Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HARMAN BUNKER, JOHN CHARLES McKEGGIE,
and JAMES H. McKEGGIE, of 22, King Street East, Toronto, Province of
Ontario, Engineers.]
Improvements in Car Couplers.
I, VICTOR ISIDORE FEENY of 60 Queen Victoria Street London 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 :-
The object of the invention is to design a simply constructed car coupler in which
connection is made automatically and which may be uncoupled either from the
side or top of the car without any necessity of entering between the ends of the
car and it consists essentially of an arrow-shaped link suitably journalled in a turret
pivoted on the end of a draw head fixed to a car the said arrow shaped link being
designed to enter a passage way formed in a similar turret pivoted on the end of a
draw-head connected to another car substantially as hereinafter more particularly
explained.
Upon the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1. is a perspective view of an end of a car provided with my improved
automatic car-coupler.
Fig. 2. is an enlarged perspective detail, (partially in section) of my improved
automatic car-coupler.
Fig. 3. is an enlarged perspective detail of an alternative form of my invention
showing the draw-head adapted to receive the arrow-shaped link.
Fig. 4. is an enlarged perspective detail of an alternative form of any invention
showing the draw-head adapted to carry the arrow-shaped link.
In the drawing,
A represents a strongly constructed draw-head suitably connected to the end of
the car B.
C, is a turret journaled on a vertical axis in the draw-lead A.
D, is an arrow-shaped link suitably journaled on a horizontal axis in about the
centre of the turret C.
The edge a, on the link D, is curved upwardly while the edge b, on the link is
curved downwardly, as indicated, so that where the point of the arrow-shaped link
enters a narrow opening, the edges a, and b, in coming in contact with the sides
of the said opening, force the link D, to revolve on its axis by quarter of a turn.
E, is a narrow vertical opening or slot made in the turret C, the said opening
being designed to receive the arrow-shaped link D.
Each turret C, is provided with a link D, and an opening E, and is revolable so
that the turret on one car may be set so as to bring its arrow-shaped link in position
to enter the opening E, in the turret on the otlier car. The ropes F, are fixed
to a crank arm M, on the spindle of the link D, and extend to the outer edge
of each side of the car B.
A vertical rope G, is connected to the crank-arm L, and extends to the top of
the car B. The ropes are for the purpose of enabling the link D, to be revolved
in order to disconnect the couplers.
The operation of my car-coupler is extremely simple as will be observed from
the following description.
When the turrets are properly set and the cars brought together, the arrow-
shaped link D, enters the opening E.
The curved edges of the arrow-shaped link by coming in contact with the sides
of the opening E, cause the link D, to make a quarter revolution, bringing the link
Price 8d1

page_text: in such a position that it will readily pass through the opening. When the bars of
the arrow have passed the inner edge of the opening E, the link will immediately
reassume its horizontal position, the said link being so weighted that its normal
position is horizontal.
In order to disconnect the couplers, either one of the side ropes F, or the vertical
rope G, is taken hold of and the arrow-shaped link D, is revolved so as to bring
it in a vertical position when it may be drawn out of the turret. A suitable catch
should be provided for the purpose of locking the turret C. I do not confine
myself to any particular. kind of lock, as various styles would suit the purpose, but
for the purposes of this Specification I show at I, a lock suitable for holding the
turret.
In order to provide means for connecting my draw-head A, to a car provided
with an ordinary link and pin draw-head, I connect such a draw-head K, on either
the top or bottom of the draw-head A, using the draw-head K, when a car provided
with my improved coupler has to be attached to a car with an ordinary link and
pin coupling.
In Figs. 3 and 4, I show an alternative form of my improved car-coupler.
I journal the arrow shaped link D, in a block N, shaped substantially as the
fulcrum of a wedge and detachably held in a similarly shaped recess in the end of the
draw-head. The draw-head on the other end of the car has a similar recess with
the edges of the narrow end of which the link D engages. If a car is so turned
as to bring two links together one can readily be removed and placed at the
other end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An arrow-shaped link D journaled on the end of a draw-head and having
upwardly and downwardly curved edges a, and b, desigued to revolve the link D
upon coming in contact with the edges of a narrow opening; substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2. As an improved automatic car-coupler, an arrow shaped link D, journaled on
a horizontal axle in the turret C, which turret is journaled on a vertical axis in the
draw-head A, and has a vertical opening E, formed in it; substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
3. An arrow shaped link suitably journaled in a turret pivoted on the end of a
draw-head fixed to a car, the said arrow shaped link being designed to enter a
passage way formed in a similar turret pivoted on the end of a draw-head, connected
to another car; substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of January 1892.