US1349405A - Electric train-wire coupling - Google Patents

Description

T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC TRAIN WIRE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NHL 5, I917.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

gal/Zak fl raw??? UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. BROWN, OF SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA.

Application filed March 6,

To all whom it may concern 30 it known that I, TllOMASiIi'. BnowN, of bparkill, in the county of ltockland and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Train-Vire Couplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to automatic coupling devices for electric circuits between the cars of a train, and applies more particularly to the type of coupling such as shown and described in my prior pending application, Serial No. 135,916, filed December 8, 1916.

According to said prior construction, each coupler comprises a casing supported at the end of the car, and having a plurality of contacts connected to the respective car line circuits, said contacts being formed with terminal stein portions yieldingly mounted and extending outside the casing to make a butt contact with the corresponding contact terminals of a counterpart coupler when the two are brought together in the act of coupling. The yielding contact terminals are also given a partial rotary movement upon each other at the time that they are brought together in order to maintain the contact surfaces clean and bright.

According to one of the features of my present improvement, the contact terminals are formed in separate parts, one connected to its car circuit wire and the other having an exposed end for making contact with a terminal of the counterpart coupler, said portions being forced into engagement with each other when the cars are coupled, but adapted to be separated when the couplers are uncoupled and pulled apart whereby the exposed ends of the contact terminals at the coupler face are not energized when the couplers are separated, but only when brought together in coupling. Means are also provided for giving the outer stem portion of the contact terminal a partial rotation at the time that the same is forced inward against the inner stem portion in the act of coupling, whereby both of the contact surfaces are kept clean.

In an electric coupling of the type having a plurality of contacts located upon opposite sides of a vertical center line, it is necessary that the car circuit wires at one side of one of the counterpart couplers be connected to those at the opposite side of the Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-WIRE COUPLING.

PHiGIIUNFAIIg'. 10, 1920.

1917. Serial No. 152,694.

adjacent coupler in order to preserve the continuity of the (iOI'I'tSl'NHNllIlQ circuits through the train, and in my prior construction above referred to, there is provided for this purpose, a switch located between the coupler tern'iinals and the respective circuit wires at each end of each car. \Vhen the cars are uncoupled and separated, these switches occupy an intermediate neutral or inoperative position, but when the cars are coupled together, one of these switches is shifted to a position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, while the other switch on the adjoining car is thrown to a position in which the circuits on opposite sides of the center line are cross-connected, whereby the respective circuits are properly connected through the train.

Another object of my present invention is to provide nnproved switch devices for this purpose, whereby it will be necessary to shift only one of the switches at the adjoin ing ends of the two cars when the same are coupled up, instead of both of said switches, thereby eliminating one of the air line connections through the coupler.

These and other objects will now more fully appear from the following description of a preferred construction embodying my improvement, and the features of novelty will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a coupler in horizontal section, and one of the electric switch devices partly in section and partly in elevation; Fig. 2, a diagrammatic section of the electric portion of the coupler, and the switch showing four electric contacts and circuit connections; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of one of the divided contact terminals, on a larger scale; Fig. 4, a transverse section of the electric switch; Fig. 5, a section showing in detail, one of the switch contacts; and Fig. 6, a diagrammatic illustration of the contact points of one of said switches.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with electric contact terminals which butt together in the act of coupling, and the said terminals of the cou pling may be supported in any suitable or convenient manner at the end of the car. As shown in the drawing, the terminal contacts are mounted in the central portion of a coupler of the rigid lock type, in which hit each counterpart coupler is provided with Ill a projecting head portion, 5, having laterally inclined surfaces, said parts being adapted to engage each other by a lateral movement, and each coupler having a. pivoted lock or cam lever, 6, for clamping against the head of the counterpart coupler and rigidly locking the two couplers together in coupled position. The cam levers may be operated by springs, 4, and pistons, 7, or otherwise, as desired.

The contact terminals of the electric coupler are mounted in a molded block of insulation, 3, in the head portion, 5, and, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, each ter-. minal is formed in separate parts, such as the inner stem portion, 18, electrically con nected to one of the leads, 3, of the car-line circuits, and the outer stem portion, 11, yieldingly mounted and having an exposed end, 10, extending outside of thecasmg and adapted to engage a corresponding contact terminal of a counterpart coupler when the same are brought together in the act of coupling up the cars. When the couplers are forced together, the two stem portions, 11 and 18, of the terminal are in contact with each other, and the electric connection through the coupler is established, but when the couplers are separated, the outer stem, 11, is moved outward by means of its spring, 13, and out of contact with the inner stem, 18, so that the exposed end, 10, of the contact terminal is not energized by the current. The inner end of the stem, 11, may be guided in a block, 16, and be provided with a pin, 14, engaging a curved slot, 15, in said block, whereby the longitudinal or yielding movement of the stem, 11, during the coupling and uncoupling movements operates to produce a partial rotation or turning of said stem portion, 11, upon the contacting members at both its ends, thus maintaining its contact surfaces bright and clean. The stem portion, 18, may also be yieldingly mounted in a guide block, 17, and be connected by a spring, 19, with the plug, 9, attached to the lead, 2, of one of the car circuits.

According to another feature of my invention, I provide an improved switch device for connecting the contact terminals with the respective car line circuits either directly in parallel, or with a cross-connection, and have shown one form of such" switch comprising a casing, 21, containing a piston, 20, on which are mounted, in suitable insulation, two sets of contact bars, A, A, etc, and A A etc., the first set being directly connected in parallel, and the other set being cross-connected, as clearly indicated in Fig. 6. In the cylindrical casing are mounted the set of contacts, A connected by the respective leads, 3, with the corresponding contact terminals, 10, of the coupler, and another set of contacts, A connected to the nae-egos respective leads, 2, oi the car line circuits. These contacts may be provided with springs, A as indicated in Fig. 5, and are properly located so that in one of the operative positions of the switch piston, 20, the contacts, A, register with contacts, A and A, and connect the circuits in parallel; but when shifted to the other operative position, the contacts, A register with contacts, A and A and the circuits are cross-connected, as will be readily understood.

A spring, 22, normally holds the piston, 20, and movable portion of the switch at its intermediate operative position, in which the circuits are connected, for instance, in the parallel relation, when the couplers are separated, said spring acting to oppose the movement of the switch to its inoperative position, in which the circuits are open.

The movement of the piston is controlled I by a manually operated valve, 31, in casing,

30, having pipe connections, 37 and 38, leading to opposite ends of the piston chamber, a supply pipe, 36, and exhaust port, 35, the valve being provided with ports, 32 and 33, for cooperating with the ports in the casing. Pipe, 39, leads from the piston chamber to the passage, 42, of the coupler head, and communicates with the corresponding passage of the counterpart coupler by means of the hollow tappet connections, 43, when the two coupler heads are brought together. The tappet may also be attached to the valve, 44, for controlling communication through passage, 48, with the chamber of the piston valve, 47, of train pipe passage, 46.

When the couplers are separated, the switch piston, 20, occupies the normal intermediate operative position, as shown in the drawings, in which the circuits are connected in a certain relation, as for instance, in parallel, and as both pistons of two counterpart couplers occupy the same normal position when the couplers are brought together in the act of coupling, it is necessary to shift only one of said pistons and switches to the other operative position in which the circuits are cross-connected. To accomplish this, either one of the valves, 31, may be turned to the position for supplying fluid to pipe, 37, and thereby move one of the pistons, 31, away from spring, 22, and to its position at the end of its cylinder in which the switch establishes a cross-connection of the circuits as previously explained. There is no movement of the switch on the other car at this time, and the circuits remain in this relation during the running period.

When it is desired to uncouple and separate the cars, the valve 31, on either one of the cars, is turned to the opposite position for supplying fluid from pipe, 36; through port, 32, to pipe, 38, leading to the opp0- site end of the cylinder. The switch piston, 20, is then moved to the opposite end of its stroke, the position in which the spring is compressed and the circuits are disconnected, commuuicalion also being open to the pipe, 35 and through the hollow tappets of the coupler to the cylinder of the corresponding switch on the other car,

\vherelrv both switches are thrown to thisextreme inoperative position with the circuits open. The check valve, 40, prevents the llow of air to the pipe, 35), until the piston has moved out to its extreme position and uncovered the .port leading to the pipe, 39. Fluid may also flow at the same time through branch pipe connec tions or passages to the pneumatic parts of the coupler head for closing the train pipe valves and releasing the coupler locks. The air supply from the operating valve, 30, to the switch cylinder, 21, and the coupler, is so arranged that the switch will be operated before the locks of the coupler are released, thereby preventing a parting of the couplers until the electric circuits are broken, consequently at that time there will be no electric current in any part of the electric portion of the coupler. The couplers are then pulled apart, and all the circuits are then automatially broken in the coupler head by reason of the outer portion, 11, of each contact terminal being moved away from the inner portion, 18, as before described. As soon as the cars are uncoupled, the operating handle of valve, 30, may be moved to neutral position, whereupon the air sup plied to the various portions of the coupler will be released to the atmosphere, and the springs, 22, operate to return the pistons, 20, to the normal position. In the neutral position of the valve, 31, the cavity, 33, connects both the pipes, 37 and 38, with the exhaust port, 85, for releasing to the atmosphere. The exhaust connection with pipe, 38, is, however, restricted at 34, in order to prevent a tree exhaust to the atmosphere of air admitted from the valve on the opposite car when turned to uncoupling position. This insures the release action. of both pistons, 20, even though there is a small leakage of air through the restricted exhaust port, 34:.

A hand lever, 50, having a geared segment, 51, engaging a rack, 52, on the under side of piston, 20, may be employed for manually actuating the switch piston 20, to the extreme uncoupling position against the pressure of the spring, 22, when it is desired to open the circuits to the coupler without going through the process of uncoupling the cars. A lug, 53, may be provided on the casing for holding the lever in its uncoupling position against the force of the spring, if desired.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contact terminal comprising an inner stem portion mounted in the casing and electrically connected to a train wire, and an outer stem portion movably mounted in said casing and having an exposed end adapted to be depressed by engagement with a corresponding contact stem of a counterpart coupler, and means operated by the coming together of thecouplers for producing a partial rotary movement of said outer stem.

2. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contact terminal comprising two separate stem portions mounted in said casing, one stem being connected to a train wire and the other having an exposed end for engaging a corresponding terminal of a counterpart coupler, and means operated by the coming together of the couplers for bringing said stem portions into contact with each other and producing a partial rotary movement of the outer portion.

3. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contact terminal comprising two separate stem portions mounted in said casing, one stem being connected to a train wire and the other having an exposed end for engaging a corresponding terminal of a counterpart coupler, a spring for sepa rating said stem portions when the couplers are separated, and means for producing a partial rotary movement of the outer stem portion during the act of coupling.

at. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch between said contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch having one operative position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, and another operative position for cross-connecting said circuits, means for normally holding said switch in one of said operative positions, and means for shifting the switch of one of the couplers to the other operative position when the cars are coupled together.

5. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch between said contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch having one operative position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, and another operative position for crossconnecting said circuits, means for normally holding said switch in one of said 0perative positions, a piston for said switch,

and a valve for supplying fluid to said piston to shift said switch to the opposite operative position.

(5. in an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch between said contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch having one operative position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, and another operative position for cross-connecting said circuits, a spring acting on said switch to move the same from an inoperative position to one of said operative positions, and means for shifting said switch to the opposite operative position.

7. in an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact ten minals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch between said contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch having one operative position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, another operative position for crossconnecting said circuits, and a third inoperative position, a piston for said switch, a valve and connections for supplying fluid to said piston to shift said switch to the inoperative position for uncoupling, and a spring for opposing such movement of the switch to the inoperative position.

8. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact tcrminals connected to the respective car line circuits and. adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch between said contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch having one operative position for directly connecting said circuits in parallel, and another operative position for crossconnecting said circuits, a handle for shitting said switch to an inoperative position.

and a spring opposin said movement.

THGMAS R. BROWN.

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