provements in Car Couplings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Car Couplings.:
We, HIRAM AMANDES FRANTZ, Minister of the Gospel, and WILLIAM
STORCH Laborer, both of Tamaqua in the County of Schuylkill and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
lescribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain new and highly useful improvements in car-
couplings, and has for its object, first, the production of simple and efficient means,
whereby a draw-head may be raised or lowered to effect the coupling of cars
of different heights, and, second, to provide improved means for raising and
lowering the coupling-pin and also permit of the operation of the latter by hand
independent of the mechanism provided for that purpose.
The invention comprises the novel features of construction, combination, and
arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly
pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of two adjoining draw-heads
the coupling-pin being lowered in one and raised in the other.
Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the draw-heads.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a view of details, and Figure 5 is a perspective end view of a
freight car equipped with my improved coupler and operating mechanism
therefor.
Referring to the drawings, A designates a chambered draw-head having slots in
the upper and lower portions and also having an inner and narrowed portion a,
and a reduced circular portion a', extended between parallel side bars a² of the
car-frame. The circular portion a¹ is projected through an elongated opening a³
in a cross-piece a' of the car-frame, while its extreme end fits within a corresponding
opening in a second cross-piece a³. A coil-spring a encircles this circular
portion and bears at its rear end against cross-piece a while its forward end holds
a circular guide-plate or washer a' against the rear side of cross-piece a*.
a slot in the
B designates a vertical rod, which is extended up through
narrowed portion a of draw-head A and its lower end is extended through an
opening in a bracket &, depending from the draw-head. A coil spring & encircles
this rod, and at its lower end bears upon said bracket, while its upper end holds a
washer tight against the under side of the draw-head.
Thus an elastic cushion or bearing is provided for the draw-head. A bail C,
pivotally held to the car-frame, has its U-shaped portion loosely connected to
the upper end of the rod B, the extreme end of said being removable for this
purpose. By turning the bail the draw-head can be lowered to effect the coupling
of cars of different altitudes, the elevation of the draw head being effected by the
spring and rod B.
D is the coupling-pin loosely secured at its upper end to a curved lever d,
fulcrumed on a cross-rod d. This lever has a slot d therein, through which a
cross rod or bolt d' is passed for connecting the pin to the lever. The lever dis
guided by two parallel plates d, projecting from the top of the draw-head, and
its outer end is further guided by two additional smaller plates d', said plates also
serving as guides for the pin. The inner toothed end of this lever has a curved
groove or recess do and a Hat shoulder d', with which are designed to engage a
corresponding toothed portion of a cam E, rigidly secured to a sleeve e, fast upon
a shaft el, loosely mounted in depending bearings or boxes e, secured to the nuder

page_text: side of the draw-head. To the ends of this shaft are secured crank-handles >.
The cam E has a portion of one of its side faces removed, forming a shoulder e',
with which is designed to engage a tooth on the hub f¹ of the main operating-
arm which latter is designed to project up through the opening in the bottom
of the draw-head and to be in the path of the coupling-link upon entrance thereof
into the draw-head. This hub is on shaft e¹, and to a reduced portion f³
thereof is secured one end of a coil-spring f, to the other end of which is
secured a collar f, fast upon said shaft. This arrangement permits the arm
and its hub to yield when said ann is struck by the link and to avoid too
great a jar in engaging the cam E and effecting the turning thereof and lowering
of the outer end of the lever; but the main object of this spring is to normally
hold the operating-arm raised up into the draw head ready to effect the coupling
at any time a link enters said draw-head.
As soon
as the link strikes the
operating-arm the latter is forced down, effecting the lowering of the coupling-pin.
When the arm is raised and the pin elevated, the extreme forward portion of
the inner end of the lever is above the top surface of the lower portion of the
draw-head, whereby a link on entering will force the lever down and cause
the lowering of the coupling-pin should the operating-arm fail of operation.
The coupler can be operated successfully from either the top or side of the
car, by means of a crank-shaft in the former instance, or a rod F¹ running from
the top of the car.
By turning the crank-shaft the lever and coupling-pin will be elevated and
the operating-arm f' will be projected up into the draw-head. A link coming
in contact therewith will automatically effect the rotation of said shaft and its
cam and the consequent lowering of the coupling-pin. The construction and
arrangement are such that the operator can raise the coupling-pin without the
aid of the mechanism. provided for that purpose by grasping the upper end
thercof.
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 :-
1. The combination, with the car-frame having a depending bracket, of a
draw-head having a slot therein, a rod projected through said bracket and slot,
a coil-spring bearing on said bracket and against said draw-head, and the bail
loosely connected to said rod, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with the car-frame having a depending bracket and two
cross-pieces, one of which has an elongated slot and the other a circular opening,
of the draw-head having a circular portion projected through said elongated slot
and circular opening, a coil-spring encircling said reduced portion and bearing
against said cross-pieces, a rod projecting through said bracket and a slot in the
draw-head, a coil-spring supporting said draw-head, and the bail pivotally
connected to said rod and designed to bear down on said draw-head, substantially
as set forth.
3. The herein-described improved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head, the
lever pivotally connected thereto, the coupling-pin loosely secured to said lever,
the rotary shaft having a cam engaging the inner end of said lever, and the
spring-pressed arm engaging said cam, and designed to be engaged by the
coupling-link, substantially as set forth.
4. The herein-described improved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head,
the lever pivoted therein and having an inner toothed end, the coupling-pin loosely
connected to said lever, the rotary shaft, the cam secured thereon having teeth
corresponding to those of said lever, the arm having its hub mounted on said
shaft and engaging said cam, and the spring connected to said hub, said arm
being designed to be engaged by the coupling-pin substantially as set forth.
5. The herein-described improved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head
having slots in its upper and lower portions, and guide-plate, the lever pivoted

page_text: in said draw-head and projected between said guide-plates and having an inner
toothed end, the rotary shaft, the cam having teeth engaging those of said lever
and having a shoulder in one of its side faces, the operating arm having its hub
on said shaft provided with a tooth engaging said shoulder, the collar on said
shaft, and the coil-spring connected to said collar and to said hub, substantially
as set forth.
6. The improvements in car-couplings substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described, set forth and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated 22nd dow of Mon 1900
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.