US525604A - Thill-coupling - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. KETTRING, OF MARTINSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,604, dated September 4, 1894. Application filed March 3, 1894. Serial No. 502,241. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. KETTRING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsville, in the county of Clark and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill 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 the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to thill couplings, and especially to that class thereof wherein provision is made for instantly coupling and uncoupling the parts without the necessity of a preliminary manipulation of nuts, bolts, or the like; and has for its object to improve the general construction and operation of such devices.

The invention consists in the construction, relative arrangement and operation of the parts composing the improved thill coupling, all of which will fully and clearly appear from a reading of the subjoined description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved thill coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section; and Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts in a dierent position. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a denotes the coupler, and formed integrally` therewith is the clip b which is secured to the axle tree in the usual manner. The coupling consists of two ears c c which are parallel to each other and extend outwardly from the clip, and which have near their outer ends circular openings c c', and slots c2 c2 which communicate with the said openings. The inner walls of the slots are elongated by forming projections c3 on the upper sides of the ears for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

d d are bushings which are circular in shape and conform to the openings c' in which they are tted, a suiiicient freedom of movement being allowed to permit of said bushings being turned, and d cl are recesses in said bushings which conform at their upper ends to the slots c2 but which gradually diminish in width to the base, or in other words are slightly wedge-shaped. v

The thill end or tongue E is provided with a head e which is of sufficient width to fit the Y opening between the ears, and el e are wedgeshaped bolt pivots which conform to the slots c2. The outer ends e2 e2 of these pivots are reduced and screw-threaded to receive nuts f which in practice abut against the bushings and ears as will be presently explained. The

head e is made substantially cylindrical, but

segments are cut away to form two faces, one of which, g, is so arranged as to incline rearwardly from the perpendicular when the thills are in a raised position; and the other, h, is

slots into the recesses in the bushings where they fit snugly, and the pivots conforming to the dimensions of the recesses the thills may be moved at will past the slots, the bushings following said movements. To facilitate the entrance of the pivots, the inner wall as before stated is made higher than the outer wall in order that the pivots may be centered as will be understood. The nuts on the ends of the pivots act as shoulders or stops to prevent the spreading of the ears when strain is brought to bear, and also to prevent the disengagement of the bushings; or if desired any suitable means may be employed to secure said bushings laterally and yet permit of their rotation. The spring employed performs three functions, the first being to prevent the head from passing the slot when the coupling is being made; the second being to prevent the rattling of the parts when the device is in use, inasmuch as the spring, when the thill is lowered, bears against the face h, and by pressure thereon acts as an antirattler; and the third being to partly disconnect the parts by bearing on the face g when the thill is raised. In the latter case the face g assumes an inclined position and the spring which has a ICO tendency to move outward bears with pressure' against the said face and in conjunction .with the curved lower end 2 which abuts against the point formed by the juncture of the two faces, operates to raise and partly disconnect the thill when the pivots are moved in line with the slots. When the thill is coupled and in use the spring is compressed, and bearing against the head forces the bearings forward with sufficient pressure to insure a noiseless movement of the parts, but.

when the parts are at rest, 'L'. e.,.the thills are raised, the spring is relieved, and consequently its period of usefulness is prolonged.. The parts are few in number, and simplyV constructed and the device as a whole is effective and durable.

It is evident that if desired the thills may remain coupled whether the vehicle is at rest or in use, inasmuch as the spring will operate to maintain the raised position of the thills without the` necessity of employing any auX- iliary devices.

What I claim asmy invention isl. In a thill coupling the combinationwith the clip and its attached ears, said ears having circular openings and communicating slots, of the thill iron` having laterally projecting pivots at its rear end, said pivots being threaded at their outer ends, the bushings into which said pivots t and the nuts screwed upon the threaded ends of the piv ots substantially as shown and described.

2. A thill coupling comprising two ears having the circular openings and the slots leadf ing thereto, the rear walls of said slots bein( higher than the front walls, the bushings ttingsaidV openings and having the adapted to register with the slots when tha y bushings are turned as described, the thill head having the faces and the bolt pivots, saidpivots being provided with reduced screw f threaded ends and nuts, and the spring having the return bend and the curved free end and operating `in conjunction with said faces in the manner and for the purposes set forth,V 3. In -a thill coupling the combination witli'.. the clipfand its ears,zhavingopenings all slots asdescribed,vofthe bushings locande:

inthe openings andslotted also, the thllrv. iron having the laterally projectingpvobn. threaded at ,their outer ends, the nuts adptd to be screwed upon said ends and a springe a. connected to the clip and adapted to beans" upon the rear end of the thill iron substa'lws` tially as shown and described. l In testimony whereofIaix mysignntureimr@ presence of two witnesses.-

JOHN A. KETTRING. Witnesses:

C. H. FosIE, CHARLES T. IsHLER.

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