Improvements in Car Couplers and Draw Gear.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplers and Draw Gear.
We, JOHN ANDREW CAMERON and ELMER ELLSWORTH REEVES, Locomotive
Engineers, both of Princeton, in the County of Gibson, and State of Indiana,
one of the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 car couplers and draw gears and consists essentially
of a specific form of locking latch, together with a flanged draw-head and a
keeper for holding the latch in locked position.
The invention further consists of the details of construction and arrangement
of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
The object of the invention is to construct a car coupler which will obviate
the necessity of passing between two cars in coupling or uncoupling the same,
the parts being simple and effective in their operation, strong and durable, and
easily handled and operated.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a car, showing the draw-head
thereon and embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal horizontal section, through the coupling and draw-
gear.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the latch and the eccentric adjusting
device used in connection therewith.
Referring to the drawing, wherein similar numerals of reference are employed
to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, the numeral 1 designates
a draw-head, which is mounted within a suitable box situated under the bed of
the car, and will be supplied with a suitable buffing spring. The draw-head has
a slot 2 extending therethrough and opening out of the top thereof, which is wider
at the front than at the rear, to form a seat for the reception of an ordinary
coupling link, and between the rear contracted portion of the said slot and the
front wider part thereof, shoulders 3 are formed to limit the said link in its
rearward movement in the draw-head when such form of coupling device is used.
The front walls of the wider portion of the slot 2, on opposite sides, extend
inwardly, as at 4, to form abutting flanges to receive a latch which will be
hereafter set forth. Across the top of the outer portion of the draw-head 1 are
opposite aligned dove-tail recesses 5 adapted to receive a dove-tail keeper or slide 6
attached to a chain 7 connected to one side of the draw-head. The said keeper G
has a pin opening 8 therein, which is adapted to align with a similar opening in
the bottom of the draw-head, and by this means the coupler can be quickly
arranged for use with an ordinary coupling pin, and when not in use may be
detached and hang down from one side of the draw-head.
Within the slot 2 of the draw-head a latch 9 is mounted, and has its rear end
closely held by the rear contracted portion of the said slot, and its outer end

page_text: formed with a head 10 with rear shoulders 11. The pin extends far enough
beyond the front of the draw-head to enter a slot similarly formed in a draw-
head with which it couples, and the said shoulders 11 engage the flanges 4, and
positively connect the two draw-heads. The latch is extended downwardly
towards its outer end to insure a proper articulation with an opposing draw-head,
and at its rear end the said latch is also formed with an aperture 12, in which is
movably mounted a cam 13 carried by a rod 14 movable in diagonally disposed
slightly elongated slots 15 in the outer sides of the draw-head. To the said rod 14
is attached, or continuous therewith, an operating lever 15, which is adapted to
rest against a pin 16 on one side of the draw-head. In the head 10 a socket 17
is formed, and has a loop or link 18 therein to which a link 19 is movably
attached and to a connecting rod 20 running to an arm 21 of an operating rod 22
which is mounted in suitable bearings against the end of the car and projecting
outwardly to opposite sides thereof. The outer ends of the said rods 22 are bent
at an angle to form handles, and by this means the latch may be raised out of
position in coupling with any other draw-head of a similar form, or for the
reception of an ordinary link to be secured by a coupling pin. If desired, however,
an eye may be placed on the latch in rear of the head, and the operating rod
attached to the end of the car may be varied, and any of the well known forms
of such devices be used. The cam 13, together with the rod 14 and handle 15
thereof, serve as a tightener to take up slack or lost motion between the two draw-
heads, and the pin 16 is in such position that when the handle 15 has fallen
down against the same, it throws the cam up above and a very little in advance
of the back centre of draft on the latch, so that the heavier the pull, the harder
the lever 15 will be pressed against the pin 16, thereby avoiding. any danger of
throwing the pin and defeating its use.
A buffing spring 23 is enclosed in the draw-head 24, the latter being hollow and
thereinto projects a guide rod 25 which is screw-threaded and adjustably held
by a draft plate 26 carried at its opposite ends in adjacently situated timbers 27
secured to the bottom of the car. The rear end of the draw-bar is also formed;
with shoulders 28, which are adapted to abut against lugs 29 also attached to
the timbers 27. The draw-head, where it joins the draw is also formed with
shoulders 30, which limit the rearward movement of the same by contacting.
with the said lugs. To hold the draw-bar and draw-head in connection with the
car, a cross plate or support 31 is attached to the timbers of the car.
The spring 3
by being enclosed within the draw-bar is protected from water, sand and dirt,
and will not become disconnected when the draw-bar loosens. Furthermore, the
draw-bar can be readily adjusted through the guide rod 26 without returning a
car to a shop, and by carrying one or two extra draw-bars on a train they can be
readily substituted for others which may become broken or unfit for use. The 4
lugs on the rear end of the draw-bar are intended to catch the strong pull on
a train when the spring inside of the draw-bar has received all the weight against
it that it is capable of receiving, and when the said lugs bear against the rear
end of the lugs 29 breakage of the spring is prevented. Of course the coupler
is intended for use either with freight cars or passenger coaches, and when used on the
latter, a very effective coupling is attained. When the passenger coaches are
connected up by the improved form of coupler, the one latch lies over the other
and the cam 13 and rod 14, together with the lever 15, act as heretofore set forth.
In freight service it would probably be better to dispense with the use of the
cam 13 and rod 14, as a reasonable amount of slack between the cars in a freight 5
train is necessary. The loop or link 18, mounted in the head 10 of the latch,
is adapted for use when the coupler is applied to a passenger coach, and when
situated slightly in rear of the head, it is especially intended for freight cars.
4
This arrangement is provided so that in passenger trains the said links would
be out of the way when located in the head 10 of the latch, and in freight cars 5
this would not deteriorate from the use of the coupling.

page_text: Various forms of devices can be attached to the latch for lifting the same;
and it is obviously apparent that many minor changes in the details of construc-
tion and arrangement of the several parts might be made and substituted for
those shown and described without in the least departing from the nature or
spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head having a slot therein which
is contracted at the rear and widened at the front, the front of the draw-head
forming inwardly extending flanges, a latch movably mounted in the said draw-
head and formed with an outer shouldered head, and means for operating the said
latch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head having a slot therein opening
outwardly through the top thereof, a latch movably mounted in said slot and
having a shouldered head, a cam carried by a rod engaging the rear of the said
latch and provided with a lever, a stop-pin for said lever, and means for operating
the said latch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3. A draw-head having dove-tail recesses in the upper portion thereof and a
lower pin opening, and a dove-tail keeper adapted to engage the said recessses
and also provide with a pin opening, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
4. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head having a slot therein
opening outwardly through the top thereof, a latch movably mounted in said
slot and having an outer shouldered head, operating devices movably attached
to said latch, and a keeper adapted to removably engage the top of the
draw-head to form a pin support, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head having a draw-bar with
a spring enclosed therein, said draw-bar having rear lugs and the draw-head at
the point of juncture with the draw-bar, also formed with shoulders, an adjusting
rod engaging the rear end of the draw-bar, a plate to which said guide rod is
movably attached, and lugs located on opposite sides of the draw-bar and adapted
to engage the shoulders formed thereon, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 28th day of Tul 1907