US498473A

US498473A - Gar-coupling

Info

Publication number: US498473A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1910-05-30

Description

1 (No Model.)

W. R. JENKINS.

UAR COUPLING.

No. 498,473. Patented May so, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM R. JENKINS, OF- BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-CO'UPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,473, dated May 30, 189

Application filed March 24. 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. JENKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of. Bellefonte, in the county of Centre and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in couplers, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification-Figure 1. is a top or plan View of the coupling hooks in their coupled position. Fig. 2. is a side view in elevation of the hooks coupled. Fig. 3. is a side elevation of the coupling hooks in the operation. of coupling. Fig. 4. is a side view of a section of a car provided with the coupling and means for raising the coupling when it is desired to uncouple the cars. 7

The coupler consists of essentially two hooks, each being simply a solid piece of either forging or casting without any joints, knuckles or any weakening or troublesome parts.

The hooks A and B, are bifurcated at their inner ends in which is pivotally secured to the draw-bars C, respectively, and in such manner as to permit the hooks to be raised upwardly to have a vertical swing. The hook portion proper is formed so as to extend in ahorizontal direction, that of the coupler A being' turned in a direction the reverse of the one on the coupler B, so that when brought together they may be hooked one within the other. The couplers A and B, not having a lateral swing the hooks cannot be coupled except by raising one or the other and allowing it to drop to its coupled position as shown in Fig. 1. The importance of this feature is s that when once coupled the jolting and irregular running of the cars cannot possibly uncouple the hooks as they are held in their coupled position by their own weight. The hooks are held in their horizontal position by means of stirrups or supports D and E, which while preventing the coupling hooks from dropping below their level does not interfere Serial No. 426,255. (No model.)

with upward movement of the hooks. The opening F, at the hook end of each jaw is of less width than the length of the hook proper, so that in case of any'breakingof the supports D, E, there could be no lateral release of the engagement of the hooks.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the nose or forward end of each coupling is wedge shaped so that when two cars are brought together one or the other will slide to the top or over the other, and when it has gone suiiiciently far enough will drop by its own weight into the position shown in Fi 1. in an upwardly direction so that tlletendency of the wedge is to raise one or the other of the coupling hooks.

If the weight of the hooks is not sufficient to hold them down in practice a spiral spring or any equivalent device can be used for this purpose.

To uncouple any system of levers can be used as may be found most. convenient for the style of car to which they may be applied. The arrangement shown inFig. 4, is one that can be used to uncouple the cars and also to retain the coupler in an elevated position so that if desirable cars may be brought together without coupling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

1. In a car coupler, the combination of jaws each having a hook at its outer end, and a bifurcated inner end said hook having the opening F, therein of less width at its mouth than the length of the hook proper, and itsfront edge beveled on its upper and lower faces, substantially as specified 2. In a car coupler, the combination of jaws each having a hook at its outer end, and a bifurcated inner end pivoted to the draw bar, said hook having an opening F, therein, of less width at its mouth than the length of the hook proper, and its front edge beveled on its upper and lower faces, and the supports secured to the under side of the car body in which the jaws are controlled, substantially as specified.

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

WM. R. JENKINS.

Witnesses:

E. M. BLANCHARD, JOHN BLANCHARD.

The inclining faces of the wedge lie