US1331939A - Automatic train-pipe connector - Google Patents

Description

D. B. McTAGGART.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8. T918.

1 ,33 1 ,939 Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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, attoznugn DAB. McTAGGART.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PEPE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8, 1918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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E3 14 uewto'c DB/FYayyar 40 I brought together, the train pipe ports of the connectors being broughtprimarily together before the car-couplers engage,

provision of -mounted as to be brought into u when nonalining car couplers,- due-to the .wcasing 2 having the knuckle-pin fitting UNITED sr trEs' "P ENT OFFICE.

' rimer. B: nc'rAGGAn'r, or B TTE, Mon'r im.

A UTOMATIC TRAIN-PTPE CONNECTOR.

.or air brake pipe,-air signal and all hose,

pipe or electrical wiring connections upon freight trains, the present invention being readily applied to cars now in use,'without' the discarding of the present equipments, and also being so constructed as to permit cars not equipped with the present connector to be connected thereto. y

The invention contemplates improvements in that form of train-pipe connector set forth in Letters Patent numbered 1,094,670, issued April 28, 1914. l A still further object of the present invention is the provisionof a train pipe connector, which is supported by the knuckle joint of a car coupler by means immediately below and in vertical alinement with the knuckle pin. w 1 t Another object of the invention is the means for locking the connectors in position when uncoupled.

A stillfurther object of the present invention is the provisionof a train pipe connector carried .bythe car-coupler and so registration varying load conditions offthe cars, are

the final engagement of the car-couplers moving connector members from an inclined position to a right-angle and in lockedposition to insure the non-leakage of the connector ports, and the closure ot'the main valves. A still further object within the contemplation of the invention is the production of a simple, durable and efiicient connector.

With the foregoing andother objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invent on resides in the combination and arrangementof'parts and in V the details of construction hereinafter de- Specification of Letters Patent .movement, as will presently appear.

thev

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application filed March 18, 1918. Serial No. 223,223.

scribed and claimed, it being, understood thatchanges in'the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Practical embodiments of the invention are shown in the' accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of two abutting car-couplers with the present connector members in their initial connecting positlon; I I

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section throu h the tcl onnector showing the same in couple posi- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of the knuckle pin;

Fig. 4 1s a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of connector mounting;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view takenonthe line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference: I

detail sectional V I 'The letters A and B designate the two car-couplers, which are of usual construction and are each provided with a knucklepin 1, the respective mating train pipe con nector membersC and D, being carried thereby andfor limited swinging horizontal movement and rectilinear vertical As each connector member is identical with the other the description of one will sufiice for both and, in order to describe the simplest embodlment, a freighttrain equipment will be described in which only the air-brake connection is carried.

Each. connector member comprises the aperture 2, and provided with asocket 3, at the end of which is the centrally located, inwardly, projecting annular flange 4 forming a centering and holding element for one end of acompression spring 5,the other end of which fits within a socket 6 formed at the rear end of a slidableshank 7. This shank 7 is provided with an elongated slot 8 which extend longitudinally thereof, and which fits about the pin l, and thus permits the necessary sliding movement of the shank 7 The shank? carries, or has formed integral therewith, a connecting head composed of the lug 9 :of relatively great width and having the inclined outer face 10 andwith the guide armor finger llfin spaced relation to l the lug 9, the cross wall 12 between the lug 9 and the finger 11 being inclined to accommodate the inclined outer face 10 of the lug 9 of a mating member. Beyond the outer face of the guide arm or. finger 11 is a lug or arm 13,, provided with a port 14 whereby a coupler (not shown) maybe coupled in the usual manner with the ordinary hose pipe carried by the car, so that air will be directed through the port 15 and throu h" of air about the plunger. A stem formed with a spider 20 is bound to the plunger by means of a screw bolt 21, or otherwise, and

the spider reciprocates within a counterbore 22 for the purpose of limiting the movement of the plunger; When the con- 'nector members are in coupled or connected position, the plungers 18 are forced inwardl by the faces 11 of the fingers 11, and the pressure of air against the inner faces of these plungers tends toforce the 'inner'faces of the lugs 9 toward each other and bring the port rings or gaskets a into intimate contact. 7 V r A valve 24 is carried by the arm 13 for the purpose of closing the channel 15, the same being provided with a port 25, and with the two venting ports 26 and 27, the venting ports being disposed to register with'port's 28 and 29, respectively, formed in the arm 13 and communicating with the atmosphere, when the valve 24'is turned to close the channel 15. The valve 2 1 is provided with a stem (not shown) to which is attached a bell crank 1ever30 and which is actuated to rotate the valve as set forth in Patent Number 1,094,670, heretofore mentioned, or in other suitable manner. A pull chain 31 may be provided on the lever 30 so that a brakeman or other attendant mayactuate the valve when desired for any purpose.

In order-to properly support each connector member, and also to provide a means which will insure the proper registration of the mated members, should the car-couplers be out of horizontal alinement, due to variously loaded and empty cars, a

spring 32 is disposed'upon the lower end of p the pin 1, and holds the member 2 upwardly gagethe upper face of the member'2, and thus movexthe connector member carried by the same car-coupler as the'spring 33 to be moved downwardly and into alinement with the mating connector member. The connector members are thus brought into position with their ports accurately registering.

The end of the car-coupler is usually beveled or sloped off to save metal and reduce weight so that, when the present connector is attached to the ordinary equipment, it becomes necessary to weld a lug or strip on this end to bring it level and in position to contact the spring plate 33. When the equipment is being designed especi'allywith a view to the use of the present connector, the car-coupler may be cast in the proper shape to provide the end '35. To provide means for locking or holding the connector elements or members in position when uncoupled, and at the same time I allow vertical movement to such members, which is one of the main'features of the present improvement, a groove 36 is formed longitudinally of the pin 1, which groove; is adapted to receive a rib 37 which projects into the slot 80f the shank 7 from the wall at the rear of said slot. As the connector member rockshorizontally upon the pin 1 as it separates from its mating member when the car-couplers are uncoupled, the

rib 37 enters the groove 36, being in position to do so by reason ofknuckle pin 1 having been turned through an angle of 120 degrees to bring the groove 36 into registry with the rib .37, the rib is "then forced against the face of the pin .1 under the action of the compression spring 5 as the mating members separated. In order that the knuckle pin may be retained in proper position, a lug 38 is provided thereon and is adapted to enter a recess, not shown, which is formed in the coupler head. In the modified form shown in Fig. 4 a depending tubular hanger or support is cast integral with the coupler head A or is welded thereon, and this hanger is posi- 5 tioned immediately below and in vertical alinement" with the knuckle pin 1.- The tubular member or hanger 39 has a groove 36 formed longitudinally thereof to receive the rib 37 of the shank 7 when-the connectors are in separated position; A compression spring 32. surrounds the lower end of the tubular hanger 39 and serves to force the casing 2 upwardly against the spring plate33 and coupler head A. The spring 32 is heldin place upon the hanger 39 by a collar 40 which is bound upon the hanger by a, bolt 4:1 or otherwise.

. During the uncoupling operation, the appliance rotates around a fixed knuckle pin, through an angle of about 45 degrees, or to a position where the lugs 37, which are pressed forward by the springs 5 engage within the slots 36, as indicated by. Fig. 5 of the drawings In the coupling operation, the forward coupler,

portions of the appliances engage with each other, and the forcing together of the cars,

and the engagement of the couples, causes the. appliance to then rotate around the knuckle pin, forcing lug 37 out of slot 36, leaving the lug 87, in a position as indicated by Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and sought by Letters Patent, is

1. A train pipeconnector for attachment to the knuckle-pin of a car-coupler, including a carrying member, a spring projected head having connecting portions and achannel therethrough having bleeding vents leading 'therefrom'to the atmosphere, a valve for controlling the passage of fluid through the channel and having a port to each bleeding vent and for registration therewith when the valve is in closed position, and means carried by the spring projected head and engaging the knuckle-pin when the head is projected for locking the carrying member against rotation on the knuckle-pin;

2. The combination with a car-coupler, of a train pipe connector mounted beneath the said connector including a casing mounted for vertical sliding movement and horizontal swinging movement about an axis coincident with a prolongation of the axis of the knuckle pin, a knuckle pin having a groove therein, and a connector head carried by the casing and formed with a rib to engage said groove of the knuckle pin.

3. The combination with a car-coupler, of a train pipe connector mounted beneath the coupler, said connector including a casing,

a spring projected shank slidable in the casing, a connector head shank, means limiting the projection of the shank, and means carried by carried by the the shank and engaging the limiting means when the shank is projected for locking the casing against horizontal swinging movement.

4:. In combination with a car-coupler, a train pipe connector includin a casing, a spring pressed slidable shank 1n the casing, said shank carryin a rib, a knuckle pin movable in the shan said knuckle pin having a groove therein, said rib adapted to engage within the groove ofthe knuckle pin when the connector is in one position for locking the connector elements in position when the coupler is uncoupled.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL B. MoTAGGART.

Witnesses:

WM. E. CARROLL, RUTH SNIDER.

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