Improvements in Couplings for Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1898-Accepted, 2nd Apr.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Railway and like Vehicles.
I, GEORGE WALTER PRESTON, of 112, North 12th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Salesman, 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 invention relates to an improved car coupling device whereby cars can be readily
coupled and uncoupled from the exterior.
In the accompanying drawings:
-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one member of a coupling embodying my
invention.
Figure 2 represents on an enlarged scale, a longitudinal section on line y-y
Figure 3 of the coupling in locked position.
Figure 3 represents a horizontal sectional view on line x-x Figure 2.
A designates a portion of a car having the drawhead B, which latter has on one
side a recess C, the lower wall D of which inclines downwardly, while the portion E¹
serves to support the hook E which is integral with the opposite drawhead and projects
longitudinally therefrom, said hook having a shoulder F and a rounded or similar
shaped nose G.
H designates a coupling bar secured to the pin or shaft J located in the upper
portion of the recess C, said bar being engaged by the link K which is attached to
the arm M of the rock shaft N, mounted in suitable bearings P on the drawhead B,
said recess having the cut-out portion H¹ for the reception of the coupling bar H,
when the latter is lifted.
Q designates an arm attached to the shaft N and pivotally secured to the rods R
which are provided with the handles S at their extremities which are accessible from
the exterior of the car and guided in the straps T, the proper position of said rods
being assured by the spring V, which has one end bearing against one of said straps,
while its other end is secured to one of the rods R.
The foregoing description has been especially directed to Figure 1, the other member
of the coupling being made in substantially the same manner except that the position
of the hook E and recess C are reversed.
Secured to the pin J, and outside of the drawhead B, are arms U and U¹ which
contact with similar arms on the opposite drawhead of a car when the latter is
coupled, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The rock-arm Q has connected thereto one end
of a link V whose other end is connected to a rod W adapted to be actuated so
as to cause the coupling-bar H to be brought in the path of the nose F or removed
therefrom.
The operation is as follows, referring to the left-hand portion of Figure 2. The
bar H normally hangs in a substantially vertical plane, and when the hook E enters
the recess C its nose strikes the lower wall D, and raises said bar whereupon it drops
and is engaged by the shoulder F of the hook, the above operation being simultaneous
with both members of the coupling, the hook E normally resting on the portion E¹
of its adiacent drawhead.

page_text: When it is desired to uncouple, the rods R are actuated in the proper direction,
rocking the shaft N, the arm M being raised, thereby lifting the coupling-bar, the
latter being received in the recess H¹, in which position it clears the shoulder F, and
the cars are uncoupled.
It will be apparent that when the coupling-bar H is raised, as herein before
described, the ends of the arms U and U¹, will be depressed and said arm U will
impart a rocking motion to the pin in the adjacent coupling which corresponds to the
pin J seen in Figures 1, and 3. This will cause the coupling-bar in the adjacent
drawhead which corresponds to the bar H, seen in Figures 2 and 3, to be lifted out of
the path of a nose F so that the uncoupling of a car may readily be accomplished by
the operation of the actuating mechanism carried by either car, it being noted that the
arm U
above and the arm U¹ is below the adjacent arm of the opposite coupling
when the cars are coupled as will be understood from Figure 3.
When it is desired to permanently retain the coupling bar H out of the path of the
nose F, either of the rods R may be moved so as to cause an opening X in one of said
rods to register with an opening X¹ in one of the straps T after which a pin Y is
inserted in said openings, which retains said bars R in the desired position.
When the removal of the coupling-bar H from the path of the nose F is to be
effected from the roof of a car, the rod W is employed which is lifted so as to bring
an opening Z therein in alignment with an opening Z¹ in one of the straps in which
said rod W is guided, and then inserting a pin Z2 in said openings Z and Z¹ thereby
retaining the rod W in the desired position.
While I have shown the construction seen in Figure 1, as applicable to freight cars,
the same is equally adapted to passenger cars, the arm Q being extended upwardly so
as to be readily manipulated from the car platform.
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, a drawhead having a recess, a coupling-bar therein, a hook
adapted to enter said recess and be engaged by said bar, an oscillating shaft having a
link connected to said bar, a sliding rod pivotally connected with an arm upon said
shaft, and a spring controlling said rod.
the
2. A car-coupling, having one member consisting of the drawhead B provided with
a recess C having an inclined wall D therein, a portion E¹ adapted to support the
opposite coupling member, a coupling-bar H pivotally mounted in said recess,
latter having the cut-out portion H¹ for the reception of said bar when the latter is
elevated, a rock-shaft mounted on said draw-bar, a link attached to said bar, and an
arm common to said rock-shaft and link, another arm engaging a rod having handles
on its ends and a spring for holding said rod in position.
3. A car-coupling consisting of two drawheads each having a projecting hook, and
a recess with an inclined lower wall, a coupling-bar located in said recess and
engaging said hook, a rock-shaft mounted on each of said drawheads and having a
link connection with said coupling-bar, a sliding-bar having an arm on said shaft
pivoted thereto, and a spring keeping said bar in normal position.
4. A car-coupling consisting of two drawheads each having a projecting hook and
a recess, a coupling-bar located in each of said recesses, pins in each of the latter on
which said bars are mounted, said pins carrying arms, the arms of one coupling being
adapted to engage the arms of the adjacent coupling, and means for operating said
arms, whereby the coupling can be disconnected.
5. A car-coupling, consisting of a drawhead having a recess therein and a hook
projecting from said drawhead adjacent said recess, a pin rotatably mounted in. said
drawhead and carrying a coupling bar, arms mounted on said pin, and adapted to
engage similar arms on the adjacent drawhead, and means for actuating said arms
and bar from the side or top of a car.
6. A car-coupling consisting of a drawhead having a recess therein and a hook
projecting from said drawhead adjacent said recess, a pin rotatably mounted in said

page_text: drawhead and carrying a coupling-bar unlocking arms mounted on said pin and
adapted to engage and actuate similar arms on the adjacent drawhead, means for
actuating said arms and bar from the side or top of a car and means for locking said
bar in the desired position.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.