US519725A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

R. F. LUDLOW. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 519,725. Patented May 15, 1594.`

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RODNEY F. LUDLOW, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,725, dated May 15, 1894.

Application filed February 3, 1.894. Serial No. 498,993- (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, RODNEY F. LUDLOW, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the con nty of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic car couplers, being of that class wherein a pivoted or swinging knuckle is mounted in the head and is held in coupled position by a locking device.

The particular object of my invention is to absolutely insure the automatic swinging out of the knuckle from coupled position to uncoupled position, which latter position is such that the knuckle can be properly engaged by an opposing car when it is desired to couple the two cars together. With this invention of mine I have so housed and arranged the parts which effect the outward swing of the knuckle that they cannot become clogged up with foreign substances, while at the same time, as ascertained by actual tests, the knuckle will swing out automatically at up a grade of seventeen hundred and sixty feet to the mile, thirty three and one-third feet to the hundred or about eighteen and one-half degrees. The extreme grades are from ninety to one hundred and ten feet to the mile. Thus with my improvements the knuckle will swing out up a grade far in excess of anything permissible in practical railroad engineering.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1, represents a plan view of a car coupling embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view on the line 21 2 of Fig. 7 5 Fig. 3, a horizontal sectional view on the line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail view of the rear of the knuckle; Fig. 5, a side and plan View respectively of the incline-annulus; Fig. 6, a vertical sectional view on the line :r of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7, a horizontal section on the line a ct of Fig. 2.

The letter A designates a draw-bar of the ordinary or any approved construction, and the letter B the head thereof, having a lock 'pin aperture C, which at one side inclines somewhat, as seen in Fig. 2, while at the other side and near the top it has a key or lug D which fits in a groove E of the locking pin F. An inclined shoulder G of the lug and a corresponding shoulder H act to throw the pin, as it is lifted up, from the vertical to the inclined position so that it willautomatically cant over and catch on the knuckle, or a raised track I of the knuckle, on which it rests as the knuckle is swung out. When the knuckle reaches the extreme outward position, as shown in Fig. 7, the pin drops down from the track to the knuckle proper and when the knuckle is swung inward the pressure of the track against the pin straightens up the latter so that when the opening in the knuckle reaches the pin the latter will drop into it.

nIn the draw-head is pivoted the knuckle .I on a pivot pin K, which may be solid or tubular. The pin hole in the lower part of the head is recessed, as shown at L, and into the recess is dropped down and snugly fitted an annulus M, the upper end of, which has several, in the present instance three, projections O, and the lower end of which is provided with a suitable number, in the present instance three,inclinedplanesP.- The knuckle has an extension Q fitting the recess L and notched to receive the several projections O oftheannulus. Thustheannulusandknuckle are interlocked and become one in effect. They are preferably made separate to facilitate placing them in the draw-head, and also to provide a way to renew the inclined planes when worn, without renewing the whole knuckle. The recess L has lugs R forming inclined planes which match with the planes P of the annulus. Thus it will be seen that around the sides of the pin-hole in the ear of the head are inclined planes. These planes are essentially below the upper surface of the ear. By so locating these inclines P sufficient pitch or steepness can be given to the inclines to effect the automatic opening of the knuckle on the highest grades, and yet without increasing the vertical depth of the head interiorly or exteriorly.

vWhen the knuckle is in locked position, as shown in Figs. l and 6, the planes of the an- IOO nulus are well up on the planes of the lugs,

and the gravity of the knuckle is constantly tending to run it down the planes of the lugs.

YVthe effect of the inclined planes.

Thus when the locking pin F is removed the knuckle will automatically swing outward by When the annulus has become seated the knuckle has rotated to the desired outer position ready to be engaged by the projecting knuckle of another car. Thus this position of the knuckle is automatically insured; and thus by my construction and arrangement no grit or water can get into the parts depended upon for this action, while the strength of the mechanism is in no wise impaired and while theY intricacy of parts is also'avoided. As before stated, this invention has been tested in a practical way and is found to operate upon grades far steeper or greater than any to be met with in practical railroading, thus insuring its reliable operation'upon any road, at any place, in the mountains as well as on the plains, and on curves as well as on straight tracks.

While I have spoken of the inclined planes generally as mere inclined planes, still the preferred form of these planes, assuggested in Fig. 5 particularly, is a spiral form. By this I mean that the inclined planes are spiral in contour as distinguished from forming a straight line. As the outer side of the annulus is of greater radius than the inner side, it results that the i entire surface of the plane has a certain twist or spiral form. I have found, practically, that by this construction the traveling and the fixed inclined planes of this device can be made perfect counterparts one of therother and thatno matter at what point the movable planes may be on the stationary planes, the t between them is snug and smooth. This results in a perfect equality of wear. The same remarks as to the shape of the inclines apply to those on the lugs in the pin-hole of the head.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head having a pin-hole and a lug eX- tending into the hole, of a pin adapted to fit the hole, and having a groove for the lug and a shoulder which strikes the lug, and a knuckle pivoted in the head and having a pin-hole, the lug and a shoulder acting to cant the pin out of line with the hole.

2. In a car coupling, the combination With the head having apin-hol'e and a pin adapted to t the hole, obstructions to cant the pin from the vertical when lifted partly out, and a pivoted knuckle in the head having a raised track which acts to throw the piu from the incline to the vertical as the knuckle swings in, whereby the pin will enter the hole in the knuckle. 'f f 3. In a car coupling, the combination with the head, ot' a knuckle pivoted therein, an annulus separate from the knuckle and connected with it, and fitting and riding up and down in a recess round the pivot-pin hole of the head, the annulus having one or more inclined planes, and one or more lugs in the recess forming corresponding inclined planes, said planes being essentially below the surface of the head on which travel the planes of said annulus. Y Y Y Y 4. In a car coupling, the combination with the head, of a knuckle therein, a pivot-pin extending'through a hole in the head and knuckle, the lower part of the said hole in the head having a recess round it, a traveling annulus round the pin and in said recess, inclined planes on the lower end of the annulus, and lugs in said recess forming inclined planes on their upper surface, the annulus and the knuckle being interlocked.

5. In a car coupling, the combination Ywith the head having a pivot-pin hole, and inclined planes about the sides of said hole and essentially below the surface of the Year of the head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted within the head by means of a pin, and an annulus connected with the knuckle and fitting down within the ear, the annulus having inclined planes which ride upon those in the ear.

I n testimony whereof I aix my signature in -presence of two witnesses.

Y RODNEY F. LUDLOW. Witnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, W. M. MCNAIR.

Images