Improvements in Couplings for Railway and similar Carriages and Waggons.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway and similar Carriages and
Waggons.
1, MAXIMILIAN WALICKI of Koluszki, Government, Petrikan, Russian Poland,
Station Master, 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 present invention has relation to a car or waggon coupler of the type or class
known as automatic couplers; and in such connection it relates more particularly
to the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof, for coupling together
railway or other carriages or cars.
The principal objects of my invention are first to provide a coupler for railway
cars in which by the shifting of the cars together they will be automatically coupled
one with the other, as well as uncoupled without requiring a person to occupy a
position between the cars in either operation of the same; and second, to provide
a car coupler of comparatively simple construction and in which uncoupling is
effected from the side of the coupled cars and without requiring a person to step
between the same.
My invention consists of a car coupler constructed and arranged substantially as
hereinafter described and claimed.
The nature and objects of my invention will be more fully understood from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming
part hereof, showing the invention in a practical working device; and in which
Figure is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a car coupler
embodying features of my invention, showing the members thereof in an inoperative
position.
Fig. 2, is a side elevational view of a coupler of my invention, showing the mode
of sliding the connecting link in a vertical direction on a slanting surface, to raise
a book so that it may enter a bifurcated member of the draw bar.
Fig. 3, is a top or plan view of the connecting link or bar illustrated to the left
in Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5, are views partly in section and partly in side elevation of the
coupling hooks.
Figs. 6 and 7 are views in side elevation and plan of the draw bar of the
coupler.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the connecting link or bar of the coupler.
Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of the connecting link and draw bar showing
the inclined plane engaging and locking member of the coupler for the connecting
link.
Fig. 11 is a view illustrating in side elevation and in plan the said inclined
plane member of the draw bar or head for engaging and holding the connecting
link; and
Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating by line indications the manner of
uncoupling two cars having my invention connected with the same and the uncoupling
effected without a person having to go between the cars.
Referring to the drawings a, is the draw bar which by means of a bolt or stud
pin d is pivotally connected with the crooked hook b, and the connecting link or
bar C as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The head of the draw bar is recessed at a',
so as to receive a link c', of the link bar C, the movement of which in the coupled
י

page_text: position of the appliance is prevented from being transferred to the crooked hook b
by means of the projecting nose a³, of the draw bar a, as clearly illustrated in
Figs. 6 and 7, of the drawings. a³ are arms formed with the draw bar a and serving
to support the front portion of the link c' of the link bar C and to which is secured
an inclined guide way support e, of iron or steel bent into the shape or form
illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. At the end of this channelled guide way e are
provided pins e engaging complemental openings a in the arms a³ of the draw
bar a.
These arms are provided with inner lugs a³ as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7
forming rests or supporting means for the inclined guide way or device e, as clearly
and fully illustrated in Fig. 10.
The crooked hook b is provided with an opening b¹ in which is inserted the end
of the draw bar a and by means of a bolt or pin d is connected with the crooked
hook b and the link bar C as has been herein before fully explained. The down-
wardly projecting end 63 of the hook b, occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 1
to close the opening a', in the head of the draw bir a. The extension of the
hook b, serves to raise the link bar C when the hook is operated and is
adapted to be employed for uncoupling cars, in the manner to be presently more
fully explained.
The connecting link bar C, comprises two members, an inverted U shaped link c',
adapted to be engaged by the hook b, and provided with a broad nose, lug or
projection 2 and a fork extremity c³. Both extremities of the connecting bar C,
are pivotally connected with the bar C, by means of bolts or pins d and d', and the
nose, lug or projection c² is adapted to permit of a downward movement only of the
link c. A pin or screw c, is inserted through the bolt d' so as to prevent a turning
of the same while a spring g holds the link in a horizontal position as is illustrated
in Fig. 1, of the drawings.
On the inclined channelled guide way or support e, connected with the arms a³,
of the draw bar a, by means of the lugs e¹, slides the link c', of the link bar C.
This link e' is prevented from sidewise movement by means of a nose c* provided
at the front end of the link c' of the bar and pivotally connected therewith. The
fork of the link bar C to the right of Fig. is supported by means of an
inclined guide way or support e, and is held thereby at a certain angle with respect
to the grade of the track or roadway. The link bar C, to the left in Fig. 1 and
the crooked hook b, and the inclined guide-way or support e, at the right in Fig. 1,
are reserve members of the appliance of my invention, that is they are not brought
into play while the other similar parts are employed for coupling two cars together
in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, but are only used when from any cause one of
the coupling members of the appliance has been broken.
The mode of operation of the ear coupler of my invention is as follows:-
The two railway cars to be coupled together are shifted so as to be brought
against each other whereby the link bar C, as illustrated to the right in Fig. 1,
with its link, will slide upwardly on the inclined and channelled guide way or
support c, of the car at the left hand side as illustrated in Fig. 1.
The nose e, of
the link will prevent any sidewise movement of the same and when this link, by
its upward movement, has nearly assumed a horizontal plane it will engage with
the downward projecting end 63 of the crooked hook and will by its further
movement raise the end in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The opening a¹, of
the draw bar a, will be freed thereby from the end 63, of the hook b, and by a
further slight movement of the cars the buffers D and D', will be slightly
compressed, the link c¹ will enter the opening or recessed hooked head a', of the
draw bar a, and the end 3, of the hook b, by its own weight and the weight of
the reserve link bar C, resting on the extension 62 of the same will engage the
link c', whereby the two cars will be automatically coupled together, and without
the presence of a person entering between them.
At the moment of maximum pressure exerted on the buffers D and D', the link
bar C will assume a position such as indicated by the dotted lines numbered 1, 2
and 3 of Fig. 1, and the link c', in pivotal connection with the link bar C, by

page_text: means of the bolt d', will be permitted thereby to turn. The uncoupling of the
appliance of my invention is ensured by means of a lever f, located on each end
or side of the car and to be connected with the extension 6 of the crooked hook b
of Figs. 1 and 2.
This leverfas illustrated in Fig. 12 is located beneath the buffers D and D', of
the cars and is connected with slotted guides f³, by means of pins f2. When the
end of the lever f, is shifted towards a buffer the same will be brought into
engagement with the extension 6, of the crooked hook b of the coupler when by a
further movement of the lever f, it will be raised as well as the reserve link bar C,
resting thereon, whereby the end 63, of the hook b, will be brought out of engage-
ment with the link c', of the link bar C, as will be readily understood from Fig. 2,
of the drawings. The hook b, is held in an operative position by means of the
lever until the cars have been slightly shifted in a backward direction to each
other. The lever f, is then released and returned to normal position, beneath the
carrier of the buffers D and D' by the weight of the reserve link bar C.
After uncoupling the two cars, the link bar C, and the link c¹ thereof will move
downward on the inclined and channelled guide way or support e, until the fork c³ of
the link bar C, engages the guide e, of the opposite car, that is, at the right in
Fig. 1, and thus will be supported to required position.
The hereinbefore described arrangement of the coupler can be easily attached to
any of the known types of coupling devices. Moreover, uncoupling of the
appliance can be instantly and easily insured by means of the lever f.
It will be manifestly obvious that as to minor details, modifications may be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention; and hence I do not wish
to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement
of all the parts of the same as herein before explained.
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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
:-
1. A car or carriage coupler, comprising a draw bar having a recessed crooked
head and projecting arms supporting an inclined guide way, a crooked hook with
an extension and a connecting bar provided with an engaging link substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2. A car or carriage coupler comprising a draw-bar having a recessed head
and arms,
an inclined divided spring guide way, a pivotal hook with a
depending arm, a spring controlled connecting bar and an inverted U shaped
link connected therewith, substantially as herein before described with reference to
the drawings annexed.
3. A car or carriage coupler provided with a draw-bar, a pivotal crooked hook
connected with said draw-bar and provided with an arm, a connecting bar provided
with a link, an inclined guide way and means for uncoupling one car from another
from either side thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the drawings annexed.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the improved coupling
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 5th day of December 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.