US323756A

US323756A - Car-coupling

Info

Publication number: US323756A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1902-08-04

Description

(No Model.)

. L. VAN CAMP.

, GAR GOUPLING. No. 323,756. Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

' nvenlay: filari.' ,LJ/man Vmfa mj@ UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

LYMAN VAN CAMP, OF HOWELL, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,756, dated August 4, 1885.

Application filed June 4, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, LYMAN VAN CAMP, of Howell, in the county of Livingston and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part 0f this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in that class of car-couplings which are ordinarily termed automatic, or such that when in use in coupling or uncoupling there is no necessity of the operator going between the cars, thereby reducing the liability of accident to life or limb to the minimum.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the parts, their combination and operation, as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure l is a perspective showing my improved coupler and devices for operating the same from the top or from the side of the car. Fig. 2 is a central cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section at the top of the re- Cesses which hold the cheeks and springs. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section on the line x x in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the cheeks detached and in perspective.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a draw-head or buffer-head, such asis usually attached at the end of a draw-bar, having the flaring mouth a, usually found in such devices. In each side of the opening for the admission of the link there are formed recesses, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to receive the cheeks B and C, having studs b, around which are the coil-springs D, which force each of the cheeks B and G toward the common center, except when they are forced apart by the entering link E striking the inclined faces c of the cheeks to force them back into the recesses sufficiently to allow the link to enter. Aledge, d,is`formed upon the cheek B, which, when the link is not in place, is projected by means of the spring directly under the pinhole e, which passes vertically through the draw-head and furnishes a resting-place for the pin F. A ledge, 7L, is formed upon the cheek C, which,when the link is not inserted, projects behind the ledge d, and being curved upon its lower front edge or having an inclined face, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it confines the link by resting upon its upper surface, so that the link will remain level, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the link E is inserted into the drawhead with sufficient force, both its advancing sides strike the cheeks B and C, thereby driving laterally the cheek B until its ledge D discloses vthe pin-hole, allowing the pin F to drop, while the impingement of the link against the cheek C guides such link centrally to its position, which would not be the case were not this cheek C used, as the force ofthe spring on the cheek B would have a tendency to throw that end of the link to one side. Y

In order to uncouple, I secure, by means of a set-screw, i, or other appliances that will allow the same to be removed, a lever, H, secured to the front of the car by one or more clamps,I, and terminating in a proper handle or wheel, J, by means of which the brakeman upon top of the car can withdraw the pin F, and thereby release the coupling. If the operator is upon the ground by the side of the car and desires to 'uncouple, he depresses the lever K, which is pivoted at k to the front of the car and engages with the lever H, so that the operator on the ground may uncouple the cars at will.

What I claim as my invention isl. In a car-coupling device, a draw-head having cheeks let into recesses formed on veach side of the path of the link and actuated by springs, one of such cheeks having a ledge to `support the pin, and the other having a cheek which will rest upon the end of the link when the latter is engaged wit-h the pin, substantially as and for the purposes do scribed.

2. A car-coupling device consisting of the draw-head A, having recesses formed therein on each side of the path of the link, cheeks B and C, inclosed within said recesses and actuated by springs D, such cheeks having the ledges d and IL, the pin E, and link F, the

parte being constructed, combined, and operlever K,piv0ted at k, and having a forked end ating substantially as and for the purposes to embrace the lever H, substantially as and specified. for the purposes specified. 3. In a car-muliug of the character de- LYMAN VAN CAMP.

5 scribed, the I slmped leverll, provided with \Vitnesses:

n sleeve adapted to embrace the coupling- H. S. SPRGUIJ, pin, and the set-screw i, Combined with the E. J. SCULLY.