US489421A - Edwin joel sitler - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. J. SITLER.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

UNITED STATES twice.

PATENT EDWIN JOEL SITLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-FIFTHS TO HENRY CHARLES MEOHTERSHEINER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,421, dated January 3, 1893.

Application filed April 9, 1892. Serial No. 428,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN JOEL SITLER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois', have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and economical coupling for freight cars principally, which will operate equally well on either end of the car, with eithervhigh or low cars; can be readily used with the common coupling link and pin, either together or in conjunction with the ordinary draw-bar; and which always couples automatically; substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of two of my improved car-couplings, showing them in position to be coupled. Fig. 2, is a horizontal central section throughone of the same. Fig. 3, is a plan view thereof. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the push-block, and, Fig. 5, is a horizontal section through the same.

In the drawings A represents the body of my improved coupling, which, back of the head portion .8 thereof, is channeled out longitudinally, so as to give it a U-shape in cross section. The engaging face of the head B of the coupling is substantially the same as that of the ordinary draw-bar, and it is provided in its upper. surface, back a sufficient distance from its engaging face, with a transverse groove a extending clear across it, which slants outward from the engaging face of the head and terminates, preferably, just above the center of the head. The head of my improved coupling is also provided with a throat or longitudinal central passage 1), eX- tending from its engaging face clear through to the channeled out body-portion A. The groove a provides the head B with an undercut shoulder, which answers all the purposes of a hook, and which serves to confine the transverse outer end portion of the link 0, which is of a yoke-shape and has its ends Fig. 1 projects in a horizontal direction toward the rear of the coupler. In this position the finger d is suitably confined, to keep the yoke raised or lifted ready for engagement, by means of the tumbler D. This tumbler consists of alongitudinal reciprocal block, which is of a width corresponding (preferably) to the width of the channel or trough e in the body, on the floor of which it rests and moves, and it is of the height corresponding to that of the longitudinal passage bin the head, into which its forward end, after passing under the spindle 0, extends. The rear end of this tumbler is provided with an upward projection, in the forward edge of which is a trans verse recess E, into which, when said tumbler is shot forward, the finger cl, when in the horizontal position, enters. WVhen finger d is in said recess E the yoke-shaped link 0 is held in the lifted position shown in the left hand coupler in Fig. 1.

Now when the heads of myimproved coup ler collide the link 0 is released, and by virtue of its own gravity drops automatically into the groove a of the engaging coupler. To accomplish the automatic release of link 0, I provide the buflferorpush-block F, which is of such dimensions that it can rest and move longitudinally in the said passage 19 of the head, and which has its forward end provided with a buffer plate f. The plate f, when the block F is pushed back to the limit of its rearward movement, rests in a depressed seat made with reference thereto in the face of the said head. This block F is of such length that when it is at the limit of its rearward movement the tumbler will have been thrown back, until stopped by the transverse bar g,

so as to release the finger d. This action takes place when two of my improved couplers collide or engage and causes the pushblock to move backward and throw the tumbler back so as to release spindle 0 so that said link 0 may fall of its own weight. \Vhen it is desired to uncouple my improved couplers, the link C may, if desired, be lifted by hand from the groove a in the head of the engaging coupler, and dropped to the position shown in the right hand coupler illustrated in Fig. 1. In order to avoid the necessity of placing any part of the person between the cars, however, I have constructed devices which are operated from the sides of the car, and which enable the link C to be lifted, and retained in such lifted position without being touched by the hands. These devices consist of a transverse shaft G, which is journaled in suitable lugs depending from the under side of the body of the coupler, and which is of such length that its end extends beyond the side of the car where they are provided with a crank or arm h to turn the shaft with. This shaft is provided on each side of the body of the coupler with sort of leafshaped cams H, which engage with the pearshaped cams I, I, on the ends of the spindle, just inside of where the ends of link 0 are secured thereto. Shaft G, between its bearings, is also provided with an arm 7a, which projects therefrom in such direction that when said cams engage to lift the yoke-shaped link 0 (thereby bringing the finger (l on spindle c to a horizontal position) said arm moves up through a slot K in the floorof the channeled body-portion of the coupler, and strikes against and pushes the said tumbler forward to the limit of its forward movement, thereby causing the said pin to enter the recess E of said tumbler to lock the spindle c and the link 0 carried by it. The shaft G after it has been turned to complete one revolution, is in the position shown in the right hand coupler in Fig. 1,in which the handle h thereof hangs downward.

In order to enable my couplers to be used in conjunction with the common draw-bars using coupling pins and links, I can remove thepush-bloc'i. ealtogether, and makeavertical opening 'min tne head for the reception of an ordinary coupling pin a. The coupling link would then be inserted in the passage a of the head and held by the pin it in the ordinary manner. However, it is always desirable that the push-block should be inseparably united to my improved coupler by a chain, or by reason of some peculiar construction of its own, otherwiseit would soon become misplaced and lost. I prefer, therefore, to make the pushblock hollow its entire length, and have it of such proportions that the opening 0' therethrough would easily accommodate a link. I also provide it with longitudinally elongated slots 00 in its top and bottom walls for the coupling pin to pass down therethrough; the

length of said slots being commensurate to the longitudinal movement of the push-block.

\Vhat I claim as new is: 1. The combination with a car-coupler havin g its body portion channeled out, and having a transverse groove in the upper surface of its head, of a link having its rear ends secured to a transverse spindle, said transverse spindle journaled in the sides of the channeled out part of said coupler and having a pin projecting therefrom between its bearin gs, a tumbler and a push-block, as set forth.

2. The combination with a car-coupler having its body portion channeled out, and having a transverse groove in the upper surface of its head, of a link having its rear ends secured to a transverse spindle, said spindle journaled in the sides of the channeled out part of the said coupler and having a pin proj ecting therefrom between its bearings, and a tumbler engaging said pin, as set forth.

3. The combination with a car-coupler having its body portion channeled out, and having a transverse groove in the upper surface of its head, of a transverse spindle journaled in the sides of the channeled part of said coupler and having a pin projecting therefrom between its bearings, a link having its rear ends secured to the ends of said spindle, a longitudinal reciprocal tumbler engaging said pin, and a transverse shaft, having an arm projecting therefrom, and moving up through a suitable opening in the floor of the channeled out part of the coupler and engaging said tumbler, as set forth.

t. The combination with a car-coupler having its body portion channeled out, having a transverse groove in the upper surface of its head, and having a longitudinal passage extending from its engaging face to said channeled out part, of a transverse spindle having a pin projecting therefrom between its bearings into said channeled out part, a pushblock placed and movable longitudinally in said passage, a tumbler engaging said pin and engaged by said push-block, a transverse shaft having an arm passing up through a suitable opening in the floor of said channeled out part and engaging said tumbler, and

a link having its rear ends secured to said spindle.

5. The combination with a coupler the upper surface of the head of which is provided with atransverse groove, the body portion of which is channeled out and which is provided with a longitudinal. passage extending from its face to said channeled out part, of a spindle 0 having the finger d and provided with the cams I, link 0 secured to the ends of said spindle, shaft G, cams II thereon, and arm projecting therefrom, as set forth.

6. The combination with a coupler the upper surface of the head of which is provided with a transverse groove, the body portion of which is channeled out and which is provided with a longitudinal passage a of a spindle c having the finger d, the hollow push-block thereto, and passing down through the openhaving the longitudinal openings m therein, ing a: in the push-block, as set forth. the tumbler D having the recess E in its upturned rear end, the link C having its rear EDWIN JOEL SITLER 5 ends secured to said spindle, and the coup- Witnesses:

ling-pin insertible vertically through a suit- HENRY O. MECHTERSHEIMER,

able opening in the head made with reference 0. ADELBERT OAKES.

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