US1118107A - Train-pipe coupling. - Google Patents

Description

W. F. GLASEN.

TRAIN PIPE GQUPLING. APPLIQATION FILED MAY 19, 1913.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-451313111 1.

W. F. GLASEN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

AVPPLIOATION FILED-MAY 19, 1913.

1,118,107 Patented Nov. 24, 1914.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM F. OLA-SEN, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent'd' N 24 1914 Application filed May 19, 1913. Serial. No. 768,413.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. CLASEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Pi e Couplings, of which the following is a e soription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in train pipe couplings, and particularly to the class of train pipe couplings wherein metallic coupling pipes are adapted to be substituted for the ordinary hose pipe connections, and consists more particularly in certain improvements upon Letters Patent of the United States issued to me under date of March 2, 1909, No. 913,811.

The primary object of the present improvements is to provide a construction wherein an improved form of connection is employed, whereby the terminal sections of the coupling are united in such manner that said terminal sections will be absolutely prevented from accidental separation due to any turning or vibratory movement occasioned by jars or other causes, to which they may be subjected while the device is coupled or in use between cars, while yet at the same time permitting of the longitudinal separation of said terminal members when the cars are subjected to undue longitudinal stresses due to either accidental or designed uncoupling thereof.

With the above primary, and other incidental. objects in view, the invention consists of the devices and parts, or the equiva- Tents thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a side view of my invention showing it connected to the train pipes of two cars; Fig. 2 is a plan wiew of the device detached from the cars; Fig. 3 is a longiti'idinal section of the terminal members of the device. showing said members coupled together. and also showing the spring actuated dogs and their handles, the handle of one of said dogs being shown as partly broken away; Fig. 4 is a side view of the terminal mem bers coupled together; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 through the te m nal members of the device; Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the straight sections of the coupling and one of the elbowed secleather, or other suitable. material.

tions thereof, the straight section being broken away; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 8 is a similar section to Fig. 7, but showing a continuous split spring ring for bearing against the outer and inner flanges or flaps of the U-shaped packing, instead of the two split spring rings shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 9 9 indicate fragments of two cars adapt ed to be coupled together by ordinary car coupling members 10-10. Depending brackets 1111 from the cars carry the or dinary train pipes 1212 of the respective cars, said pipes provided with the usual valves 13-13 whereby the pipes may be closed when the cars are separated.

My improved train pipe coupling consists of two complementary portions and each of said portions-consists of a plurality of me tallic members, the member which is connected to the train pipe being indicated by the numeral 14, the two next succeeding upper elbows of one coupling member by the numerals 1515, the next succeeding straight member of each coupling member by the numeral 16, the two next succeeding lower elbows of each coupling member by the numerals 1717, and the terminal straight member of each coupling section 'by the numeral 18, the latter being provided.

at its extremity with a locking head 19. It will be seen, therefore, that each coupling member, besides including the straight members 16 and 18. the locking head 1.) and the elbow 11 which connects to the train pipe, also includes two upper elbows 17 -15 and two lower elbows 17-17.

The members 14, 15, 16. 17 and 19 are connected by normally inseparable joints. which are arranged. however. to permit relative rotation of the respective members. The construction of these joints is best illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. From these'figurcs it will be noticed that each end of an elbow member is provided with an enlarged annular head 20 forming aninterior seat 21 for an inverted U-shaped packing 9?. of

luteriorlv this head is also provided with an annular shoulder 23 upon which rests the lower end of a tube 24. the said tube evtriuling outwardly from the head and be ng provided with female threads for th eugagement therewith of male threads on the til) end of the neat adjacent elbow member. intermediate of its length the tube 24 is formed or provided with an annular shoulder 25, which, in conjunction with the seat 21. forms an annular space 26 for the accoinmodation of the inverted U-shaped packing 22.

For the purpose of holding the head or en largement 20 in engagement with the tube 24, I employ a clamping ring formed of the sections 2727 hinged together at 28, and connected together at their opposite ends by means of a removable split pin 29. This hinge connection is clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. By withdrawing the pin 29 the sections of the ring can, of course, be swung outwardly out of their clamping engagement.

l employ the inverted llshaped packing instead of an ordinary packing, in view of the fact that the former forms a much more efficient preventative a ainst leakage at the joint. By its lJ-shaped form two flaps or wings are necessarily provided, one bearing against the outer wall of the annular space 26 and the other against the inner wall thereof. To insure the best results, however, and to furthermore insure positive bearing and contact of these flaps against the said walls, spring pressure is provided against both the outer and inner flaps. Any desired form of spring pressure may be employed, so long as the spring action is such as to cause spring pressure in opposite directions against the respective flaps. Tn Fig. '4' f show the spring in the form of two separate and distinct split spring rings, designated by the numerals 30-30, one bearing against the outer flap of the packing and the other against the inner flap thereof, while in Fig. 8 1 show a modified form wherein the spring is in the form of a single coiled. split spring ring 31, a. portion thereof acting against the outer flap and another p01 tion thereof against the inner flap.

By the construction ofgthe joint described, it will be seen that one of the members is capable of rotation freely within the other, and yet leakage is eifectually QiQYEIltStl by the employment of the novel form of paclo ing. Also by providin" or relative rotation of the members a sub antially universal movement of the terminal sections l818 is permitted, since the of members are so connected as to be permitted to rotate on a plurality of horizontal extending at right angles to each other and on one ver' tical axis.

Fig. 3 of the drawing, taken in connection with F igs. 1, 2, d and 5, clearly illustrates the construction of the separable coupling joint between the terminal members 18. Each of the locking heads 19 of the terminal members 18 is provided with a seg mental tongue 82, which tongue is provided a are o? at its outer edge and medially thereof with an open-ended slot 33, and each coupling member is also provided with a segmental or arc-shaped projection 34 against which the inner face of the opposed segmental tongue 82 is adapted to hear, when the coupling heads are brought into coupling relation. The inner faces of these arc-shaped projections are also on a bevel, and the opposed faces of the segmental tongues are likewise beveled, so asto cause a wedging engagement between the two, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5. The segmental tongues are furthermore provided at their outer edges with rounded beads 35, which are adapted, when the parts are in looking engagement, to fit in segmental grooves 36 formed on the inner faces of the segmental projections, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Extending outwardly from each segmental projection 34: is a spring casing or container 37, preferably provided with a screw-cap so as to afford ready access to the spring when the cap is unscrewed. Within each casing or container is a coiled spring 38. The inner end of each spring bears against the head of a locking dog 39, the inner end of said dog being on a bevel (see Figs. 3 and 5). The dogs, when the locking heads are in looking engagement with each other, are adapted to engage the open-ended slots 33 of the segmental tongues 32. The dogs have connected thereto pivoted handies 40 which are pivotally mounted in re cesses ll for the accommodation thereof, the inner ends of said handles projecting through slots formed in the sides of the easings or containers '37, so as to engage the locking dogs. Whenever it is desired to release the locking dogs from engagement with the open-ended slots 33 the outer arms of the handles are pressed inwardly, and

this will necessarilv cause outward movement of the. dogs against the contrary action of the springs.

The passage 42 through the locking head extends horizontally therethrough (see Fig. 8), and then at an angle, the angular extensions of the two passages 42 of the respective locking heads being alined, though held slightly apart by compressible rings 43. These rings are arranged to project resiliently laterally beyond the bordering edges of the angular extensions of the passages 42, so that the surfaces or the said bordering edges remain normally separated by the resilient pressure of the packing, thus pushing the rounded beads 35 of the segmental tongues forcibly but yieldingly into the grooves 36 and tending to prevent longitudinal separation of the locking heads. It

is obvious that the compressible rings effectually prevent lateral leakage.

Each arc-shaped pro ection 34 at one end has extending therefrom a stop pin 44.

the groove of the segmental or arc-shaped projection. e

In the useof the device, when it is desired to couple the locking heads, the segmental tongue 82 of each head is passed into the space .above the segmental or arc-shaped projection 34, the insertion being made from the side opposite to the side where the stop pins 44.- are located. When so inserted the rounded beads 35 of thetongues engage the grooves 36 of the projectionsEi i andridein said grooves as the two lockinghe'ads are swung inwardly, toward locking engagement. Also, as-the segmental tongue 32. is swung around on the segmental or arcshaped projection there is a wedging action between the two, owing to the provision of;

the opposed beveled surfaces hereinbefore.

referred to. \Vith the movement of the segmental tongue, as explained, it will contact with the beveled end of the locking dog, and thereby raise said locking dog against the contrary action of the coiled spring 38, and permit of the open-ended slot of the segmental tongue coming into registration with the end of said dog. The moment this registrati on takes place, the coiled spring will expand and force the dog into engagement with said slot. Of course, exactly the same operation occurs with respect to the other dog, so that the parts are therebylocked together.

This particular form of locking means has most'decided advantages, in that it prevents any accidental separation due to turning or vibratory movement occasioned by jars or otherwise, while at the same time the longitudinal separationfof the locking heads is permitted when the cars are subjected to unusual or undue longitudinal stresses, as, for instance, from the uncoupling, thereof, either designedly or' accidentally. To make this advantage clearer, it will be noticed that the segmental tongues can only be brought into engagement from the sides opposite to the sides where the stop pins 44: are located. When the tongues areturned 1nwardly sufiiciently farto permit of the engagement of the locking dogs with the openended slots, it is obvious that if any turning or vibration takes place, and which is sure to occur when the device isin use, the

segmental tongues cannot work out of place in a direction opposite to the location of the stop pins 44, for the reason that the high portions 'of the beveled ends 0t thetlochng dogs will bein contact with the. far-Walls of the slots, and thus prevent any movement in that direction. Again, it will be impossible for the tongues to work out of engagement in the opposite direction, for the reason that the stop pins 44 will prevent, this taking place. At the same time, however, there is nothingto prevent the longitudinal separation of the parts at an time, inasmuch asa longitudinal pull ,wil readily release the rounded beads 35 from the grooves 36, and

as the slots 33 are open-ended they, of course,

will not interfere with this longitudinal sep- "arationAQWhiIe couplings have heretofore WQ P Y dB -W Q separatiomthey have; een open to objection ermit of longitudinal on thefgroundof the '-,li;ability =of accidental 1 separation when coupled members turn or, are vibrated, no? means having heretofore been devised for @preventinggthel' same, in connection with meansl 'for. permitting 10f longitudinal separation, as isfthefcasegwith .my nventionq} Another important resurrect the inventionwhich, has heretoforebeen allu'ded'fto' the invertedU-shaped packing torthe swiv-' -and fully explained, is theemployment' or cling 'joints, and thejspr ng ressure device in coniiection. therewith, W, ereby a' free turning at, the "joints is'per'mitted, whileyet a most efiicient; provision is 'niadeagainst leakage. 11 f What Iclaim is:

1. In a train pipe coupling, the combine. tion of sets of'pipes adapted to be connected with thetrain pipes of coupled cars, each set consisting of a series of pipe sections connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal member for each set provided with a coupling head, said coupling head having a member adapted to fit within and to interlock interiorlyv with a par-ton the other coupling head to prevent longitudinal separation of the parts under ordinary strains, and said interlocking'member being provided at its end ed c with an open-ended longitudinally-I extending slot, stop devices arranged on one side of each coupling head to prevent sepatowardsaid side, and a locking dog carried by each cou' ling head, the dog of one coupling head adapted to engage the open-ended: or" the interlocking member of the other? coupling head, when said heads are engaged" with the train pipes of coupled cars, each set 5 ration of said'heads when swung or vibrated consisting oft a series of pipe sections connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal memher for each set provided with a coupling head, said coupling headhaving a member adapted to interlock with a part on the othercoupling head to prevent longitudinal Separation of the parts under ordiiiary strains, and said interlocking member being provided at its end edge with an open-ended slot, stop devices arranged on one side of each coupling head to prevent separation of said heads when swung or vibrated toward said side, and a spring-actuated locking dog carried by each coupling head, the dog on one coupling head adapted by spring pressure to automatically engage the open-ended slot of the interlocking member of the other coupling head, when said heads are engaged one with the other, and each of said dogs provided with a beveled end, the bevel being in a direction to prevent separation of the coupling heads, when said heads are turned Or vibrated in a direction away from the stop devices.

3. In a train pipe coupling, the combination of sets of pipes adapted to be connected with the train pipes of coupled cars, each set consisting of a series of pipe sections connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal member for each set provided with a coupling head, said coupling head having a member adapted to fit within and to interlock interiorly with a part on the other coupling head to prevent longitudinal separation of the parts under ordinary strains, and said interlocking member being provided at its end edge with an open ended longitudinallyextending slot, stop devices arranged on one side of each coupling head to prevent separation of said heads when swung or vibrated toward said side, a spring-actuated locking dog carried by each coupling head, the dog on one coupling head adapted by spring pressure to automatically engage the openended slot oi the interlocking member of the other coupling head, when said heads are engaged one with the other, and each of said dogs provided with a beveled end, the bevel being in a direction to prevent separation of the coupling heads, when said heads are turned or vibrated in a direction away from the stop devices, and handles connected to the locking dogs and accessible from exterior, said handles, when operated, adapted to release the dogs from looking engagement.

4. in a train pipe coupling, the combination of sets of pipes adapted to be connected iliane"? with the train pipes of coupled cars, each set consisting of a series oi pipe sections connected with each other by joints to permit a relative rotation, a terminal member for each set provided with a coupling head adapted to fit the correspondin coupling head of the terminal member 0 the other set, and having tongued and grooved members adapted to be swung into mutual interlocking engagement with the corresponding.

tongued and grooved members of the other set to prevent longitudinal separation of the heads under ordinary strains, each tongued projection being rovided at its end edge with an open-en ed longitudinally-extending slot, stop devices arranged on oneside of each coupling head to prevent separation of said heads when swung or vibrated toward said side, and a locking dog carried by each coupling head, the dog of one couplin head adapted to engage the open-ended s ot of the tongued projection of the other coupling head, when said heads are engaged one with the other, each of said dogs provided with a beveled end, the bevel being in a direction to prevent se aration of the coupling heads, when said iieads are turned or vibrated in a direction away from the stop devices.

5. In a train pipe coupling, the combination of sets of pipes adapted to be connected with the train pipes of coupled cars, each set consisting of a series of pipe sections connected with each other by joints adapted to permit a relative rotation, a terminal mem.-- ber for each set, the terminal members being provided with interlocking means, adapted. to interlock with each other interiorly, when the terminal members are adjusted together each interlocking means provided with an open-ended longituolnally-extending slot, stop devices on one side of each coupling head to prevent separation of said heads when swung or vibrated toward said side, and a locking dog carried by each coupling head, the dog of one coupling head adapted to engage the open-ended slot of the interlocking means of the other coupling'head, when said heads are engaged one with the other, and each of said dogs provided with a beveled end, the bevel being in a direction to prevent separation of the coupling heads, when said heads are turned or vibrated in a direction away from the stop devices.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. CLASEN.

Witnesses:

C. H. KEENEY, v KATHERINE HOLT.

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