US295706A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

"(No Model.) A v H. BgWIL-LVIAMS.

GAR ColirLPLINcr.v

No. 295,706.1 4 Patented Mar. 25,' 1884;'

ww@ @my ,pin and the uncoupling device. .vertical section of the draw-head and auto- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

HAMLINE B. WILLIAMS, OF GLENWOOD, IOWA.

GAR-Gourmand.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,706-, dated March 25, 1884.

Application filed February 7, 1883. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMLTNE B.`W1LL IAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenwood, in the county of Mills and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Car-- Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in` automatic car-couplings or self-couplings; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to reduce the number of pieces composing an automatic car-coupling to the minimum; second, to construct a machine for Vcar-coupling which is self-setting as well as self-coupling, and

which is capable of practical use and opera-` tion without the presence of any person be-` minimum; seventh, to carry` the link in the center of the space in thedrawhead when tension is applied, thereby securing the maximum play or freedom. of motion; eighth, to prevent uncoupling by the motions of a train; ninth, to obviate the strain upon and tendency to breaking of the link and pin of car-couplings arising from the link being carried on the bottom plate of the draw-head. I attain `these objects by the. mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichi Figure l is a perspective view of that part of the draw-head which projects beyond the dead-wood, showing the top of the automatic Fig. 2 is a matic pin or block through the line A B in in perspective, of `the beveled slot in the upper plate of the draw-head, in which the automatic pin or block worksvertically. Fig. 6

is a vertical section of said slot. Fig. A7 is a perspective view of the concave beveled shoulders or projections in the space in the draw-` head, which guide the link into position and hold it there for automatic coupling. Fig. 8 is a plan of a part of the bottom of the space in the draw-head, showing the beveled groove h, in which the link rests when set for automatic coupling.

Similar letters refer to similar parts' throughout the several views.

. The draw-head, Fig. 1, is constructed in the common form, (with side couplings to strengthen heavy trains,) except in the following particulars: I make the upper plate thicker than the low'er one, to give additional strength at the outer bearing of the automatic piu or block, Fig. 1, c d. I make aslot in said upper plate, Fig. 5, la, an inch wide (more or less) and six inches long, more or less, with the outer end circular, horizontal, or rounded in form, Fig. `5, la, and beveled downward and outward, Fig. 2, r, sufiiciently to prevent the pin or block having any tendency to fly out, and enough to give it a slight tendency to slip into the space iii the draw-head when tension is applied by the link at the inner end, Fig.` 2, t'. (I use theterms inner and outer7 in speakingof the slot and the pin or block with reference to the ends nearest and farthest from the car, respectively.) The inner end of the slot, Fig. 6, n, is made vertical for ashort distance (say half an inch) and then is beveled downward and inward, Fig. 6, j, so that the vertical part forms a bearing for the pin, and the beveled portion of the slot below the vertical part per'inits the inner end of the automatic pin oryblock, Fig. 4., a t p, to rise when pressed bythe link until the link passes `behindfit and it drops (working freely vertically in the slot) to make a coupling. The outer end of the slot is made at the usual distance from the end of the draw-head. The draw-bar back of the slot is made in the usual form to fit wood-work and irons already on the 9 5 roo y lll or block being forced `under the dead-wood, Fig. 1, Y, the same being si niplya shelf-shaped vertical projection of iron or other metal, braced as shown in Fig. 1. I use the ordinary appliancesA for attaching the draw-head tothe car. The draw-head has 4the common bellmouth,with three common piniholes in the bottom plate, Fig. 1, o o o, Fig. 8, the two side holes corresponding toholes in the upper plate, 3

and the center hole correspondingwiththe outer end of the slot, (see Fig. 1,) to allow theA removalfof the automatic pin or block to make a center coupling with the ordinary link and pin, if necessary. In the bot-tomtpl'ate of thc drawhead I niake a horseshoe-shaped groove 4large enoughattlie curve to receivethellink',

ldeep'estfat@theinn'er curved end 'of-the groove, -and'ruuningjoutf to thef surface f# thebottom :plate fatf such1 anf angle as that "when: the inner movement thelink "has raised vitfa'ndpassed Vback of its l:end'o'f the link' is: placed inl thefgroove the outer -end'will beon linewith the center ofand'dih h. This groove holds the link in position, and, with the beveledprojections hereinafter specified, gives its outer end elevation for'a'utomatic coupling. v In the'vinner' 'end 4or` curve of this "groove iI-ni'iakef` a `small hole'thr'ough the bottom off the`draw-head,fFig.` 8,:'gjto'lperniit the `thec'urvedf andfbeveled *shoulders or `proj ecltions inside th espace in th e'draw-head. -rIhes'e shoulders orprojections are zjust far' enough 'back' inthe draw-head ito permit the' link to pass freely "the lower -fpartcf the automatic .pin-orblock. A'Byline Z,=Fig.'6, dotted1 line Zy Z, and'Figs7, Z-Z.)

(See Fig. 22; 'dotted' line' L Z,Fi'g.

4-Thefs'urfa'ce"of tlieseproj ec'tions isfshapedfsoine thing like-the upper half ofa@headlight-reliiector.

yTheynotl only curve' npward andfor- -wa'rd'from the-edge'oi' the' groove' in'fthe'lower .plateto' the ufpperzplate, assh'own, fFig. 2,31,

4'but also curve y'across' the inn'erspace, "as i'ndicated'by the 1ine,"F-ig.-3,fl. These shoulders lorproj e'ctions, which havean opening' between 4them,-Fig. 7 ,"m, operate to guidetlie'lin'kdr 'rectlyunder' the automatic'pin or block' when two drawfheads corne'in contact, an'd'also serve to holdthe inncrendfof lthe linky down inthe 4'groove h and elevate its outerendwh'env placed in'position' for lautomatic coupling. They also 'serve tofstop the' linkand' force it under and behind thefautomaticpin or block inan'apaproaching drawlhea'd. Theautom'atic orselfsetting "and self-couplin g 'rpin -or blockworl'rs freelyvertically yin the beveled slot in'th'e draw-head. "A top 'View is given, Fig. 1, d b, a side view, Fig. 4, andf'a vertical section, -Fig.f2,"a ci. VItV can only be put'fin'place b'y 'adown'ward 'and forward movement, andafter inserting thelower'part, Fig. 4, @and can onlybe removed bya'nupwa'rdand backward It falls'by its own 'weight 'after inner end,^and effects acoupli'ng. -If two drawheads are brought rapidly together, the couplGominoncast=iron "is Aamply strong.

ling is facilitated by the rebound of the' pin from the inner end ofthebeveledslot. Work ing 'freely in the slot, it is constantly set automatically and couples automatically. It may Vbe made of cast-iron, cast-steel, malleable iron,

aluminium, or other cast or wrought metal.

A portion of its outer end, Fig. 4, q, is fitted to the outencircular beveled end of the slot in the drawhea'd. Abelow the upper plate of the draw-head. It is-bevcled-from its outerend'towhere it rests Its outer end does not extend on the lower plate of the draw-head, is coinci- `dent with the lower plate for an inch (more or less) to the point p, when it is made with abevel upward and forward, as shown by the line z' p, VFi`g.'^4f. Both'end's'of the pin are' made rounding horizontal] y, to preventvthe wear of the pin 'or Ablock vand link interfering with afree vertical 'motion' in'theslot. Atsuch point, Fig.-2,9z', on

the'innere'n'd offsaid:automaticlpin or block as will insure the link being carried about in' the -centerofthe'spaceinthe draw-head when tenlsionfis applied, `I n'ake a shal'lowllgroove or fdep ression,into-whi`ch the force of afpull draws servesA not-'only to give the linkall the play or freedfofxnfof motion which the space inthe `draw-headwill admit of, but'ialso distributes fthefresistancev offered' by the pin inlthe' 'direc- -tion'lof the dotted lines, 'iFigL-Q, s,\render Ving* it practically impossible to break' the-au- 4tornaticpini or block. "Iimake that-portion' of the drawihead,'-'asfshowmin Fig. v5,' d'ottedline "c, and beveled at' the outer end. asshowirin These projections of the pinor "block serve to hol'd it in itsrpr'operV position'for automatic coupling to'resistany tendency of tension isfapplied; and Valso `serve as a` roof to 'keep"snow, Lsleetfciriders,85e., out'of the slot. This-projection isbeveled upward anfdout- Vvward mythe outerend, Fig. V2,10;t 'prf' ,vent the `outer end -of the pin risi'ngfi'n uncoupling.

At vor liearrthe inner? end ofI the'auto'niatic pin orblock, andv on theuppersurface'thereof, I make a Vertical'projection, Fig.f1, a, Fig. '4, a, inwhichis'a hole to receive ashort chain Vdraw-head, 'permitting' the link to pass out,

and at the saine time the automatic pin or IOO' block is incapableof any movement whatever except to fall backlinto the position shown by its section in Fig.4 2, set ready for coupling. The uncoupling may be done by handor bya device substantially like that shown in Fig. l, ee,.ee,ff,ff, with the chain or rod afab- 'tached to the arm ff of the uncoupling device over the pin or block andthe chain or rod f t.

In Fig. 1, e e e e represent a common rod, of iron or other metal, sufficiently large to be practically stiff, attached to the body of the car immediately over the dead-wood and below the car-floor by common staples, in which y it turns freely. One staple is driven each side of and close to the arm f over the pin or block, to keep the rod e e in position. At or near the sidesof the car I bend the ends of the rod e e e e vertically downward at about a right angle, forming a lever or handle by which to uncouple from either side of the car,

obviating the necessity of going between cars for that purpose.

The arms f f may be welded to the rod or attached by setscrews. On a platform-car the short arm f f is not required.

The chain or rod f truns to the top of a boxcar, where it may be worked, if desired, by a short foot-lever attached to the edge of the carroof. It may also end at tin a loose ring passed over the rod of the brake-wheel, or otherwise conveniently attached to the car-roof. If a rod is used instead of a chain, f t, it may be bent from a convenient point on the end ofthe car to the eye of the short arm f f, to which it may be attached bya hook. The rod c c e e is attached far enough below the car-floor so that projecting timber or rails will inot'interfere with the unconpling device, and the short arm f f is placed sufficiently near the side of the car so that the rod or chain will clear the end `door of the car, if any.

I usea link of the common form and size,

` except that it is made enough longer to reach behind the automatic pin or block. ThiseX- tra length is carried in the draw-heads, so that the draw-heads are the usual distance apart,

permitting use of the side couplings. The link is setforautomatic coupling by simply thrusting it into the draw-head as far as it will go.

will usually be set in the stationary car, though i for short runs it will not jar out of position in a moving car.

The broken places in the rod at the end of the dead-wood Y indicate greater length than is shown in the drawings, the end of thecar not being shown.

I am now aware that prior to my invention car-couplings have been made with coupling y pins or blocks or lever-catchesoperating vertically in a slot in the draw-head, and also that triple drawheads have been made. I do not therefore claim such a combination, broadly, but only as hereinafter contained.

I am also nowaware that prior to my invention uncouplingf mechanisms consisting of lever engagements have been made. I do not therefore claim such a combination, broadly, but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure Letters -Patent for, is-

1l. The bellfmouthed draw-head, Fig. l, with triple piu-holes o and beveled slot k, adapted to receive the lever-catch or automatic block, with beveled horseshoe-shaped groove in the lower plate, lw, with water-hole y, with shoulders or projections Zin the chamberbr cavity, with the upper plate thicker than the lower, with longitudinal opening m, constructed substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the block, or lever-catch, Fig. 4, slotted draw-head, Fig. 1, all stantially as described.

3. The combination of the automatic pin, block, or lever-catch, Fig. 4, with the tripleslotted draw-head, Fig. l, and uncoupling mechanism, all constructed substantially as described.

with the tripleconstructed sub- HAMLINE B. wILLiAMs.

with brace Z, all

automatic pin,

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