IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR COUPLINGS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of the Agency for Foreign Patent.
Solicitors 323, High Holborn in the county of Middlesex Engineer, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR COUPLINGS A communication from
Charlie Mark a person residing at Flint in the county Genesee and state of
Michigan in the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1882.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 323 High
Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAR
COUPLINGS" a communication from Charlie E. Mark, a person residing at Flint
in the County of Genesee and State of Michigan, United States of America
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car couplers,
It has for its object to provide for direct draft on the car accuracy and positiveness
in coupling and the vibration of the rear end of the draw bar to couple and
uncouple and with these ends in view my invention consists in the peculiar
construction and operation hereinafter fully set forth and specifically claimed In
order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may know
how to make and use the saine, I will proceed to describe the construction and
operation referring by letters to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a car frame with my improved coupler
attached
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken at the line xx figure 1 and
Figure 3 is a front or end view of the draw bar. Similar letters denote like
parts in the several figures. A represents a portion of the car frame formed with
longitudinal pieces B B to serve as guides for the draw head C and with a
transverse partition D to support one end of a spiral spring E the opposite end of
Price Gd 1
'

page_text: which is confined against a loose partition F which is free to move longitudinally
as the spring contracts and expands. G is the draw bar the peculiar construction
of which will be presently explained. This draw bar is arranged to pass through
the end of the frame A and is located between the pieces B B which latter have
inwardly projecting shoulders a a as seen at figure 1 against which the loose
partition Frests when the spring E is in its normal condition.
The draw head is formed with a flaring mouth as seen at Figure 3 to guide and
direct the coupling link and is cored out interiorly as clearly shown in section at
figure 2 to permit of the vibration of a hook bar H. The lower lip of the mouth
of the draw head is provided with a slot or recess b to receive the lower end of the
hook of the bar H and with a curved seat c against which the end of the coupling
link strikes. The hook bar H is formed at its front end into a hook I curved as
shown so that the contact or pressure of the end of the link will cause said hook
end to rise and permit the passage of the link, when the hook I will immediately
fall and grasp the link. That part of the bar H confined within the draw-bar is
flattened or rectangular in cross section and immediately in rear of the back end
of the draw bar is enlarged to form a curved shoulder d next to the draw head and
a square or flat shoulder c adjacent to the loose partition F, the remainder of the
bar being round and passing through central holes in the loose and fixed
partitions FD and secured in place by a key J back of the partition D, the
spring E surrounding the rounded end of the bar H being confined between the
two partitions and tending to keep the partition F always in place against the
shoulders a a and as the bar H is pivoted to the draw head at f the draw head is
consequently kept forward as clearly shown at figures 1 and 2 the spring yielding
when the draw-bars of adjacent cars come in contact The pivot fis at the rear
end as clearly shown and the greatest weight of the draw head being behind the
front of the frame A (which serves as a rest or support for the front end) the rear
end of the former will fall by gravity until it comes in contact with the top surface
of the bar H in rear of the pivot and thus bring the hook end I with relation to
the mouth of the draw bar into the position seen at figure 2! ready to be acted
upon by the coupling link which when it strikes the curved front thereof, is forced
down against the lower lip and by pressure at such point lifts the rear end of the
draw head which causes the front end to recede from the hook I and open a channel
for the passage of the link as seen in dotted lines at figure 2 and as soon as it
reaches the seat c, the rear weight of the draw bar causes it to resume its normal
position and to confine the link in an obvious manner. In order that the link may
be released when desired to uncouple I provide a rock shaft K passing below the
bottom surface of the draw head and on said rock shaft is arranged a can or
eccentric L adapted to come in contact with the lower surface of the draw head so
that when the shaft K is rocked the draw head will be lifted, said motion may be
imparted by lever or crank arms M or in any other suitable manner. The
shoulders ee of the bar H resting against one side of the movable partition F and
the end of the spring E against the opposite side it will be readily understood how
the spring serves as a bumper and returns the draw head to its place. The
shoulder d on the bar H is curved in order to permit the vertical movement of the
rear end of the draw-head. The recess b in the lower lip of the draw-head supports
the free end of the hook and secures it against being straightened out by strain.
It will be observed that the partition F.is free to rise when the rear end of the
draw head C is lifted, the hook bar also rising and moving on a radius greater
than the draw head necessarily opens a passage at the front end for the link.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:-1st In combination
with the hook bar H formed at its front end into a hook, the draw head C cored or
recessed interiorly and pivoted to the bar H substantially as and for the purpose
set forth. 2nd The draw head C and bar H arranged between guides B B in
the frame. A in combination with the rigid partition D vertical and longitu-
dinally movable partition F spring E and key J arranged and operating as set

page_text: forth. 3rd The draw head C and bar H pivoted together as described and
arranged within guides B B on the frame A in combination with mechanism for
lifting the rear end of the draw head substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 19th day of Dec in the year of our Lord, One thousand Eight
hundred and Eighty two
ALFRED J. BOULT (L.S.)