US1630523A - Pin-locking means - Google Patents

Description

May 31 1927. 1,630,523

L. .1; BROWN PIN LOCKING MEANS Filed June 1926 Infant? Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES LLOYD (I. BBDWN, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

FIN-LOCKING MEANS.

Application filed June 1,

My invention relates to an improvement in means for locking connecting pins in place and more particularly as a safety device for the connecting pins of brake beams employed in railroad equipment. a

The object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive device in which certain portions are reenforced against improper flexure and distortion; that is to say my invention is intended to overcome certain objections encountered in the type of device here in question; the features of the invention and its advantages being readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a connecting rod and brake lever pivotally connected together by means of a connecting pin which is provided with my improved locking means. t

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1. I Figure 3 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank cut and formed to produce my improved locking means.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blank formed up into shape ready for application.

My invention refers to the type of safety device disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,388,317, issued to John McMullien; my invention involving improvements in a device of' the type mentioned adapted to overcome certain weaknessesand objections inherent in a device of the type in question.

'My improved means is intended to be formed outof sheet metal cut to a predetermined size and length, namely to provide the elongated rectangular sheet or blank 10 shown in Figure 3 and provided at oneend with a pin-receiving opening 11. The blank 10, throughout a predetermined distance and at the apert-ured end thereof, through the action of suitable dies, is provided with corrugations indicated at 12 which are prefer ably arranged in the diagonal or slanting manner clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 so as to extend at an angle to the edges of the sheet or blank and therefore at an acute angle to the bond 13 in the blank whereby the lower leg or apertured portion 14 1s formed and the partially corrugated and partially plain surfaced upstanding leg or portion 15 is provided. The corrugations 12 are formed in the blank 10 so as to ex- 1926. Serial No. 112,992.

tend to a point beyond the bend 13 inthe the article of manufacture in its commercial,

form ready for application to a connecting pin. In the particular exemplification disclosedin the drawing, I show my improved means applied to the connecting pin 17 disposed through the bifurcated end of a connecting rod 18 and a brake lever 19 disposed between the bifurcations of the connecting rod 18. Connecting pins of the type in question have usually been secured in place by ordinary cotter-pins disposed through a suitable opening formed in the tail end of the connecting pin. It has been found in practice that the workmen frequently fail to properly spread the cotter-pins after insertion or fail to inserta cotter-pin through the aperture in the connecting pin, with the result that the connecting pins soon are displacechand the connecting bars and levers become disconnected and derailments or serious accidents likely to be encountered. Furthermore, cotter-pins frequently become battered down or sheared olf in the constant operation of the elements connected by the connecting pin. In the use of my improved means, it is evident that cotter-pins need not be employed and that therefore the opera tion of providing the connecting pins with suitable holes can also be done away with;

while at the same time shorter connecting pins may be employed. a My improved means, in the form shown in Figure 1, is readily applied to equipment in service'by inserting the leg 14 inter1nediate of one fork or bifurcation of the connecting rod 18 and the lever 19, aligning the opening 11 in the leg 14 with the respective openings in the bifurcations of the connecting bar and the intermediate lever 19, after which the connecting pin 17 is'inserted into place through the registered apertures of ing pin is introduced so that the upstanding leg 15 of my llIlPlOVGdlllGttHS will be disposed toward the side oi the connected elements on which the head of the connecting pin is located.

After the positioning ofithewlockiug device as just described, the upper or free end iof'the upstanding leg loisthen bent down across' the head oftheconnecting pin so as to shavethe free end of the leg 15 in close proximity to the head of the connecting pin and'therefore substantially parallel With the lcwer apertured leg-l l ol the device. As is apparent from the construction"shown m Figure 2, theconnecting pin 17 will be locked in placeagainst accidentallongitudinal I movement. a l a The device is made of suitable sheet metal permitting the bending or fiexing ot the leg 15; suchbending'taking place at a point slightly removed from the corrugations 12 as shown in Figure 52. With the blank provided with the corrugations 12, the lower leg H, namely the portion disposed intermediate of one fork or bifurcation of theconnecting bar and the lever 19, will be stiliened against ilexure and distortion which otherwise would result during the bending of a portion of the upstanding leg 15 across the end ofthe connectingipin. By

providing the device with the reentoroing ribs 16 within the angle definedby the lower leg 14 andiupstandinig leg 15 it is also apparent that any distortion or improper bending at the juncture between the lower leg let it and upstanding leg 15 i during the final bending of the portion of leg 15 across thehead of the pinwill be impossible; while at the same tiinewfracture of the device at the bend 13 by repeated applications o'lt' the deviceor rather bending of tlierfreeend of the upstanding portion 15 when it is desiredgi'or any reason, to remove the connectin; pin, will be prevented. As is-clearly apparent from the construction showln reniovalwof the connecting pin may bereadily accomplished bybending the end of leg 15 upwardly in Figure 2 sutliciently to clear the head of .the cohneetingpin; in other words, application of my improvedloclring device may not only be readily accomplished, but removal of the locking pin when occa sion requires can also be easily made andrepeated use of the locking device had.

As shown in Figure 2, the corrugations 12, in addition to being arranged througlr out the entireapertin'ed lower leg 14, are made to extend merely throughout a part of the adjoining upstanding leg15-so as tobe slightly removed from the point where 'the upstanding. leg is tobe bent back across the head of the pin, in order that bending of the upstanding leg 15 may be readily accomplished without fracturing the blank during repeated bel'iding operations.

As locking devices of the general type here in question must be of co]nparatively thin sheet inetal because 01 the small amount of play to wit about one-eighth of an inch. between the fork of the connecting rod and the brake lever, it is evident that distortion of the thin sheet metal very apt to occur during application of the device;

Any bending or i even gilt distortion of the'devlce and especially of the apertured pin receiving legsquiteobjectionable he :ause it will interfere with the easy and proper operation of the-bunke mechanism and is apt to cause the levcr to bind. A concausing the wheelstoslide and beconire flat in addition to producing excessive wear on the brake-shoes. uientrot vv'heels is,o'fgcourse, quite expensive; while the undue wear on the brakeshoes necessitates constant adjustmentcif the brake 1c runs to provide proper brake operation.

My invention designed :to overcome these seriousobjections as .vell as to obviate the necessity of constantadjustments and replacements and therefore tendstoward a great savingotltimc and expense; as the reent'orcenicnt of the apertured i portion of the device as for example by means of undulations or corrugations eitl ieriobliquely or longitiu'linzilly will prevent metal distcrtion cbe tn'een the connectingii'dd l8 and the brake lever 19; While improper :tiexing or bending at the juncture [between the two portions or the devicelis not only prevented byproperly arranged corrugations but also by the reenforcing ribs or upset portionslfi.

As an enemplilication of niyi invention I have shovvnthe undulations or corrugations arranged obliquely to the longitudinal edges of: the blank, butit will be understood that they maybe differently.arranged relative to the longitudinaledges and the extent thereof may be varied without, lioivever, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: i a :Lockingineans of the character described, composed ol :1 blank of sheet metal provided with i a plurality of corrugations disposed transversely of the blank at an angle to the peripheries thereof, said corrrwations extending throughout a predetermined length of the blank While the opposite end of the blank is provided with a plain surface, the

The trueing or replace corrugated end of the blank being provided With a pin receiving aperture, the corrugated end of said blank at a predetermined point intermediate of the aperture and the opposite end of the blank being bent so as to provide a pair of legs or portions disposed at right angles to each other, the juncture between the le s or portions, Within the angle defined there y, being provided with reenforcing ribs disposed lengthwise, while 1 the plain surfaced portion of one of said legs is bent into parallel spaced relation with the apertured leg.

LLOYD J. BROWN.

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