US450539A - timms - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. TIMMS. GAR GGUPLING.

Patented Apr. l14, 1891.A

me Noms refus co., muro-wma., wnsumcmu, n. c1

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. T11/IMS.

CAR GOUPLING.

(No Model.)

PatentedrApr. 14,1891.

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ZL-Ma Zar UNrTnD STATES 1 JAMES TIMMS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE TIMMS AU'LUMATIO OAR OOUPLER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.y

CAR-COUPLING.

PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,539, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed December 26, 1890. Serial No. 375,834.. (No model.) I

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES TIMMs, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Automatic I-Iook Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby delare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and ro use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic hook car-couplers; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described,

and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l isv a plan, a portion of the draw-head being broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an zo end elevation. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the coupler in position open. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective, a portion of the guard-arm being broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective showing the knuckle detached. Fig. 7 is aview in perspective of the lockingblock detached.

A represents the draw-bar; B, the drawhead; C, the guard-arm of the draw-head, 3o and D the knuckle, the latter operating in the chamber of the draw-head, to which latter the knuckle is pivotally secured by means of pin B. The guard-arm is also chambered to accommodate the tilting gravity locking- 3 5 block E, known as the .lock, the latter chamber communicating with the chamber of the draw-head, whereby the locking-arm D of theknuckle,known lusuallyas the knuckletongue,may swing into and out of the chamber of the guard-arm in coupling and uncoupling.

The lock E (shown more clearly in Fig. 7)

has a broad end presenting toward the center of the draw-head, and from thence the lock tapers off and is curved somewhat downward, terminating in a rounded end e. The latter serves as a pivotal bearing for the lock, and being stepped or seated in a corresponding depression in the lower wall of the guard 5o arm the lock is thereby retained in position without other fastening. For tilting thelock that is to say, in coupling the cars.

in a vertical plane the lock is provided with link F, the latter extending out through a` suitable hole in the end wall of the guardarm, the outer end of the link having usually an eyef, that may serve as a handle, or may serve in attaching other links, rods, chains, cables, (not shown,) that may lead, for instance, tothe side of the car, or through the medium, for instance, of suitable bell-crank 6o lever or levers may lead to the top of the car,

or to any point where it may be desired. The locking arm or tongue D has a head D2, elongated laterallythatis to say, elongated in the direction of its throw, and to such an extent that this head is never withdrawn from under the lock in opening the knuckle, as in uncoupling'. lVhen the knuckle is closed, as

in coupling, the lock falls by gravity in front of the tongue or the head thereof, and in all 7b other operative positions of the knuckle the lock simply rides on head D2, and the slight friction thus caused is about all the resistalice encountered in closing the knuckle- As a child can easily close the knuckle, it follows that cars for coupling purposes need not be brought together with violence, and if the cars approach each other so closely that the knuckle is closed by contact with the knuckle 8o of an opposing draw-bar the locking of the knuckle will thereby accrue with certainty. Thelock when depressed overlaps theknuckletongue and head so far as to furnish ample wearing-surface, and the locking accrues so far from the fulcrum of the knuckle that any wearing of these parts will not materially affect the closed or locked position of the knuckle. In the closed position of vthe knuckle the face cl2 of head D2 abuts the 9o outer wall of the guard-arm or casing, and thereby constitutes the primary stop for the knuckle; but it' the knuckle be closed with great violence, and such an occurrence, more especially in coupling freightcars, is likely 9 5 to be the rule rather' than the exception, the wall of the guard-arm might and probably would be broken unless the parts were constructed heavier than is desirable. To reinedy this difficulty I provide a second stop to l10o co-operate with the primary stop already mentioned, the secondary stop being located and constructed as shown, to Wit: stop a is usually cast integral with the draw-head, and is preferably of theT-shaped variety showrnso that the head thereof will present a broad surface to engage the opposing tongue ot" the knuckle. i Besides the advantage ot' thus distributing the force of the blow to different parts of the casing, other advantages accrue, to Wit: vVith two stops located some distance apart less lateral strain is had on pin B. With the construction shown it is evident that any pulling strain on the couplers tends to make the opposing knuckles hug each other more closely, and any slack that may accrue at the lock or at the fulcrum of the knuckle does not tend to crowd the knuckle laterally or toward the guard-arm, and hence there is no tendency in such cases for the knuckle to bind on the guard-arm, as Would be the case if the lock were located along the draft-line, in which latter case the tendency of the knuckle would be to crowd toward the guardy arm.

It Will be observed that the locking device is entirely closed from the Weather, so that snow or ice cannot interfere with its operation. By reason of the strength of the parts and the simple character ot' the lock it would seem impossible for the lock to be broken, disarranged, or become inoperative i' rom any cause.

What I claim isl 1. Acar-coupler et theclassindcated,com prsing in the main draw-bar, head, and guardarm, a knuckle, and a co-operating tilting i gravity-lock pivotally supported on its lower end, the latter being located in the chamber of the guard-arm in position to ride on the opposing member of the knuckle in shifting the latter and in position for falling in front of such member when the knuckle is in position closed, substantially as set forth.

2. A car-coupler of the class indicated and having a knuckle provided with a tongue, such tongue having a head elongated in the direction of its throw, of atilting gravity-lock pivotally supported on its lower extremity and located in the chamber ofthe guard-arm in position t0 ride on such head when the knuckle is unlocked and in position for falling in front of such head, and thereby locking the knuckle in its closed position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car-coupler of the class indicated, the combination, with a knuckle and tongue, the knuckle in closing being prim arily stopped bythe engagementI of the tongue with the casing, of a second stop integral or connected with the casing and having preferably a T- head for engaging the knuckle-tongue, and thereby relieving in a measure the primary stop, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 21st day of October, 1800.

JAMES TIMMS.

Witnesses:

zlDAViD T. RAMSEY,

. A. DILL.

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