Automatic mine car coupling

A car coupling comprising in combination a pair of jaws having hook shaped heads at one end pivotally mounted to pin means on one car, spring means engaging the other end of said jaws to spread the rear ends of said jaws forcing said hooked heads towards each other, a latch block removably yet pivotally mounted to an adjacent car, the rear walls of said jaw heads and the rear walls of said latch block being angled to fit against each other in a dovetail arrangement when the jaws and latch block are coupled together, a reciprocating camming bar means mounted above said latch block, said reciprocating camming bar means comprising a plurality of levers pivotally mounted to said adjacent car, a wedge shaped block pivotally mounted to the ends of said levers, and sleeve means surrounding a portion of said block and adapted to guide said block downward into contact with said jaws, said reciprocating camming bar means being adapted to be inserted down into said jaws to force the jaw heads apart after said jaws have received said latch block to release said latch block.

A car coupling device comprising in combination a receiving assembly comprising a pair of jaw members pivotally mounted to each other, each jaw member comprising a pivot portion and an arm portion, said pivot portion defining an oblong slot therein, pin means moveably mounted for positional displacement in said slot to pivotally connect said jaw members together, said arm portion having parallel side walls and a distal end forming a hooked shaped configuration, spring means mounted to each of said jaw members and acting upon the jaw members forcing their arms towards each other, a latch block assembly mounted to an adjacent car, said latch block assembly comprising an arrowhead shaped member mounted on said adjacent car and a cam assembly moveably mounted on said car above said arrowhead member, said cam assembly having a wedge shaped portion adapted to be reciprocated downward so that the wedge portion strikes the end of the jaw members forcing them apart against the action of the spring means a distance at least equal to the width of the arrowhead shaped member to allow the arrowhead shaped member to be withdrawn from the jaw members after it has coupled with the receiving assembly.

A car coupling device comprising in combination a receiving assembly comprising a pair of jaw members pivotally mounted to each other, each jaw member including an arm having a hook shaped end, spring means mounted to each of said jaw members and acting upon the jaw members forcing their arms towards each other, a latch block assembly mounted to an adjacent car, said latch block assembly comprising an arrowhead shaped member mounted on said adjacent car, said arrowhead shaped member comprising a body portion with angularly intersecting front walls, parallel side walls and rear walls inwardly inclined from said parallel side walls, and a "T" shaped stem integrally formed with and extending from said body portion, a cam assembly moveably mounted on said car above said arrowhead member, said cam assembly comprising a wedge shaped portion and a body portion defining a throughgoing aperture therein, said wedge shaped portion adapted to be reciprocated downward so that the wedge portion strikes the ends of the jaw members forcing them apart against the action of the spring means a distance at least equal to the width of the arrowhead shaped member to allow the arrowhead shaped member to be withdrawn from the jaw members after it has coupled with the receiving assembly.

A car coupling comprising in combination a pair of jaws having hook shaped heads at one end pivotally mounted to pin means on one car, spring means engaging the other end of said jaws to spread the rear ends of said jaws forcing said hooked heads towards each other, a latch block removably yet pivotally mountd to an adjacent car, the rear walls of said jaw heads and the rear walls of said latch block being angled to fit against each other in a dovetail arrangement when the jaws and latch block are coupled together, a reciprocating camming bar means mounted above said latch block, said reciprocating camming means being adapted to be inserted down into said jaws to force the jaw heads apart after said jaws have received said latch block to release said latch block, said car coupling further including guide bars connected to said adjacent car, said guide bars being directed inwardly at an angle to guide said pivoted jaws toward said latch block.