knuckle, pivoted by the
pin C to the pivot arm of the drawhead, is the guard arm of the drawhead.
1) is the gravity lock, locking pîn, or locking block, which serves to hold the
knuckle closed. To prevent any tendency or danger of the lock working or
creeping upward under the varying movements of the car when the train is in
motion and thus permitting the cars to come uncoupled, I interpose between the
lock and the rear arm or tail of the knuckle, which would otherwise bear
directly against the lock when the knuckle is closed, a movable arm, shield or
protecting pinte F, which fits snugly between the upper and lower walls a³ ³
of the drawhead, so that it can have no vertical movement, and is adapted to move
or swing horizontally on a center or pivot at, preferably consisting of a circular
ledge on the lower wall of the drawhead, against which the curved end of
the arm, shield or protecting plate F fits. This shield or protecting plate F
fits fint against the lock, D, and thus gives an extended bearing
against the lock, thereby adding materially to the strength, durability
and wearing qualities of the coupler. The movable or pivotal shield or pro-
tecting plate is provided with a fork or socket f, to receive the extreme rear
end or projection of the tail or rear arm of the knuckle, said projection &
being preferably rounded to fit in said socket or fork. This connection
between the shield or protecting plate F and the knuckle causes the protecting
plate to be swung under the lock 1 by the tail of the knuckle when the knuckle
is opened, and to be swung back into position to permit the lock D to drop
when the knuckle is closed. The movable arm, shield or protecting plate
is also preferably provided with a grooved projection at the inner end of
its fork for the lock D to rest upon, the lock having a grooved edge d to fit in
the groove of the projection. The tail of the knuckle is also provided
with an offset or shelf at its rear edge, and the shield or protecting plate F
with a notch to fit on said shelf. In order that the lock D may be held in
its lifted position while the knuckle is closed so that the knuckle may open when
the cars are subsequently pulled apart, I provide the hole or passageway a
in the drawhead, through which the lock D is inserted, with an enlargement
or inclined side to permit the lock to be tilted as illustrated in Fig. 4 sufliciently
to cause its edged to project over the grooved projection and thus hold the
lock in this position. This raised part or projection is provided with a curved
or cam face, and the lock D is provided with a notch and a curved or
cam face, which is engaged by the curved or cam face of the projection /
and serves to push the lock back into a vertical position when the lock, by reason
of its notch drops off the raised part or projection. To guide the descent
of the lock D. the shield F is provided with a guide or ledge. The raised
projection also serves as a guide for the lock. The wall of the drawhead is
provided with a notch or recess a to receive the projection or ledge on the
shield or profecting plate. The tail or rear arm of the knuckle is provided
with a hook or projection 6, which fits in a recess in the pivot arm of the
drawhead. And this hook. by engaging the shoulder of said recess, serves to
relieve the pivot pin from strain, and also to prevent the cars from coming
uncoupled in case the pivot pin should be accidentally removed or become broken.
The hook or projection on the tail or rear arm of the knuckle overlapping the
curved limb of the fork / also prevents the pivoted shield or protecting
plate from accidentally swinging back when the knuckle is open, and thus

page_text: getting in the way of the closing of the knuckle. The locking block or pin D is
made wedging in cross section, that is to say, its front face is thicker than its
rear face. And this wedging or inclined cross sectional shape of the locking pin
serves in operation to crowd the hook or projection 63 on the tail of the knuckle
into proper engagement with the shoulder of the recess a³. and thus to take up
any play or lost motion. When the knuckle opens, the pivoted shield or pro-
tecting plate is swung under the lock. so that the lock will rest upon and be
supported by it. To prevent the lock D from being lifted entirely out of the
drawhead, I provide the drawhead with a vertical slot or recess a", and the lock
with a vertical slot or recess to receive a stop block G. one side of which
is preferably inclined or wedging, and which in connection with said slots serves
to limit the upward movement of the lock 1). The back wall d' of the recess or
slot in the lock D is inclined, to permit the stop block G to fit flush with the
face of the lock, to enable the stop block G and lock D to be thus inserted in
place.
-;
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a car coupler, the combination with the drawhead, knuckle and gravity
lock, of a movable arm, shield or protecting plate interposed between the lock
and the tail or rear arm of the knuckle and bearing against the upper wall of
the drawhead to prevent the lock working upward or creeping and the cars
coming uncoupled when the train is in motion, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with the drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a movable
shield or protecting plate interposed between the lock and the fail or rear arm
of the knuckle and bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead, said shield
or protecting plate being engaged by the tail of the knuckle and operated thereby,
substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a pivoted
shield or protecting plate interposed between the lock and the tail of the knuckle
and bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a movable
shield or protecting plate engaged by the tail of the knuckle and interposed
between the lock and the tail of the knuckle and bearing against the upper
wall of the drawhead and upon which the lock rests when the knuckle is
opened, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a shield
or protecting plate interposed between the lock and the tail of the knuckle and
bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and provided with a projection
on its upper face to hold the lock in its elevated position when the knuckle is
closed, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with a forked drawhead, of pivoted knuckle, gravity lock
and a pivoted shield or protecting plate, bearing against the upperwall of the
drawhead and interposed between the lock and the tail of the knuckle and
having a fork or socket to receive the extreme rear end of the tail of the knuckle,
substantially as specified.
7. In a car coupler. the combination with a drawhead, knuckle and lock, of a
movable arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and interposed
between the lock and the tail of the knuckle and engaged by the tail of the
knuckle and moved thereby under the lock to support the same when the knuckle
opens, substantially as specified.
S. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawhead, knuckle and lock. of
a horizontally swinging arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead
and pivoted to the drawhead and engaged by the tail of the knuckle and moved
thereby under the lock to support the same when the knuckle opens, substantially
as specified.

page_text: 9. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a swinging
arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and interposed between
the lock and the tail of the knuckle, and having a fork or socket fi to receive
the end of the tail of the knuckle and cause said arm to swing under the lock
when the knuckle opens, substantially as specified.
10. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a swing-
ing arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and interposed between
the lock and the tail of the knuckle, and having a fork or socket to receive
the end of the tail of the knuckle and cause said arm to swing under the lock
when the knuckle opens, said lock having a notch d', and said arm F having a
cam acting projection substantially as specified.
11. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a swing-
ing arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and interposed between
the lock and the tail of the knuckle, and having a fork or socket to receive
the end of the tail of the knuckle and cause said arm to swing under the
Jock when the knuckle opens, said lock having a notch, and said arm F
having a cam neting projection ƒ³, and a guide or ledge f, substantially as
specified.
12. The combination with a drawhead, knuckle and gravity lock, of a swinging
arm bearing against the upper wall of the drawhead and interposed between
the lock and the tail of the knuckle, and having a fork or socket to receive
the end of the tail of the knuckle and cause said arm to swing under the lock
when the knuckle opens, the tail of the knuckle having an offset or shelf 6ª
at its rear edge and said arm F having a shoulder or offset ', substantially
as specified.
1. In an automatic compler, the combination with a forked drawhead, of a
pivoted knuckle having a hook or projection on its tail or rear arm engaging
recess or shoulder in the wall of the drawhead and a lock, wedge-shaped in
cross section, to cause said hook or projection on the tail of the knuckle to snugly
tit or engage said press or shoulder in the drawhead, substantially as specified.
14. In an automatic coupler, the combination with a forked drawhead, of a
pivoted knuckle having a hook or projection on its tail or rear arm engaging a
recess or shoulder in the wall of the drawhead and a lock, wedge-shaped in cross
section, to cause said hook or projection on the tail of the knuckle to snugly
fit or engage said recess or shoulder in the drawhead, and a movable shield
or protecting plate interposed between the lock and the tail of the knuckle, sub-
stantially as specified.
15. In an automatic car coupler, the combination of a forked drawhead, with
a pivoted knuckle, a gravity lock and a stop block fitting in a vertical slot or
recess in the lock and drawhead to limit the upward movement of the lock,
substantially as specified.
16. In an automatic car compler, the combination with a drawhead, of a
pivoted knuckle, a gravity lock and a shield or protecting plate having a
eurved rear end fitting and abutting against a curved boss a' on the lower wall
of the drawhead as a pivot, substantially as specified.
17. In an automatic car coupler, the combination with a drawhead, of a pivoted
knuckle, a gravity lock and a shield or protecting plate having a curved rear
end ƒ fitting and abutting against a curved boss a' on the lower wall of the
drawhead as a pivot, said shield or protecting plate having a fork or socket f
embracing a projection 6ª on the tail or rear arm of the künckle, substantially
as specified.
il
18. In an automatic car coupler, the combination with a drawhead, of a
pivoted knuckle, a gravity lock and a shield or protecting plate having
curved rear end fitting and abutting against a curved bossa on the lower
wall of the drawhead as a pivot, said shield or protecting plate having a
socket embracing a projection on the tail or rear arm of the knuckle, the
tail or rear arm of the knuckle having a hook or projection for the limb fi

page_text: of said fork f¹ to fit against and thus prevent said shield or protecting plate F
from turning on its pivot when the knuckle is open, substantially as specified.
19. In an automatic car coupler. the combination of a forked drawhead with a
pivoted knuckle, a gravity lock and a longitudinally swinging shield or pro-
tecting plate F, the tail or rear arm of said knuckle having a hook against
which swinging shield or protecting plate may engage when the knuckle is
open to prevent the shield or protecting plate from swinging back in the way of
the closing of the knuckle, substantially as specified.
Dated this Sacand day of War 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.