US121617A - Improvement in car-couplings - Google Patents

Description

ALBERT S. HALLETT 8L HERVEY H. HAL'LETT.

Car Coupling.

Patented Dec. 5

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. HALLETT AND HERVEY H. HALLETT, OF EAST ABINGTON, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,617, dated December 5,1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT S. HALLETT and HERVEY H. HALLETT, of East Abington, of the county of Plymouth, of the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful or Improved Railway-Gar Coupling; and do hereby declare the same to be fully described in this our specification, and represented in the accompan yin g drawing making part thereof, of which Figure l is a top view; Fig. 2, a side elevation; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of two draw-bars provided with our coupling. Fig. 4 is an end view, and Fig. 5 a transverse section of one of the said draw-bars. Fig. 6 is a top view, and Fig. 7 a side view of the coupler.

This coupling is so constructed that it not only couples two cars, while one may be moved up to the other for the purpose of being connected therewith; but also, when they are closed together, it aids in eliecting uncoupling of them, all of which will be better understood after perusal of the description of the nature of the invention.

In the drawing, the two draw-bars or hunterbars, as they are also termed, are represented at A and B, each being provided with a catch or gate, 0, arranged to slide vertically through or in the draw-bar near the flaring mouth a of its chamber I). Each catch or gate 0, formed as represented, has helical springs c 0 arranged on its legs d (I, so as to bear against the drawbar, and a cross-bar, a, connecting the two legs, all being as shown. The object of the springs is to draw the gate downward, such gate being at top provided with a head, f, arranged and formed as exhibited in the drawing. There is pivoted upon the top of each draw-bar a turnbutton, D, it being so arranged as to be capable of being turned underneath the head of the gate or catch when the latter is raised upward, the purpose of the button D being to hold the gate or catch in the raised position to enable the coupler E to be drawn out of the chamber of the draw-bar. Any suitable mechanism may be applied to the turn-button to operate or turn it, as may be required. The coupler E is composed of a round block, g, and two wedge-formed catcharms, h h, projecting from it in opposite directions, all being as shown in. the drawing. The object of making each of the arms tapering or wedge-shaped is to enable it, while the bunters are being moved up into contact with the block 9, to force upward the gate or catch 0 that may be resting upon it, and to elevate it to a height greater than that of the depth of the hooked part i of the said wedgeshaped arm. The turn-button being made of a depth greater than that of the said hooked part 'i, on being turned under the head of the gate or catch 0 when the said gate is so elevated by the wedged arm, will hold the catch 0 in its elevated position, so as to suffer the coupler E to be readily drawn back from the catch or gate and out of engagement with it. The gate on its front is beveled or chamfered, as shown at l, in order that when the coupler enters the draw-bar and is being forced therein its beveled end, by contact with the said part I, shall force upward the catch or gate G and pass underneath and by it, the springs of the gate subsequently or immediately after operating so as to draw the gate downward upon the inclined upper surface of the arm of the coupler.

We would remark that were each one of the couplers unprovided with the cam or bevel for elevating the catch-gate, the latter would have to be raised by hand or some other means. It will therefore be seen what an advantage there is in having such cam or bevel arranged with the hook of the arm, as hereinbefore described. WVhile the carriages may be in motion so as to cause one to be drawn by the other, the hook of the arms of the coupler will be against the catch-gates of the two draw-bars, and there will be abundant chance for the coupler to play to accommodate itself to the lateral or vertical movements of the carriages on the track. The block 1 is essential to the coupler and its correct operation, it serving to estop the coupler after it may have entered the proper distance into either draw-bar.

From the above description the operation of coupling and uncoupling two cars provided with our new or improved coupling mechanism will be easily understood.

\Vhat we claim as our invention is as follows, v1z.:

The coupler E, the self-operating gate or catch 0, and the turn-button D, constructed, arranged, and combined with the chambered draw-bar or bars A B, all substantially in manner and so as to operate as described.

ALBERT S. HALLETT. HERVEY H. HALLETT. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY,

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