Re: Sams Coupler and Pin

Quote
As I compiled and wrote for the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Historical Society:
The modern knuckle coupler has its origins with the patent of Eli H. Janney granted on April 29,
1873. In 1877 he associated himself with the firm of McConway & Torley which produced and improved
the coupler. Mr. Janney continued to patent improvements to the coupler as late as 1912 – the year of his
death. In time the Master Car Builders Association adopted the term “vertical plane coupler” to identify it
in a generic manner. But, the M.C.B. was reluctant to adopt a design whose mating face patent was
controlled by one firm; in 1888 it reached an agreement with McConway & Torley that placed the mating
face design in public domain. The Master Car Builders Association then adopted the design as the
“M.C.B. Coupler.” During this period there were many other variants and improvements patented by
others. By the end of 1899 the M.C.B. had approved forty-nine manufacturers of the “vertical plane
coupler” that would work together.