US284260A - Chables w - Google Patents

Description

\ (No Modell) o. W. TOWNSBND. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 284,260. Patented Sept. 4, 1.883.

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y UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLES w. TOWNSEND, OE CHARLESTON, SOUTH OAROLHIA.'

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,260, dated September 4, 1883.

4 1 u Application filed May 9, 18.83. (No model.)

T alZZ whom it may 'con/cern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. TOWN- SEND, ofthe city of Charleston, county of Charleston, and State of South Carolina, have invented a newand useful improvement in the construction, arrangement, and` combination of the pins, 1inks,`and gear for coupling railroad or other cars, of which the following is a specification. l The invention relates tothe construction and arrangementxof the` pins, links, and gear for coupling railroad or other cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a combination of coupling-block, pins and links, and coupling-piece which will automatically conform to any usual adjustment of cars at `either end, and automatically couple and uncouple the Same, and 'also to protect Such mechanism in lits workingv from theV destructive strain, pressure, and jar incident thereto.

My invention consists in the arrangement of two cylindrical pins working on spiral springs encircling them, at right angles to each other in the saine plane, insertedinto a solid block, so adjusted that they meet, and either will be forced out by its spring if the other is forced in; and italso consists in applying to this arrangement a solid coupling-piece with links projecting at either end.

It finally consists in the particular construction and arrangement of the coupling-block with its pins working on spiral springs, and the coupling-piece ,with its links.

" In the` accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts,

`Figure l is a side view, and Fig. 2 `is an end view, ofthe coupling-block and pins working on spiral springs at right angleswhen the per pendicular Spring and pin are down, Figs. 3 and 4 are a side and end view, respectively, ofthe Same when the perpendicular pin and spring are up and horizontal pin and spring are out-z'. e., when it is uncoupled and `in position for coupling. Fig.` 5-is a view looking downwardfrom above, and Fig. 6 is a horizontalview of the solid coupling-piece with its projecting links.

Thea-nd block A 1v, `which is to be atl tached to both ends of a car, is cut out so as to leave C, E, T, X,F, and Y W, hollow openings, Figs. l and 3. l Circular openings are then bored therein at right angles to each other, in

the same plane, for the insertion of the pins P and H. A spiral wire spring encircles each pin P and H. One end of this spiral-wire spring is` inserted into its pin at the pointJ, where it isheld, and whereby the perpendicular pin P cannot descend below frame Y Y', and horizontal pin Hcannot be forced out of Y W beyondpoint J. The other end of spiral spring Wire is loose. These spiral springs act, the

one to push downward and hold down pin P,VV

the `other to push outward and hold out pin H, and each will act automatically when the other is closed. Pin P passes, also, by a cir cular opening through frame Y Y', and the spiral Spring encirclingpin P works wholly within the frame Y Y', against the upper wall of which its loosewire end rests, Figs. 4, 2.

In the same way the spiral Spring encircling l pin H works whollywithin the hollow Open- Q is a small .hole in pin P at a point on a line with the top of the frame Y Y", when pin pin P up, if necessary, when it is raised for un'coupling. l

P is up, for insertion of a small pin to hold y D The body of thecouplingpiece is an octagol nal-faced solid, each Vhalf of which, .if bisected, would t loosely into hollow opening C E F D, with coupling-links L and N projecting on either side, Figs. 5 and 6, in the same plane, shaped as sen1i-ellipses to make coupling easy, and to give them play when coupled. The solid plate O passes through this body-piece at right angles'to plane of links, Fig. 6, lis of the height of A B, and acts, when coupled, to press against A C above and B B below when cars jam together, and will thereby keep links, springs, and pins free from jar, strain, and pressure. e

enough to hold loosely pin P down, 'ring L inserted, and plate I back against wall T X. All of the foregoing blocks, pieces, pins,

or other metal, or Wood.

The opening E I X F is made deep, e

The operation of the device is as follows: When link L is inserted and pressed into jaw C D, (see position for coupling, Fig. 3,) it will be guided up plane D F or down plane C E 5 into opening E F, and then link L will press against the plate I, attached to end of pin H, and, shoving it in, will force pin H back (the spiral spring encircling pin H closing under the pressure) until plate I comes close up 1"'o against the wall T X. Pin P, the support of plate I being thus withdrawn, will, under the automatic action of its spiral spring, be forced down and through the incoming link L, securely making it fast and holding it within 15 jaw E F. To uncouple the cars it is only necessary to pull up pin P, when pin H, with plate I attached, under the automatic action of the spiral spring encircling it, will be forced out, throwing link L out of the jaw E F, and 2o plate I, pin H being fully out, will stop directly under pin P, and the device will, without moving, again be 'in position for coupling upon insertion of link L. v

What I claim is- In combination with the pins working on 25 spiral springs at right angles, as described, the coupling-piece having at either end a coupling-link or semi-elliptical ring, the body of this coupling-piece being an octagonal-faced solid, through whose center passes at right 3o anglea solid plate, substantially as described, whereby the coupling-link is always kept up and out on a horizontal plane, or nearly so, in position for easy adjustment to and insertion into opposite coupling-jaw., whether directly 35 on its level or a little above or below, and whereby the pressure and jar, after coupling is effected, is mainly confined to such solid plateand such solid coupling-piece and solid block, as set forth.

' J. P. KJBRYAN, F. S. MoHUGi-L

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