Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1887.
Specification Accepted. 16th Sept., 1887.
I, JAMES REASON AVERY, residing at 524, 4th. Avenue in the City of Louisville,
County of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, one of the United States of America,
Merchant, 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:—
The objects of this invention are to uncouple cars readily without danger to the
operator, furthermore, to cause the automatic coupling of the cars upon their coming
together and finally, to strengthen the device and protect the buffer or draught
action.
In the accompanying drawings:-
:-
Figure, 1, represents a side elevation of the entire device attached to a car,
being shown in section.
Figure, 2, is a vertical sectional view of the coupler head detached.
Fig. 3, is a horizontal sectional view of the same.
Fig. 4, is a detail view, showing the draw-bar detached.
Fig. 5, is a detail perspective view of the cross-bar detached.
Fig. 6, is a perspective view of one of the guards detached.
Fig. 7, is a detail view of the connecting bolt and its key.
Fig. 8, is a detail view of an attachment plate.
Fig. 9, is a front elevation of the coupling pin, levers and gravity rest, and,
Fig. 10, is a detail perspective view of the key.
the car
A, is the coupler-head, here shown provided with a vertical pin-hole, a, extending
through the upper and lower walls of the link rest cavity for the easy insertion and
withdrawal of a coupling pin, P. The coupler-head has a hollow neck or stein a¹,
formed integral therewith and extending therefrom, through which is an opening or
channel, a², which serves for the insertion of a draw-bar, B, and a transverse slot, a³,
extending through the same and connecting with the longitudinal channel, a².
The draw bar, B, is formed at one end with a square portion, b, the extreme end
having lugs extending transversely therefrom, which lugs are adapted to fit against
Price R71

page_text: the rear end of the link cavity during draught action. The surface of the square
portion of the draw bar has cut therein a transverse groove, &, which, when the draw
bar has been placed in position, will be in line with the transverse slot, a³, through
which slot and groove is then placed a flat bolt, E. This bolt fits snugly in the
groove in the draw bar, and moves therewith the slot, as, being of sufficient width to
allow limited movement of the pin, occasioned by backward or forward movement of
the coupler-head. During forward or draught action of the coupler-head, the bolt, E,
is drawn against the rear wall of this slot and front wall of corresponding slot in
the guards connected therewith while during rearward or buffing action of the same,
it is forced against its forward wall and the back wall of corresponding slot in the said
guards, the bolt thus limiting the movement of the drawbar and couplerhead.
Upon the rear portion of the draw-bar is placed a cross-bar, C, from the sides of
which extend journals, e, having their inner ends square shouldered as at, c', forming
bearings for the rear ends of guards, D, fitting snugly thereon, their forward ends
being provided with an elongated slot each fitting over the outer extending ends of
the flat bolt, E, the movement of the bolt being limited thereby during forward or
rearward action of the coupler head. The guards are held upon the ends of the flat
bolt by means of a key, e, at one end, the opposite end of the pin being turned down
at an angle to its length and overlapping the side of the guard. The journal, c, upon
the cross-bar, extends through bearings in attachment plates, G, secured to the
draught-timber upon the under side of the car. These attachment plates are also
grooved as at, g, g', to provide for the introduction of cross-braces, thus affording
additional means of strengthening the device. The journals, c, are further used as
means for attachment of draught rods, H, or equivalents at one end, the opposite end
being secured to the king-bolt, transom.
Also placed upon the rear portion of the draw-bar are springs, S, S¹, interposed
respectively between the coupler-head A, and cross-bar, C, and between said cross ar
and a key, F, in the rear end of the draw-bar.
The key, F, is provided with a notch, f, in its edge, for security against displa.e-
ment and with beveled edges, converging to one end for convenient insertion and he
notch, f, is beveled, diverging toward the opposite end of said key, for convenient
withdrawal. The key, F, thus formed having uniform thickness forces the contract on
of the spring, S¹, only as required for its insertion and withdrawal from the draw-bar
The upper portion of the coupling pin, P, is bent downwar, and when in position
for operation, extends rearward and passes through an eye in the lower end of a
vertical operating rod, L by means of which the pin is withdrawn from the pin-hole
of the coupler-head.
The vertical operating rod, L, is secured to the end of a car by means of staples, 1,
its upper end extending above the top of the car and being curved to serve the
purpose of a handle. The lower end of the rod is bent outward, then downward to
form a loop or eye, l, through which the horizontal end of the coupling pin passes.
A horizontal rod, M, is also secured to the end of the car, its outer ends extending
beyond the sides of the car, being bent to serve as handles for turning.
At or near
its centre is formed a bend or loop, m, which when the pin is in position within the
coupler-head, rests upon the top portion of the pin and between the same, the lower
bent portion of the vertical rod and its loop, . The horizontal rod is secured upon
the car at such point that, while occupying this position, its loop or bend extends
obliquely downward so that when the rod is turned it will raise the vertical rod and
hence the coupling pin to position for coupling. It is necessary when the pin is
raised to this point, it should there be held ready to be released by the force of the
For this purpose I provide an automatic rest, R, pivoted to the end of the car,
and of such length that when the rod and pin have been raised to their full height,
the rest will fall in place beneath the bend of the vertical-rod, resting against the end
of the horizontal portion of the coupling pin. Thus the rest will support the vertical
rod and consequently keep the coupling pin above the pin-hole ready to be dropped
in place for coupling.
cars.
When the coupling pin and its attendant parts are thus set and a car is brought

page_text: into contact therewith for the purpose of coupling, the force of the blow causes the
couplerhead to be forced rearward, and the coupling pin is carried back with it,
the end of the horizontal portion strikes against the rest and pushes it from beneath
the vertical rod, allowing it to fall and the coupling pin to fall into the pin-hole
through the link, and thus automatically couple the cars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a car coupler, a coupler-head, having an opening to the entrance of its link
cavity, said opening having inclined or converging plane walls blending with convex
walls, substantially as shown and described.
2. In a car-coupler, a cross-bar having projections forming trunnions extending
from it, said projections having shoulders for the attachment of guards, substantially
as described.
3. In a car coupler, a cross-bar in combination with guards connecting it with a
coupler head or front end of a draw-bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a car-coupler, guards or equivalents connecting a cross bar with a coupler-
head or draw bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In a car-coupler, attachment plates having transverse grooves or recesses in their
edges forming hearings for lugs and cross bars either or both connecting the draught
timbers or secured thereto by rods to prevent the spreading and splitting of said
timbers, substantially as specified.
6. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler-head having a transverse slot
through its stem, a draw bar provided with a slot or suitable recess, a cross-bar
having projections and slotted lateral guard or guards, a bolt passing through the
slots in the guards and through the slot in the draw-head, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
7. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler-head having a transverse slot
through its stem, a draw-bar provided with a slot or recess, a cross-bar having pro-
jections slotted or otherwise constructed, guard or guards, a bolt passing through the
slots in the guards and coupler head and engaged by the slot or recess in the
draw-bar, a spring placed upon the draw-bar between the coupler head and cross bar,
and another spring bearing against the rear side of the cross-bar, combined and
arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose specified.
8. In a car coupler, an angled pin in combination with a coupler-bead and gravity
latch, whereby, when withdrawn from the link cavity, one end of the pin remains
suspended in the pin-hole of the coupler-head, while the other end extends rearward
a sufficient distance to disengage itself by striking and forcing back the device
supporting it, substantially as specified.
9. In a car-coupler, the combination with an angled pin a vertical rod adapted to
be fastened to the end of a car, the upper end of the rod being bent to serve as a
handle, its lower end being bent outward and downward to form a shoulder and its
lower end also having a loop formed thereon through which the upper end of the
coupling pin passes, substantially as shown.
10. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling-pin having a bent upper
portion, a vertical rod bent at its lower end to form a shoulder and having a loop
formed upon its lower bent end through which the upper portion of the coupling-pin
passes and a horizontal rod having handles formed thereon and provided with a loop
or bend at or near its centre for engagement with the bent portion of the vertical
rod, whereby movement of the horizontal rod will cause the vertical rod to be raised
and thus remove the pin from the pin-hole in the draw-head, substantially as shown
and described.
11. In a car-coupler, a gravity-rest pivoted to the end of a car, in combination with
a bent rod and angled pin, the rest engaging the coupling pin when withdrawn from
the pin-hole, the outer end of the pin being in close proximity to said rest, so that the
force imparted by the coming together of the couplers forces the rest back and releases
the pin, substantially as specified.

page_text: 12. In a car-coupler, the combination with the coupling pin, of the vertical rod for
raising the coupling-pin out of the pin-hole, a horizontal rod having a loop bearing
against the under side of the bent portion of the vertical rod for the purpose of raising
the rod and thus withdrawing the pin from the pin-hole and a rest pivoted upon the
car at one end, its opposite end adapted to drop beneath a portion of the vertical rod
to support the rod and thus bold the pin out of the pin-hole, substantially as and for
.the purpose set forth.
13. In combination with a car, journal bearing plates attached thereto, cross-bar
pivoted therein, draught rods connecting the cross-bar with the king-bolt transom
and another cross-bar, a draw-bar with a coupler-head secured upon the front end
and adapted to slide thereon longitudinally, the stem of said draw-bar supported in a
bearing provided through the pivoted cross-bar a guard upon each end of the cross-
bar, connecting it with the front end of the draw bar in the coupler-head by means
of a bolt therein, a spring interposed between the coupler-head and cross bar and a
spring interposed between the cross-bar and a washer or other abutment impinged
against a key in the draw bar near its rear end all substantially as shown and for the
purposes specified.
14. In combination with a car and coupler, a gravitating rest, pivoted to the end
of the car, a vertical rod adjusted to engage with said rest, a horizontal rod adjusted
to engage with said vertical rod, a coupling-pin angled to engage a link in the cavity
of a coupler head of the coupler, with its lower end, and the vertical rod with its
upper end, substantially as shown and for the purposes specified.
15. In a car coupler, a key having a depression or notch in one edge providing a
shoulder adapted to rest upon the draw-bar, holding it therein, a slope of the edge
diverging therefrom to one end, permitting its convenient withdrawal and the edges
converging to the other end affording easy insertion substantially as shown and
described.