Car Coupling, Buffing, and Draft Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1899 -Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Car Coupling, Buffing, and Draft Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM MCCONWAY, Manufacturer, residing at 2,851, Bedford Avenue,
Pittsburg, County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, 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 follow-
ing statement:-
Under the present practice of connecting carriages and goods-wagons, each
wagon is provided with a hook connected to a stem extending back under the
wagon, and attached to a suitable draft spring, which is generally semi-elliptic.
Buffer-heads are arranged near each side of the wagon and have their stems
connected to the ends of the draft spring. This construction involves the use
of connected links for coupling by engagement with the hooks. For carriages
these links are connected by turn-buckles and the buffer-heads of adjacent car-
riages are drawn together by these turn-buckles.
The object of the present invention is to provide for the substitution of auto-
matic coupling mechanisms for the hooks and chains and to connect the coupling
mechanisms to the wagons or carriages in such manner that they will also serve
as buffer-heads.
It is a further object of the invention to so construct the coupling mechanisms
and connect them in such manner to the wagons, that they can be used as buffer-
heads only, so that by retaining the present form of coupling devices, the wagons
having the automatic coupling mechanisms, can be connected or coupled with
wagons having the present style of coupling devices, thereby rendering it possible
to gradually equip the rolling stock of a railway with the automatic coupling
mechanisms.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for the in or out adjustment
of one of the coupling mechanisms by or in accordance with the out or in move-
ment of the other coupling mechanism, thereby providing for the coupling or
connecting of the couplers of two carriages or wagons on curves, when the longi-
tudinal axes of the carriages are at an angle to each other.
In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Fig. I, is a
top plan view of portions of the frames of two wagons having improved coupling
mechanisms applied thereto. Fig. II, is a similar view showing the manner of
connecting wagons having the present style of coupling and buffing devices to a
wagon having my improvement applied thereto. Fig. III is an end elevation of
a wagon frame with my improved coupling mechanisms. Fig. IV and V are side
elevations of the automatic coupling mechanism, showing the knuckle or hook
in closed and open positions respectively; Fig. VI is a sectional plan view of the
coupling mechanism and its supporting head and stem; Fig. VII is a sectional
elevation of the same; Fig. VII is a sectional detail view of the locking-pin and
its safety latch. Fig. VIII is a side elevation on an enlarged scale, illustrating
the manner of arranging the draft and buffer spring in the stem of the coupling
mechanism; Fig. IX is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. X is a sectional
detail view illustrating the manner of connecting the springs boxes to the equaliz-

page_text: ing lever. Fig. XI is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, showing
the connection of one of the bell crank levers to a spring box and to the connect-
ing rod; Fig. XII is a top plan view illustrating a modified arrangement of the
draft and buffing mechanisms; Fig. XIII illustrates a modification in the con-
struction of equaling mechanism; Fig. XIV is a detail of the lever shown in
Fig. XIII and Fig. XV is a sectional plan view of a portion of the arrangement
shown in Fig. XIII.
In the practice of the invention the coupler-heads 1 are pivotally connected to
the supporting-heads 2 by pins 3 passing through lugs 4 formed on the
supporting-heads and through the coupler-heads, which are yieldingly held in
normal position by springs 5 arranged in pockets 6 in the supporting-heads and
bearing at their inner ends against arms 7 formed in the coupler-heads. This
construction permits the angular movement of connected coupler-heads as a train
passes around curves and when carriages or wagons are to be connected in curves.
The supporting-heads are provided with sockets 8, preferably polygonal in con-
tour, externally, for the reception of the combined draft and buffer stems 9.
These sockets 8 project through the head stock or buffer-beam of the carriage or
wagon and serve as guide stems for the supporting-heads.
Combined draft and buffer springs 10 are placed around the stems 9 between
inner ends of the sleeves 11 and 12, which are loosely mounted on the stems 9.
As the stems are shifted by inward movements of the coupler-heads the sleeves 11
will be similarly shifted by collars 13 on the stems 9, against the tension of the
springs, the opposite ends of which bear against the sleeves 12. These sleeves are
held stationary as against movement by the spring boxes 14, which are provided
with shoulders a engaging corresponding shoulders 6 in the sleeves 12. Similarly
when the stems 9 are shifted by a pull on the coupler-heads, the sleeves 12 will
be moved by collars 15 on the stems 9 against the tension of the spring 10, the
sleeves 11 being held against movement by the spring boxes 14, which are pro-
vided with shoulders e engaging shoulders d on the sleeves 11.
As already shown in Figs. I, II and IX, X and XI, the spring boxes 14 are
provided with trunnions 16 which project into holes in the arms 17 of bell crank
levers pivotally mounted on brackets 19 bolted to the diagonal braces 20 of the
wagon frame. The arms 18 of the bell crank levers are connected together by
a transverse rod 21 which should be made comparatively heavy, as it is subjected
to end tension when the couplers are forced in and to compression when a pull is
exerted on the couplers. In order to connect the bell cranks to the spring
boxes 14, the former may conveniently be made in two parts, which after being
applied to the spring boxes, are held together by suitable bolts. . In order to
strengthen the diagonal braces, which are subjected to both draft and buffing
strains, the brackets 19 are preferably provided with braces 22 extending to the
transom 23. and this transom is connected by rods 24 to the corresponding transom
at the opposite end of the wagon or carriage. By thus connecting together the
transoms at the ends of the wagon or carriage and connecting the brackets 19 to
these transoms by the braces 22, a practically continuous draft rigging is formed.
In order to utilize the spring 25 now in use, for buffing, the shoes 26 on the
ends of the spring are provided with stems 27, which bear at their ends against
the ends of the coupler stems 9, so that any buffing action will be resisted, not
only by the springs 10 as heretofore stated, but also by the spring 25. This
spring is supported during buffing movements by a chock block 30%, secured to
the longitudinal sills 31 of the wagon or carriage frame. The spring 25 is also
utilized to return the coupler-heads to normal position, i.e., to the same distance
from the head stock or buffer beam, while the evening of the coupler-heads is not
necessary it is preferred that they should normally occupy such positions.
will be readily understood, by those skilled in the art, that this evening of the
coupler-heads may be effected by any suitable form of spring connected to any
movable part of the draft and buffing rigging.
It
By reason of the connection of the two stems 9 of the couplers through the

page_text: springs 10, spring-boxes 14, bell crank levers and rod 21, any inward or outward
movement of either of the coupler-heads will effect a corresponding outward or
inward movement of the other coupler-head, so that if one coupler-head should
be struck by the opposite coupler or buffer-head of the other wagon, as would be
the case in coupling two wagons on a curve of the track, it would be driven in
without any material compression of the spring 10 and its companion coupler on
the same wagon would be correspondingly forced out until it meets its comple-
mentary coupler or buffer-head on adjacent wagon. Then and not until then,
will the springs 10 be materially affected by the inward movement of the coupler-
heads. In passing around curves the corners of two adjacent wagons on the
inner side of the curve will be caused to approach each other so that the couplers
on that side of the wagons, will be moved inwardly and the couplers on the
opposite side of the wagon or that on the outside of the curve, will move out-
wardly corresponding to the separation of the outer corners of the wagons.
As it would be inconvenient and practically impossible to change at one time
the entire equipment of the road, the wagons may be provided with
the customary draw-hooks 28, which are connected in the customary
or any suitable manner to the draft-spring 25, but preferably by means of a
stem 29 extending back through the head-stock or buffer-beam and transoms, as
is the usual practice; to a yoke 30 surrounding the draft-spring. By reference to
Fig. II it will be seen that my couplers, which as before stated, have the same
relative position as the buffer-heads now in use, will serve as buffer-heads, when
wagons equipped as at present with hooks and buffer-heads only, are connected
to wagons having my improved coupler-heads applied thereto in addition to the
draw-hook.
As in some cases, it may not be possible or desirable to secure the brackets 19
on the diagonal braces 20, said brackets may be connected to the middle longi-
tudinal stills 31 as shown in Fig. XII, or to any suitable convenient part of the
wagon frame. In such cases the usual semi-elliptic spring employed for draft and
buffing is omitted and a spiral spring 32 is placed around the stem 29 of the
hook 28, said spring bearing at its ends against the transom 23 and a shoulder
or collar 33 on the stem. In such a construction the springs 10 will serve as
draft and buffing springs when the couplers are used for connecting two adjacent
wagons, but for buffing only when the wagons are connected through the draw-
hook 28, the spring 32 serving as a draft-spring in such case.
In lieu of the two bell cranks and the connecting rod 21, the stems 9 of the
couplers may be connected so as to insure the movement of one by the other, by a
lever 34 as shown in Figs. XIII and XV. This lever is provided with forks 35
at its end said forks passing on opposite sides of the stems 9 and bearing against
shoulders 36, 36, on the stems. When employing the usual draft-hook 28 in
connection with my couplers this lever 34 is pivotally mounted upon the stem 29
of said hook, said stem passing through a slot in the lever, the side walls of said
slot being flared or outwardly inclined so as to permit of the swinging of the
lever. When a draft or pull is applied to the couplers a collar 37 on the stem 29
forms a fulcrum or bearing point for said lever and through said bearing point
transmits the pull on the couplers to the spring 25. When a buffing or inward
movement is imparted to the coupler-heads, the middle portion of the lever would
bear against the collar 38 movably mounted on the stem 29, forcing said collar
backward against the tension of a coil-spring 39, surrounding the stem
bearing at its ends, against the collar and the transom 23. The buffing action of
the spring 39 is re-inforced as in the construction shown in Figs. I and II, by
the spring 25 as the stems 27 of shoes 26 on the ends of said spring bear against
the ends of the coupler stems 9.
and
Any suitable form or construction of automatic coupler of type shown may be
employed for connecting wagons or carriages, such type being generally known
in the art, as the janney or vertical plane swinging hook coupler. This type con-
sists, generally stated,, of a hook 40, pivotally mounted between lugs 41.
1.

page_text: formed of one of the horns of the coupler-head. The hook is provided with a
tail piece 42, which swings back and forth within a recess in the coupler-head.
as will be seen by reference to Figs. VI and VII. The hook is locked in closed
position by means of a vertically moving pin 43, provided on one side with a
shoulder 44 projecting into the path of movement of the end of the tail 42 of
the coupling-hook or knuckle 40. This locking-pin is capable of vertical move-
ment through the head so that the shoulder thereon may be shifted into and out
of the path of movement of the tail-piece of the knuckle. In order that the
locking-pin may be raised by the tail of the knuckle as the latter is swung to
closed position, the lower end of the shoulder 44, is bevelled or inclined as at .r,
so that, as the tail of the knuckle moves in it will strike against this inclined
portion, thereby raising the pin until the tail has passed beyond it, whereupon
the pin will drop, bringing the shoulder 44 in front of the tail of the knuckle
and locking the same in closed position.
In order to release the knuckle and permit it to swing open when it is desired
to uncouple the wagons, any suitable means may be employed for raising the
locking pins simultaneously or independently of each other. To save delay and
annoyance the locking-pins of both couplers should be lifted simultaneously or
nearly so, and to this end a rod 45, extending across the front of the wagon, is
mounted in slotted supports 46 formed on bars 47, carried by the coupler or its
supporting head, preferably the latter, as shown in Figs. III, IV and V. This rod
is provided with arms 48 having their ends connected by chains 49, or other
suitable means, to the heads of the locking-pins 43, and is also provided at its
ends with operating crank arms 50. Through the rotation of this rod, by the
handles 50, the locking-pins of both couplers will be simultaneously raised to
unlocking position. It is frequently desirable to raise the locking-pins before the
wagons or couplers are separated, and in order to hold the pins in such unlocking
position until the wagons are separated, the rod 45 should be locked with its arms
48 raised and supporting the locking-pins as shown in Fig. V. Any suitable
means may be employed for thus holding the shaft, such for example, as that
shown in Figs. III, IV and V, consisting of a projection 52 from the side of the
plate 47 and having oppositely inclined faces as shown in Fig. IV, which are
adapted to support or hold the arm 50 in its locking and unlocking position. In
Fig. IV the arm 50 is shown in the position to permit the locking-pin to go to
locking or normal position. When it is desired to raise the locking-pins 43, the
arm 50 is shifted to the right, causing a pin' or projection 51 in the arm to ride
up one of the inclines, the slot 46 in the plate 47 permitting such movement, and
then when shifted to position shown in Fig. V, the projection will ride down the
other incline and hold the rod in position to keep locking-pin in raised position.
In order to prevent any accidental displacement or upward creeping "of the
locking-pin, whereby the knuckle might be accidentally unlocked, a latch 52 is
employed, which is adapted to hold the locking-pin in its lowered or locking
position. As shown in Figs. VI, VII and VII, this latch is slightly curved and
is provided with a head or projection 53 at its lower end and is so mounted, that
when pulled upwardly this head will be drawn within the locking-pin and thereby
permit the latter to be raised. When the locking-pin is down and the latch per-
mitted to slide to normal position, the head of such latch will project under the
upper wall of the coupler-head, and thereby prevent any upward creeping" of
the locking-pin. This latch is provided at its upper end with an eye, through
which passes the pin 54 connecting the chain 49 with the locking-pin. As it is
necessary to withdraw the latch before the locking-pin can be raised, the opening
in the locking-pin, through which the pin 54 passes, is elongated as at y. so that
the first upward movement of the chain will draw the latch within the locking-
pin, thereby permitting the raising of the locking-pin by the continued upward
movement of the chain. It will be observed that the lower end of the latch,
when lowered or in locking position, projects into the path of movement of the
tail of the knuckle, in such relation to the incline.x on the locking-pin, that the
65

page_text: latch will be struck and shifted to release position by the tail of the knuckle
before the latter strikes the incline of the locking pin, thereby releasing the
latter and permitting it to be raised on the inward or closing movement of the
knuckle or hook.
While not necessary, it is frequently desirable to ensure the opening of the
knuckle 40 when unlocked, and to this end a spring 56 is coiled around the pro-
jecting end of the pivot pin 40 of the knuckle, and the ends of said spring are
passed through lugs 57 and 58, formed on the knuckle 40, and coupler-head
respectively. This spring is so arranged as to be placed under considerable tension
when the knuckle is closed, so that when the latter is unlocked the spring will
act to shift the knuckle to open position as shown in Fig. IV.
In order to prevent the rod 45 from interfering with the placing of the links
in the draw-hooks 28, a bend 45ª is formed in the portion of the rod, thereby
leaving ample room for the application of the links when required.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing, that the automatic couplers
can be applied gradually to the rolling stock of a railway and that wagons pro-
vided with such couplers can be connected with wagons having the present form
of coupling and buting mechanism, as the automatic couplers do not displace or
in any way interfere with the use of the draw-hooks and links. When the hooks
and links are employed to connect two wagons or carriages, one having my
improved couplers thereon, the latter will simply serve as buffers.
material whether the knuckle be open or closed when the coupler impinges against
the buffer-head, as the knuckle would be forced to closed position by the first
impact with the buffer-head.
*
It is im-
It will be understood that when the links 28 are not used the spring 25 will be
used for equaling or evening" purposes only, the springs 10 being used for
draft and buffing purposes. For equaling or evening" purposes other suitable
arrangement of spring connected to any movable part of the draft rigging may
be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
arranged respectively on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon and con-
nections from one coupling mechanism to the other, whereby a movement of one
of the coupling mechanisms will effect a reverse movement of the other, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
arranged respectively on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon and draft
and buffing springs connected to and controlling the movements of the coupling
mechanisms, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
arranged respectively on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon and means
for simultaneously unlocking both of said mechanisms, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
arranged respectively on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon, and
means for unlocking both of said mechanisms from either side of the wagon, sub-
stantially as set forth.
5. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
arranged respectively on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon, means
for simultaneously unlocking both of said mechanisms and means for holding the
locking mechanisms in unlocked positions, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a draw-hook, a draft spring for said hook, two automatic-
ally operating coupling mechanisms arranged on opposite sides of the draw-hook
and draft and buffing springs for said mechanisms, whereby wagons may be

page_text: coupled to wagons having draw-hooks only, or to those having automatic coupling
mechanisms, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms
provided with stems, springs, arranged between shoulders or abutments on said
stems and connections interposed between said stems, whereby the shifting of one
stem will impart a reverse movement to the other stem, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of two automatically operating coupling mechanisms.
arranged on opposite sides of the median line of the wagon, and provided with.
stems projecting under the wagon, spring boxes surrounding said stems, sleeves
movably mounted on the stems and provided with shoulders engaging correspond-
ing shoulders on the boxes, said boxes and sleeves. being arranged between
shoulders or abutments on the stems, springs interposed between the sleeves, bell
crank levers pivotally mounted on the wagon frame and having one arm con-
nected to the spring boxes and a rod connecting the other arms of the bell cranks,
substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of two stems arranged on opposite sides of the median line
of the wagon and provided with heads projecting beyond the end of the wagon,
means connecting said stems whereby the shifting of one stem will impart a
reverse movement to the other stem, means intermediate of the stems and heads
for coupling wagons together and a combined draft and buffing spring, substan-
tially as set forth.
Signed in the presence of:
DARWIN S. WOLCOTT.
FRANCIS E. GAITHER.
WILLIAM MCCONWAY,