US1608300A - Automatic coupler for toy trains - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 23 1920. I 1,608,300

L. CARUSO AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY TRAINS Filed May 22, 1923 Fig.1.

7i i 79 f 10 U nu v I Q H I [Ili m INVENTOR Patented Nov. 23, 192.6.

UNITED STAT \S PATENT OFFICE- LOUIS CARUSO, F IRVINGTON, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE. LIONEL CORPORA- TION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COREORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC COUELER FOR TOY TRAINS.

Application filed May 22, 1923. i Serial No. 640,669.

The present invention relates to an automatic coupler suitable for use with toy trains. Devices which have been heretofore provided for coupling toy trains have been more or less unsatisfactory because theydid not always properly couple the cars and hold them together. The present invention is directed toward a form of coupler which has been found to be satisfactory for the pur pose.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic coupler for toy trains which can be made up out of sheet metal by simple stam nng operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic coupler which will function to automatically couple cars together on their approach and which will pro vide for one car pulling the other or pushing 2 the other as the case may be.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler of such a design that the pull from one car to the other takes place in practically a straight line.

The accompanying drawings show for the purposes of illustration one of the many possible embodiments in which the present invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are intended to illustrate the invention rather than limit the same.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating two couplers in coupled position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the couplers shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. L is a section taken on the line 4e4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the coupling devices.

Referring more particularly to Flgures 3, 4 and 5 ofthe drawings, it will appear that each coupler is made up of suitable sheet metal stampings fastened together. The conpler has one sheet metal stamplng which provides a draw-bar 6 having an aperture 7 whereby it may be pivotally fastened to the car or locomotive with which it is to be used. The stamping is provided with a downwardly bent portion 8 and with a portion 9 which is parallel with the portion 6 and spaced a short distance below it. A portion of the sheet metal which is a lateral continuationof thedeprcssed portion 9'is bent upwardly as shown at 10 and then continues to the left as shown at 11 where-it is provided with a coupler hook. An offset" portion 12 intermediatethe portionsllmay be provided, if desired, to bring the-portion 11 over on top of the portion 9 as indicated.- The extreme end of the portion 11 isprovided with a coupler hook having ashoulder 13 which faces toward the draw-ban 6 and with anoblique cam-surface 14-;

The sheet metal is also bent upwardly as shown at 15-. This upwardly bent portion is provided with a hole 16 and with an open slot 17 for purposes to be described. A gravity controlled latch member 18, which may also be made ofsheet metal, is pivot-ed on a pin 19 passing through the hole 16. This latch isprovided with a projection 20 which is adapted to engage with-the edge 21 of the upright portion 15 tolimit the upward movement of the latch. The latch is also provided with an oblique cainmember 22, which rests upon the portion 11', as is apparent inthe drawings. The latch member is also shown as having a depending portion 23 which passes down alongsidethe outer surface of the member 11 and which prevents this member; frombeing bent sides wise. Abuiier 2 1: in .the form of anangular piece of sheet metal is fastened underneath the portion 9, either by riveting,.soldering or welding as desired. This buffer, it will be noted, extends a short distance beyond the upright portion 15.

When two cars have been equipped with devices such as have been described, the cars may be coupled together as shown inFigs.

1 and 2. As the cars approach one another the oblique cam surface 14 oneach of the couplers engages the-oblique cam 22: on the latch of the other coupler. In this manner the latches on both couplers are lifted from the position shown in full lines'inFig. 3 to the positionshownin dotted lines'gtwhereupon the cam portions drop down'back 0f the shoulders 13; The buffers 2%: will limit the movement of the cars toward one another preventing lost motion, and the latches and shoulders will permit one car to pull the other..

In the arrangement shown. in the=drawings, it is obvious that the pullfrom' one: car to another is-through substantially-astraight lain line. This comes about by depressing the central portions of the couplers so that the point of engagement of the shoulders and latches is apprommately in a straight line with the under surfaces of the drawbars. By this arrangement there is no tendency to pull the parts of the automatic coupler out of alignment. ll is also obvious that, it desired,certain of ti o automatic features of the coupler can be pensed with and other teatures ained so hat the coupler would be non-automatic.

I claim:

1. Coupling means for toy trains Cl11PllS ing a pair of couplers carried by the ends of toy cars, each coupler including a drawbar in the form of a sheet metal stamping one end of which has provisions for swingin ly connecting it to a toy car, the other end having an upright shoulder racing the first mentioned end, the intermediate portion being upwardly bent to provide a support for a latch, and a latch pivotally mounted on said support, the latch on one coupler being engageable with the shoulder on the other.

2. Coupling means for toy trains comprising a pair of couplers carried by the ends of toy cars, each coupler including a draw-bar in the term of a sheet metal stamping one end of which has provisions for swinglngly connecting it to a toy car, the other end hav ing an upright shoulder facing the first men tioned end, the intermediate portion being upwardl r bent to provide a support for a latch, and a latch pivotally mounted on said support, the latch on one coupler being engageable with the shoulder on the other, said coupler being further provided with means for moving the latches as the cars approach one another whereby the latches and shoulders may become interengaged.

3. Coupling means for toy trains comprisa pair of couplers carried by the ends of toy cars, each coupler including a draw-bar in the form of a sheet metal stamping one end of which has provisions for swingingly connecting it to a toy car, the other end having an upright shoulder facing the first mentioned end, the intermediate portion being upwardly bent to provide a support for a latch, and a gravity controlled latch pivotally mounted on said support, the latch on one coupler being engageable with the shoulder on the other.

l. Coupling means for toy trains comprising a pair of couplers carried by the ends of toy cars, each coupler including a draw-bar in the form or a sheet metal. stamping one end of which has provisions for swingingly connecting it to a toy car, the other end having an upright shoulder lacing the first mentioned end, the intermediate portion being upwardly bent to provide a support for a latch, and a latch pivotally mounted on said support, the latch on one coupler being enreeaeoo gageable with the shoulder on the other, said latches and shoulders when coupled being so disposed that one car may pull the other, each of said devices further including abutter in the form of an angular piece of sheet metal fastened to the underside of the sheet metal stamping and'so disposed that one car may push the other.

5. Coupling means for toy trains comprising a pair 03"; couplers carried by the ends of toy cars, each coupler including a draw-bar in the term of a sheet metal stamping one end of which has provisions for swingmgly connecting it to a toy car, the other end having an upright shoulder facing the first mentioned end, the intermediate portion being upwardly bent to provide a support for a latch, and latch pivotally mounted on said support, the latch on one coupler being ongageable with the shoulder on the other, said couplers being further provided with means for moving the latches as the cars approach one another whereby the latches and shoulders may become interei'igaged, and with a butler in the form of an angular piece of sheet metal fastened to the underside of the sheet metal stamping and so disposed that it will engage the butter on th-eother coupler whereby one car may push the other, said latches and shoulders when coupled being so disposed that onecar may pull the other. I

6. An automatic coupler for toy trains, comprising a pair of rigid symmetrical draw-bars facing one another, the opposite ends being thin and fiat and disposed in a horizontal plane and the adjacent ends be ing twisted into parallel vertical planes eX- tending past one another and having shoulders, the draw-bars each being provided with a movable catch which is automatically interengageable with the shoulder on the other draw-bar upon the approach of the draw-bars, said interengagement taking place in the plane of said opposite ends, whereby the tractive effort is exerted in one plane.

7. An automatic coupler for toy trains, comprising a pair of rigid symmetrical draw-bars facing one another, the opp site ends being thin and flat and disposed in a horizontal plane and the adjacent ends being twisted into parallel vertical planes extending past one another and having sh0ulders, the draw-bars being provided with oil'- set portions, and a movable catch carried by each otlset portion, said catches being automatically interengageable with the shoulder on the other clraw-bar upon the approach of the draw-bars, said interengagement taking place in the plane oi said opposite ends, whereby the tractive effort is exerted in one plane.

8. A coupling device for a toy car comprising a sheet metal draw-bar having a coupler hoolr provided with a vertical shoulder and an oblique cam surface, a vertical support bent out of the sheet metal and disposed transversely, and a transverse gravity controlled latch mounted on said vertical support, said latch having an oblique cam surface sloping in a direction opposite to that of the cam surface on the coupler hook.

9. A coupling device for a. toy car comprising a normally horizontal draw-bar having means for swingingly attaching one end to the car and having an oblique cam surface near the other end, the intermediate portion being twisted through an angle of 90, a vertical shoulder adjacent the cam surface and facing the car attaching end,

and a transverse gravity controlled latch supported on an upturned portion of the draw-bar and spaced from the shoulder.

10. A coupling device for a toy car comprising a normally horizontal draw-bar having means for swingingly attaching one end to the car and having an oblique cam surface near the other end, the intermediate portion being twisted through an angle of 90, a vertical shoulder adjacent the cam surface and facing the car attaching end, and a transverse gravity controlled latch supported on an upturned portion of the draw-bar and spaced from the shoulder, said latch having an oblique cam surface sloping in a direction opposite to the first cam surface.

11. A sheet metal stamping for an automatic coupler for toy trains, said stamping having an upwardly bent portion providing a pivotal mounting for a transverse latch, a vertical shoulder extending beyond the mounting for engaging the latch of a mating coupler to lock the couplers together, and a cam surface beyond the shoulder, the thickness of the draw-bar and the upwardly bent portion and the width of the shoulder and cam being substantially equal.

12. A coupler for toy trains comprising a piece of sheet metal having a flat portion constituting a draw-bar, a depressed flat portion, an upwardly bent portion at the free end of the depressed fiat portion, and a second upwardly bent portion at one side of the depressed portion, said second upwardly bent portion extending beyond and being spaced from the first upwardly bent portion and being provided with a shoulder, and a latch pivoted on the first upwardly bent portion and resting 011 the second upwardly bent portion.

13. A coupler for toy trains comprising a piece of sheet metal having a fiat portion constituting a draw-bar, a depressed flat portion, an upwardly bent portion at the free end of the depressed flat portion, and a second upwardly bent portion at one side of the depressed portion, said second upwardly bent portion extending beyond and being spaced from the first upwardly bent portion and being provided with a shoulder, a latch pivoted on the first upwardly bent ortion and resting on the second upward y bent portion, and a bulfer fastened underneath the depressed portion and extending beyond the second upwardly bent portion.

14. In a coupler for toy trains, a piece of sheet metal having a fiat portion constituting a draw-bar, a depressed flat portion, an upwardly bent portion at the free end of the depressed flat portion, and a transverse latch pivoted near the upper end of the upwardly bent portion.

15. In a coupler for toytrains, a piece of sheet metal having a flat portion constituting a draw-bar, a depressed fiat portion, an upwardly bent portion at the free end of the depressed flat portion, a transverse latch pivoted near the upper end of the upwardly bent portion, and a finger carried by the latch and engageable with the upwardly bent portion for limiting the upward movement of the latch.

16. In an automatic coupler for toy trains, a sheet metal draw-bar having a pivotal mounting for a transverse latch, a shoulder extending beyond the mounting, and a cam surfacebeyond the shoulder, and a transverse gravity controlled latch mounted in said pivotal mounting, said latch resting against the top of the draw-bar and extending down alongside the draw-bar.

Signed at Irvington, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, this 10th day of May, 1923.

LOUIS OARUSO.

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