Improvements in Coupling Devices for Railway and like Vehicles,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Devices for Railway and like Vehicles,
I, JAMES MUNTON, of 100, North Fifth Avenue, Maywood, in the County of
Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to automatic couplers for railway cars.
Heretofore in automatic couplers comprising a forked drawhead, a pivoted
knuckle and a gravity lock or pin for holding the knuckle closed, considerable
difficulty has been experienced from the cars of the train becoming accidentally
uncoupled when the train is in motion, thus sometimes producing serious acci-
dents the accidental uncoupling of the cars when the train is in motion being
due to the tendency of the gravity locking pin to jump up, or creep up as it is
termed. under the combined intermittent action of pulling strains and the up and
down vibrations of the car when in motion.
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The object of my invention is to provide a simple, strong, efficient and durable
construction of automatic car coupler, in which the gravity locking block or pin
may be absolutely prevented from jumping or creeping upward while the train
is in motion.
This important object or result I accomplish by making the gravity locking pin
or block in two parts or members having a wedging connection between the two
operating in conjunction with the passageway in the drawhead for the locking
pin having an enlargement or projection, the upper member of the pin having
also a projection adapted to fit under the inclined wall or projection in the draw-
head, so that any upward movement of the lower part or member of the locking
pin will wedge the upper member under the inclined ledge or shoulder of the
drawhead, and thus lock the pin from jumping, creeping or moving upward. By
this simple expedient, when the two part pin is pulled or lifted from above by
the chain or lifting device connected to its upper part, the whole locking pin will
pass freely up without wedging; but when force is applied to the lower part or
member of the locking pin to push or lift it from below, the lower part will force
or wedge the upper part against the inclined wall or shoulder of the passageway.
and thus prevent the pin from rising or moving upward.
My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and
in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described and
specified in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which
similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of an automatic ear coupler embodying my
invention Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the two part gravity locking pin
lifted to permit the knuckle of the coupler to open; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section
on line 3-3 of Fig. 1: Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line 4-1 of
Fig. 1: Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of the upper and lower parts
or members of the two part gravity locking pin.

page_text: In sand drawing A is the forked drawhead of the coupler, and A the drawbar
3 is the knuckle pivoted by the pin to the pivot arm of the forked drawhead
and is the guard arm of the drawhead. D'D' is the two part gravity locking
pin or block against which the tail of the knuckle impinges when the couple
is closed, and by which the coupler is held closed. The locking pin or block DD
is adapted to move up and down in a vertical passageway or opening a forme
in the central part of the drawhead. This passageway or opening a" is provided
at one side, preferably the front side with an enlargement forming a shoulder
or inclined wall to receive the corresponding projection or enlargement don
the upper part or member of the locking pin, so that the shoulder d of said
projection or enlargement engaging the shoulder at in the wall of the draw
head will prevent the locking pin from moving, jumping or creeping upward. The
inclined or wedging connection or meeting faces of the two parts D D1 of
the locking pin causes the upper member D to be wedged or forced out, so that
the shoulder of the locking pin engages the shoulder at of the drawhead when
any force is exeried to lift the lower member or part D¹ of the locking pin. To
cause the lower member of the locking pin to be lifted with the upper part or
member thereof, the upper part or member is provided with a head fitting in
the corresponding slot or socket in the lower member of the locking pin. Th
upper member of the locking pin is provided with an eye and flange of the
lifting chain or link by which the locking pin is lifted to permit the uncoupling
of the cars being connected to the eye. The tail of the knuckle B is pro
vided with a projecting arm or hook & that projects through a slot or opening a
in the pivot arm of the drawhead, so that this hook or projection engaging the
wall of the drawhead may relieve the pivot pin from strain, and also prevent the
cars from coming uncoupled in ease the pivot pin should by any accident or over-
sight be removed or become broken. The rear arm or fail of the knuckle Bis
further provided with a groove to receive a ledge or projection on the lower
member of the locking pin, and thus automatically hold the locking pin in its
elevated position as required to permit the cars to automatically couple, by simply
running or hunting them together. As the ears are run or hunted together. The
open knuckles Bon the two apposing couplers, engaging each other and the guard
arm of the drawhead, are automatically closed, thus causing the projection
the lower member of the locking pin to ride off of the rear corner of the tail of
the knuckle. By reason of the projection / fitting in the groove all danger
of the locking pin becoming accidentally jolted off the tail of the knuckle and thus
permitting the locking pin to drop and thereby prevent the closing of the knuckle
is prevented. The eye of the locking pin is located slightly forward of the cen
tral line of the locking pin, so that when the locking pin is lifted by the chain
or link connected with said eye, the locking pin will be canted or tiltol slightly
forward, as indicated in Fig. 2, and thus cause the projection d to engage the
groove on the tail of the knuckle. The inclined sliding connection between the
Jower and upper members of the locking pin also facilitates this operation.
on
By this means I am enabled to produce an exceedingly simple, strong, durable
and efficient automatic coupler, the parts of which are not liable to get out of
order, which may be cheaply manufactured, and in which the locking pin or block
is effectively lorked, or prevented from creeping or jumping upward, and thus,
permitting the cars to become accidentally uncoupled when the train is in motion.
To prevent the locking pin being entirely lifted out of the drawhead, a pin or
projection F in the wall of the drawhead engages a shoulder ƒ on the lower mem-
ber of the locking pin.
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. The automatic car coupler, consisting of a forked drawhead and a pivoted
knuckle. in combination with a gravity locking pin composed of two marfs or

page_text: members having a wedging connection between them to cause one member of said
pin to engage the drawhead and prevent creeping or jumping upward of the lock-
ing pin, substantially as specified.
2. In an automatic car coupler, the combination with a pivoted knuckle, of a
forked drawhead having a passageway for a locking pin or block furnished with
an enlargement or shoulder to engage a corresponding enlargement or shoulder
on the locking pin or block, and a gravity locking pin or block composed of two
parts or members with a wedging connection between them. substantially as
specified.
3. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawhead and knuckle, of a two
part wedge acting lock, the drawhead having an opening or passageway for the
lock furnished with a shoulder or enlargement to receive the upper part or mem-
ber of the lock and prevent creeping or jumping of the lock, substantially as
specified.
4. In a car coupler, the combination with the drawhead, of a pivoted knuckle,
of a two part locking pin or block, the two members of which have a wedging
connection, a projection at the lower end of the locking pin, the tail of said knuckle
having a groove to receive and hold the projection. on the locking pin, substan-
tially as specified.
5. In a car coupler, the combination with a knuckle and a forked drawhead
having a passageway or opening for a locking pin or block furnished with a ledge
or shoulder for a projection on the locking pin to bind against, and a locking pin
made of two members or parts capable of being lifted freely by the upper member
and incapable of being pushed up by force applied to the lower member, substan-
tially as specified.
6. In a car coupler, the combination with a forked drawhead, of a pivoted
knuckle having a hook or projection on its tail adapted to fit against a shoulder
or ledge in the pivot arm of the drawhead, and a two part wedge acting locking
pin or block adapted to he lifted freely by its upper member and incapable of
being moved upward by force applied to its lower member, substantially as
specified.
7. In a car coupler, the combination with a forked drawhead. of a pivoted
knuckle having a hook or projection on its tail adapted to fit against a shoulder
or ledge in the pivot arm of the drawhead, and a two part wedge acting locking
pin or block adapted to be lifted freely by its upper member and incapable of
being moved upward by force applied to its lower member, a groove on the tail
of the knuckle, and a projection on the lower member of the locking pin adapted
to ride in said groove to hold the locking pin in its elevated position for coupling
the cars, substantially as specified.
D: T
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1000
JAMES MUNTON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
JAMES MUNTON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.