Improvements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1892—Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Couplings.
I DAVID URBANE GRAVELINE of Granby in the County of Sheffield, Province
of Quebec, Canada, Gentleman 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings. The object of the
present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of hook-and-link car
couplings and to provide one which will couple automatically and which may be
readily uncoupled from the side of the car or the top thereof.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings :
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a car provided with a car-coupling
constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.
Figure 3 is a transverse plan view.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the draw-head.
Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
1 designates a hollow draw-head, which is supported beneath a car-body 2, and
within which on a transverse pin 3 is journaled a draw-hook 4, having its hook
proper standing just in rear of the mouth 5 of the draw-head 1. On the said
transverse pin 3 is also journaled a draw-hook-lifting yoke 6, having its ends
arranged at the sides of the hollow draw-head. The side bars 7 of the yoke 6
converge and meet and extend forward under the draw-head and vertically through
a longitudinal slot 8 in the same and form an L-shaped portion 9, the upper
end 10 of which is bent horizontally and is arranged beneath the hook and
supports the same when the latter is raised for uncoupling. The transverse pin or
pivot 3 passes through the sides of the draw-head, eyes 11 of the yoke, and the
pivot-hole 12 of the hook.
A rock-shaft 13 is journaled in suitable bearings across the end of the car-body
and having operating-handles 14 at its extremity arranged at the sides of the car
and provided at its centre with an angular crank-loop 15, which extends forward and
which is arranged to meet the yoke to lift the same and raise the draw-hook.
The draw-hook is raised from the top of the car by a vertical rod 16, provided
at its top with a hand-loop 17, and having at its bottom an arched portion 18,
which straddles the draw-head, and which is provided at its ends with eyes 19 to
receive the transverse portion of the rectangular crank-loop, whereby the rod 16 is
attached to the same. The top of the rod 16 is arranged in a key-hole slot 20
of the projecting portion of the top of the car, and the end 21 of the rod is
extended along the latter for a short distance to provide a stop which is adapted
to engage the top of the car to hold the hook elevated when the rod 16 is lifted
and moved in the narrow portion of the key-hole slot.
The coupling may be used in connection with either a straight link or a
crooked one.
The draw-head is provided in its bottom near its rear end with au opening 22.
in which the rear end of the hook is arranged and through which the hook is
inserted and removed, and the sides of the draw-head are enlarged at 23 on
opposite sides of the opening 22. Should the draw-hook become broken it may

page_text: be removed and a new one may be inserted without necessitating the removal of
the draw-head.
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
1st. In a car-coupling, a hollow draw-head having an open mouth and provided
in its bottom with a slot arranged near the front end and having an opening near
its rear end, a transverse pivot passing through the sides of the draw-head, a hook
arranged in the draw-head and having its rear end mounted on said pivot, a yoke
having its sides arranged on the sides of the draw-head and provided with eyes
receiving said pivot, said yoke having an L-shaped portion arranged on the bottom
of the draw-head and extending vertically through the said slot and supporting the
hook, and a rock-shaft provided with a crank-loop beneath the yoke and adapted
to lift the same, substantially as described.
2nd. In a car-coupling, a hollow draw-head provided in its bottom with a slot
and with an opening, a transverse pivot passing through the sides of the draw-
head, a hook arranged in the draw-head and having its rear end mounted on said
pivot, a yoke having its sides arranged at the sides of the draw-head and mounted
on the pivot and provided with an L-shaped portion extending through said slot
and supporting the hook when the latter is elevated, a rock-shaft provided with
an angular crank-loop arranged beneath the yoke, and a vertical rod provided
at its lower end with an arched portion straddling the draw-head and connected to
the crank-loop, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of April 1892.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.