Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
Thomas Davies of the City of Toronto in the County of York in the Province of
Ontario, Canada, Brewer) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the invention is to design a simple and effective self-acting car
coupler, easily applied to an ordinary draw head so that the common coupling pin
may be used in connection with or independent of my automatic attachment; and
it consists essentially of a coupling bar having a spring latch at each end designed
to engage with notches formed within the draw head, bars in the draw head being
provided for the purpose of releasing the latch substantially as and for the purpose
hereinafter more particularly explained.
"
Figure 1, is a perspective end view, showing this improved self acting car coupler
applied to an ordinary box car.
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail partially in section showing a draw head provided
with one form of latch.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing another form of latch.
Figure 4 is a detail of the form of latch shown in Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a detail of the bar for releasing the latch.
Figure 6, is a detail of this coupling bar showing a different form of latch at
each end.
Figure 7, represents an ordinary draw head showing holes bored in it to receive
the releasing bars.
In the drawing like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
Figure, but before specifically pointing out the elements involved in this invention
I may first explain that I am aware that many inventors have endeavoured to
devise a self-acting car coupler applicable to existing forms of draw heads but most
D 071

page_text: of these have either been defective and inoperative through faulty design or they
have been so complicated as to render their introduction practically impossible.
In designing this invention it has been sought to arrange the parts in the
simplest manner possible and at the same time to make so little change in the
draw head that the ordinary coupling pin and link may be used.
Although as I have stated the letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in
each figure are the same it will facilitate matters if I commence my description by
referring to the specific Figures and I therefore draw attention first to Figure 2.
In this Figure A represents the draw head which may be made in substantially the
ordinary way, except that a vertical notch a on each side of its interior is formed.
Behind each of these notches and extending entirely through the draw head A
I make a hole b to receive the bars B shown in detail in Figure 5. These bars B
are connected at their bottom ends by a plate C and by a plate D at their upper
ends which plate is provided with an eye E or its equivalent for the purpose
hereinafter explained.
F are two wings formed as shown in Figure 4 and jointed together as therein
indicated by a bolt passing through the hole d.
G is a spiral spring placed between the wings F so as to force them outwardly.
The form of joint between them as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 prevents the
spring G from throwing them apart farther than is necessary to make them act as
a spring latch, which they constitute as indicated in Figure 2 where they are
shown attached to the end of the coupling bar H, which supposing its other end is
carried in a draw head of another car, will, when its car is brought towards the
next car enter the latter's draw head. The spring catch formed by the wings F
compresses so as to enter the draw head until the wings reach the notches a when
by the action of the spring G they enter the said notches and securely hold the
bar H within the draw head as shown and they will remain securely connected
until the bars B are raised so that their enlarged bevelled edges e come in contact
with the wings F and push them out of the notches a thereby permitting the
coupling bar H to be withdrawn when the bars B are permitted to drop down into
their initial position.
In Figure 3 I show an equivalent form of latch.
In this Figure the wings F are
not pivoted as in Figure 2 but are simply placed in grooves made in the head of
the bar H and are held apart by the spring G.
In Figure 6 the bar H is shown with one end having a latch like that shown in
Figure 2 and its other end with a latch like that shown in Figure 3. I do not
intend that each bar will be made with two kinds of latches, as indicated but
I merely show the two forms to explain that both forms are embraced in the one
invention.
In Figure 1 I show a simple form of raising the bars B for the purpose of
releasing the coupling bar H. In the arrangement shown in this Figure a hori-
zontal bar I is suitably journalled on the end of the car J and has a crank handle K
at each end. An arm L is fastened to the bar I and is connected to the eye E by
means of a link M thus by pressing on either of the crank-handles K the bars B
may be raised so as to release the coupling bar H as before described and this is
accomplished without the necessity of going between the cars.
With the view of enabling the uncoupling to be effected from the roof of the car
I connect the cars J by the rod N to the lever O pivoted on the top of the car.
It will thus be seen that the uncoupling of my automatic car coupler may be
effected either from the roof or the side of the car.
On reference to Figure 6 it will be seen that each end of the coupling bar H has
a hole through it which hole is intended to receive the ordinary coupling pin
should it be desired to use one in addition to the latch described.
As the hole through the draw head to the coupling pin employed in it will be the
same as is now commonly used it will be seen that draw head may be used either
in connection with this automatic attachment or with an ordinary coupling link
and pin.

page_text: It will be understood that the coupling bar H may be bent for the purpose of
enabling two cars of unequal height to be coupled and this may be effected without
hurting the working of the end which may be reversed if necessary.
Figure 7 suggests the facility with which an ordinary draw head may be altered
for this invention; it being merely necessary to bore two holes and cut two notches
on the inside of the head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention 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. The coupling-bar H having wings F applied to its end or ends and actuated
by a spring G in combination with the bars B having bevelled edges e and fitted
into the holes b behind the notches a substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The coupling bar H having wings F applied to its end or ends and actuated
by a spring G in combination with the bars B having bevelled edges e and fitted
into holes b behind the notches a the arm L connected at one end to the bars B
and at its other end to the horizontal bar I having crank handles K formed on its
ends the rod H connecting the arın L to the pivoted lever the whole being
arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The bars B having bevelled edges e and fitted into the holes b behind the
notches a in combination with the plates C and D connecting the bars B together
so that the latter shall work in conjunction with each other.
Dated this 8th day of June 1886
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.