US1583987A

US1583987A - Coupler-operating mechanism

Info

Publication number: US1583987A
Application number: US745160A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew J Monfee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-10-22
Filing date: 1924-10-22
Publication date: 1926-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1943-05-11

Description

" May 11 192e. 1,583,987

. A. J. MONFEE y n COUPLER OPERATING y MECHANI SM Filed oct. 22. 19244 2 sheets-sheet 1" f l 3 Z4 .229 251'@ 44 Z0 May' 1l 1926.

A. J. MONFEE COUPLER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed oct. 22. v1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 V Swuemto'c HND/FEW J Mo/vFL-E m (MLVM MMG/ot Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. t

ANDREW J. MONFEE, OF PRATT CITY, ALABAMA.

COUPLER-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed October 22, 1924. Serial No. 745,160.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler operating devices and aims to provide improved means for lifting the socalled locking pins of standard types of railway car couplers. An .embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 represents conventionally a plan of the end portions of two railway cars connected by standard couplers and equipped with my improved coupler release rigging;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the end sill and car end with a release rigging mounted to the rear of and above the 'end sill; Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a car end illustrating the application of my improved device to a standard coupler;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken longitudinally of a railway car showing a portion of the couplerand illustrating two positions of certain parts of the coupler operating mechanism.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the end of each car is provided with the usual coupler 10 which is connected to suitable draft rigging of known construction. The shank of the coupler projects through a longitudinal opening 12 in a buffer casting 14 which is suitably fastened to the under framing of the car and also attached to the end sill 16- thereof. The coupler is provided with the usual locking pin 18 which latter is adapted .to -be lifted by means of my improved release rigging. l

Extending transversely of the car and secured at its forward edge to the end sill 16 is a oor plate 20. Located above this plate and set back some distance from the for ward edge 22 thereof, I mount a pair of

brackets

24 and 26 which form pivotal bearings for a transversely extending shaft 28 which at the outer end of the car is bent at right angles as at 30 to form a longitudinally extending crank arm. The forward end of this arm is bent downwardly as at 32 to form an operating handle. This handle is so located that trainmen on the roadbed can easily grasp the same in order to rock the shaft 28 without entering between the cars. The shaft 2S can also be rocked by trainmen yon the car by grasping the forwardly extending portion 30. At the inner end of the shaft 28 and approximately in line with the longitudinal center line of Vof the link within the eye.

the car the rod is bent upwardly as at` 34 i y and forwardly to form 'a crank arm v36. An eye V38 is formed on the outer end of this crank arm and the latter is made `sufficiently wide at the bottom as at 40 to permit considerable transverse play of a link 42 which passes through said 'eye and which on its rear end is formed with an eye 44 which y The eye 40 formed in the end of vthe crank arm 36 as above stated is sufficiently wide to permit a generous transverse movement Such vmovement Vis required because of 'the transverse movement on the coupler relatively to the i cars in going around curves. In Fig. 3, I have indicated 1n dotted lines two posi- Itions which the locking pin of the coupler 18 may assume in operation. Such trans- Verse movement will cause the downwardly extending arm 46 'of the floating linkto act as a crank to rock the same about the axis 54 of the crank arm 36 it 'being vremembered that the eye 44 is loosely pivoted on such arm 36. Such rocking movement of the crank portion 46 of the link will necessarily rock th-e longitudinally extending part 42 thereof to the right and left as indicated `at Fig. 3 in dotted lin-es and the transverse dimension of the eye 40 is suliiciently wide near itslower end 'to permit such rocking movement without any binding of the parts. The link 42, because of the formation ofthe eye 40 is also free to swing o'bliquely in a horizontal plane from either side of the center of the crank arm 36 `because of the loose connection between said arm and the eye 44. i

As best illustrated in lFig. 4, the vertical dimension of the eye 40 is also sutlicient to permit the link 42 to be moved in a vertical plane relatively to the crank arm 36 as illustrated by the dotted and full line positions illustrated in this figure.

Io lift the locking pin, it will be readily understood that it is merely necessary for the trainman to grasp .either the crank 30 or handle 32 which will rock the rod 28 and lift thev crank arm 36. Because of the engagement of the eye 44 with the arm 36 and the fact that the underside of the eye 38 engages the link 42, the movement of the crank arm will cause the link to be lifted and with it the locking pin. Thisaction will lift the locking pin to approximately the position shown in Fig. l4. And because of the vertical dimension of the eye 40, the

locking pin and link 42 can remain in this position as indicated in dotted lines and yet 'allow the crank 36 to drop back to its normal position as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement permits the locking pin to be positioned to the so-called lock set position Vwith respect to the coupler and when a pair of trains are coupled up, the lock pin can drop and with it the link 42. This will restore the parts to the full position shown in Figs-l and 4. g

The construction is such that the parts are inexpensively manufactured land yet are positive in their action.

It will be noted that the construction is such that all of the supporting parts of the release rigging are located above the end sill of the car and to the rear thereof and Athat the only portions extending between the cars are the operating handle 32 and the arm 46 of the link which must necessarily so extend when connected with the coupler. This disposition of the parts has the advantage that in the event of collision or end bumping of oars when handling them by push bars and the like in switching, there is little likelihood of any damage being done to the release rigging. Y

Though I have described with great particularity the details of the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto as various modifications and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. y

What I claim is: l l. A oar coupler operating mechanism consisting solely of a pair of co-acting mempasses, the latter memberl having one part bers one of which is journalled on the car and the other of which engages the locking pin of the coupler7 the former member having an arm above the coupler extending longitudinally of the car and substantially yin alignment with the coupler locking pin, said arm having an upstanding eye at its outer end through which the second member loosely embracing said arm at one end and adapted to slide and pivot thereon and another part extending downwardly and engaging the coupler locking pin.

2. A car coupler operating mechanism consisting solely of a pair of co-acting mem- L.bers one of which is journalled on the car and the other of which engages the locking pin of the coupler, the former member having an arm above the coupler extending longitudinally of the car and substantially in `alignment with the coupler locking pin, said on the car above and to the rear of the end.

sill of the car, an inner crank arm integral with said shaft extending longitudinally and centrally of the oar and terminating in an upstanding eye located to the rear of the car end, a floating link extending throughk said eye and havlngtwo downwardly extending portions one of which loosely embraces said crank arm and the other of which engages the coupler locking pin.

4. A car coupler operating mechanism comprising a hand operable shaft extend- 'l ing transversely of the car and having ran integral crank arm at its lnner end ter- .minating short of the end of the car, ran

eye on the end of said crank arm and a floating link engaging the coupler locking pin and passing through said eye and having a portion loosely embracing said crank arm.

5. A car coupler operating mechanism consisting solely of two `operating parts including a hand operable shaft extending transversely of the car and having a crank arm at its inner end 'terminating short of the end of the car, an eye on the end of said crank arm and a floating link extending centrally of the car and passing through said eye and terminating at one end in a downwardly extending arm which engages the coupler locking pin and at the opposite end in.`

an eye which loosely embraces said crank arm. In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

ANDREW J. Morir-EE.