IMPROVE- MENTS IN CAR-COUPLINGS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Herbert John Haddan at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th November 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by James W. Snyder, of Pennsylvania, United States of
America.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CAR-COUPLINGS," a communication to me from abroad by James W.
Snyder, of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
This invention consists in certain novel, simple, and comparatively inexpensive
devices which are readily applied to most ordinary draw-heads of a car and are
adapted to be used in connection with the usual coupling-pin and link, and by
means of which the coupling of the cars can be effected with the greatest facility
and safety.
The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawing wherein Fig 1 is a
perspective view of a set of draw-heads provided with the improvements and
showing their position preparatory to coupling them, Fig 2 is a vertical longi-
tudinal section of the same and Fig 3 is a detail view of the cam or adjustable
support by means of which the link is guided into the mouth of the approaching
draw-head.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the draw-head of the ordinary form, B denotes the coupling link,
and C the usual coupling-pin which passes vertically through the draw-head and
through the link B.
In front of the coupling-pin C in the mouth or cavity of the draw-head is a cam
or link guide a in the form of a plate lying under the link and projecting upward
on opposite sides thereof. Said cam is pivoted in its position by means of
manipulating rods b b which pass through the sides of the draw-head and are
firmly secured to the sides of the cam.
Said manipulating rods are extended to opposite sides of the car so as to be
convenient of access from either side without the entrance of the operator between
the cars.
The outer ends of the manipulating rods are terminated in cranked arms b¹ which
are turned at such an angle and are weighted in such a manner as to automatically

page_text: retain the cam a lying close to the bottom of the interior of the draw-head and
thus leave the entrance into the draw-head unobstructed.
manipulating rods 6 6 the cam a can be raised to bring the superincumbent link B
By turning the
in range with the mouth of approaching draw-head preparatory to coupling it
therewith, as illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 of the drawing.
The engagement of the coupling-pin C with the link entering the approaching
draw-head as aforesaid is effected automatically by the following instrumentalities.
In the cavity of the draw-head is arranged a movable support for sustaining the
coupling-pin above the aforesaid cavity.
Said support consisting of a plate c which slides longitudinally in a dovetailed
groove fin the top of the interior of the draw-head, and is adapted to move across
the passage of the coupling pin and thus support said pin above the cavity of the
draw-head as illustrated in the annexed drawing.
In order to automatically bring the slide into the position for sustaining the
coupling-pin, said parts are connected by a chaine and the draw-head is provided
with a longitudinal slot f¹ for the travel of said chain, the chain being of the
requisite length to compel the pin C to draw the slide forward and across the
passage of the pin simultaneously with the entrance of the latter into the usual
eye g in the top of the draw-head.
From the underside of the forward end of the slide c projects a pendent pin or 2
lugh which the end of the coupling link of the approaching draw-head encounters
and thereby drives the slide back and causes the pin to drop into the link.