Improvements in Draw-heads and Coupling Mechanism for Railway Cars.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
Improvements in Draw-heads and Coupling Mechanism for
Railway Cars.
I, JAMES HATFIELD, of No. 165 West Second Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, United
States of America, Pattern Maker, 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, reference being had to the
accompanying drawing :-
:-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective device for
holding the coupling pin in an elevated position until automatically released by
the link in the adjacent draw-head, to elevate and adjust said link with reference
to the height of said adjacent draw-head, and also to construct said draw-heads
in such a manner as to shield and protect the device for lifting and adjusting
said link when the draw-heads are forced together, as will more fully hereinafter
appear.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1, is a view in elevation of the lower end portion of a car with my
improved draw-head and coupling mechanism connected thereto, the device for
elevating and retaining the coupling pin in an elevated position being shown
with said pin elevated, while the swinging arm for elevating and adjusting the
link is shown housed within the recess in the face of the draw-head, in its normal
position.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the coupling pin
lowered and the link elevated in position to engage with and unlock the coupling
pin in the adjacent draw-head; also one form of friction device for retaining said
link in an elevated position until forced to place in the adjacent draw-head and
secured therein by its coupling pin.
Fig. 3, is a front or face view of my improved draw-head, the lower horizontal
portion of the swinging arm for elevating the link being broken away to show the
recess in one side of said head, in which recess said arm is housed when the draw-
heads come in contact.
My invention consists of a hollow draw-head A, having a recessed or countersunk
portion a across one of its vertical contact faces, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2
and 3, with a swinging arm B suitably connected to said head, and adapted to rest
within said recess a when the draw-heads are brought together. My invention also
consists of suitable mechanism for operating the lifting-arm B, and for holding the
coupling pin in an elevated position until automatically released by the link in the
adjacent draw-head, as hereinafter set forth.
The preferred form of mechanism for retaining the coupling pin in an elevated
position in the draw-head, is that shown, and consists of a gravity hook D extending
through a slot (not shown) in the bottom of the draw-head, and pivoted between
suitable lugs, as d, cast to said bottom portion of the head at each side of the slot.
The lower portion of this hook D, is heavier than its upper portion, which has the
tendency to cause said upper hooked portion to impinge against the coupling pin E
when lowered as shown in Fig. 2, and to advance beneath said pin when the latter
is elevated above said hook, which latter acts as a support for the pin when
elevated as shown in Fig. 1.
The mechanism for elevating the coupling pin is preferably that shown, and
consists of a lever bent as shown at e, e¹ and e², and suitably connected to the end
of the car in a rotatable position, an intermediate rod es being hooked into one end
of lever e, and at the other end loosely connected to the coupling pin E, as shown.
This compound lever e- -e-e³, is operated by a crank-lever F connected to the end

page_text: of the car in a rotatable position, the hooked portion of said lever being located at
the rear of lever portion e, as shown in Fig. 1. It is preferred to employ two of
the crank-levers F,-one at each side of the car as shown.
The operation of this feature of my invention is as follows: The operator, in
order to elevate the coupling pin in the draw-head, grasps the outer free end of
lever F, pulls it away from the car, which operation causes à corresponding elevation
of the hooked portion f, and with it the portion e, rod e³ and coupling pin E are
elevated; and, so soon as the pin is elevated at its lower end above the hook D,
the upper end of the latter vibrates forward beneath the pin, at which time the
operator releases his hold on lever F, permitting the pin to fall and rest on the top
of said hook, in which position the pin will remain until automatically released, as
will presently be described.
Having described the preferred form of mechanism for elevating and retaining
the coupling pin in an elevated position, and its operation, I will now describe the
preferred mechanism for elevating and adjusting the link J in one draw-head, to
engage with the hook D and automatically release the coupling pin in the adjacent
draw-head. This feature I accomplish by means of a vibrating arm B, preferably
bent as shown, the upper portion of said arm being connected to the upper portion
of the draw-head in a rotatable position, the lower horizontal portion of said arm
extending across one vertical contact face of the draw-head and along the inner top
portion of the lower horizontal contact face thereof, resting in the recess a when in
its normal position as shown in Fig. 1.
To the bottom of the car are loosely connected the vibrating bars 9², to the free
ends of which the horizontal cross-bar G is rigidly connected, said latter bar
extending entirely across the bottom portion of the car, ready of access from either
side thereof. This cross-bar G, and arm B, are connected by means of rod o,-one
end of said rod being hooked into the loop 6 of the arm, and, at the other end
hooked into an eye gl on said bar G.
The link J, is elevated and adjusted with reference to the adjacent draw-head,
by swinging the bar G outward, which movement, through the medium of rod g,
causes the lower angular portion of arm B to swing outward and upward away from
its recess a, as shown in Fig. 2, thus elevating and adjusting said link in proper
position. So soon as the link enters the adjacent draw-head, the former strikes the
hook D, causing it to recede from beneath the coupling pin, permitting the latter
to drop through said link, thus coupling the cars.
When operated without any catch or friction holding-device, it is necessary that
the operator hold the vibrating bar G outward in an elevated position until the link
enters the adjacent draw-head, in the manner described; but, if desired, suitable
means may be provided to hold said bar in an elevated position after once raised, as
shown in Fig. 2. When constructed as shown, this device for retaining the bar G
and link J in an elevated and adjusted position, consists of a. bar K, the latter being
hooked at one end in the loop 6 of arm B, the other end of said bar passing through
and sliding in a bracket L made fast to the projecting piece M made fast to the
bottom of the car, as shown in Fig. 2. Within the bracket L is pivoted the
lever H, in such a position as that its lower face will bear against the upper face of
the enlarged portion k of bar K, thus producing friction. This enlarged portion k
of bar K is so arranged that, so soon as the bar G and arm B are swung outward,
this enlarged portion k is drawn forward under the lower face of lever H, elevating
the latter, said lever being sufficiently weighted to hold said bar, arm and link in
position until forced back to place by the contact of the two draw-heads. So soon
as the draw-heads come in contact, the arm B is forced backward and with it the
bar K; and, so soon as the bar is forced backward a slight distance, the enlarged
portion is forced from beneath the lever H, the latter dropping on the lug n
(shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2) in said bracket, at which time the bar G, and
arm B are free to swing back to place, the latter entering the recess a in the
draw-head, and thus securely protected from contact with the adjacent draw-
head.

page_text: The advantages of my invention are numerous and apparent. The recessed or
counter-sunk portion a, across a portion of the contact face of the draw-head, in
which recess the swinging arm B rests when in its normal position, affords a secure
protection for said arm as the draw-heads are brought together. This recess a
being formed only across one vertical contact face and along the top of the lower
horizontal contact face of each draw-head, permits of a continuous smoothe face
around said head except where the recess crosses the one vertical face; and, each
draw-head being an exact counterpart, when placed on different cars to face each
other, the smoothe vertical face of one draw-head will strike the vibrating arm of
the adjacent head, and effectually drive said arm home to place in its recess.
The means afforded for elevating and retaining the coupling pin in an elevated
position to be automatically released in the manner afore-described, as well as the
means for elevating and adjusting the link with reference to the adjacent draw-
head, both of which operations are accomplished without having to enter between
the cars, are valuable features to prevent accident and also for the purposes set
forth.
It is evident that the device herein set forth for elevating the coupling pin may
be used in connection with devices other than that herein specifically set forth;
or, vice versa, the device for elevating and adjusting the link may be used in
connection with other devices for elevating the coupling pin, without departing
from my invention.
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) A draw-head having a recess across one of its vertical contact faces, said
recess extending along the inner top face of the lower horizontal contact face and
terminating in the inner edge of the opposite vertical face, the contact portion of
said latter face being smoothe and unbroken, said draw-head having a swinging arm
connected thereto, the angular portion of which rests normally within said recess,
and suitable means for elevating said arm for the purposes set forth.
(2) In combination with a draw-head having in its contact face a grooved recess,
and a vibrating arm rotatably connected to said draw-head, the lower angular
portion of said arm resting normally in said recess, the gravity hook D pivotally
connected to said draw-head and extending up into the hollow portion thereof,
coupling pin E and suitable means for elevating said arm and pin, for the purposes
specified.
(3) In combination with a draw-head having in its contact face a grooved recess
and a vibrating arm rotatably connected to said draw-head, the lower angular
portion of said arm resting in said recess, the rod g and swinging bar G, said rod
being loosely connected to said arm and bar, for the purposes specified.
(4) In combination with a draw-head having a grooved recess in its contact face
and a vibrating arm resting normally in said recess substantially as set forth, the
rod 9, swinging bar G, said rod being loosely connected to said arm and bar, bar K
loosely connected at one end to said arm the other end of bar K having an
enlarged portion k, the free end of said bar resting in a bracket L, and lever H
pivoted in said bracket and adapted to impinge against the enlarged portion k, as
set forth.
(5) In combination with a draw-head constructed substantially as set forth, and
having a gravity hook pivotally connected thereto and extending up into the hollow
portion thereof, the coupling pin E, rod e³, lever e-e-e³, and crank-lever F, the
hooked portion of lever F being located adjacent to and back of lever portion e,
the latter being loosely connected with said coupling pin by means of rod c³, as
set forth.
(6) A draw-head having a recess across one only of its vertical contact faces and
along the upper edge of its lower horizontal face as set forth, in combination with a
vibrating arm suitably connected to said draw-head, the lower horizontal portion of

page_text: said arm resting normally in said recess, and means substantially as set forth for
elevating said arm for the purposes specified.
(7) The means herein set forth for elevating and adjusting the link of a coupler,
the same consisting of vibrating bars g pivotally connected to the bottom of the
car and bar G rigidly connected to the free ends of said bars, said bar G extending
across the bottom of the car, in combination with suitable connecting mechanism
between said bar and link, for the purposes specified.
Dated this 12th day of March 1891.
JAMES HATFIELD.