US298817A - Henry t - Google Patents

Description

H. T. BEAM.

GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

HENRY T. BEAM, OF ROBINSON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M.

' O. JONES AND THOMAS ATEN, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

c a-couPLme.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 298,817, dated May 20, 1884.

Application filed March 25, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY T. BEAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Robinson, in the county of Crawford and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to. the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a constructed in accordance with m Fig. 2 represents two forms of coupling-links employed therewith. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line :0 w of Fig. 3.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents a draw bar socket, having flanges a, by which it is adapted to be secured to any suitable portion of the frame-work of a car. The socket is bored longitudinally to receive the spindle B of the draw-head B, and is slotted for the reception and longitudinal reciprocation of a pin, a, which is inserted into the spindle B, so that itis prevented from rotation within the socket. In this manner a cylindrical spindle to the draw-head may be used, and it being of less diameter than the body portion of the draw-head, a shoulder, b, is formed between it and the face of the socket,

in which any suitable spring, 0, is located, with or without rubber washer or spring 0, whereby the draw-head is adapted to perform the function of a spring-buffer, as is usual in this class of device The cross-bar 0 uponthe draw-head of the coupler is to represent the cross-sill of the car, in order that an operating-lever, as 0 may be connected with the draw-head, and the coupling devices used in connection therewith, which lever is extended in any suitable direction and to any desired extent, whereby it may be accessible from the platform or from the roof of a car in order that the coupling devices maybe operated from such location. In this invention the draw-head is provided with the usual marginal and beveled flanges at its outer face, and with a single compart- 50 ment for the reception of the coupling link or bar, connecting any car which is to be coupled I 0 carcoupler invention.

and side walls of which are formed with that supplied with the draw-head provided with my improvements. The compartment 1? is in this instance substantially rectangular, the rear end wall and the upper 5 5 of or constitute the solid portion of the head proper, while the lower wall of said compartment is formed of a separate piece from the head, hereinafter described.

XVithin the compartment 13 are two hinged jaws, D I), provided with a spherical recess, arranged one-half in each of the jaws. The front end of each of the jaws is beveled, as at (I, so as to coact with the beveled entrance of 6 the compartment B in guiding the end of a connecting-link within the two jaws, which are united at their rear ends with any suitable hinge, as D.

As before described, the draw-head compartment is open at its lower side, and a separate piece forms a closure for said sides. This closure or sliding bottom is represented at E, and consists of a movable plate having flanges c, interiorly grooved, as e, to receive and ride upon ribs, splines, or flanges 1), formed on the outer sides of the head 13, and arrangedlongitudinally thereon, and near their lower edges,

as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The lower front edge of the face of the draw-head is projected below the lower surface of, the lower jaw when in a closed position, so that it permits the front end of said jaw to fall when the plate E is moved rearwardly from under the jaw. The upper jaw is provided with a trans- 8 5 verse bolt, or with trunnions d, at opposite sides, which project through elongated slots b formed on the side walls of the head. The front end of the plate E is beveled at c, in order to permit the lower jaw to drop down 0 away from the upper jaw when the plate is withdrawn rearwardly. Now, it will be seen that when the plateE is withdrawn the lower jaw will fall away from the upper jaw, and they will be open to receive the head of a con- 5 necting-link, which, in order to be adapted to the construction of the jaws, consists of a connecting rod or strap, F, provided with a ball,

F, at each end thereof. This link or rod may be a solid rod or a jointed rod, both construc- IOO tions being shown in Fig. 2, that at the left of the figure showing a joint as located at the side of the end of two sections, in which the rod is formed, so that the sections are in two different horizontal planes, and the joint f is arranged between them, whereby the link is adapted for coupling cars of different heights.

I do not confine myself to any particular form of joint in the link, but reserve my right to change said joint in any manner and to any extent within the skill of persons conversant in constructing car-coupling devices. The slot b being elongated permits of a movement of the jaws when closed upon a link, (this movement being required to facilitate the start of a train of freight-cars,) so that while the plate E is in its rearmost position the jaws still grasp the connecting-link; but in order to render the connection of the jaws and links permanent the plate E is moved to the front until its front end rests in the lower projection, h of the face of the drawhead. Now, reciprocative movement of the jaws and the link secured thereon is provided for, even when the parts are closed, as described, in the elongation of the slot 1)", and

.still further longitudinal movement is permitted by means of the connection of the drawhead bar B with the socket A, heretofore described.

In the construction of the jaws and their arrangement within the head, and the external sliding plate for locking said jaws in close connection with each other, and for permitting their separation to receive a coupling-link, I have described novel features, but do not limit my invention to the specific devices for operating the. external sliding plate, which I shall hereinafter describe. In this instance I form at the edge of one of the flanges e a rackbar, 6, and with this I arrange a segmental gear, 6, pivoted to the side of the draw-head, and formed with an extension or arm, 0", provided with any suitable handle, 6, extending sufficiently far from the head that a person may manipulate the plate without stepping between the cars. Such devices may be provided at either one or both sides of the drawhead, as desired.

From the arm 6 projects a standard, 6 which, in connection with the arm and segmental gear and its pivot, constitute a bellcrank lever. From the standard is extended a strap, a", pivotally connected to the standard and to a rack-arm, e", attached to the lower end of thelever 0 By these devices a person standing upon the platform or upon the top of the car is enabled to reciprocate the Q plate E in both directions to lock or unlock the jaws D D, so that after the link is introduced therein the cars may be coupled or uncoupled, as desired.

The draw-head is provided with the usual pin-hole, b, and the front ends of the jaws D D may be grooved, as shown, whereby the ordinary coupling link and pin may be used in this head.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hollowcylindrical socket A, provided with flanges a, in combination with a cylindrical draw-bar, and with a pin inserted in the draw-bar and passing through the longitudinal slots in the socket, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the socket A, drawhead B, having cylindrical draw-bar B, spring 0, and pin a, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the head B, and the jaw D, provided with the transverse bolt or trunnion d, riding in the slot I) in the head, with the jaw D and hinge D each of the jaws having a semi spherical recess and incline guiding surface d in its inner surface, and with means for locking the jaws together, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the recessed head B, and the hinged jaws D D, the former having trunnions riding in an elongated slot inthewalls of the head, and connected to the latter by a hinge-j oint, with an external sliding plate. and means for operating the same, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the plate E, having rack 6 the gear c, standard 6 strap e and lever 0 provided with the arm 6 substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the draw-head B,

provided with flanges b, of the plate E, provided with grooved flanges e, substantially as shown and described.

7. The coupling-link F, formed in two sections arranged in different planes, and united by a joint, f, and provided with balls F at the outer end of each section, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY T. BEAM.

I Witnesses:

E. E. MASSON, L. 0. Hum.

Images