US309959A - William johnston - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1 W. JOHNSTON.

THILL COUPLING.

. Patent d c.

2 N 0 m S N H 0 U THILL COUPLING. No. 309,959.

Patented Dec. 30, 1884.

mares ArnNr FFKQEQ TO P. Q. sronnn,

OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,959, dated December 30, 1884:.

Application tiled June 3, [854. (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM JOHNSTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Menominee, in the county of Menominee and State 5 otMichigan, have invented a new and useful Thill-Ooupling, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to thill-couplings, to and is an improvement on Letters Patent No. 267,693, granted to me November 21, 1882.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of the device so as to provide a thill-coupling which will be simple 1 and cheap to manufacture, durable in use, convenient to handle, and efficient in operat-ion.

\Vith these and other objects in view the said invention consists in certain details of 20 construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved thill-coup- 2 5 ling, the parts being shown in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the axle being removed. Fig. 3isa longitudinal section on the line aa, Fig. 2, illustrating the movement of the draw-irons in dotted lines. Fig. at is a transverse sect-ion on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the draw-irons detached. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the linez 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a portion of the base- 5 plate. Fig. Sis a detail perspective view of the base-plate. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the cam and its operating-handle. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the base-plate and draw-irons secured to the axle, the thill-iron and rubber cushion being shown in position for insertion.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the axle, of the usual construction, and O, the base-plate ofmyimproved thill-coupling, hav= ing its ends raised, as shown at E E, Figs. 2, 4,-and 8, said ends being formed with shoulders D D, the axle resting on the ends between the shoulders, and secured by clips B B from displacement. The base-plate G is slotted or cut away at F, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and S, to

form arms G G, which project forwardly, oblong-shaped blocks H H projecting from the upper face of each of the arms, for the pur- 5 pose hereinafter explained.

I I designate the draw bars or irons,formed of substantially the same shape as shown in my aforesaid patent, and provided with recessesJ J and openings KK at the top, as shown in Fig. 5, the recesses receiving the trunnions L of the thill-iron M, the trunnions being indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 2. The bottoms of the draw-irons are left open or cut out, as shown at N N, the closed sides of the irons fitting around one side of the blocks H H, projecting from the base-plate 0, said blocks partly closing the open bottoms N, and arranged to permit the free forward and backward movement of the draw-irons. The draw- 0 irons are connected together at the rear by a flat plate or bar, 0, having an elongated slot, I, cut through the center, said plate or bar working in the space between the raised ends E, and guided thereby.

Q designates a transverse slot cut through the base-plate between the raised ends E, a circular opening, R, connecting with the slot at the center and adapted to register with the slot P in the plate or bar O, a small shaft, S, projecting through the opening B, and formed at one end with a cam, T, which fits in the slot P, so that by operating the finger-hold or handle U at the other end of the shaft the cam is caused to engage with either the front or rear wall of the slot 1, to cause the forward or backward movement of the plate or bar 0, and the consequent movement of the draw bars or irons. One end of the fingerhold or handle 'U is formed with an inwardly-extendo ing flange, a, fitting around acircular-shaped bulge or extension, V, of the base-plate,'projections a being formed 011 the extension diametrically opposite each other, and adapted to limit the movement of the finger-hold or 5 handle in either direction and correspondingly limit the movement of the draw-irons.

\V designates the block carrying the rubber cushion X, provided with a projecting flange or cap, Y, covering the recesses J of the draw- :00 irons, so as to exclude water and dirt therefrom, the front side of the cushion being concaved to fit the face of the thill, and the back I and dirt from the recesses in which the trudwall of the block 7 fitting in a recess, Z, of the plate or bar between the drawirons.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

In applying the thill-coupling to the axle, I place the draw-irons upon the base-plate, ad-

IO just the cam into position, and then secure the base-plate to the axle, thereby holding the draw-irons in place. The thill-iron is then coupled by passing its trunnions through the openings K into the recesses J the trunnions resting on the blocks H H, projecting through the open bottoms N. The rubbercushion and its block is then inserted into position by passing the same through the openings K, and then by turning the finger-hold or handle U the cam T is caused to bear against the rear wall of the slot P, to produce the rearward movement of the draw-irons, and thus enable the thill-iron to bear against the rubberblock and form a tight and secure coupling.

It will be seen that the closed sides of the draw-irons fit around the outer sides of the blocks II and work forward and backward against the same, while the block IV, carrying the rubber cushion, is arranged at its lower ends between the said blocks H, and thus the draw-irons and the block V will be guided and held in proper position at all times. The blocks H H serve also as stops to limit the movement of the draw-irons. The shoulders on the raised ends of the base-plate 0 hold the axle from lateral displacement, while the raised ends form guide-walls for the movements of the plate or bar 0, formed with the draw-irons. v

\Vhen it is desired to uncouple the thills or pole from the vehicle, the finger-hold or handle U is turned in the opposite direction until it abuts against the other projection, a, the cam T bearing against the front wall of the slot P, and causing the plate or bar 0 to move forward with the draw bars or irons, the lat ter carrying the thill with them, and thereby withdrawing the said thill from contact with the rubber cushion, which can be removed by tipping it slightly forward. Then by moving the trunnions of the thill backward in the recesses J J they can be lifted through the open ings K.

By reason of the sliding arrangement of the draw-irons I am able to provide for the ready withdrawal and insertion of the thills by simply turniug the finger-ho1d or handle U halfway around from one projection a to the other, and by giving the finger-hold simply a quar ter-turn, or less, in either direction I am enabled to give any desired pressure of the thillirons against the rubber cushion.

The projecting cap or flange on the block IV, carrying the rubber cushion,serves to cover the slots of the draw-irons and keep the rain nions of the thill-irons have their bearings.

It will be seen that my improved thillcoupling is simple in construction, easily and cheaply manufactured, more durable in use, readily handled, and may be applied with ease to various places, and will prove of great utility for the purposes intended.

' Having described my invention, I e1aim- 1. In a chill-coupling, the base-plate, in

combination with the draw-irons connected together at the rear, the thill-irons fitted therein, the cushion and axle, and means, substantially as described, for causing the forward or backward movement of the drawirons to give any desired pressure of the thillirons against the cushion, as set forth.

. 2. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate, in combination with the draw-irons connected together at the rear by a plate or bar, the thillirons fitted in place, the rubber cushion, and a cam for causing the forward or backward movement of the draw-irons, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a thillcoupling, the base-plate formed with an opening, in combination with the draw-irons connected together at the rear by a plate or bar, a slot in the plate or bar registering with the opening in the base-plate, a

shaft carrying a cam at one end fitting in the slot, and an operating-handle at the other end, the thill-irons fitted in place, and the rubber cushions, arranged and operating as set forth.

4. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate having its ends raised, in combination with the drawirons connected at the rear by a plate or bar moving in the space between the raised ends, the thill-irons, cushion, and means, substantially as described, for operating the plate or bar, as set forth.

5. In athill-coupling, the base-plate formed with projecting arms at its front ends, and blocks secured to or ;formed with the arms, in combination with the draw-irons connected at the rear by a plate or bar, means, substantiall y as described, for operating the plate or bar, the thill-irons, and rubber cushion, the bottoms of the draw-irons being open to receive the blocks, as set forth.

6. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate, in combination with the draw bars or irons connected together at the rear by a plate or bar, the thill-irons, cushion, and a cam working in a slot of the plate or bar, to cause the forward or backward movement of the drawirons, an operating-handle for the can], and means for guiding and limiting the movements of the handle, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM JOHNSTON.

IVitnesses:

JOSEPH FLESI-IIEM, HENRY W. PAOKER.

Images