US1303316A - Ttncotjfling-lever - Google Patents

Description

I N. EJHmscH,

UNCOUPLING LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|. 19w.

Patented May13,1919.

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N. E. HIRSCH.

UNCOUPLING LEVER.

APPLlCATlON FILED remzl. m1.

Patented May 13 1919.

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ITED STATES OFFICE.

NICHOLAS E. HIRSCH, 0F FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

UN COUPLINGreLEVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS E. H msoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Uncoupling-Levers, of whichthe following is a specification,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in'uncoupling levers for car couplings, and has for an object the productionof an uncoupling device'of safe, durable and efficient construction wherein all tendencies to inadvertently uncouple the cars, or to inflict injury through the accidental manipulation of the device are re- .duced to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is to produce an uncoupling device including among other things, a plurality of independently pivoted levers, one of said levers being .arranged to effect the operation of the other of-said levers when moved in. an upward direction, and not to affect the said lever when an attempt is made to 'move it in a downward direction. Another object of the present invention is the production of an uncoupling device comprising a single pivot block or casting to which two levers are pivoted so that their smaller arms are opposed to each other,-a loose connection for relatively operating the levers when one of said levers is moved 111 211). upward direction, and oppositely disposed stops carried by the pivot block for limiting the movement of the inner opposed arms of the levers.

A further object of the invention is to produce an uncouplingwdevice comprising a pivoted lever havingta short: arm, another pivoted lever provided with a short arm in opposed relation to the first mentionedshort arm, means including a connection for transmitting movement to one of the short arms from the other short arm in one direction only, and means including stopping lugs for limiting the movement of the aforesaid short arms.

With these and other objects in view, the invention further consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration an embodiment of my invention,

I Specification of Iletters Batent. Patented May 13, 1919. Application filed February 21, 1917. Serial No. 150,181. i

Figure 1 is an end elevation showing the i I relative position of the levers when the locking pin is dropped to fasten the coupling members together.

Fig. Qis a similar view showing the position ofthe levers when the locking pin has Ilgeen withdrawn from the coupling memers. v

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. l is a detailed sectional view on the line 4 l through one of the pivotal connections for the levers.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 3 showing the relative position of the opposed arms of the levers, and

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the associated pivot block and cooperating levers. 4 p

This invention has been designed to overcome certain dangers now incident to uncoupling levers, some of which are the inadvertent uncoupling of the cars by one stepping on one of the levers, and the probability of seriously injuring one who accidentally steps and .slips, upon one of the levers, which in the form now in use is operable in a downward direction. In the embodiment of my invention herein shown, I obviate these dangers by providing cooperating levers which will not beaifected when in locked position by such accidental manipulation.

The present invention comprises, among other things, cooperating levers 1 and2 pivoted at '3 and l to the pivot block or casting 5. The lever l is provided with a handle portion 6 and an inner opposed end 7.

The lever 2 is provided with an unlocking arm 8 provided with a hooked end adapted to raise and lower the locking pin '9 within the knuckle member 10, and an inner opposed end 11 cooperatively associated with the inner opposed end 7 of the lever 1. The inner opposed end 11 of the lever 2 is operated by an overhanging portion 12 provided on the said inner arm 7, the said overhanging portion afli'ording a staple and guid- 111g connection for moving the lever 2, and permitting its return to the position shown in Fig. 1. By this construction it will be seen that an upward movement of the lever 1 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings will cause the inner opposed end. 7 of said lever to depress the inner opposed arm 11 of thelever 2, thereby elevating the arm 8 of said lever and raising the locking bolt 9. When the bolt is elevated the cooperating levers are in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Cooperating with the inner opposed ends 7 and 11 are the lugs or stops 13 and 14:, respectively, carried by the pivot block or casting 5. The purpose of the stop 13 is to limit the downward movement of the lever 1 and prevent any movement thereof should an accidental manipulation thereof in a downward direction be attempted. The purpose of the stop 14 is to limit the movement of the lever 2 when elevated, as hereinbefore described. It will also be seen that any movement of the arm 8 of the lever 2 in a downward direction when the levers are in locked position will be prevented.

The pivotal connections 3 and 4 of the levers 1 and 2 comprise pins or bolts 15 and 16, respectively, extending through the pivot block 5 and securing the latter to thesill of the car by suitable nuts 17. Cotter pins 18 and washers 19 are also shown as pivotally holding the levers 1 and 2 to the pivot block 5.

In operation it will be seen" that as the handle 6 of the lever 1 is moved in an upward direction the inner opposed end 7 carrying the overhanging portion 12 will depress the inner opposed end 11 of the lever 2 and elevate the arm 8, thereby unlocking the coupling members. A movement of the lever 1 in the opposite direction will effect the lowering of the locking pin 9 within the knuckle member 10, as will be readily understood. When the levers are in the position shown in Fig. 1 withthe locking pin in place it will be seen that no downward movement can be imparted through the handle end 6 to the lever 1 because of the abutting of the upper edge of the inner opposed end 7 of said lever against the lug 13. In this position it will be seen that the inner opposed end 11 of the lever 2 is free to move should the arm 8 of said lever be lifted in an upward direction. It will also be seen that any movement of the arm 8 in a downward direction will be prevented because of the upper edge of the inner opposed arm 11 copies of this patent may be obtained forflve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

abutting against the overhanging portion 12 of the lever 1 which is against the lug 13.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that an efficient uncoupling lever has been produced wherein but a single movement can be transmitted for unlocking the coupling and, that such movement must be in an upward direction. It will also be apparent that the relative arrangement of the opposed inner arms of the cooperating levers and the respective stops therefor carried by the pivotal block for the said levers afiords certain structural and economic advantages heretofore unknown.

What I claim is:

1. An uncoupling mechanism of the class described including in combination a pivot block provided with oppositely disposed stops, a lever pivoted to said block having an inner end operable between said stops, and another lever pivoted to said block having an inner end adapted to loosely engage the inner end of the first mentioned lever for operating it in one direction between said stops.

2. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplings including in combination a pivot block provided with an upper stop and a lower stop oppositely disposed with "relation to each other, a lever pivoted to said block for raising and lowering the pin of the coupling mechanism, said lever including an inner end movable between the aforesaid stops, and another lever pivoted to said block for operating the first mentioned lever, said lever comprising an inner end having an overhanging engaging portion adapted to bear on the inner arm of the first mentioned lever for moving it in one direction against the lower stop, the said inner end of the second mentioned lever being adapted to abut against the upper stop when the pin of the .car couplings is in its lowermost position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NICHOLAS E. HIRSCH.

Witnesses:

J. MEDLWARD, MATTIE G. STIRLING.

Washington, D. 0.

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