US327066A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Modem I'. R. BUTTBRFIELD.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 327,066. Paten-ted Septl 29, 1885.

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N, PETERS. Pholuxhogmpnsr. wuhington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FINLEY R. BUTTERFIELD, OF CONCORD, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,066, dated September 29, 1885.

Application tiled July 13, 1F85.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FINLEY R. BUTTER- FIELD@ citizen ofthe United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Merrimac and State ofN ew Hampshire,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in hinged automatic car-couplers.

Heretofore in automatic car-couplings in which a laterally-projecting jaw is used at the outer end of the draw-bar, and adapted to move laterally to effect a coupling, and in which the head or that portion comprising the jaw is hinged to the draw-bar, so as to drop in order to uncouple,the hinge has been formed some distance back of said jaw and at or near the vertical center of said drawbar, thus requiring more or less slack to uncouple.

The object of the present invention is, first, to provide an automatic coupler which avoids the above difficulty by changing the location ot' the hinge; and, second, to provide a coupler which may be disconnected by the forward movement'of an engine whenever desired.

My invention consists, first, of the peculiar construction ofthe draw-head and its combination with the draw-bar.

My invention consists, further, in the relative location of the hinge to the uniting surfaces of the draw-bar and its head, the former being one inch (more or less) below the draw-bar, and two inches (more or less) back of the point of union of the draw-bar with its head.

My invention further consists of a latchlever located on top of the draw-bar, and adapted to fall into a suitable slot in the top of the draw-head automatically when said draw-head closes onto the draw-bar.

My invention further consists of an arm projecting downward from that portion of the draw-head in which is formed the hinge, and to a balance-weight secured thereon, for the purpose of returning the draw-head to its normal position after it has been unconpled.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved automatic coupler (No modul.)

having its rear end broken away, a portion of the rear part of a locomotive-tender, and the loop by which the coupler is hung to said tender. Fig. 2is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation of the reverse side of the uniting parts of my improved draw-bar and draw-head. Fig. 3 is a general plan of the draw-bar complete resting upon a loop by which it may be secured to a car. Fig. 4 is a front end view. Fig. 5 is the reverse end view of the draw-head as when detached from the draw-bar. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the Vtop plate of the draw-head. Fig. 7 is a peri spective view of the hinge end of the drawbar.

In the several views like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The draw-bar A is composed of side plates, c a, instead of top and bottom plates which it has been the custom to use in the construction of this class of draw-bar up to the present day. These plates may be separated by tubular castings,through which the rivets are passed in the ordinary manner, except at the front end,where a suitable casting, B, must be interposed. This will be riveted, as seen in the drawings.

A draw-head, C, may be forged in one piece, or it may be composed of top and bottom wrought-iron plates, D D', and an interposing casting, E, and riveted together, as shown. Upon the bottom plate, D', is provided an arm, d, of proper width to lit between the side plates of the draw-bar A. This arm extends back far enough to permit of its being hinged to the ears c', which are formed upon the side plates, a a., of the draw-bar, by means of the pin F, which passes through a hole in both said ears and the arm d.

On the outer end of the arm d is mounted -a balance-weight, H, which may be narrow enough to pass up between the side plates of the draw-bar, as shown best in Fig. 3.

On the top of the draw-bar A, and near the front end thereof, the rightangled lever G is fnlcrnmed by the pin g to the side plates, da, as seen in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The short end g of this lever is bent over, as seen best in Fig. 2, thus forming a hook or latch which fits a slot, d', formed in the top D of the draw-head. The longer part g2 of the lever G extends ver- VIOO tically three feet, more or less, in order that it may be operated conveniently by the hand of a brakeman; and when this improved drawbar is applied to a locomotive-tender, as seen in the drawings, the vertical end of this lever will pass up through the open part of a rigid buffer, I, bolted to the rear end of said tender.

t may be here mentioned that in order to lessen the weight of the hinged head C as much as possible it is constructed so as to measure considerably less from top to bottom l to t between the side plates, aa, of the drawbar, as seen best in Fig. 3.

A hole, X, is provided in the top and bottom plates, D D', of the draw-head C, to insert a couplingpin when itis desired to couple to a car having an old-fashioned draw-bar requiring a link.

For retaining the latch-lever g in the slot d a pressure-spring may be applied back of the hand-levergr2 and secured to the draw-bar, or the casting B may be cut away on one side and a spiral, K, be inserted, and its lower end secured therein, the upper end being fastened to the latch-lever g, as seen in Fig. 2.

Having described the construction of my improved automatic coupler, I will proceed to describe its operation.

When an engine or car is coupled to a train, and it is required to disconnect the saine, the long vertical arm g`Z of the lever G is pushed a few inches, which requires little or no power. This causes the latch part g of the lever G to rise out of the slot d, formed in the draw-head. Then the signal is given to the engineer to start ahead, when the drawbar of the adjacent car will force the drawhead C down, and consequently the weight II up, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. The brakernan meanwhile removes his hand from the lever g2, and when the draw-head of the adjacent car shall have freed itself' from the draw-head C, the latter ywill gradually swing back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. l, and in scvdoing raise the latch-lever g', by reason of the bevel edge of the pro jection d2 of the draw-head C, and that of the said latch g', as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, when my improved draw head will again be ready to couple automatically with a car.

Two or more hangers or loops, J, may be used for supporting the draw-bar underneath a car, and a suitable spring applied to either side of said draw-bar for holding it to its work in the ordinary manner.

By dividing the draw-head from the draw bar on a transverse line, Y, at the intersection of the jaw, and forming the hinge slightly at the rear of said dividing-line and below the bottom of said draw-bar, said drawhead when swung down will readily clear draw-heads 'of adjacent cars, even though they may be set lower.

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

l. In an automatic car-coupling in which the draw-head is connected to the draw-bar by a hinge, the combination, with said drawbar, of a draw head composed of top and bottom wrought-iron plates, and an intervening casting secured by rivets, an arm extend ing below and formed upon said bottom plate, in which the hinge is made, and a suitable balance-weight secured to said arm below said hinge, all constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar, of a hinged drawhead, separable on a transverse line at the intersection of the jaw, and hinged to said bar underneath and slightly back of said dividingline, and means, as described, whereby said draw-head is returned automatically after being uncoupled, and retained in a position to again couple with a car, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar, of a hinged drawhead separable on a transverse line at the intersection of the jaw, and hinged to said bar slightly below the bottom thereof, and directly underneath said dividing-line, a right-angled lever fulcrumed to the top of said draw-bar, the horizontal part of said lever serving as a latch for locking the draw-head to the drawbar and the vertical part as a handle, by which said latch is operated, and a suitable spring for retaining said lever in its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose before specied. v

4. In an automatic carfcoupling, the combination,withadraw-barcomposedofwroughtiron side-plates having ears projecting downward near theforward end thereof, and separated by castings and tubes, all secured together by rivets, of a draw-head having an arm projecting from the bottom thereof, iitting between said ears on the draw-bar, and

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hinged thereto, and mechanism, as described,

whereby said draw-head is returned automatically after being uncoupled from a car, and retained in a position to again couple with a car, substantially as set forth.

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

FINLEY R. BUTTERFIELD.

'Vitnessesz J. B. THURsToN, S. L. SAWTELLE.

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