US366851A - Cab coupling - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

H. E. MARCHA'ND.

(No Model.)

GAR COUPLING.

No. 366,851. Patented July 19, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. E. MARGHAND.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 366,851. Patented July 19, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. MAROHAND, OF NE? YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,851, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed May 14, 1887. Serial No. 238,244. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. MARcnAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a car-coupling in which each draw-head will be provided with a link, a coupling-pin, and a dog for supporting said pin when raised and adapted to interlock with it when lowered, whereby the link attached to either draw-head can be idle while the other is in active use, the idle link being secured from surreptitious removal, and one pin being locked while the other is free to move, so that mistakes in uncoupling will be prevented.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of devices, hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of two connected draw-heads, showing my improvements in a car-coupling, whereby one coupling-pin can be locked in engagement with the link and the other left free to be withdrawn to uncouple the cars. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of my improved drawheads with coupling devices. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, showing the coupling-pin supported in an elevated position ready for dropping into engagement with the link attached to the opposite drawhead, and showing also a spare or idle link resting inactive in the bottom of the drawhead. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of my improved draw-head. Fig. 5 represents a vertical crosssection of the draw-head, illustrating the manner of disconnecting the pin after the spring in the head of the pin has been detached. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of an automatically-sliding dog adapted to support the coupling-pin in an elevated position or to lock it in engagement with the link.

The numeral 1 designates a draw-head of the usual external form. In the top of the draw-head, near its mouth, is an opening, 2, and in the draw-head bottom is an opening, 3, in line with the upper opening, but slightly These openings 2 and 3 afford a verlarger.

tical passage for the coupling-pin I, which is inserted or removed, as required, through the lower draw-head opening, 3, as shown in Fig. 5, and'when in place is secured by a springring, 5, having lugs 6, that enter an opening, 7, in the upper end of the pin. This ring 5 serves as a means for raising the pin 4, either by attaching a chain, cord, or lever to the ring, or otherwise, and it also acts as astop to prevent the pin at from falling through the draw-head when lowered, as shown in Fig. 2. Near the lower end of the pin 4, on each side, is a trans verse rib or projection, 8. These ribs or projections do not interfere with the passage of the pin through the lower draw-head opening, 3, which is comparatively wide; but when the pin is raised, as shown in Fig. 3, the rib 8 will come in contact with the top of the draw-head beneath the lateral edges of the narrow upper opening, 2, and so prevent the pin from being entirely withdrawn in that direction. It will therefore be seen that the coupling-pin 4 can only be inserted or removed through the lower opening, 3. After the pin has been inserted and the spring-ring 5 connected therewith, said pin cannot be removed without first disconnecting the ring, for which purpose a suitably prying-instrument will be required. It is therefore obvious that the pin 4 cannot be easily stolen or lost.

In each side of the draw-head is an inclined guide-slot, 9, for engaging an automaticallysliding dog, 10, which is adapted to act as a support for the raised pin or as a lock for the lowered pin. The preferred form of the dog 10 is shown in Fig. 6. It consists of an approximately Tshaped block, comprising lat eral arms 11, to engage the guide-slots 9, a depending central arm, 12, against which the entering link impinges, and a hooked central upper portion or arm, 13, which forms a support or a lock for the coupling-pin, according to the position of the latter. If desired, the upper surfaces of the arms 11 may be provided with strengthening-ribs 14; but these are not essential. The arms 11 are inclined upward from front to rear, to correspond with the inclination of the diagonal guide-slots 9, whereby the dog 10 has an up-and-down movement, as well as a movement forward and back. It will be seen also that the arms 11 are rounded or concaved laterally, to afford ample room of the dog 10, which rests at the lower ends of the guide-slots 9. The pin 4 is thus easily and securely supported in an elevated position, ready to drop into engagement with the link carried by an approaching draw-head.

l The entering link by striking against the depending arm 12 forces the dog 10 backward and up the inclined guideslots 9, thus releasing the pin 4, which consequently falls into engagement with the link. In the bottom of each draw-head, near the center, is a lug, 16, that forms an abutment for the rear end of the projecting link before it enters the opposite draw-head. On each side of this abutment is sufficient space to accommodate a spare or idle link, as shown in the left of Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the rear face of the coupling-pin 4 is a notch or recess, 17, adapted to receive the hooked end 13 of the dog 10, as shown in the right of Fig. 1, when it is desired to lock the coupling-pin so as to prevent it from being raised out of engagement with the link.

Each draw-head is provided with a link, which, when not in use, is placed wholly within the draw-head, with one end resting behind the lip 18, formed in the bottom of the drawhead mouth. The link is first placed in the draw-head, so as to rest flat behind the lip 18. The dog 10 is then inserted through the draw head mouth and engaged with the guide-slots 9, and then the pin 4 is inserted from below through the openings 3 and 2 and the springring 5 attached to its head. It will now be seen that the pin 4, dog 10, and lug 16 occupy such positions with relation to the link that, whether the coupling-pin be raised or lowered, it will be impossible to withdraw the link enti rely from the draw-head without first disconnecting the ring 5 and then removing the pin 4 and dog 10. As before remarked, the springring 5 cannot be detached without employing a suitable instrument to pry or spring the lugs 6 out of the opening 7 in the head of the coup ling-pin. It will therefore be secnthat the link cannot be easily stolen.

When it is desired to couple two cars, the pin 4 in one draw-head is lowered, so that the hooked arm or lug 13 of the dog 10 will engage the recess 17 and prevent the pin from being raised, after which the link in that drawhead will be drawn forward until itsrcar end is brought in front of the lug 16, against which it abuts. In the opposite draw-head of the other'car the dog 10 will be pushed slightly back and the pin 4 raised and supported by the engagement of the lug 13 and shoulder 15, as shown in Fig. 3. As the cars come together the entering link will force the dog 10 back, thus releasing the pin 4 and allowing it to drop into engagement with the link. It

will thus be seen that theactive link is engaged with the pin 4 in one draw-head and with the dog 10 in the other draw-head. It will also be seen that one of the pins is, locked in secure engagementwith the dog 10, so that it cannot be raised without first disengaging the dog, while the other pin is free to be raised for uncoupling the cars. The locked pin is the one attached to the draw-head that carries the active link, and the unlocked pin is the one attached to the draw-head that carries the idle link. In uncoupling it is impossible for the brakeman or attendant to make a mistake, as only one of these pins will respond to efforts to raise it. i

Should the active link become broken, it can. be removed and the idle link brought at once into use by simply raising its forward end and drawing it partly out of the drawhead.

Having thus described my invention, what 'I claim isinserted into or removed from said draw-head only through an opening in the draw-head bot tom, a detachable stop secured to the upper end of the pin, a link, and an automaticallysliding dog adapted to serve as a support for the raised pin and as a lock for the link and lowered pin, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having inclined guide-slots in its sides and openings in its top and bottom, a shouldered couplingpin capable of being inserted into or removed from said draw-head only through the opening in the bottom of the draw-head, a detachable stop secured to the upper end of said pin, a link, and a sliding dog having arms to engage the slots or openings in the sides and bottom of the draw-head, said dog being adapted to serve as a support for the raised pin and as alock for the link and lowered pin, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head having guide-slots 9 and coupling-pin 4, provided with shoulder 15 and notch 17, of the sliding dog 10, having arms 11 and hooked lug 13, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having lug 16 and lip '18, a coupling-pin capable of being inserted into said draw-head only through an opening in its bottom, a spring-ring, 5, detachably secured to the head of said pin, and a sliding dog, 10, adapted to support the raised pin to interlock with the lowered pin and to prevent the removal of the link from the draw-head, substantially as described.

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

H. E. MAROHAND.

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