improvements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 14th July, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
improvements in Car Couplings.
We, CHARLES DANIEL HORGAN and FRANK GARDNER PECK, both of the Schlitz
Hotel, Omaha, in the State of Nebraska, in the United States of America,
Gentlemen, 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 car couplings, and the object of the same is to
improve devices of this character and by such improvement to increase the
strength of the draw-head as well as a pivoted knuckle therein by avoiding the
use of pivotal devices extending entirely through the opposite sides of the uraw-
head and to bring the bearings for the dog into that part of the draw-head
having a preponderance of metal and thereby overcome any tendency towards
fracture of either of the main working parts and injury to the bearings of the
dog. The present construction is also intended to iacilitate the insertion and
withdrawal of the dog from the draw-head and so dispose the knuckle when in
operative position as to contemplate an easy elevation of the same in releasing
the link and also an effective connection when the link is in engagement there-
with.
The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will
be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing:-
Figure 1 is a perspective of a car coupling constructed in accordance with this
invention and shown applied to a car.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the
dog in locking position.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view to one side of the center of the
draw-head.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through the draw-head in rear
of the pivotal seats of the draw-head to illustrate the transverse contour of the
bearing blocks.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the knuckle.
Figure 6 is a similar view of the bearing blocks.
Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts
in the several views.
The numeral 1 designates a draw-head provided with a longitudinal slot 2
in its top, and this slot, which communicates with the link opening, receives a
freely movable or pivoted knuckle 3, which is adapted to engage a link 4 and,
when in an uncoupling position can be swung upwardly out of engagement with
the link. One of the most important features of this improvement resides in
the mode of pivotally mounting the knuckle in the draw-head, so that all punctures
or perforations for receiving pivot pins and extending transversely through the
draw-head from side to side will be entirely obviated and the strength of the
draw-head thereby materially increased and reenforced against fracture. It is
also desired to bring the fulcrums of the knuckle 3 forward into the region of

page_text: greatest metal thickness and to avoid as much as possible the removal of metal
at such point so as to strengthen the knuckle in its action and brace it against
strain and vibration. Therefore, the dog is provided near its front end and on
the upper edge with a laterally projecting bearing bar 5, preferably of integral
construction with the knuckle and dressed to cylindrical form. The bearing bar
equally projects beyond opposite sides of the knuckle to form trunnions, which
are located in seats hereinafter referred to when the knuckle in in working
position, and in this arrangement the upper part of the bar is brought to bear
against the adjacent portion of the draw-head above the said seats. When the
knuckle is in working position in the draw-head, the body portion thereof
inclines upwardly and rearwardly from the front edge, the latter being at an
inclination to enable the link in entering the draw-head to raise the dog and
couple automatically.
The rear edge of the dog is straight, and is also grooved to provide a recess 6
for the reception of a link bar or rod 7, which is pivoted at its lower end within
the recess by a transverse pin 8, or other suitable fastening device.
The
upper end of the link bar or rod 7 projects above the catch, and is designed to
stand as close as possible over the upper rear edge portion of the knuckle and
thereto is attached a yielding connection 9, which is also secured to a trans-
verse rock shaft 10 or other suitable or preferred operating mechanism. When
the rock shaft is used as shown, it is journaled on the car at a suitable eleva-
tion and provided with a handle located adjacent one side of the car to permit
the operation of uncoupling to be performed from that point. To make the
knuckle 3, effective in a coupling operation, it has at the bottom, near the front
edge, a projecting nose 11 which falls into a recess 12 extending longitudinally
for a distance through the base of the link opening and having the function
to throw the link into a recess 13 in rear of the said nose and cause a pull to be
exerted upwardly on the bearing of the knuckle as well as in a forward direction
towards the outer end of the draw-head.
On opposite sides of the longitudinal slot 2 downwardly and forwardly extend-
ing, segmentally curved seat slots 14, are formed that open into the said slot 2.
and also outwardly through the top of the draw-head. These slots lead to the
seats 15, for the trunnions formed by the bearing bar 5 and at the rear, the
bottom walls of the same have a slight inclination in an outward and downward
direction to provide a partial dove-tail construction. Within these slots 14
segmental bearing blocks 16 are removably mounted and of less length than
the slots. The front ends of the bearing blocks are formed with transversely
extending semi-circular grooves 17 to receive the trunnions of the bearing bar 5
and hold the same constantly in a predetermined position within the draw-head.
The rear ends 18 of the said bearing-blocks, are beveled or cut off at an angle
to adapt them to have a flush fitting with the top of the draw-head when they
are in the slots 14 the full intended extent. The under edges of the said bearing
blocks adjacent the ends 18, have a partial dove-tailed construction, as at 19, to
correspond with the lower walls of the slots 14 at the rear and by means of this dove-
tailed construction, the bearing blocks are prevented from working inwardly
towards the slot 2 or the knuckle operating therein. As a further means of securing
the bearing blocks 16 fully within the slots 14 and against endwise movement,
collar bolts 20 are employed and extend through the blocks in part and also
project into the metal of the draw-head thereunder. These collar bolts are
also made to assume a flush fitting with the upper part of the draw-head, as
shown in the drawing, and the bearing blocks are prevented from having move-
ment through the medium of the same. The knuckle is thus held in close
operative relation within the draw-head and at any time desired and when found
necessary, the collar bolts may be withdrawn to release the bearing blocks and
permit the knuckle to be removed from the draw-head.
It will be observed that when the link 4 is coupled by the knuckle, that the
latter cannot accidentally work loose or become disengaged from the link owing

page_text: to the fact that the strain or pull is exerted in a plane in rear of the working
position or seats of the trunnions provided by the bearing bar 5, and a release of
the link can only be obtained by elevating the rear end of the knuckle through
the mechanism set forth. The lateral extension of the bearing bar across the
front portion of the upper edge of the knuckle, and so that it will contact with
a part of the draw-head containing the greatest metal area, is also effective in
resisting the strain of the link. When the knuckle is in its lowered position,
the link bar or rod 7 fits closely within the recess 6 at the rear end of the
knuckle and all parts are thus arranged to avoid exterior surface projection with-
out interfering with each other or without instituting a bind or incurring a
liability to jam. Furthermore, the fulcrums of the knuckle are fully protected
and housed and the operation of assemblage or disconnecting the several parts can
be readily carried on and if necessary substitution of parts may be also easily made.
The precise construction of the knuckle in the present instance is also of
material advantage. The proportions of certain parts as well as the radial distance
from the center of the bearing bar to different points on the nose, is effective
in preventing the link from throwing the knuckle upwardly while said link is
in coupled connection with said knuckle. As indicated in Figure 2 the radius a, a,
designated by the dotted line drawn from the center of the bearing bar to the
lower front corner of the nose is greater than the radius a, b, from the same
center to the normal point of bearing of the inner end of the link against the
rear curved wall of the nose. Furthermore, the point of bearing of the link on
the nose is inward from or beyond the vertical plane of the bearing bar, and the
draft on the link in a horizontal plane exerts also a forward and upwardly inclined
pull towards the bearing bar approximately in the direction of the radius a, b.
Another important feature of construction is making the bearing bar integral with
the knuckle and locating it on the upper edge at the front.
These several structural niceties have been found in practice to be necessary
in obtaining a safe attachment of the link and to obstruct any tendency towards
a self-disconnection of the latter which might occur under other conditions and
due to certain blows delivered by the link against the knuckle caused by forceful
coming together of the opposite car ends.
Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages
of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is ;-
1. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening, of a knuckle movably mounted in said slot and having
its fulcrum fully enclosed and bearing against the front portion of the draw-
head at a point having increased metal area.
2. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head provided with a
longitudinal slot or opening, of a movable locking element having its pivotal
device wholly enclosed within the front upper portion of the draw-head at a
point of preponderating metal area, and means for elevating the rear portion
of the element to clear the link opening of the draw-head.
3. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening and seat slots on opposite sides having a direction towards
the front of the draw-head, a knuckle having trunnions freely movable into and
outwardly from the said seat slots, and filling devices for the said seat slots to
hold the knuckle in operative position within the draw-head.
4. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening and segmental slots on opposite sides thereof communicat-
ing therewith, a knuckle having trunnions freely insertable into and withdraw-
able from the said segmental slots, and bearing blocks insertable in and removable

page_text: from the said segmental slots and adapted to hold the trunnions of the knucklo
forwardly in the draw-head.
5. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening and segmental slots on opposite sides of the latter and
communicating therewith, a part of the lower walls of the segmental slots at
the rear having a dove-tailed formation, a knuckle having trunnions at the
front upper portion thereof and movable in said segmental slots bearing slots
insertable in and withdrawable from the said segmental slots and having a part
of their lower edges at the rear of dove-tailed construction to conform to the
lower walls of the segmental slots at adjacent points, and means for fastening the
said blocks.
6. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening and other slots on opposite sides of and communicating
with the said longitudinal slot, a knuckle having trunnions longitudinally
movable in the slots on opposite sides of the longitudinal slot and adapted to be
pivotally located in seats formed at the front terminals of the said side slots,
and bearing blocks movable into and from the side slots and adapted to hold the
trunnions of the knuckle in a predetermined adjusted position."
7. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a longitudinal
slot or opening therem and other slots in the upper portion of the side walls
thereof which have a downward and forward curved direction, a knuckle pro-
vided with trunnions freely movable in the said downward and forward directed
slots and means for holding the same trunnions to their seats.
8. A knuckle for a car coupling having a lower nose, and an integral bearing
bar on the upper edge of the front end thereof, the radial distance from the
center of the bearing bar to the lower front terminal of the nose being greater
than the radial distance from the same center to the point adapted to receive the
impact of the link.
9. A knuckle for a car coupling having a nose at its lower front extremity
and an upper integral bearing device, the radial distance between the center of
the bearing device and the front terminating corner of the nose being greater
than the radial distance from the same center to the point of bearing of the link
on the rear wall of said nose.
10. The combination with a draw-head having a slot therein, a knuckle pivot-
ally mounted in said draw-head and provided with a lower front nose, the fulcrum
of the knuckle being at a point above and in advance of the nose, and the knuckle
operated by elevation at the rear to swing the nose inwardly to clear the link.
Dated this 11th day of September 1899.