Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
1, MARTIN LUTHER MARDIS of Salem, County of Columbiana, State of Ohio,
U.S.A., General Railway Agent 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 :-
The railway vehicle coupling of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying
drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view shewing the same applied to a railway vehicle.
Fig. 2 a plan view of one of the draw heads.
Fig. 3 a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Figs. 5 and 6 views of details.
A is the draw head having the rearwardly projecting hollow draw bar extension A',
the draw head being recessed horizontally in its front face to receive the rear
hooked end B¹ of the horizontally swinging knuckle B pivotted at its angle to one
side of the draw head on a removable pivot B2. The front end of the knuckle is
recessed at b and the recess intersected by a vertical coupling pin aperture 6¹ in
the usual manner. The curved tail or hook B¹ of the knuckle has a flange b2 on
its rear edge at the upper corner thereof for a purpose to be described.
The upper wall of the draw head A is provided, in line with the draw bar, with
a slot A and with a shoulder or stop A³ on its upper side at the rear end of the
slut. In the rear end of the slot A2 is pirotted the vertically swinging latch C
the forward end of which drops down in front of the extremity of the tail or
extension B¹ of the knuckle B and securely locks the knuckle in its closed
position. The latch C is bevelled at c where it is struck by the tail B' in
closing, so that the latch will be automatically raised when the knuckle is thrown
to its closed position by contacting with the knuckle of an opposite draw head.
The upper forward end of the latch is provided with a handpiece c¹ by means of
which it may be raised to release the knuckle, and this end of the latch is also
provided with an aperture 2 to which an operating mechanism may be connected
for raising the latch from the side of the vehicle and also from the top thereof, as
shewn in Fig. 1. Thus the coupling is adapted for goods as well as passenger
vehicles. Any approved mechanism may be used for so operating the latch from
the side and top of the vehicle.
The latch is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly projecting extension C
to which is pivotted the rear end of the forwardly extending knuckle releaser D
which, when the latch C is raised, is thrown forwardly against the rear side of the
knuckle tail B and pushes the same forwardly out of the draw head recess, as
shewn in Fig. 3 in dotted lines.
The releaser D slides upon an upwardly and forwardly inclined guideway A*
formed in the bottom of the draw head and set somewhat obliquely or at an angle to
the slot A2 so that as the releaser slides forwardly it will also slide upwardly and
laterally and exert a sheering pushing movement against the rear curved or
inclined edge of the knuckle tail to more effectually force the same outwardly.
To hold the releaser D in place, it has a tongue d ou its lower edge entering a
slot at in the guideway A' and the forward end of the releaser is also bevelled or

page_text: inclined transversely. The forward end of the latch C is heavy enough to fall by
gravity and withdraw the releaser from contact with the knuckle whenever the
latch is released, so that the latch and releaser will always be in their operative
positions. The releaser D extends at its upward end under the overhanging
flange 6 of the knuckle, so that it cannot rise up and over the edge thereof.
The latch C and the releaser D are so arranged that when the latch is partially
raised, so as to just clear the end of the tail B' the releaser D will be pushed
forward into engagement with the tail B₁ and at this time the knuckle will
release the attached draw head, as it is then unlocked, or it may be pushed out by
the releaser upon continuing to raise the latch. The rearward movement of the
latch is limited by the stop shoulder A³ so that the latch will always drop when
released.
The side of the latch C opposite to that which engages the end of the knuckle
tail B works past a shoulder A within the draw head A so that the latch will be
relieved from the lateral strain exerted thereon by the knuckle.
Both draw heads being constructed alike, only one is described in detail.
It will be seen that the knuckle may be simultaneously released and pushed open
by the latch and releaser, so that the brakeman is not required to pass between the
vehicles to set the knuckles, nor are any springs required to throw the knuckle open
or hold it open, since when the releaser pushes the knuckle open, it will hold it
open until the brakeman allows the latch to fall, when the releaser will be instantly
retracted thereby.
Owing to the open construction of the draw head, the latch and releaser may be
readily removed for repair and for the insertion of new ones.
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 combination with a draw head and its swinging knuckle, of a latch
pivotted in the draw head to lock the knuckle closed, and a sliding releaser
connected to the latch and pushed forward thereby when said latch is raised
against the tail of the knuckle to push the knuckle open, substantially as described
and shewn.
2. The combination with the draw head and its swinging knuckle, and the
vertically rocking latch bar locking said knuckle closed, of the releaser sliding in
the lower wall of the draw head and pivotted to the latch by which it is reciprocated,
substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a vehicle coupling of the class described, the latch pivotted in the draw head
to lock the knuckle closed and provided with an extension opposite its locking end,
and the knuckle releaser pivotted to said extension for reciprocation by the latch,
substantially as described and shewn.
'
4. The combination with the draw head and its knuckle, of the latch mounted in
the draw head to lock the knuckle, an oblique upwardly inclined guideway in the
bottom of the draw head and a sliding releaser connected to said latch working on
said guideway and engaging the tail of the knuckle to push it open, substantially
as described and shewn..
5. The combination with the draw head and its knuckle, of a latch mounted in
the draw head to lock the knuckle, an inclined guideway in the bottom of the draw
head, a sliding knuckle releaser connected to the latch for reciprocation thereby and
having a tongue and groove connection with the said guideway, substantially as
described and shewn.
6. The combination with the draw head having a slot in its upper side, an inclined,
oblique guideway in the bottom, under said slot, and a knuckle pivotted in the
draw head with the end of its tail extending to the slot and over said guideway, of
a pivotted vertically swinging latch working in said slot, engaging the end of the
knuckle tail and provided with a rearwardly projecting extension, and a sliding
releaser pivotted to said extension, working on said guideway and engaging the rear

page_text: end of the knuckle tail to force the knuckle open when the latch is raised, substantially
as described and shewn.
7. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the railway
vehicle coupling, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 11th day of February 1897.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.