Patent ID: 7080745

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling connections between model railroad cars, the apparatus comprising: a drawbar having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, the drawbar proximal end being adapted to be operatively attached to a model railroad car; a magnetic surface at the drawbar distal end, the magnetic surface having a first surface area of a first magnetic polarity and a second surface area of a second magnetic polarity, the first magnetic polarity being opposite the second magnetic polarity; the drawbar being a first drawbar; a second drawbar like the first drawbar, the second drawbar having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, the second drawbar proximal end being adapted to be operatively connected to a model railroad car; a magnetic surface at the second drawbar distal end, the magnetic surface having a first surface area of a first magnetic polarity and a second surface area of a second magnetic polarity, the first magnetic polarity being opposite the second magnetic polarity, whereby the first drawbar is coupled to the second drawbar by engaging the magnetic surfaces of the first and second drawbars with the first and second surface areas of the first drawbar opposing the respective second and first surface areas of the second drawbar, and where the first drawbar is uncoupled from the second drawbar by separating the magnetic surfaces of the first and second drawbars; and an uncoupler mechanism having a first post and a second post that are mounted on the uncoupler mechanism for movement from first positions where the first and second posts are displaced from the first drawbar coupled to the second drawbar, to second positions where the first and second posts are positioned adjacent the first drawbar coupled to the second drawbar, and the first and second posts being mounted on the uncoupler mechanism for movement of the first and second posts from the second positions to third positions of the first and second posts where the first and second posts are spaced from each other by a distance where the first post will operatively engage with a model railroad car to which the first drawbar is attached and the second post will operatively engage with a model railroad car to which the second drawbar is attached and causes the model railroad cars to separate and cause the first drawbar magnetic surface to separate from the second drawbar magnetic surface.