Improvements in or in connection with Railway Carriage or other Car Couplings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Railway Carriage or other
Car Couplings.
We, FREDERICK JACOB, Mechanical Engineer, of 107 Springfield Avenue
Newark, and HENRY PATTBERG, Manufacturer, of 88 Ogden Avenue Jersey
City, both in the State of New Jersey, United States of America, and FRITZ
FREIENSTEIN, Merchant, of 10 Wartenburg Street Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, 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 has reference to railway carriage or other coupling by which the
coupling of the cars is accomplished by the force of gravity so as to dispense
with the use of spring screws and other parts that are liable to wear out by use
and which is so constructed that a double interlocking of the draw-heads takes
place and that the uncoupling of the cars can be accomplished either from the side
platform or top of the car without danger to life or limb. The draw-bars can also
be used with the ordinary pin and link-coupling so as to permit of coupling with
cars having the old style pin and link while the draw-heads adapt themselves
readily to different angles of inclination towards the draw-bars when rounding
curves so that a steady and reliable connection of the cars is obtained.
The invention consists of a car-coupling which consists of a draw-bar which is
open at the sides and has a rounded-off face-plate with an opening for the ordinary
link the upper part of the face-plate being made tapering at both sides so as to
support a saddle piece which is inclined in opposite directions and connected by a
swivel pin with the yoke shaped top piece of a detachable draw-head which rests
on the saddle piece. The draw-head is open at the centre for the face plate of the
draw-bar and provided with straight face-plates as both sides of the draw-bar. A
weighted push piece is hinged to the rear side of the draw-head its lower end pro-
jecting through an opening in the draw-head and having a bent up stop lug back of
the opening against which lug abuts the arm of a pivotted latch which is made
integral with a coupling hook at its outer end while a weighted latch lever is
fulcrumed to said latch and connected by a pivot link with a transverse uncoupling
lever fulcrumed to the top piece of the draw-head. The coupling hook extends
around the edge of the draw-head to the front of the same so as to couple with the
draw-head of the car to be coupled when the latch is dropped in its lowermost
position. The latch is operated in connection with the push piece so as to retain
the coupling hook in coupled or uncoupled position as required.
The invention consists further of certain details of construction which will be
fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of our improved car coupling showing the parts
in uncoupled position.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the draw-bar and draw-head ready for coupling.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the car-coupling showing the parts in coupled
position.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a front view of the draw-bar and draw-head in coupled position.

page_text: Figs. 7 and 8 are rear elevations of the draw-head showing the push piece in
vertical transverse section and the parts respectively in uncoupled and coupled
position.
Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical transverse sections respectively on line 9—9 Fig. 7
and 10-10 Fig. 8, and
Fig. 11 is a detail horizontal section on line 11-11 Fig. 8.
All the figures in Sheet 3 of the said drawings being drawn on a larger scale
than those in Sheets 1 and 2.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Referring to the drawings A represents a draw-bar which is advantageously
made of plate steel open at the sides and provided with a rounded off face plate a
having an opening of sufficient size to permit the introduction of a link when the
draw-bar is to be used with the ordinary pin and link coupling. The draw-bar A
is attached to the underside of the car body in the usual manner and cushioned by
suitable springs. The front or face plate a of the draw-bar A is extended in
upward direction and inclined from the centre towards the sides, the curvature of
the face-plate being concentric to a swivel-pin B which is passed through holes in
the top and bottom-plates of the draw-bar. On the top of the draw-bar A is
supported back of the top part of the face plate a a saddle piece C the inclined
sides of which correspond to the inclined top part of the face-plate a said saddle
piece being provided with flanges bb at both sides so as to rest steadily by gravity
on the sides of the top plate of the draw-bar. When the draw-bar A is made
specially for this construction the saddle piece is made in one integral piece with
the draw-bar. The saddle piece C is likewise provided with a hole for the swivel-
pin B.
A draw-head D rests on the saddle-piece C and is connected with the
saddle-piece and draw-bar by the pin B it being provided with a backwardly
extending yoke-shaped top part d that corresponds in cross section with the shape
of the saddle piece C. The lower part of the draw-head D is also provided with a
yoke-shaped bottom part d' which is like the top part d engaged by the pin B as
shown clearly in Fig. 1.
From the yoke-shaped back and bottom parts d d' of each draw-head D extend
horizontal side portions or wings d² which serve to reinforce the face-plates. The
wings d² at one side of the draw-head are connected at the outer edges by a vertical
plate d which is provided with an oblong opening d as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 3,
7 and 8. The draw-head D is advantageously made of strong plate steel and is
bent into shape by means of suitable dies so as to fit over the saddle piece C of the
draw-bar it being open at its middle portion so as to permit the rounded off face
plates to project slightly through the open portion of the draw-head D.
To the yoke-shaped top part of the draw-head D is fulcrumed an uncoupling
lever E which is connected by a link e with a lever E¹ that is weighted at its outer
end and fulcrumed to a latch F which is pivotted at its inner end to the rear side
of the draw-head D. The outer end of the latch F is bent in the shape of a
hook F1 that extends over the edge and over the front of the draw-head D as shown
clearly in Figs. 1, 3 and 6. The latch F is provided below its pivot with a down-
ward extending arm of that serves to engage an upwardly bent lug g of the weighted
push piece G which is pivotted at its upper end to ears at the underside of one of
the lateral wings d² of the draw-head while the lower end projects through an
opening in the face plate of the draw-head D to the outside of the same the lower
end being provided with a suitable head or enlargement g¹ as shown in Figs. 1, 2
and 3 and on a larger scale in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The upwardly bent lug g serves
as a stop by which the push piece G is prevented from being forced by its weight
to too great a distance beyond the face of the draw-head while the head g¹ limits
the inward motion of the push piece G when the draw-heads come in contact with
each other. The uncoupling lever E extends transversely across the draw-bar and
is made of sufficient length to permit the operation of the same from the sides!
platform or top of the car so that the brakesman or other person is not required to
pass in between the cars when coupling the same.

page_text: OPERATION OF THE COUPLING.
When the cars are to be coupled the parts are placed in uncoupled position and
the coupling hook of each draw-head is placed in raised position by the uncoupling
lever E and retained in this position by the inner end of the weighted latch lever
abutting against the lug g of the push piece G- -as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3
and in full lines in Fig. 7.
The head g of the push piece G projects to its full extent beyond the face plate
of the draw-head. When by the approach of the cars the face plates of the draw-
bars abut against each other the draw-heads of both couplings form contact with
each other and the projecting heads of the push pieces G are pushed inwardly so
that the inner ends of the weighted latch levers are released from the lugs g and
dropped by their weights into the lowermost position as shown in Figs. 6 and 8.
In this position the coupling hooks of the latches F engage the opposite sides of
the draw-heads so that they are locked together at two diagonally opposite points
as shown in Fig. 4. When the cars are to be uncoupled each uncoupling lever E
is turned on its fulcrum in such a position that the latch lever E' is raised into the
position shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 7. As the face plates of the
draw-heads are still in contact with each other the inner end of the latch lever E¹
engages the bent up lug g of the push piece G. As soon as the draw-heads are
moved away from each other the push pieces G are dropped by gravity until
stopped by the contact of the lugs g with the face plates of the draw-heads D so
that the arms f of the latches F abut against the lugs g as shown in Figs. 7 and 9.
As the coupling hooks F¹ are withdrawn from the face plates of the draw-heads
the cars are ready to be uncoupled. The lower ends or heads G' of the push
pieces G are projected beyond the face plates of the draw-heads to their full
extent. When the cars are coupled again the heads of the push pieces are pushed
back the latches are released and all the parts of the coupling namely the uncoupling
lever E the coupling hook F¹ the latch F and the latch lever E' are dropped into
the lowermost or coupled position as shown in Figs. 8, 10 and 11. The intermediate
position of the parts F E' and E and G is only produced when the uncoupling of
the cars and the separation of the draw-heads takes place.
When the cars are disconnected the parts are set again by the uncoupling lever
from the coupled or lowermost position into the uppermost or uncoupled position as
shown in Fig. 3.
ADVANTAGES.
Our improved car-coupling has a number of advantages as compared with the
car-couplings heretofore in use to wit: First, the steady connection of the couplings
by the face plates of the draw-heads. Second, the yielding of the draw-heads when
the cars approach each other for coupling on a curve so as to facilitate the con-
nection of the parts. This yielding of the draw-heads also takes place when the
cars pass around curves which is accomplished by the swivel pins of the draw-heads
on which the draw-heads swing. During the swinging motion of the draw-heads
when rounding curves the yoke-shaped top parts of the same ride on the saddle
pieces of the draw-bars and are returned to their original positions by the force of
gravity the yoke-shaped top parts of the draw-beads and the saddle pieces of the
draw-bars securing always the proper alignment of the parts as soon as the cars
have passed around the curve. Third, as each draw-head is provided with a
coupling hook the double locking of the draw-heads at diagonally opposite points
of the same is produced so that the accidental uncoupling of the cars is prevented.
Fourth, the uncoupling can be accomplished from the side, platform or top of
the car without the slightest danger to the brakeman or person operating the same.
Fifth, our improved coupling can be used for coupling with the ordinary link as
the link can be readily inserted through the opening in the rounded off face plate
of the draw-bar and coupled by the swivel-pin of the draw-head which pin is

page_text: Decomes hereby the comping
the link a reserve link being advantageously carried on each draw-bar for this
purpose as shown in Figs.
and 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a railway carriage or other car-coupling
1. The combination with a draw-bar having a rounded off face plate of a saddle
piece on said draw-bar a draw-head having a yoke-shaped top part resting on said
saddle piece and a swivel pin for connecting the draw-head with the saddle piece
and draw-bar substantially as set forth.
-
2. The combination with a draw-bar being open at the sides and having a
rounded off face plate of a saddle piece on the draw-bar said saddle being provided
with side-flanges for being retained on the top of the draw-bar a draw-head resting
on the saddle piece and a swivel pin connecting the draw-head saddle piece and
draw-bar substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a draw-bar having a rounded off face plate a saddle piece
resing on the top of the draw-bar a draw-head having a yoke-shaped top part
resting on said saddle piece yoke-shaped top and bottom part face plates and
horizontal wings at both sides at the top and bottom yokes and a swivel pin for
connecting the yoke-shaped portions of the draw-head with the saddle piece and
draw-bar substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a draw-head a weighted push piece pivotted to the rear-
side of the draw-head and arranged at right angles thereto its lower end passing
through an opening in the face plate of the draw-head to the front of same a latch
pivotted to the rear-side of the draw-head and provided with a coupling hook at
its outer end a weighted latch lever pivotted to the latch an uncoupling lever
fulcrumed to the top part of the draw-head and connected by a link with the latch
lever and means for retaining the latch and weighted latch lever so as to
retain the parts in uncoupled or partly coupled position substantially as set
forth.
5. The combination of a draw-head a weighted push piece pivotted to the rear-
side of the draw-head at right angles thereto the lower end of the push piece
extending through an opening in the draw-head to the front of same said push piece
being provided with an upwardly bent side lug a latch pivotted to the rear-side of
the draw-head and provided with a stop arm a weighted latch lever pivotted to the
latch and an uncoupling lever fulcrumed to the top part of the draw-head and
connected by a link with the latch lever the stop-arm on the inner end of the latch
engaging the lug of the push piece when the parts are in partly uncoupled position
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a draw-bar a saddle piece on the top of the draw-bar a
draw-head having a yoke-shaped top part resting on the saddle piece of the draw-
bar and a swivel pin connecting the top part of the draw-head saddle piece and
draw-bar the front of the draw-bar being rounded off so as to permit the swinging
of the draw-head on the coupling pin and the riding of the top piece of the draw-
head on the saddle of the draw-bar and the return of the same by gravity into
normal position substantially as set forth.
7. A draw-head provided with a central opening a face plate at each side of the
opening a yoke-shaped top and bottom part and horizontal wings at each side
of the said top and bottom parts for reinforcing the face plates substantially as set
forth.
8. A draw-head provided with a central opening a face plate at each side of said
opening a yoke-shaped top and bottom part horizontal wings at each side of the
top and bottom parts and a vertical connecting slide-plate for the wings at one
side of the draw-head said side plate having an elongated opening or slot substantially
as set forth,

page_text: 9. The combination of a draw-bar having a rounded off face plate and an opening
in said face plate for coupling with an ordinary link with a draw-head swiveller
to the draw-bar and provided with a central opening substantially as set
forth.
10. The combination of a draw-bar a saddle piece on the top of said draw-bar a
draw-head resting on said saddle piece a swivel pin for connecting the draw-head
saddle piece and draw-bar a weighted push piece hinged to the rear-side of the
face plate of the draw-head and projecting beyond the same a latch pivotted to the
face plate of the draw-head and provided with a coupling hook at its outer end a
weighted latch lever pivotted to the latch an uncoupling lever fulcrumed to the
top part of the draw-head and a pivot link connecting the latch lever and uncoupling
lever substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of August 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.