IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR COUPLINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR
COUPLINGS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This Invention has relation to so-called automatic car couplings or self couplers,
and is adapted both to passenger coaches, freight cars, and coal cars; in the
construction of the coupler some of its parts may be modified according to the
specific purpose for which the device is to be used; the construction and
arrangement of the component parts of the coupler being, however, substantially
alike and operating in substantially the same manner, irrespective of the class of
cars or coaches for which the coupler is to be used.
In the accompanying Drawings-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front end of a railway car provided with
this improved coupling.
Figure 2 is a detail view of the coupling-hook.
Figure 3.is a side view of the coupling.
Figure 4 is a sectional view through the hook.
Figure 5 shows two sections through the second compartment.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the coupling as applied to a coal car.
Figure 7 is a top view of the same.
Figure 8 is a vertical section on line y y; Figure 7: and
Figure 9 is a similar view on line xx.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
In the first five Figures of the Drawings, I have illustrated this improved
coupler as applied to passenger coaches, or cars for the transportation of general
merchandise; while in the last four Figures I have illustrated this device as
modified for use on coal cars or ballast cars, where it is desired to have an
inexpensive and yet very strong and durable coupling. I shall first describe the
construction represented in the first five Figures and will afterwards explain the
modified construction of the device as applied to coal cars.
In the accompanying Drawings, A. denotes the body of the car, and B the draw
head. Inserted traversely through the latter is a bolt C, which also passes through
a projecting arm D, about midway between the two sides of the draw head.

page_text: Upon this bolt is hung the coupling-hook, E which has a slot, F, in its rear end,
for the insertion of the bolt, so that the hook may play forward and back upon
the bolt from one end of slot F to the others.
It will be seen that two compartments, G and H, are formed in the drawhead
by means of the arm or partition D, the coupling-hook E, being placed in one of
these compartments, and held in the middle thereof by means of washers, I placed
upon bolt, C, on opposite sides of the slotted coupling-hook. In the adjacent
compartment, H, is arranged a plate J, which forms an inclined plane leading up
to the transverse bolt, C. Inserted transversely through the draw head parallel to
the transverse bolt, C, but underneath and some distance in front of the same, is a
rod K, upon the projecting ends of which are fastened ratchets or ratchet wheels, L,
adapted to engage the pawls M. The rod K is bent, as shown at N, to form a
bearing for the projecting end of the coupling-hook which rests upon the bent
part N so that by turning rod K, the free end of the coupling-hook may be raised
or lowered, so as to bring it in the exact position to engage the coupling of the car
next to it. By turning the ratchets, L (which may be supplied with suitable
levers or handles for operating them, in one direction the free end of the coupling-
book will be elevated; while by turning them in the opposite direction it will be
lowered.
The plate J, may either be fastened upon the rod, K, or it may be fastened upon
the coupling-bolt C, resting with its lower end upon the rod. As the cars come
together, the projecting end of the hook, striking against the lower end of the
inclined plate J, of the car opposite, will ride up this plate until it roaches the top,
when it will slip over the transverse coupling bolt C, with its hooked end and
engage the same, thus effecting the coupling. The cars are uncoupled by lifting.
the hook and thus disengaging it from the transverse coupling bolt, which may be.
done either from the side of the car or from the roof or platform of the same, by
suitably constructed mechanism, or by inserting a hooked rod into an eye at the
free end of the coupling-hook from the roof or platform of the car, and thus lifting
it off of the transverse bolt C, of the opposite coupling. The projecting free ends
of the drawhead, B, operate as bumpers when the cars come together in coupling,
or in stopping the train.
In constructing the coupling for use on coal cars or ballast cars, I provide the
forward end of the drawhead with a longitudinal horizontal slot, D₁ under the
upwardly projecting horn of the head in which slot a transverse bar E' slides,
which forms at its middle the inner end of the link, F¹, and slides with its ends in
boxes G', upon the inner sides of the bumpers, which boxes have longitudinal
horizontal slots H¹, open at their rear ends.
A transverse bar I, turns in bearings J¹, in the bumpers, and is provided at its
ends with handles or levers K¹ while its middle is provided with two projecting
arms L, between the outer portions of which is secured a plate M¹ leaving the
ends N¹ N', of the bars or arms to project beyond its outer edge.
The ends of these arms are a sufficient distance apart to clasp the sides of the
link between them, and the link may rest upon the outer edge of the plate, which
with the projecting ends of the arms, will serve to guide the link to hook over the
other drawhead, when the plate is raised by means of the handles upon the ends of
the transverse rod.
It will be seen that the link will be prevented from being turned to either side
by the transverse rod, and that the horizontal slots in the drawhead and in the
boxes upon the sides of the bumpers will allow the link to slide inwards, when
the drawheads are brought together the entire coupling being very simple of
construction.
Having now particularly described this Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent what
I claim is
1. The coupling hook, E, having an oblong slot F, at its rear end and having the
curve on its under side; substantially as set forth.
จ

page_text: 2. In a car coupling, the coupling hook E, having oblong slot F, and curve in
combination with the drawhead B, and bolt C substantially as set forth.
3. In a car coupling, the combination of the coupling-hook E, drawhead B, and
rod K having the bent part N, or its equivalent adapted to support and adjust the
position of the free end of the coupling-hook; substantially as set forth.
4. In a car coupling, the combination of the coupling-hook E, drawhead B
rod K, having bent part N, or its equivalent adapted to support and adjust the
position of the free end of the coupling hook, ratchets L and pawls M; substantially
as set forth.
5. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead B having projecting arm
or partition D, transverse bolt C, coupling-hook E having alot F through which
said bolt is inserted, bent rod K N, ratchets L, and pawls M, substantially as
set forth.
6. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead B, having projecting arm
or partition D transverse bolt C washers I, coupling-hook E, having slot F, through
which said bolt is inserted, bent plate K N or its equivalent, ratchets L pawls M,
and plate or inclined plane H, adapted to guide the free end of the hook to the
transverse bolt, C, with which it is to engage, substantially as set forth.
7. In a car coupling, the combination of a hook shaped drawhead having a
horizontal longitudinal slot near its outer end; a link having its inner end forming
a transverse bar sliding in the slot; and two bumpers, one upon each side of the
draw head and having longitudinally slotted bearings upon their inner sides for the
reception of the ends of the transverse bar; as and for the purpose shown and
set forth.
8. In a car coupling, the combination of a link hinged at its inner end in a
hook-shaped draw head; with a transverse bar turning in transverse bearings in
two bumpers upon the sides of the draw-head, having handles upon its ends, and
having two projecting rods upon its middle provided with a plate secured between
them at a short distance from their ends, the said arms and plate being adapted to
clasp and support the link; as and for the purpose shown and set forth.
9. In a car coupling of the described class, the combination of a hook-shaped
draw head having a horizontal slot near its outer end; two bumpers secured at
the sides of the draw head and having longitudinally slotted boxes upon their inner
sides open at the rear ends, and forming transverse bearings, a link having a
transverse bar at its inner end sliding in the horizontal slot in the drawhead and
sliding with its ends in the slotted boxes upon the bumpers; and a transverse bar
turning in the bearings in the bumpers, having handles upon its ends, and having
two projecting arms connected near their ends by a plate and adapted to support
and clasp the link; as and for the purpose shown and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of March 1884.
ALFRED J, BOULT.