Improvements in Car-couplings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
Improvements in Car-couplings.
I, ROBERT REDINGTON WILSON, citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 984 Magazine Street, in the City of New Orleans, Parish of Orleans, State of
Louisiana, and United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
arly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to car-couplings, and especially to those of the link and pin
ype, and it consists of certain novel parts, arrangements, and combinations, which
will be hereinafter described and claimed.
The object of the said invention is to provide a car coupler having the pin enter
from beneath the drawbar, and holding the pin at all times securely in the draw-
head, either when in position for coupling, or when coupled. These objects are
obtained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the
same parts are referred to by the same letters throughout the several views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a central longitudinal section through two cars about to couple
together, and illustrates the operation of my coupler.
Fig. 2 represents a front view of one of the couplers.
Fig. 3 represents a section along the line of Fig. 1, looking to the left.
Fig. 4 represents a top view of the spring for steadying the link in position, and
for centering the same, and Fig. 5 represents a side view of the same.
A and A represent two cars about to come together.
B and B' represent two drawbars constructed in the usual way for link and pin
coupling, with pin holes b and buffer spring ; the drawbar B having the link D,
and the pin in place, while the drawbar B' has the pin E¹ down, ready to be thrown
into place when the cars buff together, as will be hereinafter described.
The pin is flattened at its lower end as at e, and passes through a slot in the
bar F pivoted at 2 to the drawbar, and carrying at its opposite end a weight G.
The pin is locked in the said bent bare by the ring e¹ (a cotter pin might be
substituted for the ring).
Pivoted at in the said bent lever F is a latch F' having a catch f2 adapted to
engage under the cross-piece m between the guides M, (as shown to the right in
Fig. 1) when the pin is drawn down in position for coupling. This catch normally
hangs out of the perpendicular as shown to the left in Fig. 1, and when the weight G
is raised up, and consequently the pin E is lowered, the said catch will swing
under the said cross-piece m. M' is a guide for the rear end of the bent lever,
and K is a rope or chain secured to the end of the lever at k, and terminating in a
ring k¹.
This rope or chain passes through suitable guides, and may lead either to the side
of the car or into the car, or to both, as may be desired.
N is a spring curved at n', and at n² as shown, and having two curved legs n, and
a curved tail piece n³, the legs n being sufficiently far apart to allow the coupling
pin to pass freely between them, and the tail piece n³ is small enough to enter the
hollow portion of the drawbar, as shown.
The function of this spring is to bear down on the end of the link, when it is in
position, as shown to the left in Fig. 1, and so keep the link horizontal in proper
position for entering the opposite drawbar when the cars come together.
C represents the deadwood, to which the guides M are secured.

page_text: W represents a wheel, and W¹ one of the axles of the car, the journals and
connecting parts being omitted for the sake of clearness in the drawings.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
When the cars are coupled, the weight is allowed to hang down, without any
strain on the rope K, and forward end of the bent lever is thus kept up, holding
the pin in place in the drawhead, as shown to the left in Fig. 1.
Should it be desired to uncouple, pull up on the rope K which will pull the pin out
of engagement with the link, and allow the cars to separate. At the same time that
the pin is moved clear of the link, the catch f2 will swing by gravity under the
cross piece m, and if the rope K be slacked, this will hold the weight G up, and
the pin E' down, ready for coupling again.
.
Now should two cars buff together, as they are represented as about to do in
Fig. 1, both drawbars will be pushed back against the springs 61, and the drawbar B¹
will be carried back with its bent lever, which is pivoted thereto, dragging the
catch from under the cross piece m, which is connected to the guides M secured
to the deadwood C,-as soon as this catch is disengaged, the weight G will fall,
throwing the pin E' up into the drawhead, and engaging the link, thus coupling
the car.
It will be seen that with my improved form of coupler, there is no necessity for
passing between the cars, for the coupling may be entirely operated either from the
side of the car, or from the interior of the platform thereof, without in any way
endangering human life.
It will be evident that a spring interposed between the lever and the car at any
desired position on either side of the fulcrum may be substituted for the weight;
and that various modifications would readily suggest themselves to any one
skilled in the art, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The car coupler herein described with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings
hereunto annexed.
2. In a link and pin car coupling, the use of the spring N, as and for the purposes
described, reference being had to Figs. 1, 4, and 5.
3. In a link and pin car coupling, the combination with a drawbar having a pin
hole therein, of a bent lever pivoted to the drawbar, a coupling pin attached to one
end of said lever, and adapted to engage in said pin hole, a weight attached to the
other end of said lever, and means for raising said weight and for holding it raised,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a link and pin car coupling, the combination with a drawbar having a pin
hole therein, of a bent lever pivoted to the drawbar, a coupling pin attached to one
end of said lever, and adapted to engage in said pin hole, a weight attached to the
other end of said lever, and a swinging latch pivoted to said bent lever and adapted
to engage in rear of a fixed piece on the car, and to be disengaged when the cars
buff together, as and for the purposes described.
5. In a link and pin car coupling, the combination with a drawbar having a pin
hole therein and a buffer spring in rear thereof, of a bent lever pivoted to the
drawbar, a coupling pin attached to one end of said lever and adapted to engage in
said pin hole, a weight attached to the other end of said lever, and a swinging latch
pivoted to said bent lever and adapted to engage in rear of a fixed piece on the
car, and to be disengaged when the cars buff together, as and for the purposes
described.
6. In a link and pin car coupling, a link-centering device consisting of a bent
spring N placed in the drawhead, the said spring being curved at n' and n³ as shown
and having legs n with an aperture between said legs to admit the coupling pin,

page_text: and a tail piece n³ of reduced diameter adapted to engage in the hollow portion of
the drawhead, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 18th day of April 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.