US443867A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

RAWLES.

' GAR COUPLING.

Patented 1360.30, 1890.

ATTORNEY.

W W a m 7, a w Tm v. (1m 4 a a w x w ief s dicates the draw-bar having the head or socket .base of and between said jaws, the ends of said UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN RAIVLES, OF SEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,867, dated December 30,1890.

Application filed August 28, 1890.

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN RAWLES, residing at Seville, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved, cheap, simple, durable, and exceedingly efficient car-coupling which will be flexible and allow lateral play between the cars, whereby the cars can be easily and quickly coupled or uncoupled when on a curve with the cars at an angle to each other, and thereby removing the strain and wear on the coupler and car-body, and also to provide for sufficient slack between the cars.

These objects are accomplished by and this invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective of the coupling, showing portion of the car-body. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through a portion of the draw-bar and the movable buffer-head, showingthecoupling-hookinplan. Fig.3isatransverse section on line y y, Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail perspective views, respectively, of the buffer-head, the coupling-jaw, and the locking-pin.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a inat its front end composed of the corresponding horizontal parallel upper and lower jaws b b and the transversely-concaved seat 0 at the concave seat terminating in the stop-shoulders (Z (Z on opposite sides of the draw-bar. The two jaws b b are provided with the corresponding apertures e.

f is a movable or rotary bu ffer-hcad formed Serial No. 368,375. (No model.)

to fit snugly and turn between said jaws Z) Z), and pivoted and held therein by the pivotbolt g, passed through said apertures e and an aperture hthrough the buffer-head. This head is provided with the lateral shoulders t' t in front of and corresponding to and adapted to engage the shoulders d d by which the rotary or turning movement of the head is limited in both directions, as is most obvious.

Between shoulders i 1; the head is provided with the convex rear end or portion j, to snugly fit and turn in the concave seat 0, the curvature of the seat 0 and end j being struck from substantially the same center, so

that they snugly fit, and all blows and shocks on the buffer-head are received on said seat and end, thereby relieving the pivot-pin g of all heavy concussions and shocks. On one side of its front end this buffer-head is provided with the rigid guard is, having the curved front face, as usual, and its ends extendedbeyond the planes of the top and bottom surfaces of the buffer, so as to be fiush with the outer surfaces of the jaws b b. In the other side of its front end the buffer-head is provided with the socket, in which the pivoted coupling-jaw or jaw m is pivoted by bolt n, passed through the buffer-head. The outer end of the jaw can be provided with slot 0 and pin-hole p, as usual with this class of couplers and for well-known purposes. The outer portion of this jaw is of such vertical length that its ends are flush with the upper and lower faces of jaws b b. Thus the front face of the jaw presents a solid surface for all blows and shocks from the approaching opposing coupler. The outer edge of the tongue of said jaw or hook is provided with rearwardly-facing shoulder q opposite and adapted to engage shoulder r of the bufferhead, and thereby limit the outward swing of the jaw. The jaw is provided with the laterally-extending heel, as usual, which in this instance is provided with the recess 8 the shown at 12 from about the hole for the pin as a center, and said convex portion bears play for the purposes mentioned and carried and turns in a concave seat (Z in the button head.

The butler-head is provided with a transverse aperture 1' for the locking-pin Il' opposite and corresponding to front recess 8 and of such size that the locking-pin extends into the path of the heel of the jaw. At its upper end above upper jaw 12 said pin is provided with horizontal laterally-extending arm (4 whereby the pin is lifted, as hereinafter set forth. The upper portion of the outer edge of the pin is cut away to form shoulder 1/,which engages the under side of edge of jaw l) and prevents said pin being drawn completely out. The outer edge of said pin is also provided with recesses c d, separated by lug 6', so that when the jaw is swung in and the pin is in its normal position said pin extends into recess 5, lug c is in front of lug It of the jaw, and the portion above recess 0 in front of lug a, thus holding the jaw. \Vhcn it is desired to release the jaw, the pin is raised, so that lugs u u can pass out through recesses c d, and when the jaw has swung out the upper edge of recess 0 rests on the extension of upper lug It, thereby upholding the pin in position to automatically drop into locked position. The locking-pin is raised and lowered, preferably, by shaft f, mounted to rock in suitable bearings and having a laterally-bent end 9', extending looselyhencath the raising linger or arm of the pin to raise the same and the outer handle end 7:. at the end of the car.

In order to allow for the slack required in freiglit-trai11s,tl1c hole through the butterhead for its pivot-pin can be (if desirable) made elliptical in the line of draftinstead of circular, thereby allowing the butfer-head and its jaw play in the line of draft.

The many and varied advantages of this coupling are obvious. The wear and strain on the coupling are greatly reduced. Thereby its life is strengthened, and its wear-and size can be reduced. The coupling can be easily and quickly uncoupled at any time whether or not the cars be on a curve or in motion. Slack in this class of couplers is thus pro vided for. The locking-pin and its operatin g mechanism is a great improvement.

\Vhere the locking-pin is secured to the operatinglever or shaft, many ditiiculties are met, and the securing device becomes injured or broken or otherwise rendered inoperative. By my arrangement of having the pin-lifting devices separate from the pin and merely loosely engaging the same to lift the pin all of these difiiculties are overcome. There are no joints to be broken or injured. The buffer-head extends completely across the end of the draw-bar, and so carries the coupling devices that they have the lateral play or flexibility, and hence form a support for the coupling devices having lateral or circular by the drawbar. Attention is also directed to the factthat the tongue or heel of the coupling-hook extends in a plane in rear of and parallel with the outer or engaging hook portion a of the hook, and hence the draft or pulling strain on said hook not on the locking or the pivot pin alone, but evenly distributed on both and on opposite sides of the butter-head, and hence centrally on the pivot-bolt of the buiterhead. This is a great improvement, as the strain is notentirelyon the locking devices, as it generally is in this class of couplers, because the heel extends at right angles to the hook proper, and hence the entire strain exerts a tendency to throw the heel out. If desirable, the outer edge of the heel can be provided with a depression or recess (not here shown) opposite slot 0 to receive the end of the link when used instead of the coupling-hook. It should also be observed that the entire rear edge or face of the hook when swung in fits against a rigid wall comprising concave seat (Z and the remaining rear wall of the socket in the butter-head. Hence all shocks are transmitted by the hook directly to the buffer-head, and from the butter-head they are transmitted directly to the draw-bar by means of the rigid wall in rear of said head composed of concave seat 0 and shoulders (I (I. By this means all shocks are transmitted directly to the drawbar springs and are not received by any of the pivot-pins of the coupler.

By reason of the support of the coupling mechanism permitting lateral play of the same the draw-bar can be rigid against lateral movement, thereby dispensing with expensive springs, woodwork, be.

This coupler can be constructed cheaply, and easily, and rapidly, as the draw-bar, buffer-head, and hook can be, respectively, cast integral.

Itis evident that various changes might be made in the form and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself to the construction exactly as here shown.

hat I claim is- 1. A support having the rigid guard on one side and the socket in the other side having concave seat and a shoulder at its outer end, in combination with the swinging couplingjaw pivoted in said socket, having the lateral heel, the convex rear portion fitting in said seat and the shoulder in its outer edge opposite and to engage said shoulder of the seat.

2. The pin having the lateral lifting-arm and the two recesses in one edge separated by a lug, substantially as described.

The swinging jaw having the vertical recess on the front portion of its edge, the horizontal recess extending into its edge forming the lugs, the upper lug being extended rearwardl y, in combination with the pin having the recesses in its edge separated by the extended lug, and the shoulder in one side above the upper recess, all operating as set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-bar having the two jaws and the transversely-concaved seat. terminating in shoulders at each end, the integral solid bufferhead extending completely across the drawbar and pivoted between said jaws to allow limited rotation, and having the convex back fitting in said seat and terminating in shoulders, said head having the rigid guard, and the coupling-hook pivoted in the head, substantially as described.

5. In combination,the draw-bar having the transversely-curved solid wall between its jaws, the integral buffer-head extending across the draw-bar, pivoted between said jaws to turn, and having its solid back curved to correspond with and fit said wall of the draw-bar, said head having a socket in one side of its front end, having a solid rear wall including a transverse concave seat, and the coupling-hook pivoted in said socket, engaging said wall of the socket along its rear edge when swung in, and having a convex back in rear of its pivot-pin to fit and turn in said seat, and the locking-pin to engage the outer end of its heel.

6. In combination, the draw-bar, the integral buffer-head pivoted within said bar to turn and extending completely across the front end of said bar and having the guard extending forwardly from the bar, and. a socket in the opposite side of its front end, having a rigid rear wall, the hook pivoted in said socket and having the heel extending substantially parallel with the hook and constructed to engage said wall along the entire rear side of its heel, and a locking-pin to engage the outer end of the heel.

7-. The draw-bar, the buffer-head centrally pivoted thereto, the hook having the heel extending substantially parallel with the hook. portion, said hook being pivotedto the head in a plane on one side of the head-pivot, and

the locking-pin engaging the outer end of the heel in front of and on the other side of the head-pivot, whereby the draft is equally on the hook-pivot and locking-pin and from thence transmitted directly to the head-pivot.

JOHN RAWLES. Witnesses:

J UDD STEVER, HIRAM RAwLEs.

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