Improvements in Railway Vehicle Couplings.
Year: 1895

page_text: I, GEORGE WASHINGTON CLAYTON, of Lebanon, County Van Buren, State Iowa,
United States of America, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
In this invention the feathered or ribbed link pin of a coupling is raised and
lowered from an arm fixed on a horizontal rod carried in bearings on the end of the
vehicle and operated by means of a crank handle placed at each side of the vehicle.
The inside of the drawhead is provided with a spring door which holds up the link
pin out of engagement until said door is forced inwards by the link to be coupled.
The outer part of the drawhead is fitted to an U shaped metal strap having a wood
filling piece between its arms. To the rear closed end of the strap is connected a
spring tail bolt which is encircled by the drawhead spring. In the uncoupled position
the crank handle of the operating rod is held fixed by means of an arm projecting
from an angle plate pivotted horizontally to the side of the vehicle. When this angle
plate is turned down out of engagement with the crank handle it may serve as a
footstep and its position also serves to indicate the position of the coupling parts.
Dated this 16th day of December 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Railway Vehicle Couplings.
1, GEORGE WASHINGTON CLAYTON of Lebanon, County Van Buren, State Iowa,
United States of America, Farmer, 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 :—
The railway vehicle coupling of this invention is shewn in the accompanying
drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a view of the coupling and means for operating the same, in connection
with the end of a railway vehicle hody.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 3 a horizontal section of the coupling head.
Fig. 4 a perspective view of the switchman's indicator in position for holding the
Coupling pin in an inoperative position.

page_text: Fig. 5 a vertical sectional view of the coupling head shewing the two positions
of the link and pin adapted to engage a drawhead on an adjacent vehicle which
is lower than or at the same height as usually prescribed.
Fig. 6 a plan view of the coupling head.
Fig. 7 a perspective view of a pivotted door.
1 is a horizontal rod journalled to the end of the vehicle and having crank
handles 2. Rigidly attached to the rod is an arm 3 having the projecting part 4.
A plate 5 is attached to the vehicle body in the rear of the arm 3 to serve as a stop
to limit the movement of the arm.
6 is a heavy rod which joins the arm 3 and coupling pin 10 in such a way as
to allow a slight movement at each of the joints. The coupling pin is provided
with ribs 11 adapted to take into the recesses 91 (Fig. 6) in the hole in the coupling
head.
7 is the switchman's indicator having the forked arm 8 for engaging the crank
handle 2 (Fig. 4). The indicator should be painted white or some other distinguishing
colour on the two faces exposed to view when it is in the operative position.
The coupling proper is made up of two parts, the head 9 and the strap 14, the
latter bent upon itself, as shewn, and provided with a tail bolt which can be
inserted from the rear and connected with the head by a bolt 16. A filling piece 15
of wood or metal is also inserted between the arms of the strap and so shaped at
the end as to closely fit the opening in the rear of the coupling head, which latter
has a perpendicular hole for the reception of the coupling pin. A pivotted door 12
and spring 13 are located in a recess in the coupling head, said recess being larger than
the opening which receives the coupling link. and therefore the door and spring must
be placed in position from the rear, the bolt 16 being removed and the coupling head
detached for that purpose. By this construction the pivotted door and the spring are
protected from dirt, ice, snow, etcetera.
The modus operandi of the coupling and attachments is as follows:-In moving
a vehicle without desiring to couple it with another with which it comes in
contact, the operator raises the crank handle of the operating device and causes
it to engage the arm 8 of the indicator as shewn in Fig. 4. In this position the
projection 4 of the arm 3 engages the plate 5 and the pin is held permanently in a
partially withdrawn position as shown in Fig. 2, and coupling cannot take place.
The indicator 7 which revolves through the arc of a circle on suitable journals to a
position adapting it to support the crank handle, exposes its distinguishing surfaces
in this operative position. This indicates that the adjacent vehicles are not coupled.
If it is desired that a vehicle shall couple with another and advancing vehicle, the
coupling pin is withdrawn and set in the position of Fig. 2, the end of the pin resting
on and supported by the forwardly projecting lip of the door 12. In this position
the indicator does not engage the crank handle but occupies its lowered position, in
which it serves as a support or step for the brakeman in ascending to the top of the
vehicle. The link also is set in the position shewn in Fig. 2, engaging the door. It
is obvious that the advancing vehicle, when its drawhead engages the link, will force
the same backward against the door, rotating it on its pivot, compressing the spring 13,
and allowing the coupling pin, deprived of its support, to drop by gravity to its
lowest position and at the same time pass through the opening in the link.
If it is desired to couple a vehicle to an advancing vehicle which has a draw bar
somewhat lower than usual, the crank handle is revolved so as to bring the coupling
pin to the position shewn in full lines in Fig. 5. It will be seen that in this position
the ribs 11 of the pin engage with the edges of the link and regulate and determine
the position of the same. By revolving the crank handle the link can be made to
occupy any desired position, within limits, which will adapt it to engage the opening
in the coupling head of the advancing vehicle. If it is desired that the vehicle shall
couple with another vehicle having the usual height of draw bar, the crank handle is
allowed to fall to its lowest position, thereby causing the link and pin to take the
positions shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 5. To effect this with certainty, the rod 6 and
arm 3 are made sufficiently heavy, that taken in connection with the pin 10, the weight

page_text: will be more than sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the link projecting beyond
its fulcrum point at the opening of the coupling head.
Under no circumstances is it necessary to go between the cars to effect the
coupling.
The coupling head and draw bar being made in two pieces and easily detachable,
the former can be readily replaced when broken.
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 in a railway vehicle coupling device of the crank handle 2
and the switchman's indicator provided with means for engaging said crank handle,
and positively locking and retaining the said indicator in a raised and outwardly
projecting position, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The switchman's indicator 7 pivotted to the outer wall of the vehicle body and
adapted in its lowered position to serve as a step, and in its raised position to
engage the crank handle of the operating device, substantially as described and
shewn.
3. The combination in a railway vehicle coupling, of a draw bar, a draw head,
a coupling pin, a rod provided with a crank handle for raising and lowering the
pin, a switchman's indicator having an arm to engage the crank handle and
Jock it in a raised position, connecting means between the pin and the rod con-
sisting of the arm 3 having the projection 4 engaging the plate 5, and the rod 6,
substantially as described and shewn.
4. The combination in a railway vehicle coupling of the following elements:-
The draw head 9 having a door and spring, a strap 14 bent upon itself and joined
to the coupling head by bolt 16, the filling piece 15 fitting the opening in the
rear of the coupling head and the tail bolt adapted to be withdrawn, substantially
as described and shown.
5. The railway vehicle coupling composed of the tail bolt, the strap 14, the
filling piece 15, the coupling head 9 having the door and spring adapted to
support the coupling pin, and the bolt 16 passing through both the strap and
coupling head and detachably securing one to the other, substantially as described
and shewn.
6. The railway vehicle coupling consisting of the tail bolt, the strap 14, the
filling piece 15, the coupling head 9, the bolt 16, and the coupling pin having the
ribs 9 adapted to the recessed hole in the coupling head, substantially as described and
shewn.
7. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the railway
vehicle coupling, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 12th day of September 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.