GB418104A - Improvements in or relating to car couplers - Google Patents

Abstract

418,104. Automatic couplings for railway vehicles. FRANKLIN, J. T., 590, Edith Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. Feb. 19, 1934, No. 5466. [Class 103 (v).] In an automatic knuckle coupling for railway vehicle, the hooks 6 on the two vehicles are maintained in coupling position by means of pivoted latches 10 having shoulders 12 cooperating with corresponding shoulders 8 on the tails 7 of the knuckles, these latches, when a, coupling is being effected, being released through the medium of spring plungers 25, 301 and actuating pivoted levers 16 for throwing the knuckles to an open or ready-for-coupling position. The plungers 25, 301 are fitted with contact heads 26, 31 and are embraced between the springs 29, 30 by the forked ends 23 of a iever 18 that slides and pivots on a fixed pin 20. When the vehicles approach each other and the plungers are forced rearwardly, the levers 18 also move rearwardly and hookshaped portions 21 thereon engage pins 14 on the latches 10, thus releasing the latter. Simultaneously, a spring 15 on the latch 10, Fig. 11, operates the knuckle opening lever 16. On the further approach of the vehicle, the knuckles swing to the engaging position, and the pins 14 pass the ends of the hooks 21 so that the latches 10, under the influence of the springs 15, snap back into locking engagement with the tails 7 of the knuckles. Operating handles 34 secured to the pivot pins 11 of the latches 10 serve for releasing the coupling from the sides of the vehicles.