Improvements in Draw-gear and Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES ALBERT GOULD, of No.. 66, Broadway,
in the City of New York, in the County and State of New York, United States
of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Draw-gear and Couplings for Railway Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 a draft gear for railway vehicles designed more particu-
larly for use in connection with an automatic car coupling of the well known
type comprising a recessed or chambered drawhead, a horizontally swinging coupling
jaw or hook which is pivoted to the drawhead and adapted to interlock with the
jaw of a similar coupling carried by an adjoining vehicle, and a lock which retains
the coupling jaw in its closed or coupling position and which, when withdrawn,
allows the jaw to swing to its open position for uncoupling the vehicles.
The object of this invention is the provision of an efficient draft gear of this
character which can be applied to European railway vehicles or wagons of the
present construction without interfering with or requiring any change in the
ordinary draft gear, such as the screw link and hook coupling, with which such
vehicles are now equipped, thus enabling either the ordinary screw coupling or
the automatic coupling to be employed, as may be desired or as circumstances
may require.
In the accompanying drawings consisting of three sheets:-Figure 1 is a longi-
tudinal sectional elevation of the lower portion of a railway vehicle equipped with
this improved draft gear, the bottom frame of the vehicle and about one-half of
the draft gear being shown in side elevation and the other half in longitudinal
section. Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the improved draft gear.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections in lines 3-3 and 4-4, Figure 2. Figure 5
is a sectional top plan view, similar to Figure 2, showing a modified construction
of the draft gear. Figure 6 is a transverse section in line 6-6, Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the lower portion of
a railway vehicle, showing another modified construction of the improved draft
gear. Figure 8 is a top plan view of the same draft gear but shown in connection
with the lever mechanism by which the coupling is unlocked. Figure 9 is a
vertical transverse section in lines 9-9, Figure 8. Figure 10 is a fragmentary
end view of the vehicle frame with the spring casing and its supporting beams.
shown in transverse section taken in line 10-10, Figure 7. Figure 11 is an end
elevation of the draft gear and lever mechanism shown in Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the lever mechanism with the draft gear omitted..
Figure 13 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, shown partly in section taken
in line 13-13, Figure 8. Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view of the drawhead.
and the coupling jaw, lock and connecting parts, on an enlarged scale.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

page_text: A represents the head stocks or end beams of the vehicle, A¹ the side beams
and A2 the longitudinal center beams. B represents the usual draw hooks arranged
at opposite ends of the continuous drawbar B', which latter is of the customary
construction and arranged as usual in the bottom frame of the vehicle, as shown
by dotted lines in Figure 1.
CC represent automatic car couplings of the well known type herein before
referred to, arranged centrally at opposite ends of the vehicle below the plane of
the bottom frame and connected with opposite ends of a supplemental drawbar D
arranged below the bottom frame. One form of an automatic coupling of this
general type is illustrated in detail in Figure 14 in which c is the usual chambered
drawhead which is attached to the drawbar and contains the movable parts of
the coupling, such as the pivoted coupling jaw c¹, the pivoted lock c² and the link c
which extends laterally through an opening in the side of the drawhead and is
pulled outwardly for swinging the lock away from the coupling and releasing the
latter in uncoupling. The lower supplemental drawbar D is supported by a pair
of parallel beams E, preferably of metal, which are arranged on the underside of the
central beams A2 of the bottom frame and secured thereto by rivets or other
fastenings. These lower auxiliary beams E extend from end to end of the vehicle
in the constructions represented in Figures 1-6 and are connected near the center
of the vehicle by transverse pieces E' having openings through which the auxiliary
drawbar passes and in which it is guided, as shown in Figure 1. The auxiliary
drawbar is preferably composed, as shown, of two similar sections which are con-
nected at their inner ends by a yoke or open frame having openings in its
end bars through which the drawbar sections pass loosely and in which they are
confined by screw nuts or enlargements f applied to the inner ends of the sections,
as shown in Figure 1. The auxiliary drawbar terminates at a distance from the
ends of the vehicle and the shank g of each automatic coupler is connected with
the adjacent end of the drawbar by a pair of parallel horizontal bars or links H.
Said shank and the eye or headed end d of the drawbar are arranged between
said bars or links H and are attached thereto by vertical bolts or pins h h'. These
connecting bars are supported near their outer ends by a carry iron ha
secured to the underside of the auxiliary beams E and to the end beams A.
As shown in Figure 3 the bars are held against lateral movement by
blocks secured to said carry iron and by blocks 5 secured to a cross
piece between the auxiliary beams above the upper bar. A similar result
can be obtained by forming the carry iron and the cross piece h with recesses or
depressions in which the bars H are arranged and by which they are restrained
against lateral movement. In this construction of the draft gear the drawhead
of the coupling is free to swing laterally only on the connecting bolt h, which con-
nects the outer ends of the bars with the drawhead. This permits the couplings
of adjoining vehicles to assume and retain a position in line with each other when
the vehicles pass over curves with short radius and insures the proper engagement
of the drawheads at all times. The shank of the coupling extends some distance
in rear of its pivot h, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, which construction affords
a long bearing for the shank between the connecting bars H and effectually pre-
vents sagging of the coupling. In order to relieve the front pivot bolt from
the thrust of the drawhead, the rounded front ends of the connecting bars H bear
against the concave shoulders formed at the junction of the drawhead and its
shank, as shown in Figure 2.
II represent righting springs which yieldingly hold the coupling in its central
position and return the coupling to that position when the vehicle passes from a
curve to a straight section of track. These springs are arranged in transverse
sockets or abutments i secured to the front ends of the auxiliary beams E and bear
at their outer ends against the bottom of said sockets and at their
inner ends against the hollow followers which slide in said sockets and
bear against opposite sides of the shank of the car coupler in rear of the pivot
bolt, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The movement of each follower out of its

page_text: socket is limited by any suitable device, for instance, a pin projecting inwardly
from the socket and entering a longitudinal slot in the follower.
I represents combined draft and buffer springs applied to each section of the
drawbar in rear of the connecting bars H. These springs are arranged in a
stationary cylindrical casing or housing M, rigidly secured between the auxiliary
beams E by bolts or rivets which pass through the beams and through flanges of
the casing, as shown. The springs L bear at their rear ends against the closed rear
ends of said casing and at their front ends against the closed front end of a hollow
follower which slides in the casing and bears at its front end against the head
or eye d of the drawbar and the rear ends of the connecting bars H. When the
drawbar is pushed inwardly by the coupling of an adjoining vehicle, the rear ends
of the connecting bars and the head of the drawbar press against the follower and
force it backward, thereby compressing the buffer springs and easing the shock.
As shown in Figure 2, the drawbar passes through an opening in the inner end
of the spring casing M.
The auxiliary drawbar is practically continuous, like the ordinary main drawbar.
While the outward movement of either section of the auxiliary drawbar is trans-
mitted to the other by the open frame F, the inward movement of either section
does not affect the other, owing to the sliding connection between the sections and
this open frame. When the auxiliary drawbar is pulled toward the advancing
or forward end of the vehicle in starting the train, the rear ends of the connecting
bars H at that end of the vehicle recede from the adjacent springs L, while the
connecting bars at the opposite ends of the vehicle follow this movement of the
drawbar and by bearing at their inner ends against the adjacent follower M¹
compress the springs thereof. The springs at one end of the vehicle thus act as
draft springs for the coupling at the opposite end of the vehicle and as buffer
springs for the coupling at the same end. When the coupling at one end of the
vehicle is moved inwardly, the section of the auxiliary drawbar connected with
said coupling simply slides inwardly in the open frame F without transmitting
this movement to the other section of the drawbar.
By providing the drawheads of the couplings with comparatively long shanks,
as shown, the same remain under the influence of the righting or centering
springs in the outermost position of the drawbar, as well as in its innermost posi-
tion, oven when the draft and buffer springs become weak and allow the drawbar
to be pulled out to an unusual extent, thus always insuring the return of the
coupling to its central position after the vehicle passes over a curve.
The auxiliary drawbar is wholly independent of the upper ordinary drawbar, so
that either the upper drawbar and its coupling devices or the lower auxiliary
drawbar carrying the automatic couplers may be used at pleasure. The auxiliary
drawbar with its supporting beams is a separate attachment which can be made
complete in the shop and then fastened to the vehicle frame and which can be
readily applied to existing vehicles without in any manner interfering with the
existing drawbar equipment or requiring any alterations in the same.
The longi-
tudinal beams E of the auxiliary draft gear receive the thrust of the coupling and
largely relieve the frame of the vehicle from such thrusts.
Instead of making the connecting bars H separate from the drawbar, as described,
they may be formed directly on the drawbar, or otherwise rigidly secured to the
drawbar, if desired. When a greater range of lateral movement is desired than is
afforded by the pivoted drawhead alone, the draft gear may be so constructed that
the connecting bars H are not laterally confined at their front ends but can swing
laterally on their rear pivot . This construction, which is especially advan-
tageous for the vehicles of railroads having very short or sharp curves, is represented
in Figures 5 and 6. In this case, the followers of the righting springs are made
of sufficient height to bear against the edges of both connecting
bars H as well as against the shank of the coupling, as shown in Figure 6,
so that the righting springs act to restore said bars to their central position and at
the same time straighten or center the shank of the coupling with reference to the

page_text: connecting bars, as the vehicle passes from a curve to a straight section of track.
In this construction, when the coupling swings to either side of its central position,
the connecting bars compress the springs on that side of the coupling toward which
the bars swing, while the shank of the coupling swings in the opposite direction
and compresses the springs on the other side of the coupling.
In the construction shown in Figures 1-6, the longitudinal supporting beams
of the auxiliary draft gear terminate at the head stock or end beams and the
couplings project a comparatively short distance beyond the head stocks. Thus
arrangement requires the stoms of the customary side buffers, which are shown in
Figures 7 and 8, to be made shorter than usual. If it is desired to employ buffers
of the usual length, as shown in the last named figures, the coupling is arranged at
a correspondingly greater distance from the head stock by lengthening the link
or bars H, and the longitudinal center beams are extended sufficiently beyond
the head stocks to properly support the parts. The projecting portions of the
longitudinal center beams are tied together by transverse plates E³.
Instead of employing a practically continuous auxiliary drawbar extending from
end to end of the vehicle, as herein before described, an independent or short
drawbar D may be employed at each end of the vehicle, as shown in Figures T
and 8. The combined draft and buffer springs L' are in this construction applied
to the drawbar between a pair of followers m m arranged loosely on the drawbar
and guided in openings formed in the end walls of a casing or housing m² which
encloses the springs. This casing is secured between the longitudinal auxiliary
beams E, as shown in Figure 10. The followers m. m² are provided at their inner
ends with flanges adapted to abut against the end walls of the casing m³, Figure 7.
The front follower m, while limited in its forward movement by the front wall of
this casing, is free to slide rearwardly with the drawbar, and the rear follower,
while limited in its rearward movement by the rear wall of the casing, is free to
slide forwardly with the drawbar. The front follower is caused to move rearwardly
with the coupling by the eye at the front end of the drawbar and the rear ends of
the links H, which parts abut against said follower, while the rear follower is com-
pelled to take part in the forward movement of the drawbar by a nut n applied
to the rear end of the bar. When the coupling is pushed inwardly, the front
follower moves in the same direction and compresses the springs rearwardly against
the rear follower, the springs thus acting as buffer springs. When the coupling
is pulled outwardly, the rear follower moves in the same direction and compresses
the springs forwardly against the front follower, whereby the springs serve as draft
springs.
The casing m² is open on its underside, as shown in Figures 7 and 10, to permit
the insertion of these springs.
In this construction the auxiliary center beams 12 do not extend from end to
end of the vehicle but terminate at a short distance in rear of the spring casings.
While two springs are shown arranged concentrically in each casing, a single
spring of proper strength can be employed.
The lock of the coupling can be released from the side of the vehicle by any
suitable mechanism which renders it unnecessary for the trainman to step between
the vehicles. A mechanism suitable for this purpose is shown in Figures 8, 11,
12 and 13, in which P represents a horizontal elbow lever which has its inner
short arm p connected by a slack chain p¹ with the link and has its outer arm p
projecting to the side of the vehicle where it can be conveniently operated by the
trainman. The outer end of this lever is guided and supported in a horizontal
duplex segment Q which is secured to the side of the vehicle and provided with a
pivoted lock g. The lever is arranged between the upper and lower portions of
the segment and the lock is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane and to close the
space between the two parts of the segment, when in its lower position in which
it rests with its free end on the lower part of the segment. The lock may be held
down by a spring q¹ in addition to gravity, and it is provided above the segment
with a handle q2 by which it can be lifted. The lower side of the lock is inclined,

page_text: so that the lever P will lift it in moving forwardly through the segment. When
the parts of the coupling are in the position for coupling, the lever rests in the
front portion of the segment between the end of the segment and the abrupt end
of the lock, as shown in Figures 8, 12 and 13. In this position, the lock prevents
the lever from flying backwardly under the shock of the meeting vehicles in
coupling, which backward movement of the lever would uncouple the vehicles.
When it is desired to uncouple the vehicles, the lock is raised and the lever swung
backwardly, thereby pulling the link outwardly and releasing the lock c² and
the coupling jaw c¹ of the drawhead.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is;-
1. A coupling for railway vehicles having its drawhead provided with a shank
which extends rearwardly beyond the pivot of the drawhead and having righting
springs which operate against said shank in rear of said pivot.
2. A coupling for railway vehicles having its drawhead provided with a shank
which extends rearwardly beyond the pivot of the drawhead and having said shank
arranged between two bars which connect the drawhead with the drawbar and to
the front ends of which bars the drawhead is attached by said pivot.
3. A coupling for railway vehicles having its drawhead pivoted between the front
ends of two bars which connect the drawhead with the drawbar and are pivoted
at their rear end to the drawbar, said drawhead having a shank which extends
rearwardly between said bars, in combination with righting springs which operate
both against the shank of the drawhead and against said connecting bars in rear
of the pivot of the drawhead.
4. A draft gear for railway vehicles adapted to be secured to the underside of
the bottom frame of the vehicle, and comprising two longitudinal transversely-
connected beams between which the drawbar is arranged and carrying at their
outer ends sockets which contain righting springs, and a drawhead which is pivoted
to the front ends of bars also arranged between said beams and connecting the
drawhead with the drawbar.
5. A draft gear for railway vehicles adapted to be secured to the underside
of the bottom frame of the vehicle and comprising two longitudinal transversely-
connected beams between which the drawbar is arranged and which extend from
end to end of the vehicle, drawheads which are connected with the drawbar by
interposed connections, and combined buffer and draft springs applied to the
draft bar.
6. The herein described uncoupling mechanism consisting of the horizontal elbow
lever having its outer end guided on a segment which is provided with a locking
device by which the lever is prevented from moving backwardly.
Dated this 7th day of Fal 1000.
!
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.