Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
✓ Improvements in Car Couplers.
I, CHARLES ALBERT GOULD of 120, Broadway, New York City in the County
and State of New York, United States of America, President do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates generally to improvements in car couplers of the con-
struction in which a rotary coupling hook is combined with a gravity pawl, pivoted
in a recess in the draw-head. Couplers of this construction_are_confessedly-old--
and well known in the art, and the invention, therefore, relates to details of
construction which, specifically considered, consist in means whereby the operation
of the gravity lock or pawl is made more efficient in action and operation.
These means, briefly stated, consist in employing a dog pivoted above the locking
The locking pawl
pawl or catch, and capable of a tilting or oscillating movement.
or catch is suitably connected to this dog, and when the dog is tilted or oscillated
to uncouple the cars, the lower end of the dog bears against and compresses a
spring or spring controlled rod, which, when the lifting strain on the dog is
released, acts to force the dog back to its normal position, and the pawl or catch
falls to its seat in the draw-head and is ready for the coupling operation. By this
construction friction is avoided in the operation of the pawl or catch to couple or
uncouple cars, and the movement of the locking pawl or catch is made positive at
all times.
This 10th day of Mav 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplers.
I, CHARLES ALBERT GOULD, President of 120 Broadway, in the City, County
and State of New York, United States of America, 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 relates generally to improvements in car couplers of the con-
struction in which a rotary coupling hook is combined with a gravity pawl, pivoted
in a recess in the draw-head. Couplers of this construction are confessedly old
and well-known in the art, and the invention, therefore, relates to details of
construction which, specifically considered, consist in means whereby the operation
of the gravity lock or pawl is made more efficient in action and operation.
These means, briefly stated, consist in employing a dog pivoted above the locking
The locking
pawl or catch, and capable of a tilting or oscillating movement.
pawl or catch is suitably connected to this dog, and when the dog is tilted or
oscillated to uncouple the cars, the lower end of the dog bears against and com-
presses a spring or spring-controlled rod, which, when the lifting strain on the dog

page_text: is released, acts to force the dog back to its normal position, and the pawl or catch
falls to its seat in the draw-head, and is ready for the coupling operation. By this
construction friction is avoided in the operation of the pawl or catch to uncouple
or couple cars, and the movement of the locking pawl or catch is made positive at
all times.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, a horizontal section; Fig. 3, a vertical
section; and Fig. 4, a partial vertical section, of a car coupling illustrating my
invention.
A, designates the draw-head of the car coupler, which is provided at its front
end with a recess or cavity B, in which the coupling mechanism is contained and
arranged to operate.
This mechanism comprises a horizontally rotating hook or knuckle C, comprising
a tongue D, and coupling arm E; this rotating hook is in the form of a bifurcate,
and is centrally pivoted at one side of the front of the draw-head, and is adapted
to swing into the recess B, when in coupled position, and to swing outwardly
therefrom when in uncoupled position. A locking pawl or catch F, is pivoted in
the recess B, by means of a rod G, which passes through the draw-head from top
to bottom, and through one end of the locking pawl. This locking pawl or catch
is connected to and operated by a chain H, the upper end of which is secured to
a dog I, which is pivoted in the upper part of the draw-head, so as to have a
tilting or oscillating movement. This pivoted dog I, is provided with projecting
parts J, J, the part J, resting on the draw-head, and the part J', bearing against
the top of a spring-controlled rod K, arranged in the draw-head. The upper end
of the tilting dog I, is connected to a chain L, which in turn is connected to the
operating lever M. Inclined bearing faces N, N', are arranged in the draw-head,
so as to facilitate the proper movement of the locking pawl or catch F.
The operation of my improved coupling is as follows, viz. :
The coupling being closed, the operating lever M, is moved on its pivot and
operates the dog I, to raise the locking pawl or catch F, and as the latter move
upwardly it is retracted into the cavity or recess B, of the draw-head, partially by
means of the upper incline N1, against which it comes in contact with as it moves
upwardly, and upon which it rides to its rearward position. In this position of the
locking. catch F, the hook C, is free to rotate outwardly to its uncoupled position,
the tongue D, swinging out from the recess B. When the operation just described
takes place, the dog I, is tilted forwardly, and its projection J, bears downwardly
upon the rod K, forcing said rod downwardly, and thereby compressing spring K,
surrounding said rod; the lever M, may then be given a movement in the opposite
direction to that required to open the coupling, and the tension on the chain L,
being released, the spring K', forces the rod K, upwardly, and this in turn tilts
the dog I, backwardly, permitting the locking pawl or catch F, to return to its
normal position in the bottom of the draw-head, to which position it is guided by
the lower incline N. It will be observed that in the upward and downward
movements of the locking catch F, the operating chains H, and L, are always
substantially taut, and that the proper position of the locking catch in the coupling
and uncoupling operations is not only made positive, but is accomplished with
little or no friction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is.
In a car coupling comprising a draw-head having a recess or cavity in the front
part thereof, and a bifurcated coupling hook having a tongue and a coupling arm
centrally pivoted at one side of the front of said draw-head, and adapted to rotate
as described, the combination of a locking pawl or catch pivotally arranged in
said draw-head; a dog arranged above said catch, and connected thereto by means
of a chain or link; a spring-controlled rod against which a projection of said dog

page_text: bears; and operating mechanism, such as a chain and lever, whereby the said dog
can be tilted or oscillated to raise and lower said catch, for the purpose of effecting
the coupling and uncoupling operations, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of September 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.