Improvements in Car Couplers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplers.
We MILO JACKSON ALTHOUSE, of the City of Waupun, in the State of
Wisconsin, United States of America, Manufacturer, JAMES HERBERT MC KEGGIE,
of Barrie, Canada, Manufacturer, JOHN CHARLES MCKEGGIE, of Toronto, Canada,
Manufacturer, and GEORGE TATE BLACKSTOCK, of Toronto, Canada, Maau-
facturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to automatic car couplers, that is, car couplers adapted
to automatically become coupled when cars in which such couplers are placed
are brought together, without the interference or assistance of the person or
persons in charge thereof, and such invention consists in the detail construction,
combination and arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully shown and described,
and particularly set out in the claims.
The objects of this invention are, to obtain a car coupler having an arrow
rotatably journaled therein and a slot formed of side bars having flaring outer
faces thereon, the arrow whereof will, when two cars are brought together, each
having such coupler thereon, enter the slot in the coupler on the adjacent car,
and such arrow be thereby turned in its journal bearing until the head thereof
has fully entered the slot in the adjacent coupler, when such arrow will resume
its initial position and such arrow head by one and one only of the wings of
the head thereof automatically engage or couple with one, and the inner one, of
the side bars of the slot on the adjacent coupler; to obtain a car coupler of the
kind described, coupling in the manner stated, which can be uncoupled readily at
any time by a person standing at the side of or upon the cars; to obtain a coupler
of the type desired, which will permit cars, whereon the same is placed, to be.
hauled upon and around a sharp curve, as it is called; to obtain a car coupler
of the type described which will not be readily broken or pulled from the car;
and to obtain a coupler wherein the arrow of the coupler will, in the use of the
coupler, abut against a strong and rigid portion of the coupler in which it is
rotatably journaled. A further object of the invention is to obtain a simply
constructed, and extremely strong and durable coupler, of the type named, in
combination with an ordinary link and pin coupler.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a coupler embodying our invention with the side
plates thereof and the arrow forming a part of the coupler removed;
Fig. 2, is such side plate;
Fig. 3, a side elevation of the coupler, the arrow forming a part thereof so that
the wings of the head of such arrow are in a vertical plane and in position not to
couple when brought in contact with the coupler on an adjacent car;
Fig. 4, a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, viewed in the direction indicated
by the arrows;
Fig. 5, an end elevation of the portion of the body of a car having a coupler
embodying our invention placed thereon with the arrow-forming a part of the coupler
in position to couple.
The same letter of reference is used to indicate a given part where more than
one view thereof is shown in the several figures of the drawings.
A, represents a portion of one end of a car. a, is a rod extending across the
end of the car and journaled in strap a¹, a¹. a, a, are handles by which rod a
may be partially turned. B, is the portion of the coupler forming the ordinary
link and pin coupler, drawhead or draft-iron, as it is termed. b, is a pin-indicated

page_text: by dotted lines by which a link is secured in the coupler. 6', is the yoke of the
coupler. 62, 63, are followers in yoke b'; and 6, is an ordinary car spring.
C, (Figs. 3 and 5), is a strap secured to the end of the car A by bolts C', C', C'.
Such strap C extends underneath the portion of the coupler actuating our device
which forms the ordinary link and pin coupler, and holds the outer end or head of
such coupler in position. C, C, are bolts or straps extending, respectively, from
strap C to the car body on each side of the portion of the device embodying our
invention forming the ordinary link and pin draw-head and limiting the lateral
movement of the head of the coupler.
D, is that portion of the coupler embodying our invention by which we obtain
the automatic coupling feature of the device and consists of the parallel bars d, d',
bottom plated, top plate d³, (such top plate being integral with part B of the
coupler and forming a dividing line between part B and part D of the coupler),
part in which is contained the journal bearing of the rotatable arrow used in the
coupler, and plate d³ secured to part d' by bolts do, do, and forming a cap to the
journal bearing of such rotatable arrow.
Part D of the coupler is cast integral with part B thereof; and D¹, is a brace
extending from part B of the coupler downward and forward to the lower portion of
the part D.
D², is an opening between parts B D of the coupler and brace D'and in this
opening D² the strap C extends.
E, is a rotatable arrow; e, is the shaft of arrow E rotatably fitting into the
journal bearing provided therefor, in part D of the coupler and hereinafter
described. e, is a shoulder formed by the joining of part e of the shaft of arrow E
with part e thereof. 'E', is the back end of arrow E, and is of larger diameter than
shaft E thereof; and E, is the shoulder formed by the joining of part E' of arrow E
to shaft e thereof.
F, F, F, F, are abutments on part D of the coupler. f,f,f',f', are projections
on plate d. Projections f,,,, fit between abutments F, F, F, F¹, respectively,
as is particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.
The bolts do, do, securing plate do to the part D of the coupler extend through
projections, Projections f¹, f, are of substantially the same width as the
diameter of shafte of arrow E, and of less width than the diameter of end E¹ of
such arrow. Projection f extending between lugs F, F', does not reach back to
the back face of part D of the coupler, that is, to the back face of such
lugs F1, F1.
By this construction the shoulder E' of arrow E, is, when two or more cars
coupled together by arrows E, E, are hauled in either direction, brought against a
rigid-abutment formed by the back face of part D, and abutments F, F, thereon:
and when two or more cars coupled together by arrows E, E, are pushed in either
direction shoulders e of such arrows are, respectively, brought against a solid
abutment formed by the front face of part D of the coupler and abutments F', F',
thereon.
G, is the journal bearing for arrow E in part D. Journal G is, in the front
thereof, eliptical in cross-section, with its vertical axis of about the diameter as
that portion of the shaft of the arrow contained therein, and with its horizontal
axis louger; while the back end of such journal bearing G is circular in form
and of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the shaft E contained
therein.
H, H', are the wings of the head of arrow E; and h, h', are the curved faces
thereof. The wing H has, at the rear end thereof, face / adapted to come in
contact with the back face of the bar d' of part D of the coupler. Wing H' has
the back end thereof cut away, leaving face h' not adapted to come in contact with
the back face of the bar d.
By cutting away the back of the wing H' in such manner as to leave the face /³
thereon, while the wing H is extended back to face, wing H is the only one of
the two wings of the head of the arrow E which performs any function in regard

page_text: o the holding of the cars together when coupled, the only function of the wing
being to act, in conjunction with wing H, and bars d, d', on an adjacent coupler, to
orce the arrow E around in the process of coupling, so that the wings will be in a
Fertical plane, thereby allowing the head of the arrow to pass through the slot
formed by such bars d, d', on the coupler on the adjacent car.
I, is a weight secured to arrow E on one side of the axial line thereof in order
that the wings H, H' of the arrow E will thereby be ordinarily extended in a
horizontal plane.
J, is a chain attached at one end to weight I and at the other end to arm K on
rod a. Handles a², a², placed on rod a, as hereinbefore described, enable a person
standing at the side of the car to raise the weight I and thereby turn the arrow E
car, if
so that the wings H, H' shall be in a vertical plane, thereby uncoupling the
coupled, or placing it in proper position for the car to come in contact with an
adjacent car without coupling thereto. K³, is a spring catch on the end of the
car A adapted to engage with lever K and hold such lever in an upraised position.
In order to uncouple the cars from the top of the car, lever K' is placed on rod a
and chain K is attached at one end thereof extending therefrom to the top of
the car.
By the cutting away of wing H' of the arrow head, as hereinbefore described,
when two cars are coupled together, by the automatic engagement of the arrows E
contained in the couplers on such cars, wing H of the head of the arrow on one car
will engage with bar d¹ of the coupler on the adjacent car, and wing H of the head
of the arrow on such adjacent car will engage with bar d' on the first named car.
When the cars are upon a sharp curve, the engagement of the inner wing only of
each head of the two arrows with the inner bars of the adjacent couplers permits
the couplers to assume a position wherein the axial line extending longitudinally
through one coupler will intersect the axial line extending longitudinally through
the other coupler at an angle considerably less than 180 degrees; and by the
eliptical form given to the forward part of the journal bearing G the angle at
which such axial lines may intersect is still further reduced; and further, we have
found in practice that by the cutting away of one of the wings of the arrow-head,
as described, part of the shaft of the arrow can be made from an inch to two
inches shorter than when such wing is not so cut away and cars having the couplers
thereon coupled by such arrows can pass over a much shorter curve than when the
wing is not so cut away even where the greater length of the shaft of the arrow
heretofore given thereto is retained.
The retraction of the arrow head obtained by the cutting away of the part e' of
the shaft thereof greatly lessens the liability to injury thereto and also lessens the
liability of injury to breakmen and others operating cars equipped with the coupler,
O particularly, where a car equipped with this coupler is coupled by a link and pin to
an ordinary link and pin coupler.
..:
We therefore consider the construction of the head of the arrow E, herein before
described, as giving materially different results from those obtained where both
wings of the arrow engage with both bars forming the slot through which such
5 wings extend, as is the case, so far as we are aware, in the operation of all couplers
of this kind heretofore made..
By connecting the part B and the part D of our combined link and pin and
automatic coupler by the brace D', the combined coupler is made extremely rigid
and by leaving the space lettered D' through which the supporting strap C can
50 pass the coupler will be retained in the car by such supporting strap, and such
brace D' even if the followers in the yoke of the coupler be broken or torn out, or
if the abutment on the car against which such couplers extend are torn away or
broken.
.
:.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
35 and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
'
Land

page_text: underneath such link and pin drawhead integral therewith, parallel bars in such
lower head to one side of its center, a rotatable arrow horizontally journaled in
such lower head on the other side of such center so that the wings of the head of
the arrow are normally though yieldingly held in a horizontal plane, with the edges
of the wings of the head of the arrow curved, and the outer wing shorter than the
inner. wing, whereby when two cars are brought together, each having such a
coupler thereon the head of the arrow of one coupler will enter the space between
the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler, thereby partially rotating the arrow in
its journal bearing, and pass beyond such bars, and thereupon such wings of the
head of the arrow will automatically resume position in a horizontal plane, and the
inner wing of the head of the arrow on one coupler will engage with the inner one
of the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler, and the link and pin drawhead forming
part of such adjacent couplers will act as buffers to receive the shock incident to
coupling substantially as described.
2. In a car coupler, the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head
underneath such link and pin drawhead integral therewith, parallel bars in such
lower head to one side of its center, a rotatable arrow horizontally journaled in
such lower head on the other side of such center so that the wings of the head of
the arrow are normally though yieldingly held in a horizontal plane, with the edges
of the wings of the head of the arrow curved, whereby when two cars are brought
together, each having such a coupler thereon, the head of the arrow of one coupler
will enter the space between the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler, thereby
partially rotating the arrow in its journal bearing, and pass beyond such bars, and
thereupon such wings of the head of the arrow will automatically resume position
in a horizontal plane, and engage with the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler,
and the link and pin drawhead forming part of such adjacent couplers will act as
buffers to receive the shock incident to coupling; substantially as described.
3. In a car coupler, the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head
underneath such link and pin drawhead, a brace integral with the link and pin
drawhead, and with the head underneath it, and extending from the bottom plate
of such lower head upwards and backwards to the under side of the link and pin
drawhead, parallel bars in such lower head to one side of its center, a rotatable
arrow horizontally journaled in such lower head on the other side of the center
thereof so that the wings of the head of the arrow are normally though yieldingly
held in a horizontal plane, and with the edges of the wings of the head of the arrow
curved, whereby when two cars are brought together, each having such a coupler
thereon, the head of the arrow of one coupler will enter the space between the
parallel bars of the adjacent coupler, thereby partially rotating the arrow in its
journal bearing, and pass beyond such bars, and thereupon the wings of the head of
the arrow will automatically resume their position in a horizontal plane, and the
wings on the head of the arrow on one coupler will engage with the parallel bars of
the adjacent coupler, and the shock incident to the making of the coupling will be
partially distributed by such brace throughout the entire coupling; substantially as
described.
4. In a car coupler, the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head
underneath such link and pin drawhead, a brace integral with the link and pin
drawhead and with the head underneath it, and extending from the bottom plate of
such lower head upwards and backwards to the under side of the link and pin
drawhead, parallel bars in such lower head to. one side of its center, a rotatable
arrow horizontally journaled in such lower head on the other side of its center so
that the wings of the head of the arrow are normally though yieldingly held in a
horizontal plane, and with the edges of: the wings of the head of the arrow curved
and the outer wing shorter than the inner wing, whereby when two cars are
brought together, each having such a coupler thereon, the head of the arrow of one
coupler will enter the space between the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler,
thereby partially rotating the arrow in its journal bearing, and pass beyond such
bars, and thereupon the wings of the head of the arrow will automatically resume

page_text: heir position in a horizontal plane, and the inner wings of the head of
ne coupler will engage with the inner one of the parallel bars of the adjacent
oupler, and such brace tends to resist the breaking off of the lower head of the
oupler in the coupling thereof; substantially as described.
5. In a car coupler, the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head under-
eath such link and pin drawhead, parallel bars in the lower head to one side of its
center, a rotatable arrow horizontally journaled in such lower head on the other
ide of its center so that the wings of the head of the arrow are normally though
ieldingly held in a horizontal plane, and with the edges of the wings of the head
of the arrow curved, the journaled shaft of the arrow of less diameter than the
extension of such journaled shaft, lugs on the side of such head and a plate having.
projections thereon fitting between such lugs, the horizontal ones of the projections
on such plate being of about the width of the journaled shaft of the arrow, whereby
n the moving of cars connected by such coupler the shoulders adjacent to the
journaled shaft of the arrows therein will be brought in contact with a rigid
abutment on such head; substantially as described.
6. In a car coupler, the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head
underneath such link and pin drawhead parallel bars in the lower head to one
side of its center, a rotatable arrow horizontally journaled in such lower head on
the other side of its center so that the wings of the head of the arrow are normally
though yieldingly held in a horizontal plane, and with the edges of the wings of the
head of the arrow curved and the outer wing shorter than the inner wing, the
journaled shaft of the arrow of less diameter than the extension of such journaled
shaft, lugs on the side of such head and a plate having projections thereon fitting
between such lugs, the horizontal ones of the projections on such plate being of
about the width of the journaled shaft of the arrow, whereby the inner wing of the
head of the arrow on one coupler will engage with the inner one of the parallel
bars of the adjacent coupler, and in the moving of such cars the shoulders adjacent
to the journaled shaft of the arrows therein will be brought in contact with a rigid
abutment on such head; substantially as described.
7. In a car coupler the combination of a link and pin drawhead with a head
underneath such link and pin drawhead, a brace integral with the link and pin
drawhead and with the head underneath it, and extending from the bottom plate of
such head upwards and backwards to the under side of the link and pin drawhead,
parallel bars in such lower head to one side of its center, a rotatable arrow horizon;
tally journaled in such head on the other side of the center thereof so that the
wings of the head of the arrow are normally though yieldingly held in a horizontal
plane, and with the edges of the wings of the head of the arrow curved and the
outer wing shorter than the inner wing, the journaled shaft of the arrow of less
diameter than the extension of such journaled shaft, lugs on the side of such. head
and a plate having projections thereon fitting between such lugs, the horizontal
ones of the projections on such plate being of about the width of the journaled
shaft of the arrow, whereby when the inner wing of the head of the arrow on one
coupler is engaged with the inner one of the parallel bars of the adjacent coupler,
in the moving of such cars the shoulders adjacent to the journaled shaft of the
arrows will be brought in contact with a rigid abutment on the lower head in which
they are, respectively, journaled; substantially as described.
Cohmuary 1893.
R. HADDAN,
c/o Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., Agent to Applicant.