Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
James Henry Hayes of the City of St Paul, in the County of Ramsey, and State
of Minnesota, in the United States of America), and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
1
The invention. relates to improvements in the draw-heads, and to novel
appliances which operate in connection with the coupling-pin, and with the
coupling-link; the objects being to insure automatic operation of the coupling
apparatus, so as to couple with certainty, and to avoid liability of injury to the
operator through contact with the cars, or either of them, when in inotion.
In the drawings-
Figure 1 is a perspective elevation, representing a portion of a box-car which
has my improved draw-head and coupling pin mechanism applied thereto.
J. J 1
Figure 2 represents, in perspective elevation, a portion of a flat or platform car,
having my improved lever-rod and its connections applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section, in the plane indicated at x in Figure 1 showing
the interior construction of the draw-head.
+
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the coupling-pin slide, the pin itself, pivotted'
therein, being shown in elevation.
Figures 5 and 6 represent details, showing in perspective modifications in the
form of portions of the coupling-pin mechanism..
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the coupling-pin block, as
when cast in a single piece.
"
Within a central chamber or passage a in each of the outwardly-flaring draw-
heads A, is a tripping-block A', which at its rear is provided with lateral arms a¹,
which have movement in the lateral slots a¹º, of the draw-head, which are
connected by springs a³, to the outer end of the draw-head; the springs themselves
being received within longitudinal grooves a', in which they are concealed and
...

page_text: protected by covering plates a³. It will be understood that the draw-head is
provided also with the ordinary upper passage a', and lower passage a³, for the
reception of the coupling-pin.
Upon the roof of the car is a standard B, to which a plate, or hook b¹, which
may be of crescent form, as shown, is connected by a pivot b.
A lifting-chain C, is suspended from the top of the standard B, and a spiral
spring 6 attached to one end of the hook 61, is connected to the standard, at a
suitable distance from the end thereof, while a link c, is adapted to engage with
the opposite end 63, of the plate or hook 61. The chain C serves to lift the
coupling-pin D, from its engagement with the coupling-link; and, as will be
apparent, when the chain is suspended upon the end 63, of the pivotted hook b¹,
a coupling cannot be effected.
In order that the operation of uncoupling may readily be effected from the
ground, alongside the car, a rod E, provided with an arm or lever E¹, and with
handles e, e, is extended transversely along the end of the car, and loosely secured
thereto by loops e³, or by other suitable equivalent means.
The lever E is formed with or is surmounted by a coupling-pin block F, which
is provided with a central slot F, within the lateral walls of which are longitudinal
grooves f, f, to receive loosely by its edges, a rectangular block or plate f¹, which
is provided with a central opening f', to receive the looped head or eye d, of the
coupling-pin D, and with a transverse passage f, to receive a pivot pin d² which
extends through the coupling-pin and serves as a support for the same within the
plate f¹.
As will be seen the handles e e¹ upon the extremities of the lever rod E, project
from the rod in a direction at a suitable acute angle with the plane of the lever E
so that when the handles are moved to a vertical position against the body of the
car the lever will lift the coupling pin block F and with it the pin D which will
thus be disengaged from its coupling-link C. Pivoted stops G G¹ secured to the
end of the car in a position to coincide with the handles e e¹, serve to maintain the
handles in their vertical position and thereby prevent premature coupling.
It will be apparent that under a construction in which the coupling pin could
have movement in a perpendicular line only, it would when operated by a lever
which has its fulcrum in the same horizontal plane have a tendency to stick or
bind through contact of its extremities with the walls of the guide or sheath; and
it will be understood that the object of the provision of the grooves ff is to permit
the plate f¹ carrying the pin D to move outward or inward according to the
movement, upward or downward in the arc of a circle, of the lever E'.
In Figure 1 I have represented the pin block F as cast in a single bifurcated
piece and I prefer this construction, but it is obvious that it may if desired be cast
in two parts as in Figures 5 and 6 or in a single recessed piece as in Figure 7.
When the lever rod E is applied to a flat-car as in Figure 2 the chain C or the
greater portion of it will be superfluous and may be dispensed with.
In the construction of the coupling block F it will be immaterial whether the
bolt or the pivot pin be loose within the plate f¹ or within the pin D or within
both the plate and the pin; but as insuring a minimum of friction as well as the
utmost facility of movement the latter construction may in most cases be adopted.
The tension of the springs within the draw head is such that the tripping block
is pressed against the link and the coupling-pin with a force sufficient to hold the
link in a horizontal position.
It will be seen that by reason of the location of the retracting-springs a³ within
the longitudinal grooves, slots or recesses a¹ formed in the exterior faces of the
draw head, such springs are not only readily accessible for renewal or repair, but
are at the same time protected against injury by the walls of the groove or recess
within which they are embraced independently of the covering plates a³ thereof;
and that by reason of the provision of the lateral arms upon the tripping block and
the longitudinal openings or guide-slots a¹0 in the side walls of the draw head
which serve as a stop as well as a guide for such arms an independent stop to

page_text: prevent the tripping block from being thrown too far outward is rendered
unnecessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination in a railway car of a draw-head a spring actuated tripping
block; a lever which is pivoted upon the car; and a coupling pin which is pivoted
in a plate which is slidable in ways upon the lever, and which is provided with a
lifting chain.
2. The combination in a railway car of a draw-head which has vertical openings;
a lever which is pivoted to the car and which carries a grooved block; and a
coupling pin which is pivoted in a plate which is slidable in the block upon
movement of the lever and which is operable either from the roof or the floor of
the car or from the ground outside the car.
3. In a railway car the combination of a draw head which has a tripping
block A¹ arms a a and springs a a²; with a coupling pin which is pivoted in a
slidable plate and which is provided with a lifting lever and with a lifting chain.
4. The combination in a railway car of a standard secured upon the roof of the
car and provided with a pivot plate or hook; a lifting chain suspended from the
upper extremity of the standard; a coupling pin connected to the lower extremity
of the lifting chain; and a holding spring connected at one end to the standard
and at its opposite end to an outer extremity of the pivoted plate.
5. The combination in a railway car of a draw head which has vertical openings;
a pivoted lever which carries a slotted pin block; and a plate slidable in grooves
in the pin block and carrying the coupling pin.
6. The combination with the draw head provided with spring actuated tripping
block; of the pivoted lever provided with slotted pin block and slidable pin-
carrying plate.