Automatic Car and Air-brake Coupling.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
Automatic Car and Air-brake Coupling.
I, O'LESIME LECOMPTE, of Aurora, in the County of Kane, and in the State of
Illinois, Mechanic 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 :-
This invention relates to Improvements in automatic car and air-brake couplings.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended one sheet of drawings of which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a car provided with my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of two couplings united and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of one coupling.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in the several figures.
The object of my invention is to provide a coupling for cars that besides being
a simple, efficient, and automatic car-coupling will enable the air-brake or other
hose to be automatically coupled, whereby the necessity of men going between the
cars for this purpose may be obviated, and the operation of coupling be more rapidly
and cheaply done by reason of the dispensing with the necessity for the employ-
ment of men for the work; and to such end said invention consists in the car and
pipe or hose coupling having the construction and combination of parts substantially
as hereinafter specified.
In the carrying of my invention into practice I employ a draw-head A. in the form
of a substantially oblong metal block that is pivoted at its rear end to the front end
of a draw-bar B, suitably attached to the under side of a car. The pivotal connection
between the draw-head and draw-bar is a vertical pin or bolt C, that passes through
overlapping projections on said parts, which permits limited horizontal swing of the
draw-head, while to allow slight vertical play the abutting faces of said projections
are curved convexly and the pin or bolt holes thereof made tapering. A spring bar D,
secured to the under side of both draw-head and draw-bar, holds said parts normally
in line with each other.
Pivoted preferably to the upper side of the draw-head is a curved bar E, having its
outer end pointed or beveled and provided with a shoulder e to constitute a hook or latch
to engage a vertical stud or projection F upon the upper side of the draw-head of an
adjoining car, as clearly shown in Figure 2. To the rear end or tail of the latch-bar
is connected one end of a coiled spring G, whose other end is attached to the draw-
head, which spring operates normally to swing and hold the latch-bar in engagement
with its co-operating stud F. Connected to the other end of the latch-bar is one end
of a chain or rope H, whose other end is attached to a drum or wheel I upon a vertical
shaft K placed near one side of the car, and which may be revolved to cause the
disengagement of the latch-bar from its stud by means of a hand-wheel L, arranged at
or near the car-roof, or by means of a hand-lever M, accessible to a person upon the
ground, and extending preferably in a direction lengthwise of the car when the
latch-bar and stud are engaged. By thus arranging the hand-lever objectionable
projections from the car side are avoided.
To enable the swinging of one latch-bar to disengage it from its stud to effect the
disengagement of the other latch-bar from its stud the tail end of each bar is arranged
to rest against the inner beveled face of the outer end of the other bar of a
connected car. Hence, when a latch-bar is moved by means of the rotation of its
shaft K the tail thereof will move the other bar away from its stud, and thus both
latch-bars will be simultaneously disengaged from their respective studs and the
cars uncoupled

page_text: The latch-bar is stopped from being moved too far when it is swung to uncouple by
the striking of its tail against the stud F upon its own draw-head.
To insure the proper coupling of two cars when their draw-heads are at different
heights I provide upon the outer end of the draw-head a conical projection N and
within each end a conical recess O, said projection and recess being located equal
distances on opposite sides of the transverse center of the draw-head and adapted the
one to co-operate with the cavity in an opposing draw-head and the other with the
.projection thereof to bring the heads in alignment.
Upon the inner side of the latch-bar, slightly in advance of its pivot, there is
a boss or projection P that is perforated horizontally by an obliquely-extending
opening, and to the boss in line with the opening is secured the end of an air-brake
or other hose Q. The oblique direction of the opening avoids any necessity for
bending the hose abruptly and thus prolongs its life.
The outer vertical face of one boss P is adapted to abut against the like face
of a boss of a connected coupling, when the two latch-bars couple two cars together, and
thus connect the hose thereof together. Preferably said abutting face is perfectly flat, as
by the employment of a suitable packing around the opening an air-tight joint can be
effected by a flat face, but if desired it can be given some other shape.
It will be seen that the coupling of the hose is effected automatically and
simultaneously with the coupling of the cars, and said hose are uncoupled by the
same act that causes the uncoupling of the cars.
My invention is simple, yet thoroughly efficient. It can be readily and cheaply
constructed and applied to cars. The air-brake coupling is effective and will neither
leak air on straight runs or in rounding curves.
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. The combination of the draw-head, the latch-bar pivoted thereto, adapted to
engage a projection on a companion coupling, and having a part to engage the
similar latch-bar of the other coupling, whereby when one latch-bar is moved to
effect its disengagement, the other will be moved and a hose-coupling carried by the
latch-bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination of the draw-head, the latch-bar pivoted thereto, a pin or stud on
said head to be engaged by the latch-bar of a similar coupling, a spring to move
said latch-bar in one direction, means to move it in an opposite direction, and a hose-
coupling carried by said latch-bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination of the draw-head, the latch-bar pivoted thereto, a pin or stud
on said head to be engaged by the latch-bar of a similar coupling, a spring to move
eaid latch-bar in one direction, means to move it an opposite direction, a hose-
coupling carried by said latch-bar, the tail of one latch-bar being arranged to engage
the outer end of the bar of a similar coupling, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
4. The combination of the draw-head having a projection upon and a cavity in its
outer end, a latch-bar pivoted to the upper side thereof, a stud on the draw-head to
be engaged by the latch-bar of a similar coupling, a spring connected to the tail of
the latch-bar, a boss on the inner side of the latch-bar having an opening, a hose
secured to such boss, a shaft connected with the latch-bar, and means to rotate the
shaft, the tail of one latch-bar being arranged to engage the outer end of the bar of
a similar conpling, substantially as and for the purpose shown.
Dated this 5th day of October 1906
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Patent Agents.