Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
A communication from CLINTON ARTHUR TOWER, of Cleveland, County of
Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, United States of America, Pattern-maker.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 a new and useful improvement in car-couplers of which
the following is a full, clear and exact description, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view showing two coupler heads A B, constructed in
accordance with this invention, and having their parts in proper position to enable
them to be coupled together.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line II-II of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line III-III of Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines IV-IV and V-V respectively of
Figure 1.
In the drawings 2 represents the coupler-head which in general may be of usual
type. It has two jaws 3 and 4 and is provided with an internal cavity or recess
which extends laterally into the jaw 4 and is adapted to permit the coupling
knuckle 5 to swing upon its pivot pin 6. This knuckle is formed with an outer
arm 6 and an inner and preferably longer arm or tail c, which project substantially
at right angles to each other, and the rear side of the tail is formed with a hook d.
In order to hold the knuckle in locked position (the position shown in Figure 4 and
at B in Figure 1), an angled locking and opening piece is employed, set within the
coupler-head and shown most clearly on Sheets 2 and 3 of the drawings. The
upper and transversely extending member or arm e of this angled piece reaches
over the tail of the knuckle, its dependent block or head 7 is adapted to fit in front
of and to lock the knuckle when in closed position, and its dependent arm f, which
extends downwardly at the rear of the knuckle and is substantially upright when
the knuckle is in locked position, passes through a guide-hole g in the floor of the
coupler. When the knuckle is locked. the head 7 of the angled piece fits between
the front side of the knuckle-tail aud the shoulder on the coupler-head, but when
the brakeman raises the angled piece by a link or lifting rod 8 it is raised above the
knuckle and out of its path of motion. When the knuckle is locked, as shown in
Figures 2 and 4, and at B in Figure 1, the member e is above the tail of the
knuckle, the head 7 fits in front of it and bears against the shoulder and the
arm fits within the hole g and is within the hook d of the tail. The angled
piece, being then braced by the fitting of its arm within the hole and by the
bearing of its head against the shoulder, effectually prevents the knuckle from
swinging open.
To release the knuckle and to permit. it to be swung into the open position shown
at A in Figure 1, the brakeman operates the chain 8 and thus lifts the angled
piece until the end of its head 7 clears the tail of the knuckle and passes above the
horizontal path of its motion, as shown in Figure 3, and by dotted lines in
Figure 5, whereupon the knuckle can be swung open either by direct action of the
hand or by continuing the lifting of the angled piece until a notch i on the upward
side of its member e engages a projecting rib or shoulder 9 on the coupler-head

page_text: whereupon the angled piece will tip radially in a vertical plane in a direction
transverse to the length of the drawbar. Such radial motion of the angled piece
by bringing its rearwardly depending arm into action upon the rear side of the tail
of the knuckle will move the knuckle outwardly into open position. When the
angied piece is released, after the knuckle has been swung open, the end of its
arm will drop upon and will be supported by the floor of the coupler head, and it
will remain in this position as shown in Figure 5, until the knuckle is swung back
into locked position by the act of coupling or otherwise. The rear side of the
knuckle-tail will then engage the arm and will move the angled piece so as to
carry said arm back toward a vertical position, until its lower end comes into
register with the hole g and then the angled piece will drop by gravity, its arm f
entering the hole, and its head 7 adjusting itself in front of the knuckle-tail and
locking the knuckle, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and at the coupler head B in
Figure 1.
In the parts above described the use of said angled piece, which as a single
acting device accomplishes the double function of rising to free the knuckle and of
swinging radially to move it open without the accession of cams or levers, is
distinctly new and is of great utility. The simplification of construction and the
increased safety and durability of the coupler obtained by means of this single and
individual body with its unique attributes while at rest and while in action, and
which in the proper order, in the proper time, and in a novel mauner performs
satisfactorily all the necessary functions of locking, unlocking and opening the
knuckle distinguish this invention from prior devices.
On the under and forward sides of the head 7 of the angled piece is formed a
bevel or inclined surface j and at the upper and rear corner of the head a parallel
bevel or incline k. These bevels are so formed as to match and to correspond to
parallel bevelled surfaces m and n which are situate at the side of the coupler head
and form a short groove or passage within which the head 7 may travel in its
upward and downward motions. The consequence is that when the angled piece is
lifted for the purpose of unlocking the knuckle, its head does not move in a single
vertical plane, but being guided by the bevelled surfaces m and » moves also
forward, turning with a radial motion on the axis of the dependent arm f. This
radial motion continues until the initial lifting of the angled piece has been
completed and until its member e has been brought into contact with the
shoulder 9. In like manner when the angled piece is dropped in the act of
locking the knuckle, the engagement of the surface ; on the head. 7 with the
surface m on the coupler-head causes the member e to turn backwardly with a
radial motion on the axis of the vertical arm f and thus to move its head toward
the throat of the coupler. Several important functions are effected by this
construction. The fact that the angled piece when lifted must move forward as
well as vertically, and must therefore engage the inclined surface n on the coupler-
head, opposes resistance to its free upward motion or jumping when it is jarred or
shaken during running of the cars. Accidental displacement of the locking head
or block 7 from this cause is thus effectually prevented, but at the same time the
locking device acts quite freely when it is lifted by the brakeman to unlock or
Furthermore, the
open the coupler, or is released by him to lock the same.
backward motion of the head 7 into the throat of the coupler as it falls, removes
the head further from the front portion of the coupler and thus lessens the danger
of its being injured in coupling with a coupler of the link and pin type. In fact,
this construction enables the throat of the coupler to be so formed in practice that
the link cannot enter sufficiently far to strike the angled piece at all. The
retrocession of the head 7 into the draw-head, by causing it to engage the tail o
the knuckle at a point more remote from the pivot pin 6 gives it a better leverage
for resisting the pulling strain imparted to it when in use.
It is preferable, and the construction is so illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, to permit the member e to rest upon and to be supported by the tail, so
that when the knuckle is removed the angled piece will drop to the floor of the

page_text: coupler-head, the arm passing freely through the hole g. This does not result in
any danger of jumping or displacement of the angled piece when the coupler is in
use, that being prevented by the inclines above mentioned; and it does result
in advantage in that it enables the parts of the coupler to be assembled very easily.
Thus, to put the angled piece in place within the coupler-head, one can first insert
the dependent arm into the hole g, then push the clevis of the lifting chain
through the hole in the roof of the coupler, and finally by lifting the chain and
pushing the head of the angled piece inward until it comes below the vertical
recess in the coupler-head, it can be readily pulled into place.
Another peculiar feature of the coupler herein shown is that the forward side of
the tail of the knuckle, instead of being formed in a straight line, is an arc of a
circle. This brings the middle portion of the tail forward and affords the best
form for coupling with another coupler whether the latter be in opened or closed
position.
As a further security against upward jumping or creeping of the locking block
during use, the opposite sides o and p of the head of the angled piece are formed,
not in parallel vertical planes, but with downwardly divergent surfaces. The forward
side of the tail of the knuckle, at its place of engagement with the head 7, is
inclined inwardly and downwardly in a plane parallel with the surfaces o of the
head 7 with which it is adapted to come in locking contact, and correspondingly,
the surface of the coupler-head, with which the outer side p of the head 7 is in
contact when the coupler is locked, is also inclined in a plane parallel with said
surface p. The consequence is that as, during the traction of the railway cars, the
tail of the knuckle is pressed forwardly against the inner side of the head 7, the
dovetailed or wedge-shape of said head, acting in conjunction with the incline.
surfaces y and, will restrain the locking block from all tendency to be moved
upwards by the jarring and shaking of the cars.
The advantages of the several parts of this improvement will be appreciated by
those skilled in the use of car couplers; and within the scope of this invention as
defined in the following claims, modifications may be made in the form, construction
and position of the parts. Some features of the invention may be used without the
others, and may be applied to coupler locks of forms different from the angled piece
which is illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a car coupler the combination with a knuckle of a lock which is movable
vertically from a locking position to a position above the path of motion of the
knuckle's tail in order to effect the locking and unlocking of the knuckle said
coupler having an interior guiding surface or surfaces which the lock engages along
which it is moved and by which when it is moved vertically it is guided in a direction
lengthwise of the coupler whereby jumping or creeping of the lock is prevented
substantially as described.
2. In a car coupler the combination of a knuckle a lock which is movable
vertically to effect the locking and unlocking of the knuckle aud a guiding surface
or surfaces on the inner surface of the coupler-head along which guiding surface or
surfaces the lock moves and by which there is imparted to it a forward motion
when it is lifted and a backward motion when it descends substantially as
described.
3. A coupler having a knuckle and a vertically movable angled piece whose rear
arm extends back of the tail of the knuckle and whose head is adapted to extend in
front of the same said coupler having interior guiding surfaces with which the
angled piece engages during its vertical motion and by which its head is turned
radially substantially as described.
4. In a car coupler the combination with a knuckle of a vertically movable lock
adapted to fit between the tail of the knuckle and the coupler head and to lock the

page_text: knuckle said lock being formed with downwardly divergent lateral surfaces to
prevent upward jumping or creeping of the lock substantially as described.
5. A coupler having a knuckle and a vertically movable angled piece whose rear
arm extends back of the tail of the knuckle and whose head is adapted to extend in
front of the same said coupler having interior guiding surfaces with which the
angled piece engages during its vertical motion and by which its head is turned
forward radially during the lifting operation substantially as described.
6. A coupler having a knuckle and a vertically movable angled piece whose rear
arm extends back of the tail of the knuckle and whose head is adapted to extend in
front of the same said angled piece having its rear arm extending through the floor
of the coupler and being prevented by the knuckle from dropping when the knuckle
is in position but being free to drop to said floor when the knuckle is removed
substantially as described.
7. A car coupler having a locking device and a swinging knuckle the front side
of whose tail has a convex curvature at the place where it engages the lock the said
lock being concavely curved on its inner side to fit and match with the convex
curvature of the knuckle substantially as described.
8. A car coupler having a swinging knuckle and a locking block or head which
in locking fits between surfaces on the knuckle-tail and on a shoulder on the
coupler-head said surfaces being formed on divergent planes to restrain upward
jumping or creeping of the block or head substantially as described.
9. A car coupler having a swinging knuckle and a locking block or head which
in locking fits between surfaces on the knuckle-tail and on a shoulder on the
coupler-head said surfaces being formed on divergent planes to restrain upward
jumping or creeping of the block or head and said block or head being formed with
correspondingly divergent surfaces substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.