Improvements in Railway Couplings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Complete Specincation Lert, 17th mar, Accepted, com
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Couplings.
I, AUGUST GUSTAV VOGT, of Boerne, in the County of Kendall, and State-of
Texas, United States of America, Hotel Keeper, 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 railway couplings of the American type and it has for
its object to provide simple, easily-operated devices by which the cars may
automatically couple and be uncoupled, or the link be adjusted to properly enter a
meeting drawhead without requiring the operator to go between the cars at any
time, and the invention consists in the novel constructions and combinations of
parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure 2 a top plan view, parts being broken
away, and Figure 3 is a side view, partly in section, of my improvements, and
Figures 4, 5, and 6, are detail views.
F
The drawhead A has its drawbar B made hollow and open at its rear end, so
that the buffer spring C employed on the ordinary drawbars may be inserted in
said rear end and held between the keys D, D', passed through slots b in the draw-
head and into receiving slots in the draft beams of the car frame.
This construction it will be seen is simple, permits the use of the springs C and
keys D, D', now used, and allows the drawhead to yield both forward and back.
If at any time the spring should be broken, the rear key can be removed, a new
spring inserted, and the key be replaced, in a few minutes.
The drawhead has the flaring link mortise in which the link holder operates.
This link holder is formed of two sections E, E', arranged one below the other and
slightly separated. Near their rear ends the said sections are pivoted at e to the
drawhead and a spring E³, bearing between the rear extension of said sections;
operates to adjust said sections normally toward each other at their front ends.
Near their forward ends the sections E, E', have vertical coincident openings E*
for the coupling pin.
An adjusting frame F is fitted over the sections E, E¹, and is arranged to slide
vertically in the drawhead. This frame F operates, to depress the lower and upper
sections E, E', the frame having, to such end, shoulders or surfaces f,f, to rest
above and below the lower section E', the former falso resting under the upper
section so that the raising of the frame will lift both sections positively while the
lowering of the frame will only depress the lower section positively, the upper
section ordinarily following by gravity and the section of the spring. It will be
seen that the sections have a certain independence of movement, this being desirable
because when adjusted to hold the link they may be set up and down together while
when set to receive an entering link it is desirable that they should be flared apart
at their front ends. In securing this last adjustment the lower section E¹ may be
1

page_text: depressed by the frame F while the upper section E may be raised by the means
presently described.
At its lower end the frame F has a rod F¹ extending below the drawhead and
through a bracket F2 and receiving actuating springs F, F, above and below said
bracket. At its upper end the frame has an extension F slotted at f* for the
passage of the operating lever G which for convenience of reference I shall term
the main lever to distinguish it from the lever H which may be termed the pin
lifting lever. The main lever thus operates to adjust the link lifting jaws. This
lever G is supported so that it can rock and also move longitudinally being, to such
end, pivoted on a bolt or stud I passed through a longitudinal slot i in the lever. I
also form the main lever at g with a lateral offset by which it may, when moved
longitudinally, be set into and out of position to engage the lateral offset on the
pin lifting lever. The lever H is pivoted at J and is connected with the upper
link adjusting section E by a rod K pivoted to said section and passed upward
through an opening in a joint block K¹ connected with the lever H and having
above such joint piece a nut or other head for engagement by the lever H
when the latter is moved upward to its full extent, while such construction
permits a limited independent movement of both the rod K and the lever H.
The lever H is connected with the coupling pin by rods L and M the former
being pivoted at its upper end to the lever and pivotally connected at its opposite
end with the lower end of the rod M which has at its upper end a transverse arm
connected with the coupling pin so that the movement of the lever may operate to
raise and lower the pin. The arrangement of rods L and M is desirable because
it enables the pin to be moved to the full extent of the swing of the lever and at
the same time permits the pivoting of the lever to the drawhead.
A rod N may
connect with the lever H and extend to the top of the car, to enable the uncoupling
of the cars from such point.
A catch is pivoted at s to the drawhead to swing in the direction of length
thereof. This latch has a weight O' at its lower end and a hook or shoulder O³
at its upper end and such book or shoulder is arranged to engage the main lever G
when the latter is adjusted longitudinally and moved to swing the pin to the
uncoupled position so that the hook may hold the main lever in position to secure
the pin in uncoupled position. When the drawheads meet, the jar of the impact
swings the latch and releases the lever G which permits the pin to fall and auto-
matically couple the cars. To permit the said hook to catch, a part of the lever is
cut out or notched at P forming a seat for the hook but the said lever is made so
wide at other points that the hook cannot engage it, thus avoiding the latching of
the lever when it is used simply for adjusting the link.
A casing Qis provided upon the drawhead for enclosing some of the operating
parts, such casing having a hinged lid 7 which may be raised, and lowered with the
movements of the pin, etc.
In operation, if the link be in place the main lever may be adjusted clear of
engagement with the lever H and then be operated to raise or lower the link to
enter a meeting drawhead. If the approaching drawhead also has a link in it, the
link in the first can be readily ejected by setting the main lever to engage the
lever G and then operating the same to raise the coupling pin and spread the link
lifter sections, when the link will drop out and the parts be left in position to
receive the approaching link. When so adjusted the main lever will be held by
the swinging latch until the drawheads meet, when the jar will release the latch
and the levers and pin will adjust to coupled position.
When the link is ejected as before described, it does not drop to the ground but
is caught by a link receiving hook R supported to swing below the drawhead and
projecting at its point beyond the same. This book R is carried by swinging
links S dropped from the drawhead.
It will be seen that the pin is braced against both the drawhead and the sections
of the holder so that there is no danger of bending even a lighter pin than is
commonly used.

page_text: In order that the link catcher may not be in the way when the cars are coupled,.
I provide a shaft having a squared portion engaging one of the hangers and
provided at its outer end with a handle by which it may be turned, which handle is
also arranged and adapted for engagement by a latch suspended from the car
frame. This latch may serve to hold the shaft in position to retain the point of
the hook back from the end of the drawhead or the latter may be released to permit.
the hook to adjust forward into position to catch the link.
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. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead and the link holder
therein formed of pivoted upper and lower sections substantially as set forth.
2. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead and the sectional link
holder therein, both the drawhead and the link-holder having openings for the
coupling pin, substantially as set forth.
3. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead having coupling pin
openings the link-holder arranged in said drawhead and formed with upper aud.
lower sections pivoted together near their rear ends to the drawhead and provided
near their front ends with pin openings, and the spring arranged between the rear
extended ends of said sections, substantially as set forth.
4. In a car coupling, the combination, with the drawhead and the link holder
formed of pivoted sections, of the operating devices whereby the said sections may
be flared apart at their front ends, substantially as set forth.
5. In a car coupling, the combination, with the link holder composed of upper-
and lower pivoted sections, a vertically movable frame embracing and having
portions engaging said sections, and devices by which the said frame may be
operated, substantially as set forth.
6. In a car coupling, the combination, with the pivoted link holding sections, of
independently movable devices whereby the lower section may be depressed and.
the upper section elevated, substantially as set forth.
7. In a car coupling, the combination, with the link holder formed of
upper and
lower pivoted sections, of the adjusting frame by which to positively raise both
such sections and depress the lower one and a rod connected with the upper section
whereby to lift the same and devices for operating said frame and rod, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
8. In a car coupling, the combination of the pivoted link holding sections, the
adjusting frame engaging said sections and the actuating spring or springs by which
to retain said frame and link holding sections normally in the desired position,.
substantially as set forth.
9. In a car coupling; the combination of the link holder, the vertically movable
frame embracing said holder and provided with a slot, and the operating lever
passed through said slot, substantially as set forth.
10. In a car coupling, the combination of the link holding devices and inde-
pendently movable levers for operating the same and the coupling pin, one of the
said levers being movable independently of its pivotal movement into and out of
position to engage the other lever, substantially as set forth.
11. In a car coupling, the combination of the link holder, the lever for operating
the coupling pin and the lever for operating the link holder, the latter being
movable longitudinally whereby it may be set into and out of position to engage
the pin operating lever, all substantially as set forth.
12. In a car coupling, the combination of the pin operating lever and the lever
for operating the link holder, both such levers being provided with lateral off-sets
and one of the levers being inovable longitudinally whereby it may be set into and
out of engagement with the other, substantially as set forth.
13. In a car coupling, the combination with a transverse main operating lever,

page_text: of a swinging weighted latch arranged to lock said lever in position, substantially
as set forth.
14. In a car coupling, the combination of a latch and a main operating lever
having a seat for engagement by said latch and movable longitudinally whereby it
may be set into and out of position for engagement by the latch, substantially as
set forth.
15. In a car coupling, the combination with the pin and its operating lever, of
the rods Land M pivotally united at their lower ends and connected at their upper
ends respectively with the lever and with the pin, all substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
16. In a car coupling, the combination of the drawhead, the link holder having
an upper pivoted section, the pin operating lever and connections between said
lever and the upper link holder section, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
17. In a car coupling, the combination of the pivoted link holder sections, the
main lever and connections whereby said lever may positively operate the lower
link holding section. the pin operating lever and connections between the same and
the upper link holding section, substantially as described, whereby the main lever
may operate to depress the lower link holder section and the other lever may operate
to elevate the upper link holder section, substantially as set forth.
18. In a car coupling, the combination of a link holder having upper and lower
sections, a pair of levers and connections between said levers and sections whereby
the joint operation of the levers may serve to flare the sections, substantially as set
forth.
19. The combination, substantially as described, of the drawhead, the link holder
sections, the adjusting frame embracing said sections, the pin operating lever arranged
to operate the upper section and the main lever arranged to operate the adjusting
frame and movable longitudinally into and out of position to engage the pin operating
lever, substantially as set forth."
20. In a car coupler, a drawhead provided with a link catcher comprising a
rod or bar arranged to project at its front end normally in advance of the end
of the drawhead and supported to swing below the drawhead, substantially as
set forth.
21. The combination, in a car coupler, of the hollow drawbar having the opposite
slots, the spring fitted in said hollow drawbar, and the keys inserted in said slots
on opposite sides of the spring and projecting from the drawbar, substantially as
set forth.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
A. G. VOGT,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.