US2183608A

US2183608A - Automatic coupling for toy trains

Info

Publication number: US2183608A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1939-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-19

Description

Dec. 1 9, 1939. ERB

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR TOY TRAINS Filed July 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HrHz/wn Z7 5,

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 19, 1939.

A. ERQ 2,183,608

AUTOMATIC GOUPLIHG FOR TOY TRAINS Filed July 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EuLM' ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITEE STATES PATENT OFFECE Claims.

This invention relates to toy railroads and particularly to systems of this class in which the rolling stock is automatically driven. What I aim to accomplish is to efiect the automatic coupling together of any two units on the approach of one such unit toward the other and the uncoupling of any two units in a train by electrical means and without handling of the train or parts thereof.

* The coupling is accomplished by resort to a coupling member (termed herein the primary coupling member) arranged on one of the two cars or other units to be connected and which normally tends, as by gravity, to assume coupling position but is normally held from assuming such position by novel means on said unit which, however, is caused by the other unit on the mentioned approach to release said member so that it assumes coupling relation to the complementary coupling member (hereinafter termed the secondary coupling member) on such other unit.

As for the control, given a coupling member on one of two adjoining units which is normally urged to but retractive from coupling position I provide electro-magnetic retracting means therefor also on the unit, and for the energizing of the magnet by remote control through at least one stationary elongated conductor element (hereinafter by way of example taken as a certain track) to extend lengthwise of the path of travel of said unit. said unit providing means to electri ally connect said element with the magnet. In one adaptation, given said member, the retracting means, and a stationary elongated conductor element electrically connected with one terminal of the magnet windings, and there being on the unit an exposed conductor element likewise connected with the other terminal of the magnet windings, there is a flexible conductor extendin from the stationary element and having a free end adapted to be contacted with the exposed or unit-carried element.

The invention also makes possible uncoupling of any two units in a train of three or more units.

Usually, and as herein set forth, the circuit for controlling the retractors will have a source of energy independent from that for driving the motor of the train, thus not to interfere with the driving of the train.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation of two adjoining units of a train, partly in section to show the coupling members and the means for controlling the primary coupling member;

Fig. 2 shows, isometrically, the secondary coupling member;

Fig. 3 shows the primary coupling member and the means which normally holds it from assuming coupling position, this view being also isometric;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional longitudinal view of one of the units with so much of the circuit as is necessary to illustrate the other form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a similar View illustrating a modification oi the retractor.

Referring, first, to Figs. 1 to 4:

Let i be the body of one of two train units to be coupled, being here shown as the body of the locomotive, though it might be of a car. in the case of a locomotive and following a known construction it is supported by a truck pivoted thereto at 3 and equipped with wheels '5, the wheels being back of the pivot. Pivoted also at 3 and above the truck is a draw-bar terminating a transversely elongated loop 5a and which, by resting on the truck and wiping against a superposed wall of the unit, supports the latter on the truck. Essentially, what is so far material is that the unit has, here afforded by the draw-bar equipped with a loop as 5o, what I have termed the secondary coupling member.

7 is the body of the other of two train units to be coupled, a car. It is support by a truck pivoted at the center thereof to such body to turn as usual around a vertical axis, and wheels 9. In suitable superposed guides i8 arranged on the body in its longitudinal central vertical plane is vertically movable a coupling pin ll constituting the aforementioned primary coupling member, its fall being limited by a head lid thereon. On bein allowed to fall when it is opposed to the loop 55 coupling of course results as usual. According to this invention the pin is adapted to be held elevated, or retracted, but so as to be released for eilecting coupling of the two units together when one approaches the other, as follows:

6n the body I is a pair of supports I2 (here hooks) for means to engage the coupling pin irictionally so as to support it in retracted position, such means being here a rubber band whi h is held somewhat stretched by the supports; it extends substantially horizontally and crosswise of the body 1 and between it and the coupling pin. When one unit approaches the other means on the unit having the body I is to press this band from the coupling pin so that the latter may fall to enter the loop 5a. For this purpose such means is here bifurcated and takes the form of a wire Hi which may be soldered to the draw-bar 5i and affords projections Hia (here hook-shaped) reaching toward the other unit at the same level as the band and arranged to engage it both sides of the coupling pin. The projections should reach sufficiently toward the latter unit so that when, on the approach, the coupling pin is opposed or about -pposed to or over the loop they will repress the band suificiently to permit said pin to fall. The means l3 in effect constitutes a buffer on the unit having the pin which receives the impact of the other unit and in response thereto releases the pin.

Each retractor comprises an electro-magnet l5 whose armature is here an elastic strip it normally retracted from the core of the magnet, the magnet and a suitable support ll for the armature being here mounted on the floor of the body of the same unit as has the primary coupling member. The armature may have its free end connected with the coupling pin by a flexible connection is which extends through an opening la in the end wall of the latter unit equipped with a guide l9. Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the retractor and the means to connect its armature with the coupling pin. The magnet I5 and its armature iii may be the same as before. But there is a spring contact-blade 25 on the armature normally held against a contact 2! on and insulated from an extension Mia of the support it, said contact being in circuit with the magnet, as at 22. (In short, there here exists the buzzer type of magnet-and-armature device, affording a sound-signal to the operator when the magnet is energized to effect rise of the coupling pin for uncoupling.) The armature in this case when actuated tilts a lever 23 pivoted in a support 24 and having its free end engaged under the head lia of the coupling pin.

Assume the units are inter-coupled. Energizing of the magnet lifts the pin clear of loop 5a so'that, as by the locomotive being started, the units may be parted.

Referring, now, to Fig. 4: There are the usual three rails 25 on two of which the units travel and the third one forming, with one of the first two, parts of the circuit for driving the locomotive which, it will be understood, is equipped with a motor in such circuit. Paralleling the rails and here outward of them there will be as many conductive tracks 26 as there are units in the train having primary coupling members and retractors. A conductor 2i including the secondary of a transformer T has one end connected to one of the rails 25 and its other end portion branched with as many branches Ella as there are tracks 26, to which they are respectively connected. Each branch includes a manually operable circuitcloser 28. The structure of each unit having a magnet is conductive but in a laterally project ing bracket 29 thereof it carries, insulated from such bracket at 3! a conductive shoe device here consisting of a wire stem 3! in which is journaled a roller 32 so positioned as to run on one of the tracks 26. This shoe device is in circuit with the magnet of the unit through a wire 33, the magnet being in turn grounded on the unit, as by a wire 34; both wires should be insulated, as shown at 36 in Fig. 6. The construction is such that if the circuit-branch corresponding to any unit is closed by its circuit-closer 28, with the corresponding coupling pin in coupling position, such pin will be retracted; and the pin will remain held retracted by the means l3 not only to permit parting of the train on forward movement of the locomotive but so that when some other unit equipped with a secondary coupling member causes its means [4 to impinge against the means [3 inter-coupling of the two units will result automatically.

In Fig. 5 the circuit is as follows: From ground (say aiforded by one of the rails 25) it is in part formed by the unit; thence a conductor 3'! extends to the magnet 38; thence a conductor 39 extends through insulation 40 in the roof of the unit body and along and exterior of the roof to an insulator ll; and finally another conductor 42 leads from ground G (which'may be afforded by the mentioned rail) through the secondary of the transformer T and terminates in a conductive Wand or another contact 33. (The armature l6 and connection l8 are here shown as in Fig. 1.) This system dispenses with the tracks, shoes and relatively more complicated circuit-connections first described. The operator holds the wand in his hand and if it is required to uncouple any two units he touches the exposed portion of the conductor 39 of the relatively aft one of the two units with the wand; and this he may do at any point in the train regardless of the number of units it contains.

The energy may of course be derived from the same source as that which drives the motor of the locomotive; but I prefer to provide an inde pendent energy source, as T, for the magnet, so as to avoid interference with the train-driving circuit and other disadvantages.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a toy railroad system, the combination of a traveling unit, an electrically energizable device thereon, a stationary elongated conductor element adapted to extend lengthwise of the path of travel of the unit, a stationary source of electrical energy, said unit having a portion thereof electro-conductive and in permanent electrical contact with said element, and means to form with said portion of the unit and said element an electric circuit including said device and energy source, said means having a portion forming one terminal of the circuit and arranged on and in exposed relation to the unit and a flexible portion forming the other terminal of the circuit and movable into contact with the portion forming the first circuit terminal.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 characterized by said exposed portion extending generally lengthwise of the unit.

3. In a toy railroad system, the combination of a traveling unit, an electrically energizable device thereon, a stationary elongated conductor element adapted to extend lengthwise or" the path of travel of the unit, a stationary source of electrical energy, said unit having a portion thereof electro-conductive and in permanent electrical contact with said element, and means to form with said portion of the unit and said element an electric circuit including said device and energy source, said means having a portion forming one terminal of the circuit and arranged on and in exposed relation to the unit and a flexible portion extending from said element and forming the other terminal of the circuit and movable into contact with the portion forming the first circuit terminal.

4. In a toy railroad system, the combination of a train of units each having an electrically energizable device, and an electric circuit system having one part thereof adapted to extend length- Wise of the path of travel of the train and electrically connected with one side of each device and other parts of the system arranged on the respective units and electrically connected with the opposite sides of the respective devices, said system including means, independent of the train, to close the circuit through any one independently of the remainder of said other parts when the train is at any point in its path of travel.

5. In a toy railroad system, the combination, with two adjoining train units one of which has a pivoted secondary coupling member, a pin forming a primary coupling member and guided by and movable in the other unit into and out of position therein for coupling engagement with the secondary member and normally urged into said position, and an elastic length on the secondnamed unit held by the latter in crossing relation to and normally held bearing against the pin but movable to release the latter and arranged to be so moved by a part of the first-named unit independent of the secondary coupling member on approach of one unit toward the other.

ARTHUR ERB.