Improvements in Car-couplings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 11th Nev., 1993
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car-couplings.
We, HERMANN GAY and FIDELIO FINKE, both of 220 South Broadway in
the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland, United States of America,
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN CAR COUPLERS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the description of the said invention which follows, reference is made to
the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and in which-
Figure 1 is an under side view of portions of two car bodies provided with our
improved couplers, and before the same are coupled.
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cars coupled.
Fig. 3 is a face view of one of the couplers together with a part of the car
body.
Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of a draw-head forming a part of the
invention.
Fig. 5 illustrates details of the coupler.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the car bodies, and B the drawheads of
the couplers.
CC are draw-bars extending rearward from the draw-heads. These draw-bars
pass through suitable bearing boxes a secured to the under side of the bodies A of
The draw-heads are adapted to slide in holders D which may be of any
suitable construction and shape, and their outward movement is limited by collars b
on the draw-bars which come in contact with the bearing boxes.
the cars.
EE are springs coiled about the draw-bars and extending endwise between. the
bearing boxes and the rear ends of the draw-heads. These springs yieldingly keep
the draw-heads in their extended position, except when the cars are coupled.
Each draw-head has a noteh c in one side, into which the inner end of a pivoted
tumbler F enters when the draw-heads are forced inward as the cars are brought
together, and prevents the return of the draw-heads to their extended position,
until released as hereinafter described.
An extension G of the tumbler serves as a lever against which the hand or foot
is pressed to disengage the tumbler from the notch c, and thereby release the
draw-head and allow it to spring outward. A spring H of any appropriate
construction retains the lever G yieldingly in such position as will keep the end of
the tumbler F in the notch c in the draw-head. From this description it will be
understood that when a draw-head is forced inward, it is caught by the tumbler and
held until released by the movement of the lever G in a direction contrary to that
automatically taken as the draw-head is forced iv.
Pivoted within a slot or depression g in each draw-head B, is a link I, and
between the eyes of the link I, is secured a hook J having an eye i similar to
those of the link. The hook is much shorter than the link, as shown in the
drawings. The link and hook are required to move together, and to accomplish
this, the eyes of the said devices are made square and the pivotal bolt j which
passes through them is also square and of the same size, see Fig. 5.
It is evident that the same result would be produced by having the link and hook
forged together or made in one piece.
The lower end of the pivotal bolt j extends below the bottom of the draw-head,
and on it is secured an arm K having a connecting rod L at its outer end which
The length of
connects it to a spring M fastened to the platform of the car body.
the connecting rod L is such that when the draw-head is depressed or forced
inward, its end strikes the platform and has the effect of throwing the link I and
°

page_text: hook J out from a position at a right angle with the longitudinal center line of
the car, into alignment with that center line, as illustrated in Fig. 2 which shows
the cars coupled. When however the draw-heads are extended the springs M
draw the connecting rod L and arm K in, and the link I and hook J are forced into
the first position described, as shown in Fig. 1 which illustrates the cars as not
coupled.
As the object of the mechanism consisting of the arm K, link L and spring M,
is only to throw out the link and hook into the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, we
do not limit ourselves to the employment of these devices, as others equally
effective and perhaps simpler in construction may be devised and used. The
throwing out devices may be placed in the holder D, or the draw-head, and be
thereby protected against injury, and they may be of such character as to not
depend entirely or partially on a spring for their operation.
Supposing that two cars are to be coupled, they are brought towards each other,
and as the draw-heads come in contact, they are forced inward and held in that
position by the tumblers entering the notches. At the same time the links and
hooks of the two couplers engage with each other and the cars are coupled as
shown in Fig. 2. When the cars are to be uncoupled, the hand levers are moved
so as to withdraw the tumblers F from the notches c in the draw-heads, when the
springs E force out the draw-heads and the links I and hooks J are detached from
each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
A car coupler having the following elements in combination, riz.: a draw-head
held yieldingly in an extended position with regard to the car body, and provided
with a notch, as described, a tumbler adapted to enter the said notch when the
draw-head is forced inward and thereby hold the said draw-head, a spring-held.
lever for operating the said tumbler, and a pivoted link and hook adapted to be
thrown into alignment with the longitudinal center line of the car as the draw-bar
is depressed, and thereby adapted to couple with a similar link and hook on another
coupler, substantially as specified.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of September 1893.
HERMANN GAI.
FIDELIO FINKE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.