Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 'invention (a communication from
John Danford Ripson and Robert Watson both of the City of Toronto, in the
County. of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada Machinists) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The object of the invention is to design a simply constructed and efficient self-
acting car coupler; and it consists essentially in placing within a slot formed in
the top side of the draw-head a block having a loop formed on its bottom with a
spindle extending from the said loop to pass through a hole in the bottom side of
the draw-head and connected with a lever pivoted on a bracket attached to the
bottom side of the draw-head and actuated by a spring and crank-lever substan-
tially as and for the purpose hereinafter more particularly explained.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end of a car provided with this improved
self-acting car coupler.
Figure 2 is a sectional detail of the draw-head and parts connected therewith.
Figure 3 is a perspective detail of the block..
A is the draw head connected to the car B as shown or in any suitable manner.
C is a block inserted into a slot made in the top side of the draw head A. . On
the bottom of the block C loop D is formed from which loop the spindle E extends
and passes through the bottom side of the draw-head A.
F is a lever pivoted in the bracket G attached to or forming part of the
draw-head A.
A spring H is also connected to the bottom of the draw head A and is designed
to act on the lever F so as to hold the block C down.
I is a crank-rod journalled in the bottom of the car B and so arranged that by
turning the said crank-rod the end of the lever F against which it acts will be
pressed down and the opposite end of the lever pressed up so that the block C may
be raised notwithstanding the downward tension of the spring H.

page_text: Jis a link-pin having enlarged conical heads a. When the head a is inserted
into the loop D it comes in contact with the bottom of the block O raising the said
block sufficiently to permit the said head a to pass till its shoulder passes the
shoulder b formed on the bottom side of the draw head A forming a portion of
the grip for the link-pin J. A corresponding shoulder d is formed on the bottom
of the block C, and by the action of the spring H the head a of the pin J is
gripped by the said shoulders b and d immediately that the head a passes them.
.
In order to release the pin J the crank rod I is turned so as to press down its
end of the lever F which causes the opposite end of the said lever to rise elevating
with it the block C carrying the shoulder d away from the head a. Immediately
afterwards the bottom of the loop D comes in contact with the head a and raises it
clear of the shoulder 6 leaving the link free to be withdrawn.
From this description it will be seen that the coupler is perfectly automatic;
it being merely necessary to slip the link-pin J onto the draw-head of one car A
and bring it up so that the other end of the link shall enter the draw-head on the
other car when the coupling will immediately be effected as described.
Should it be desired to avoid coupling it is merely necessary to set the
crank-rod I so as to hold down its end of the lever F which action holds the
block Cso that no coupling can be effected.
Ji
تي
Although I have shown the crank-rod I as being worked, merely from the sides
of the car it will be understood that it can be operated equally as well from
the top by a very simple arrangement of rods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A draw-head A having a block C fitted within it and a loop D formed in the
said block to receive the conical. head a of the link-pin J and. a spindle E to pass
through the bottom of the draw-head A in combination with the pivoted lever F
actuated by the spring H substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. A draw-head A having a recess or slot formed in it to receive the block C
and a shoulder 6 in combination with the said block C having a shoulder 6 formed
on it and a loop D. attached to it from which loop a spindle' E extends to be
actuated on by a spring substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A draw-head A having a block C fitted within it and a loop D formed in the
said block to receive the conical head a of the link pin J and a spindle E to pass
through the bottom of the draw-head A in combination with the pivoted lever F
actuated by the spring H and crank-rod I substantially as and for the purpose
specified.