Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Cars.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Railway Cars.
I, CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN of 77, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent, 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 (a communication to me from abroad by John Bound of
Tuczon, Arizona Territory, United States of America, Gentleman) :-
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
:-
Figure 1, A, represents a view of the front part of a rail-road car, B, a lever by
which the automatic clutch is released, D, the draw-head, F, the clutch with the
tongue or plunger in position holding the arrow-head, H, of the coupling link, P.
Figure 2, represents a sectional view of the draw-head with the clutch, F, released
and the arrow-head, H, of the coupling link, P, in position of falling out.
Figure 3, represents a sectional view of the draw-head with the clutch, F, and
tongue or plunger, f, in the act of closing down upon the arrow-head, H, of the
coupling link, P, after the head of the link has been driven into the draw-head, D.
Figure 5, represents a form of lever for manipulating the device when attached to
passenger-cars.
Figure 6, represents a double slotted link, being a modified form of the link, Y.
In Figure 4, the mortices, m, m, are designed to receive the lock-bars, a, a, which
pass through the front part of the clutch, F, in the slots, c, c, which are so placed as
to serve as guides to the lock-bars, a, a, giving them a divergent and outward
direction into the mortices, m, m, thus securely locking and holding in place the
clutch, F. The tongue or plunger, f, is shown in position in the opening, d, in the
clutch, F, to enter the slot, s, in the coupling link, P, on release of lever, B, thus
taking an additional hold upon the coupling link.
The coupling link, P, being out and pressure on lever released the forward part of
the clutch, F, swings down on the bolt, g, by the action of gravity assisted by the
spring, K, so that the shoulder forming its jaw, N, is perpendicular to the plane of
the top of the draw-head, D, and approaching the jaw on, D, as nearly as the con-
formation will permit, the tongue or plunger, f, projecting downward through the
clutch, F, the lock-bars, a, a, carried down by the tongue, f, with ends resting in
mortices, m, m, the spring, K, released from tension and holding the parts in place

page_text: by pressure at the point, 7, in this position' the draw-head is ready to receive the
arrow-head link P, which being forcibly inserted between the jaws, N, and, L, comes
first in contact with and drives up the tongue or plunger, f, which carries with it the
lock-bars, a, a, releasing them from hold at, m, m; the clutch being thus released is
carried until the arrow-head on the coupling link, P, passes beyond the jaws, N,
and, L, the increased tension on the spring, K, is released the jaw of the clutch, F,
falls over the shoulder on the upper side of the arrow-head on the coupling link, P',
the shoulder on the under-side thereof falls behind the jaw, L, the ends of lock-
bars, a, a, fall into the mortices, m, m, the tongue or plunger, f, drops into the slot, s,
in the coupling link, P, thus grasping and holding the coupling link in place with
only sufficient play to accommodate the varying motions of the bodies coupled.
There is provided in the bottom of the draw-head, D, shown in drawing Figure 3,
at dotted line, a recess or excavation, r, forming a shoulder to receive the lower
projection of the clutch, F, for the purpose of relieving the main bolt, g, on which
clutch, F, swings from sudden concussion and strain of coupling.
A projection at, u, upon the upper rear part of the clutch, F, falls against the
solid cross top-section of the draw-head, D, at the point, , which tends to relieve the
strain on the main bolt, y, at the time of starting and in drawing; relief is also
provided to the main bolt, g, by the iop of the clutch, F, coming in contact with a
downward projection of the upper part of the draw-head, D, at, w, when clutch, F,
is locked in place.
The tongue or plunger, f, and lock-bars, a, a, may be dispensed with as the clutch, F,
when clasping the arrow-head, H; of the coupling link, P, will be held in place by
gravity assisted by the spring, K, but they should be used as an additional security,
especially for heavy work. If dispensed with the link, Y, by which the lever is
connected should be attached to the top of the clutch, F.
I provide a hole through the upper front portion of the clutch, F, behind the
tongue or plunger, f, conforming to holes in the draw-head to receive an ordinary
coupling pin in case of necessity.
These holes are not shown in the drawings.
The projection or tit, t, shown in drawings, Figure 2, on the lower and rear pro-
jection of the clutch, F, falls into the excavation, r, in the bottom of the draw-head, D,
and assists in breaking the shock of coupling; it also comes in contact with the
jaw, L, when the clutch, F, is thrown up and released, thus preventing the clutch
from swinging up too far.
I provide a continuous slot or series of openings in the bottom of draw-head to
admit of the escape of dirt and other matter that might otherwise accumulate and
prevent the working of the parts.
Uncoupling is performed by raising the lock-bars, a, a, tongue or plunger, f, and
clutch, F, by means of the lever, B, attached to the link, Y, releasing the hold
at, m, m, and the grasp of the jaws, N, and, L, upon the arrow-head, HI, of the
coupling link, P, the formation of the lower arm of the clutch, F, being such as to
act as an ejector upon the lower shoulder of the arrow-head, H, and throw it forward
and out.
I prefer the link, Y, to be double slotted so that the purchase end of the lever and
bolt passing through same at right angles can freely play up and down without
obstruction.
: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is. to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In an automatic coupler the clutch, F, having the jaw, N, and rear projection
terminating at, t, in combination with draw-head, D, having the jaw, L, as and
for the purposes described.
2. In an automatic coupler the peculiar construction of the clutch, F, having a rear
projection with a concave inner surface in combination with the coupling link, P,
provided with the head; HI, 'operating'in the manner described.

page_text: 3. In an automatic coupler the clutch, F, having a rear and downward projection
as shown in combination with the pin, y, the spring, K, and jaw, L, on draw-head, D,
as and for the purposes described.
4. In the hereindescribed automatic coupler the clutch, F, having the projection, u,
in combination with the pin, g, and solid cross top section, e, of the draw-head, D.
5. In an automatic coupler the lock-bars, a, a, in combination with the clutch, F,
and mortices, m, m, in the draw-head, D, substantially as described.
6. In an automatic coupler the clutch hereindescribed having the tongue or
plunger actuated through a slot therein..
7. In an automatic coupler the clutch hereindescribed having the tongue or
plunger actuated by gravity in combination with a slotted coupling link.
8. In an automatic coupler the clutch, F, in combination with the tongue of
plunger, lock-bars, a, a, the mortices, m, m, in the draw-head, D, as and for the
purposes described.