Improvements in. Car Couplings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Car Couplings.
I ANSEL WETHERELL of Kendall Station, State of New York, United States of
America Manufacturer 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:-
My invention relates to automatic car couplers. My object is to improve the con-
struction and operation of automatic car couplers.
My invention consists in the several novel features of construction and operation
hereinafter described and specifically set forth in the claims hereto annexed.
It is constructed as follows reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the coupler and coupling link as they
appear when coupled.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the couplers showing the coupler in
position for the automatic coupling.
Fig. 3 is a front end view of one of the couplers showing an arm and a crank for
separating the pin used in the opening the coupler or raising the coupler pin.
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the couplers.
Fig. 5 is a view of the coupling link.
As these couplers are substantially the same and are operated exactly alike I will
proceed to describe but one of them.
A is a laterally bifurcated draw bar provided with supports 1 and 2 through
which are openings of suitable size to allow the bar 33 to move loosely therein; this
bar is journalled or loosely secured to the lower end of a lever 4 which is journalled
centrally in the upper arm of the bifurcated draw bar; the upper end of this lever 4
is provided with a hook or rearwardly projecting lug 5.
Upon the upper side of the upper fork of the draw bar and at a
point a little
back of the centre as shown, I secure a strap_spring_and
d having its upper
end
engaging with the rear end lever 7 which lever is journalled at 8 by a pin 9
passing through it and the side 10 and 11.
I do not however limit myself to a strap spring as I may use a coil spring or any
other well known means for producing the same result.
The rear end of the lever 7 is provided with a downwardly or inwardly projecting
hook or lug 12 and to the forward end the coupling pin 13 is loosely secured near
the outward ends of the bifurcated draw bar. I make the opening 14 of sufficient
size to admit the coupling pin to pass freely.
In the upper side of the casing 15 over the rear end of the lever 7 I make an
opening 16 through which I open or set the coupler by means of a bar or pin. The
pin may or may not be secured to the car.
Between the supports 1 and 2 and around the bar 3 I place a coil spring 18
securing the front end to the said bar and the rear end abutting against the supports 2;
by this means I produce a constant tension upon the bar 3 which forces it forward as
far as the lever 4 will permit it to pass. 19 is a link constructed as shown or I may
use an ordinary link.
My coupler is operated as follows
To open the coupler I force the pin 17 down upon the lever 7 until the lug 12
engages with the lug or hook 5 and holds the coupling pin 13 up as shown in
figure 2.
To couple them together the link 19 attached to the opposite coupler passes into
the mouth of the bifurcated draw bar and against the outer end of the lever 3 forcing

page_text: it back which disengages the lugs or hooks 5 and 12 and the coupling pin 13 is
forced down through the link; this couples them together.
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. The combination with the bifurcated draw bar A of the spring actuated bar 3
loosely secured at its rear end to the lever 4, of the lever 4 having its upper end
provided with a hook, of the lever 7 pivoted centrally, to the front end of which is
loosely secured the coupler pin the under side of the rear end being provided with a
hook or lug, a spring for forcing the rear end of the said lever from the drawbar and
a coupling pin as set forth.
2. The combination with the bifurcated drawbar A of the supporting blocks 1 and 2,
of the spring actuated bar 3 loosely secured at its rear end to the lever 4 of the
lever 4 having its upper end provided with a hook of a lever 7 pivoted centrally, to
the front end of which is loosely secured the coupling pin, the under side of the rear
end being provided with a hook or lug, of a spring for forcing the rear end of said
lever from the draw bar and a coupling pin as set forth.
3. The combination with the bifurcated draw bar A of the supporting blocks 1 and 2
of the spring actuated bar 3 loosely secured at its rear end to the lever 4, of the
lever 4 having its upper end provided with a book, of a lever 7 pivoted centrally, to
the front end of which is loosely secured the coupling pin, the underside of the rear
end being provided with a hook or lug, of a spring for forcing the rear end of the
said lever from the drawbar and a coupling pin and means for forcing the rear end
of the lever 7 so that the lug 12 will engage with the hook 5 as set forth.
4. The combination with the bifurcated draw bar A of the supporting blocks 1 and 2
of the spring actuated bar 3 loosely secured at its rear end to the lever 4, of the
lever 4 having its upper end provided with a hook, of a lever 7 pivoted centrally, to
the front end of which is loosely secured the coupling pin the underside of the rear
end being provided with a hook or lug, of a spring for forcing the rear end of said
lever from the draw bar and a coupling pin and means for forcing the rear end of
the lever 7 so that the lug 12 will engage with the hook 5 and the coupling link as set
forth.
Dated this 5th day of June 1800
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London, Agents to Applicant.