US1761445A - Uncoupling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930.

w. KELSO UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Filed' May 28, 1927 oomuwo o ooo@oo o o o o ofip o mw o o Patented June 3, 1930.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM KELSO, 0F ZPIITSBURG'H, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCONWAY &;

TORLEY COMPANY, OF IITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Application filed may as,

This invention relates to uncoupling mechanism for eifecting the unlocking of a car coupler. While it is especially suitable for application to the well known standard D- type coupler employing a bottom operated lock, mechanism embodying the invention may be used with other forms of car couplers,

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective uncoupling device in which the assembled parts are interlockingly connected so that they may not become accidentally disassociated when 1n service.

The principal feature of the invention consists in employing a vertically rotatable lever operatively connected to the lock and supported at its rear end by a hanger adapted to move longitudinally of the car, the lever be-' ing actuated by rotatable uncoupling means which are maintained in'assembled relation to the lever by the hanger.

A further feature consists in providing a design wherein the uncoupling means for actuating the lock operating lever engage the latter closely adj acentto the movable hanger by which the rear end of said lever is sup-.

ported, thereby minimizing the extent of movement of the uncoupling means with respect to their supports at the sides of the car when the coupler swings laterally as the'car passes around a curve.

Other features of the invention, involving particular combinations of parts and advantageous features of construction, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

Inthe drawings illustrating apreferred and showing also associated features offcar construction; 7 a j V v V Figure 2 is a v1ew, partly 1n sldeelevation and partly in vertical section, of the coupler and uncoupling mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line;3-=3, Fig. 2, 1 r 7 1927. Serial N0. 194,953.

"drawings is movably connected at its lower end to a downwardly extending link 4 which is pivotally connected to a swinging member 5 itself pivotally attached to the under sideof the coupler head. The link 4 and the member 5 preferably conform in structure and mode of operation to the standard parts employed in bottom lock lift devices of the D-type coupler.

Movably connected to the pivoted member 5 so as to be capable of actuating the latter to effect an unlocking movement of the lock 2,

is a vertically rotatable bar or lever 6 which is supported at its rear end by a movablehanger 7 adapted to swing freely longitudinally of the car. The connection between the lever 6 and'pivoted member 5 is pref- 7 6 is flexibly attached to thehanger 7 by extending throughan eye 10 in the lower end of thelatter the rear end of said bar being bent downwardly or shouldered, as at 11, so as to interlock with the adjacent part of the hanger and thus prevent disassociation of these when tlie device is in service.

parts I The vertically rotatable lever 6 may ad-j vantageously be of bent or angular form, a 7

preferably being fashioned intermediate of its ends and closely adjacent to the lower end of the hanger 7 with a portion12 extend ing at an angleto the line connecting the center of the eye 8 with the center of the through eyes 13 at the inner'ends of the rotatable uncoupling levers 14 which are sup'ported at'theirouter ends in awellknown maneye 10 at the lower end of the movable hanger 7 .The portion '12 of the member 6 extends 7 her by brackets carried by the car body. By thus relating the inner ends of the uncoupling levers 14: they always occupy a position in the plane of operation of the vertically rotatable member 6, thus providing for an easy and effective unlocking operation in any position the coupler may occupy. As their inner ends 13 are located close to the hanger 7 only a very small movement of the uncoupling levers 14 with respect to their outside supporting brackets occurs when the coupler shifts laterally to the side of the carrier 1 as the car passes around a curve. When the parts are in assembled relation the hanger 7 prevents the uncoupling levers 14; from being disconnected from the lock actuating member 6 by which they are supported.

The hanger 7 is flexibly connected to a hanger support 15 which may conveniently be riveted to the under face of the carrier iron 1, the member 15 preferably being in the form of a hook adapted to cooperate with a single eye 16 at the upper end 'of the hanger 7 In assembling the mechanism the hanger 7 is placed upon its supporting hook 15, the lock operating bar 6 is then passed through the eyes 13 at the inner ends of the uncoupling levers 1 1 and the rear end of the bar is then inserted in the eye 10 at the lower end of the hanger. The rotatable lift lever 5 is then disconnected from the coupler at its pointof attachment thereto below the coupler knuckle pin, thusspermitting the memher 5' to be twisted sufficiently to permit its eye to be brought into assembled relation with the hook or slotted eye 8 at the forward end of the vertically rotatable bar 6. The

forward end of the swinging lock lift member 5 is then reattached to the coupler head. Asl thus assembled the several parts of the mechanism are interlockingly connected so as to prevent accidental disassociation.

By operating either of the uncoupling levers 14,which extend in opposite directions toward the sides of the car, the bar 6 may be caused to swing verticallysso as to effect an unlocking movement of the coupler lock 2. Either of the uncoupling members 14 can be employed for this purpose without causing any substantial rotation of the other, thereby contributing to the ease of operation of the device. WVhen the member 6 swings upwardlyin response to proper movement of one of the uncoupling levers 14 its rear end fulcrums upon the lower end of the hanger 7, which latter is free to swing toward the front or rear as required in draft or buffing and during an uncoupling operation.

I claim 1. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a lever operatively connected to the lock, a movable member carried by the car body for supporting the lever, said member constituting a fulcrum for the lever, and rotatable uncoupling means for actuating said lever, said uncoupling means being supported by the lever and being maintained in assembled relation thereto by said movable member.

2. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a lever operatively connected to the lock, a movable member supporting said lever and providing a fulcrum for the latter, and rotatable uncoupling means for actuating the lever, said uncoupling means embracing and being supported by. said lever in advance of the fulcrum point of the latter.

3. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a lever operatively connected to the lock, a movable member supporting said lever and providing a fulcrum therefor, and rotatable uncoupling means for actuating the lever, said movable member constituting means for maintaining the un-- coupling means in assembled relation to the lever. I I

4.. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a lever operatively connected to the look, a movable hanger engaging and supporting the. rear end of the lever, means carried by the car body for sup porting the hanger, and rotatable uncoupling means for actuating the lever, said uncoupling means engaging the lever in advance of the hanger and being apertured to receive said lever, and said lever extending therethrough.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving the lock to unlocking position, said means involving a vertically rotatable lever formed as a bent bar operatively connected to the lock, a movable hanger for supporting the lever at its rear end, a support carried by the car body for sustaining said hanger, and rotatable uncoupling means for actuating the lever, said hanger constituting a fulcrum for the lever, and said rotatable uncoupling means being apertured to receive the lever, and said lever extending therethrough. I

6. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler its lock and carrier iron, of means for moving the lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable member operatively connected to the lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, a'hanger for supporting the rear end of said rotatable member, means for supporting. the hanger from the carrier iron, said hanger being movable longitudinally of the car and being provided with an eye for re-' ceiving said rotatable member, and an uncoupling lever for actuating said rotatable member, said hanger forming a fulcrum for said rotatable member and serving to maintain the uncoupling lever in assembled relation thereto.

7 In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination With a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving the lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable member operatively connected to the look, a movable hanger for supporting the rear end of said rotatable member, and a plurality of uncoupling levers adapted to actuate the rotatable member, said levers having their inner ends disposed in overlapping relation and being supported by said rotatable member.

8. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination With a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving the lock to unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable bar of angular form operatively connected to the lock, a movable hanger carried by the car for supporting the bar, and an uncoupling lever for actuating the bar, said uncoupling lever engaging said bar in advance of the hanger and being supported by said bar and maintamed in assembled relation thereto by means of said hanger.

9. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving the lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable bar, operatively connected to the lock, a hanger for supporting the bar, said hanger being movable longitudinally of the car and having an eye at its lower end for receiving the bar, the rear end of said bar being shouldered so as to overlap said hanger When the partsare in assembled relation, and an uncoupling lever for actuating the bar, said uncoupling lever being supported by the bar and being maintained in assembled relation thereto by means of the hanger. Y

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' WILLIAM KELSO.

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