US1071849A - Uncoupling mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

` H. F. WOBRNLEY.

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED sPPT. 24, w09.

1,071,849. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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UNITED STATES 'IATENI OFFICE.

HARRY F. WOERNLEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST- INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HARRY F. I/VOERNLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful. Improvements in Uncoupling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an uneoupling mechanism for combined car and train pipe couplings and more particularly to that type having the coupling head provided with a locking lever or latch adapted to engage a surface on a counterpart coupling head for locking the heads together' and a hand operated lever for operating the latch on each head so as to permit the heads to separate.

As heretofore constructed, with couplings of the above type it is necessary to move the hand lever in a certain direction in order to shift the locking latch out of its locking position, so that in uncoupling the operator must pull the hand lever on one head and push the hand lever on the other head. This is liable to confuse the operator, so that he must often stop and think which way the lever should be moved or he is apt to try to shift same in the wrong direction.

The principal object of my improvement is to provide a coupling of the above type having means operated by the movement of the hand lever in either direction from the locked position for shifting the locking latch to the unlocked position.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a combined car and train pipe coupling with my improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof; and Fig. 3 a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line a-a of FiO'. 1.

Aecording to the construction shown in the drawinga coupling head 1 is provided having projections 2 adapted to engage and interlock with similar portions on a counterpart coupling head and intermediate the projections is formed a vertical plane surface 3 having one or more openings et for fluid pressure conduits.

For locking the coupling together when coupled a pivoted latch 5 is provided having a curved surface G adapted to engage with a surface 7 of the counterpart coupling head.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 24, 1.909.

Patented Sept. 2, 1 913. serial No. 519,323.

The latch 5 is operated by means of a rod S having a spring 9 acting on the rod in a direction tending to force the latch 5 into the locking position. Secured to the rod 8 is a yoke 10, between the side plates of which is pivoted a roller 11, and mounted on a square key 12 is a cam 13 adapted to engage the roller 11. The yoke 10 is provided with guide fingers 14 adapted to engage over hubs l5 of the cam 13. A hand lever 16 is secured to one end of the key 12 for operating the cam 13. r1`he cam 13 has a central depression in which the roller l1 rests when the handle is in its middle position, thus permitting the spring 9 to act on the lever S and yieldingly maintain the latch 5 in its locked position. On opposite sides of the depression in the cam 13 are projections 17 having curved recesses 18. Upon movement of the hand lever 1G in either direction from its central position, the roller 1l is forced outwardly by engagement with one of the curved cam faces of the cam 13, thereby shifting the latch 5 to its unlocked position, and continued movement causes the roller 11 to drop into one of the recesses 18. The roller engaging in the recess tends to maintain the parts in unlocked position, as will be evident.

With the above described construction, it will be apparent that the operator need not pay any attention to the direction in which he moves the hand lever, as the movement either Way from the locked position operates to shift the locking latch from its locked position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent, is

1. In an automatic ear coupling, the combination with a coupler head provided with a locking device adapted to engage a counterpart coupler head and thereby lock the heads together, of a bar pivotally connected at one end to said locking device, a rotatable member provided with projections for act-u ating said bar and thereby the locking device upon movement in either direction, and a yoke secured to the other end of said bar and provided with guide fingers for engaging said rotatable member.

2. In an automatic car coupling, the coinbination with a coupler head provided with Q Y Y 1,0713@ a pivotediatch adapted to engage a oounterroller and thereby shift the latch from its l0 part coupler head and thereby lock the heads looked position.

together, of an" arm pi'votaily connected to In testimony whereof I have hereunto set said lathxa rlolle'r oarried by the arnnani my hand. i a Cain cevioeA iavin a' e ressionv in Wnlo'i the #roller is adaptetglF to reist When the latch HARRY F VOERNLLY' is in itsloorked position, the Cain device being XWitnesses:

provided With cam faces on opposite sides WM. M. CADY,

of saidV ,depression adapted to engage said A. M. CLEMENTs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained` for ve giants eaoh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Y Washington, D. C.

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