252,567. National Makeable & Steel Castings Co., (Assignees of Anliker, F., and Wittmer, R. J.). June 6, 1925, [Convention date]. Couplings, automatic.-A coupling of the vertical-plane type comprises a lock 9 movable in a cavity 10 extending longitudinally between the laterally-separated jaws 3, 4 of the coupler and adapted to assume a projected locking position, a retracted unlocking position, and a lock-set position, and a lock-actuating member 20 having cooperating means 23 adapted to engage a recess in the lock for supporting it in lock-set position. The cavity 10 is formed by walls 12, 13 between which the lock 9 slides, and a recess 13a in the wall 13 and a spigot 14 on the lock may be provided to limit the movement of the lock. A bolt 18 through the coupler head forms a bearing for a U-shaped lever 19 comprised of two arms 20, 20<a> joined at their rear ends by a web 21, the arm 20<a> being provided with an eye 30 for an uncoupling rod 31 and the arm 20 with a cam 25, a hook 23, and a rear projection 27. The lock 9 is recessed at 22 to form a hook 24 and a cam surface 26 for engagement by the hook 23 and cam 25 respectively on the actuating arm 20. The underside of the lock is recessed at 17 to slide on the bolt 18, the ends of the recess forming limiting stops for the lock. The lock is moved from the coupled position, Figs. 1 and 2, bv a counterclockwise movement of the arm 20 in which the cam 25 engages the cam surface 26 to move the lock upwardly and rearwardly until the hook 23 engages the projection 24 to complete the unlocking movements. further rearward movement of the arm 20 causes the hook 23 to engage in the recess behind the projection 24, Fig. 4. If the actuating rod 31 is now released, the hook 23 wedges itself behind the projection 24 and holds the lock in a retracted or lock-set position from which it is released by the lock of the opposing coupler squeezing the lock further to the rear as the vehicles draw apart, so that the arm 20 falls by gravity. On complete separation of the couplings, the lock slides down to its projected position for the next coupling operation. Should the lock be left in its lock-set position, it is dislodged by the opposing coupler on impact coupling. The projection 27 on the arm 20 is adapted, in the looked position of the coupling, to contact with a lug 33 projecting from the coupler head to relieve the pin 18 from shocks in buffing; it also provides a stop to limit the inward movement of the end of the lock, for which purpose also the face at the forward side of the cavity 22 may be adapted to come into engagement with the forward face of the hook 23, in which case the projection 27 is dispensed with. The recessed portion 17 of each lock is provided with a projection 17<a> which abuts the pin 18 in the locked position and prevents the lock of the opposing coupler from being pushed back as it squeezes the lock from its lock-set seat. The lever arm 20<a> is modified when a chain connection is used for uncoupling purposes.