US120526A - Improvement in railway-car couplings - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-CAR COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 120,526, dated October 31, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORG-E W. MGEUEN and CHANDLER EvEs, both of Millville, county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Car-Coupling; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2. is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a crosssection in line ai a: of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide for public use an improved car-coupling; and to this end the invention consists: First, in a novel construction of the link and draw-head for thcpurpose of keeping the link horizontal, so that it will readily enter the opposite draw-head; and, secondly, in an improved construction of coupling-pin, eccentric stop, and lever for operating the stop for the purpose of more conveniently and securely fastening and releasing the link.

In the drawing, A represents the draw-head, of the usual form, except that the iioor of the interior chamber A declines from the points x to the rear end, or is made lower between said points than in the vicinity of the coupling-pin, said chamber being open only at its front end, and terminating at its rear end in a wall composed of the solid metal ofthe draw-head, as shown. B is the coupling-pin, articulated to the upper part of the draw-head, and capable of swinging forward or `backward to admit or release the link. C is the link, of the usual form, but provided with a counter-balance attachment, c, the link being wrought-iron, and the solid part c cast with a groove, into which fits the link, so that when the latter is compressed a little at the sides, as shown at e e, the casting cannot work loose or become detached; and D is the eccentric stop, arranged 'in a groove transverse to the draw-head, so that, when the handle of the lever L is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the stop will project up across the path of the suspended pin and prevent it from swinging forward, while if the handle L is thrown back the stop will no longer project up in the way of the pin; but the latter will be perfectly free to swing back and forth. The lower end of the pin, it will be observed, projects down into a longitudinal groove in the floor of the chamber A, whereby it is held steadily, and its pivot protected from lateral strain. The eccentric disk D is also firmly supported, so that all strain is taken off of its pivot by being made to fit closely in the transverse groove in the drawhead. The lever L is bent around under the draw-head, up one side and over across to the opposite corner, and its extremity is weighted, as shown at n, so as to retain its proper position by its gravity alone, whether locking or unlocking the coupling. The corners of the draw-head at m m m are notched or grooved transversely to receive the lever, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, and hold it steadily, preventing all strain upon its pivot. Lugs may be used for the purpose instead of the notches, if preferred.

The operation of this improved draw-head is brieiiy as follows: The counterbalanced link is always presented horizontally to the approaching draw-head, and is sure to enter properly, a result due to the'weight c and the recess at the rear of chamber A, which allows the end of the link to drop to the proper position. The lever L is so shaped that, by throwing the weighted end n, back and forth transversely to the drawhead, it unlocks or locks the coupling. The cars in coupling are designed to present the light end of the link C, the weighted end being held in the draw-head. In uucoupling, the light end of the link should be liberated, the weighted end remaining, to a certain extent, permanently attached to its draw-head. In in troducing and fastening the weighted end of the link it will be necessary to first draw forward the pin B, so that the weight c can pass inv under it. When the weight has passed the pin is dropped and the stop adjusted to hold it in place.

The link does not couple to the draw-head automatically if presented weighted end first; but when the light end is presented it is selfcoupling.

Having thus described our invention, whatwe edge, Where it is Weighted, as shown at fw, for

claim as new therein, and desire to secure by the purpose herein specified. Letters Patent7 is GEORGE W. MCEUEN.

The pendent pin B, supported from the roof CHANDLER EVES. of the chamber, and the lever L, constructed so p as to extend across under the draw-head to the Witnesses: side, thence up to the top through the notches ELIJAH M. RISNER, or grooves fm m and over beyond the opposite JOSEPH E. EYES. (122)

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