IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR COUPLINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: We ROBERT HARRIS DOWLING, WILLIAM BAKER and CHARLES HENRY FOLLETT,
all of Newark, in the County of Licking, and State of Ohio, in the United States
of America, gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 car couplings, and it consists in the construction
and novel arrangement of devices, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in tho
appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings, the lettor A. designates the draw head, the
shank of which may be seated in bearings of the car in the usual manner.
The draw-head is cast with an arch shaped socket B, extending into it
longitudinally, and its cross-section rectangular, the plane of the curvature of the
socket being horizontal. The mouth of the socket opens somewhat laterally into
the mouth C, of the draw-bar, which is cast open at one side.
On the other side of the face of the draw-bar is formed with a curved guide
flango D, extending forward.
E, represents the coupling hook, the catch F, of which faces inward to engage
the catch of the coupling hook of the opposite draw-head, when the cars are being
coupled.
This coupling book is formed with an arc-shaped stem, G, which fits neatly but
easily in the arc-socket of the draw-head, and moves therein inward and outward,
in the curved path of the socket, in such manner, that, in closing or coupling tho
catch end of the hook is drawn toward the centre, as well as rearward, and in
opening or uncoupling the hook head or catch is pushed outward and laterally
away from the centre.
Through the stem of the hook, which is rectangular in cross-section, is made a
slot, H, extending vertically, and designed to afford passage to the vertical slide
key K, which connects the hook of the draw-head. In the floor of the draw-head
is mado a perforation L, to provide a bearing for the round lower portion m, of tho
key K. In the top of the draw-head is mado a slot, N, into the socket, to provido
a bearing for the broad upper or winged portion, w, of the key.
When the coupling hook E, is in its closed position, or pushed inward, the slot, H,
is immediately below the slot N, in the top of the draw head, and registers
therewith, so that the winged portion, w, of the slide key, can descend by
gravitation into the slot, H. In this position this winged portion, w, forms a stop,
preventing the coupling hook from moving outward, or uncoupling. The coupling
hook is thus locked in the coupled position.

page_text: In the interior portion of the socket, B, is usually placed a spiral or other suitablo
spring, S, whose oflice is to move the hook, E, outward, when the stem of said hook
is released by raising the sliding key sufficiently to disengage its winged portion
from the slot H.
Through the extremity of the key, K, is made a perforation, v, to receive a stop
pin, a, which is designed to limit the upward movement of the key, and prevent
it from being taken out of its bearing and lost. The upper end of the slide key
is bent or cranked somewhat, as shown at, b, and is connected to a projecting
portion of a slide rod, R, which extends to the top of the car, or to such other
position above tho platform as to be within convenient reach.
By means of a transverse operating rod, J, extending from the side of the car,
and having crank ends, c, and, d, the slide key can be operated from the side of the
car when necessary.
In this coupler it will be perceived that the coupling hook is on one side of the
front of the draw-head, and the guide flange, D, on the opposite side.
The opposite coupler is provided with the same parts similarly arranged.
When the draw-heads come together, the guide flanges press the hooks inward
to engage each other, and when in engaged position, the slide keys fall locking
them together.
When the slide keys are raised, the hooks are moved outward and forward, to
uncoupled position.
In order to provent the coupler from acting, when it is not desired, the slide key
should be raised sufficiently to free its wing from the slot, N, and then turned
laterally, so that the said wing rests in the top of the draw bar.
In order to set the coupler, the winged portion of the slide key is introduced
into the slot, N, so that it rests on the top of the stem of the hook.
The catch end of the hook may be centrally notched at, V, to admit a common
link for connection with a pin, z, which may be passed through perforations, c, in
the top and bottom of the mouth of the draw-head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,
1, A draw-head having an arc-shaped socket, and a coupling hook having an
arc-shaped stem engaging said socket, and provided with a slot to receive a slide
key, substantially as specified.
2, A draw-head having a hook head on one side of its front, and an arc-shaped
socket to receive the hook stem, and on the other side of the front, a forwardly
projecting curved guide flange, substantially as specified.
3, The combination with a draw-head having an arch-shaped socket, a slot
in its top extending to the socket, and a perforation in its bottom extending
therefrom, of the slotted stem of the book, and the slide key having wing,
adapted to engage the slots of the draw-head and hook stein, substantially as
specified.
4, The combination with the slotted draw-head, and the slotted are-shaped stem
of the hook, working in a socket of said draw-head, of the winged slide key
having a crankod upper end, and vertical transverse operating rods, substantially
as specified.