Year: 1898

page_text: Improv
I, STEPHEN REYNOLDS, of Northfield, Minnesota, U.S.A., Millwright, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements
in car-couplings whereby they are rendered more effective, cannot become clogged
with snow and ice, or be easily deranged by accident.
The invention comprises two draw-heads which are secured to the under sides
of the cars in the usual manner. Each drawhead is formed with a vertical
circular aperture, extending through the depth of the drawhead and having a
vertical slot extending from it to the front of the drawhead. The upper edge of
the aperture is preferably flared to more readily receive the head of the draw-bar.
The apertures extending through the drawheads permit snow and ice to pass
out of it, and thus clogging of the coupling is prevented.
The draw-bar consists of a bar having ball-shaped heads at its ends which,
when in place, fit the apertures of the drawhead and rest upon a cross-bar passing
across the apertures. The draw-bar is carried by a lever pivoted to the front of
the car, and capable of being turned from the sides or top thereof to raise or lower
the draw-bar. When raised the draw-bar is held in that position by the operating
lever being pushed inwards thus causing it to move behind a lug on the car.
A draw-bar consisting of a link having a ball head at the other end can be hung
on the end of each car to enable the car to be coupled to another having a link
coupler.
1000
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
I, STEPHEN REYNOLDS, of Northfield, Minnesota, U.S.A., Millwright, 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:
1
My invention relates to car couplings designed to provide means for avoiding
the constant danger to life due to hand coupling, to furnish effective and rapid
means for coupling cars from either side, whereby the danger incurred by passing
between the cars is avoided; the object of the invention being to provide a
coupling of greater strength and reliability than the ordinary hand couplings, and
Pic 871

page_text: "7
further, to provide a coupling, which will not become clogged with snow and ice,
or be easily deranged by accident.
With these objects in view, my invention consists in the improved construction,
arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter fully described and afterwards
specifically pointed out in the claims."
In order to enable others, skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly
appertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construc-
tion and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming
part of this specification, in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling constructed in accordance
with my invention, the coupling bar having one end engaged in the draw-head of
one car, and the other in a position on top of the other draw-head and ready to
drop in.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation shewing the coupling bar raised to its
inoperative position.
Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the coupling bar detached from the coupling.
Figure 4 is a view of an alternative form of the coupling bar.
Referring to the drawings by letters; A and B are the usual draw-heads, which
are duplicates of each other, so as to render them operative with either end of an
adjacent car.
The draw-heads are each provided with a bracket I projecting over the opposite
draw-head, when the draw-heads are together, the forward under sides of the
brackets being bevelled or inclined to cause them to ride over the opposite draw-
head when the cars are brought together, and thus level up the two drawheads
in case one of them should be slightly lower than the other. The draw-head A
is preferably fixed whilst the other is suspended on brackets H2 (hereinafter more
particularly described) which "give" slightly and permit of that particular draw-
head being raised level with the other one. In case both draw-heads are supported
.by brackets H2 the brackets I will ensure one of them being raised or the other
lowered as the case may be to bring them even. The brackets I also serve to hold
the draw-heads and bars and prevent them from falling and striking the
sleepers in the road bed and thereby throwing the incoming section of the train
off the track, should one of the sets of brackets H break.
Each draw-head is, provided in its front face with a recess, as at C, having
inwardly curved sides and upwardly inclined surfaces C, which recesses com-
municate at their rear by means of slots or elongated notches with inner recesses E
extending vertically through the draw-heads B and A respectively, and provided
with cross-bars E, near their lower ends. *
F indicates the coupling bar, which is composed of an upright flat bar or block
provided on opposite sides at each end, with substantially spherical knobs or pro-
jections, as at G and G, the main body or bar being of a thickness to permit
of its ready insertion in the spaces between the chambers of the draw-heads and the
projections or knobs being of a size to slip into the inner recesses without con-
tacting with their sides, the opposite knob on each end of the bar being of a
proper size to form a complete sphere when the thickness of the bar is added
to them.
Hindicates bearing blocks of which there are any desired number, on the
beam H¹ secured upon and at right angles to the draw-head B, to properly support
a horizontal bar I which is journalled in them and provided, at each end, and at
the ends of the beam with a handle J. An arm K, projecting at right angles
from the bar I has its front end turned at right angles, as at L, and screw-
threaded. This forward end passes through an inclined slot M in the coupling
bar F, and is secured therein by nuts N. O indicates a bracket, secured to the
cross-beam H¹ between the blocks H. The cross-beam H' is secured to the draw-
bar B, by means of metal brackets H2 secured at one end to the draw-head, then
twisted a quarter around and bent at right angles and secured at its opposite
end to the beam H¹.

page_text: The construction of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing,
and its operation may be described as follows:-
The coupling bar in its inactive position will be thrown up, as in Fig. 2, the
arm being held in the bracket O. When the car approaches another, the bar I
will be slid to one side, through the blocks H, until the rod K has passed_out
of engagement with the bracket 0, when it may be turned down on the bar I as
a pivot. The right angled end of the arm K will now be seated in the outer end
of the slot Af of the bar F, which will permit the inner end to hang in substantially
the position shewn in. Fig. 1, in which the knob G will hang over the outer edge
of the inner recess E, of the draw-bar B. The further downward movement will
cause the knob G to pass down into the chamber E and rest on cross-bar E2,
and the bar F, to pass into the space between the recesses C and E of the draw-
head B
The forward or outer end of the bar F and the knob G¹, will project beyond the
draw-head, and when the draw-heads B and A. come together, the knob G¹ will
ride up the inclined surfaces C of the chamber C and drop over into the
chamber E', resting on the cross-bar E2; the forward portion of the bar F' resting
in the notch or space between the chambers C and E. The draw-heads will have
been levelled up by the engagement of the brackets D with the opposite draw-
head.
The cars will now be coupled together; the strain of pulling being borne by
the knobs G, G' bearing against the outer walls of the chambers E on each side
of the spaces. between said chambers and the chambers C. The provision of the
slot in the bar F permits of the hanging of the bar at a considerable distance
outside of its centre of gravity, when raised, whereby the lower or inner end
drops to the proper position to engage in the chamber C, and at the same time
permits the pivotal end of the arm K to slide to the inner end of the slot when
the bar is thrown down, thus permitting the bar, when in its operative position,
to be projected further from the end of the car to which it is hung.
In Fig. 4 I have shewn a bar P formed at one end as an ordinary coupling link,
and at the other end P2 with a ball, to adapt it to couple a car equipped with
my coupling to an ordinary draw-head with the usual coupling pin.
The advantages pertaining to the use of my invention will be apparent to rail-
road men at a glance, and while I have illustrated and described the construction
of the various parts, I desire it to be understood that I do not restrict myself
to the exact details of construction shewn and described, but hold that any slight
variations, such as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic, would
properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.
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:
(1) In a car coupling, the combination of the coupling bar provided with an
inclined slot extending lengthwise of the bar, a cross-beam secured to the draw-
head, a cross-bar pivoted to the cross-beam, a handle on each end of said cross-
bar, at the sides of the car, and an arm projecting outward from said cross-bar
over the draw-head, provided with an angular end pivotally secured in the slot
of the coupling bar, substantially as described.
(2) In a car coupling the combination of the coupling bar, provided with an
inclined slot extending lengthwise of the bar, a cross-beam secured to the draw-
head, a cross-bar pivoted to the cross-beam a handle on each end of said cross-
bar, at the sides of the car, an arm projecting outward from said cross-bar over
the draw-head provided with an angular end pivotally secured in the slot of the
coupling bar and a bracket secured to the cross-beam above the cross-bar, the
cross-bar being also slidable in its bearings to permit of the engagement of
the projecting arm, behind the bracket, when raised, substantially as described.
(3) A car coupling comprising the draw-bars, having inner circular chambers

page_text: and outer senii-circular chambers in their upper faces, connected by channels or
notches, in combination with a suspended coupling bar provided with substantially
semi-circular knobs on each side of each end, adapted to engage in the chambers,
and brackets connected to each draw-bar and adapted to ride over the top of
the opposite draw-bar, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1899.