Improvements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
Improvements in Car Couplings.
A communication from ALFRED HOWARD RENSHAW and HOWARD HART BURDEN,
both of the City of Troy, County of Rensselaer, and State of New York, United
States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 to improvements in that class of car couplers which are
known as the "knuckle type." In this type each of the coupler parts is a counter-
part of the other, and each of them is arranged to turn inwardly on a vertical axis
in the draw head, to interlock with the other coupler part, and to swing outwardly on
this vertical axis to disconnect.
Couplers of this class have heretofore generally been secured or locked by means
of a pin or block arranged to pass vertically into or through the draw head. The
person acting to connect or disconnect such couplers, was by necessity compelled to
use one hand to work the locking mechanism, and the other hand to move out the
knuckle-part on its pivotal connection. This latter operation necessitated the passage
of the operator between the cars upon the track, which is hazardous. This invention
operates to avoid these dangers and also gives a mechanism of greater simplicity and
strength. It consists primarily in arranging within the draw head a locking block,
operated by means of a rod with which and by which it is turned, which rod is
worked from the side of the draw head. By this rod the lock is operated to swing
upwardly to permit the outward passage of the inner end of the knuckle part, and
when the knuckle is closed it is allowed to fall automatically so as to intervene
between the latter and the draw head to secure the parts in position. Another feature
of this invention consists in combining with this rod which operates the lock block
to swing upwardly and with which it turns to swing down, a push block or finger.
This latter engages with the said rod when pushed inwardly, and by the rod may
be operated to engage with the knuckle and to force the same to swing outwardly on
its vertical axis.
This invention also relates to the sub-combination of these applied parts where they
perform specific functions.
Accompanying this Specification and forming part of it are two plates of drawings
containing seven figures illustrating the invention.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts on these drawings.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coupler-part showing this invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same coupler through the draw head and
knuckle part of the coupler, and shows the latter swung in and locked in position by
means of the lock block.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the coupler-parts shown in Figure 1 taken on
the same line as Figure 2. It shows the lock block swung up and the knuckle swung
out, with the push block or push finger in engagement with the inner end of the
knuckle and as operated by the lateral movement of the actuating rod, to push out
the knuckle part. The position of the push block or push finger when making such
engagement is indicated by the dotted line and the parts illustrated in Figures 2 and 3
are shown on a larger scale than in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the push block or push finger shown as removed
from the draw head.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lock block shown as removed from the
rowhood

page_text: Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of lock block, and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the operating rod or bar, shown as detached.
In the drawings the letter H designates the draw head, B the draw bar, and C the
knuckle form coupler part. This coupler part is made to tongue into the draw head
jaw J by a tongue T, and it is made with top and bottom trunnion form shoulders h,
which run in arch-form grooves g, cut in the upper and lower faces of the draw head
jaw where it is slotted transversely to receive the entering tongue T of the coupler
part C, as shown in Figure 1.
The letter L designates the lock block. This is made with a transverse opening O¹,
adapted to receive a rod R, which is provided with a journal passage P, made in the
draw head. This opening O' enables the lock block to so connect with the rod as to
form a hinged union therewith, so that the lock block may turn up and down with
the rod as the rod turns in its journal passage for such movement, and the rod is free
to move back and forth to a limited extent in the opening O', made in said lock
block. This lock block is so made on its outer edge that when swung up, the inner
end E of the coupling-part will pass by the block until it reaches the limit of its
inward movement. Then the lock block which is hung on the rod R, back of its
centre, will automatically fall so as to intervene between the inner edge e, of the
inner end of the coupler-part C, and a partition or web W, vertically formed in the
draw head.
The letter F designates the push block or push finger, which is arranged within
the draw head interior I, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and in a detached view at
Figure 4. This push block is preferably made with a rounded surface S, that in
concavity corresponds with the convexity of the rounded corner i of the inner end
of the coupler-part C, at the point against which this coupler-part abuts when
connected with another similar coupler-part. The letter g2 designates a rib formed
transversely on the concave of the push block, and S' is a slot formed transversely
in the rounded corner i, upon the inner end E, of the coupler-part C, this slot being
adapted to receive the rib o² on the push block, when the parts abut. The letter 02
designates an opening made in the push block for the passage of the rod R, and
this opening O2 is made with an annular shoulder n¹ and a slot d, in one side
thereof. The function of this push block as thus made and arranged is to engage
with the inner end E of the coupler-part C, and by this engagement to force
inwardly the inner end of the coupler-part C, and thus cause the front end to swing
outwardly on its vertical axis and into position for interlocking with a counter-part
coupler-part. This push block is operated as follows:-The letter J2 designates a
journal part made on the rod K, and P a bearing made in the side of the draw head,
in which bearing this rod is adapted to turn and be turned, and also to be moved
inwardly and outwardly. This rod R has also a journal part in the passage way 02
through the push block F which journal part at its outer end has the same diameter
as that of the bearing P, made for the rod, in the side of the draw head. But this
rod is made with an annular shoulder n' and a journal part n² of less diameter, where
it extends through the push block beyond the annular shoulder n', made in the
latter; and this rod is also made with flattened sides f, to adapt it for engagement
with the straight sides of the opening made in the lock block.
The letter p designates a pin or lug made on the rod R, which pin is adapted to
be passed through the slot made in the passage way 02 of the push block, so that
after it is thus inserted, the pin or lug p will be located on the inner side face of
the push block. Then when the rod is turned to raise the lock block and push the
coupler-part, this pin will move away from the slot at which it entered, and when
the rod is drawn back will engage with and pull back the push block or finger.
The letter P2 designates a cotter pin which is passed in through the opening D in the
draw head, and inserted in the inner end of the rod R, to hold the same in place.
The operation of the parts thus constructed and arranged is as follows:-When it
is desired to connect the coupler-part with a counter-part coupler-part upon another
car approaching, the rod R is turned to raise the lock block and then pushed
inwardly to throw open the coupler-part. The coupler-parts interlock as they abut,

page_text: the inner ends of the knuckle-form coupler-parts engaging to force outwardly the
push blocks, while passing under the lock blocks in each coupler-part. This being
effected the lock block in each coupler-part swings down on its hinged connection to
lock the parts, as before described.
In the modification of the lock block shown at Figure 6 a bevel b, is shown on
the under side thereof, to facilitate the passage beneath it of a knuckle-part operating
upon a vertical pin as an axis.
This lock block L may be varied in form to adapt it to various kinds of couplers.
There are, however, two essential features that must be retained, namely, that the
lock block must be arranged within the draw head interior, and it must have a
laterally arranged hinged connection on which it is operated to rise for the inter-
locking of the knuckle-form coupler-parts, and to automatically fall on the hinged
connection to lock them.
The function of the push block is to engage with the coupler-part at its inner
end, to move the same outwardly on a vertical axis and thus open out the front end.
Consequently, the form of the push block may be varied so long as it is operated
laterally to engage with the inner end of the coupler and to operate the same in
substantially the manner above described. As thus made and arranged the principal
operating parts are placed within the draw head interior, where they are not affected
by snow or ice, and they are operated from the side of the car.
To the rod R any
of the well known means may be applied to turn the same and then move it laterally.
It may be operated directly by hand or set in motion indirectly through other
mochanisms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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. The combination with a knuckle-form coupler-part which is constructed and
arranged to swing into the draw head when connecting, and out of the same when
disconnecting of a push block arranged within said draw head to bear against the
inner end of the coupler-part, and a rod extending through the sides of said draw
head, and engaging with said push block, said rod being adapted to be moved
laterally and to move said push block against the inner end of and so open the coupler
part and to be restored to position hy the inner end of the coupler-part, substantially
in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination with a knuckle-form coupler-part constructed to swing within
the draw head, of a lock block hinged on a rod on which it rises to allow the inward
movement of the coupler-part, and arranged to automatically swing down to lock
the coupler-part and a push block arranged to engage with said rod and to be moved
inwardly by it to push open said coupler-part, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with the knuckle-form coupler-part constructed to swing
within the draw head, of a lock block, a push block, and a rod arranged to operate
both the locking block and the push block, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a knuckle-form ooupler-part constructed to swing within
the draw head, of a rocking lock block and a reciprocating push block, a rod
connected to and operating both the lock and the push block, the rod being formed
substantially as described to oscillate the lock block and reciprocate the push block,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a knuckle form coupler part constructed to swing within
the draw head, of an oscillating lock block, a reciprocating push block, and a rod
passing through both blocks, being free to move laterally in the lock block and free
to rotate in the push block substantially as described.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.