Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplers.
I, WILLIAM BOGART LYON, Railroad Agent, of (no street address), Galena, in
the County of Cherokee and State of Kansas, one of the United States of America,
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 certain new and useful improvements in car couplers.
The object of the invention is to provide an automatic car coupler of great
strength, simple and economical of construction, and of such form that the strain
will be effectually distributed.
A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic coupler which
will be adapted for interchangeable use with ordinary forms, or old forms of
coupling, as the link and pin, vertical plane, and other well known forms.
The invention consists in a certain construction of draw-head, and the com-
bination therewith of locking pawl or plate and suitable coupling bar herein-
after described and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a perspective showing the exterior of a draw-head and its attach-
ments involving my invention.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the draw-head, showing
an ordinary coupling pin in idle position, and coupling bars, one in idle position
and the other in position for engaging a companion draw-head.
Figure 3 is a similar section showing my invention as arranged for automatic
coupling with a link and pin coupler.
Figure 4 is a perspective of the coupling bar.
1 and 2 are companion draw-heads, duplicates of each other. These draw-
heads are provided with a chamber or recess 3 for receiving and carrying a coupling
bar 4. The draw-heads are also provided with vertical coupling pin holes, 5,
6 and 7, for the reception of a coupling pin 8. A locking pawl or plate 9 is
pivoted opposite the coupling pin in the mouth of the draw-head, as shown in
the drawings, and has the double function of constituting a lock or catch for
holding the coupling bar 4 in the draw-head, and as a means for retaining a
coupling pin in elevated position, as shown in Figure 3, when the coupling is
used a link and pin coupling. The pendent part of the pawl being in the
range or plane of the coupling link will be tilted to permit the pin to drop or
fall through the link and thereby automatically couple the cars.
s provided to accommodate a coupling pin when the same is not in use for
The pin hole 6
coupling purposes. In this position, it serves as a stop or abutment for the end
of the coupling bar as well as to close the pocket 3 to retain an idle or surplus
ar, as shown in Figure of the drawings. The draw-head is also provided with
ateral openings 10 through which the extra coupling bar may be observed when
nspecting a train to ascertain whether it is properly equipped: The third vertical
pening 7 is formed in a lug or projection from the side of the draw-head in
hich the coupling pin may be secured when the same is removed for any reason
[Price S11

page_text: from the opening 6 and is not required for use in the opening 5. For lifitng the
locking pawl and the pin, I connect, them together by chains or links 11, and
make connection between the chains and a suitable lifter connected with the end
of the car. In this way, the uncoupling of cars, whether coupled through the
medium of a coupling bar or an open link, is conveniently accomplished. The
coupling bar for use according to my invention consists of a bar of metal pro-
vided with elongated slots, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The bar is provided with
heads 16-16 at its opposite ends, the heads being chamfered or beveled, as shown,
on all sides so as to freely enter the mouth or throat of the draw-head. When
the draw-heads come together, the free ends of the locking plates or pawls drop
in front of the heads, or the pin drops through one of the elongated slots in the
coupling bar. When the coupling pin is in the front hole 5 of the draw-head,
it is held by the vibrating pawl until said pawl is forced back by a common
open link, whereupon it will be released and fall or drop into position, thereby
making an automatic link and pin coupling. The side pin hole in the draw-
head is for holding an idle pin to allow free access to the extra coupling bar in
the pocket or recess 3 of the draw-head. That is, for the convenient introduction
to or removal from said recess of the coupling bar.
Ordinarily the bar is carried by one draw-head and the locking pawl or plate
of the same is in engagement with one of the shoulders of said bar. When the
guards or draw-heads come together, the projecting end of the bar is received
in the companion draw-head and after introduction to said head, the locking
plate of the latter drops in front of the other shoulder of the bar. In case a bar
should become broken, the idle bar in one draw-head may be taken out and sub-
stituted therefor. The slots in the bar are provided so that they may be coupled
with the ordinary form of draw-head with pin holder. The pins carried in my
draw-head serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the coupling bar within
either of the draw-heads. It is noted that a partially derailed car can be readily
coupled and drawn back on the track through the use of my improved coupler,
a fact not common to other forms of couplers.
Many slight changes may be resorted to in carrying out my invention with-
out departing from the spirit or advantage thereof. I, therefore, do not limit
myself to the precise construction herein above shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination of a draw-head having a plurality of holes for coupling
pins, a deep recess or chamber for entirely enclosing a coupling bar, a locking
pawl articulating within the draw-head between the pin holes, a coupling bar
having holes and shoulders as described, and a removable pin to fit either hole in
the draw-head and serve as an abutment for the coupling bar when the locking
pawl is used and as a retaining pin when an open link is used, whereby the draw-
head is adapted for interchangeable coupling with its counterparts or with a
foreign draw-head and coupler, substantially as described.
2. The combination of a draw-head having a plurality of coupling pin holes,
one being on the side of the draw-head, a deep recess or chamber for holding the
coupling bar when not in use, a coupling bar having four holes therein and having
shoulders at opposite ends, a locking pawl or plate to engage the coupling bar,
a removable pin to be used either for coupling purposes or as an abutment to
prevent longitudinal movement of the coupling bar, and a chain to connect the
eye bolt and link of the pin and pawl for raising both at the same time, sub-
stantially as described.
3. A link or bar having four holes therein and shoulders at its extremities,
whereby the same is adapted for combination with many forms of coupling,
substantially as described.
4. A draw-head having two holes in line with each other for a removable pin,

page_text: and a hole on the side of the coupler for holding an idle pin, substantially as
described.
5. In a car coupler, the combination of an open draw-head, a coupling bar
having heads at its extremities, a locking plate or pawl having the function of
engaging a coupling bar and of engaging a pin to hold it in inoperative position,
and means for raising the locking plate and pin, substantially as described.
6. In a car coupler, the combination of an open draw-head, a coupling bar
having heads at its extremities, a pivoted locking pawl or plate whose free end
is adapted to engage with the head of the link, and whose eccentric portion is
adapted to engage the pin, and means for lifting the free end of said plate, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head, a removable pin, a coupling
bar having heads at its extremities, and provided with pin openings, and a lock-
ing plate adapted to engage with the head of the coupling bar and with the pin,
substantially as described.
8. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head provided with an inner
chamber or recess for enclosing a coupling bar, a supplemental idle coupling
bar in said chamber, and means for retaining the bar in the chamber, consisting
of an ordinary coupling pin, substantially as described.
9. In a car coupler, the combination of an interiorly chambered draw-head
having two holes in line with each other, and having a hole or pin receptacle on
one side to hold the idle pin, a supplemental idle coupling bar located in the
chamber, and a removable pin for holding the coupling bar in the chamber, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of V 1000.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.