US553340A - Locomotive-pilot coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheen 1.

S. R. HEIDELBERG. LOGOMOTIVE PILOT GOUPLING.

No. 553,340. Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

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" Hnnmnml l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) l

` AS. R. HEIDELBERG.-

. LOGOMOTIVE'PILOT QOU-PLING.

No. 553,340. Patented J'anf21. 1896.

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A N QN( 1% AN DREW BLRHAM. PHOTOUTHJWSHINGTUNJL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL n. HEIDELBERG, or PALESTINE, AssIeNoE or ONE-HALE 'ro 1I. n. EowLAND, or TYLER, TEXAS.-

LOCOMOTIVE-PILOT COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming pari. of Letters Patent No. 553,340, dated January 2l, 1896.

Application filed September 19, 1895. Serial No. 563,038. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL RHEIDELBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive-Pilot Couplings, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in locomotive pilot couplings; and it consists substantially in such features of construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts as willhcreinafter be more particularly described.

The invention has reference more particu larly to the means by which the bar is elevated or raised to a position for coupling, and ithas for its object to simplify such means and to render the same much more reliable and effective than heretofore.

A further object is the conformability of the lifting devices or mechanism to the lateral or swinging movements of the bar in the rounding of curves or sharp bends, and also to prevent shock and undue strain upon the devices in the application of the motive power to operate the same.

A still further object of the invention is the more secure coupling of the pilot or draw bar with a car or other vehicle, as well as the easy and ready aligning of the bar whenever a cou pling thereof is being made upon curves or bends in the track, and, finally, the invention has for its object the automatic release of the jaw of the coupler-head of the bar'so as to bring the same to an open position each time the bar is lowered upon the pilot.

The above objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation in part section representing my improved lifting mechanism as located and arranged with respect to the pilot of a locomotive, the dotted lines representing the pilot-bar in its raised or elevated position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation representing the means by which the baris turnedv or swung to one side for effecting alignment .thereof with a couplensection on a car or other vehicle. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in detail representing the means for automatically releasing and opening the jaw of the couplersection of the drawbar whenever the latter is lowered into position upon the pilot. Fig. l is an enlarged view in part section of the coupler-section of the draw-bar. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a coupler-section of the ordinary J anney type. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation of the devices or mechanism by which the lifting of the draw-bar is effected on the admission of a suitable motor fluid.

In the practice of my invention I employ in connection with the pilot or draw bar a suitable lifting-rod that is actuated by a pis ton on admission to the piston-cylinder of the motor uid, and while various constructions could be resorted t-o for the purpose I prefer the general construction and arrangement of devices herein shown, and as will`hereinafter be more particularly described. The devices are under the con trol ofthe engineer or other operator in the cab of the engine, and while I may use either steam or airas the motor fluid I prefer the latter in a compressed state, and which, instead of being supplied from the saine source as that which supplies the air-brakes, is stored up in a separate tank or reservoir located beneath the locomotive or other convenient point. I furthermore resort to the use of a peculiar form of coupler section designed to operate in connection with any of the yordinary sections of the Janney type, and in order to enable lateral turning of the bar for the purposes of alignment I employ suitable hand-operated devices, also more specifically described hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l represents the front crosspiece of an ordinary locomotive, and 2 the pilot or cowcatcher, which is of ordinary form and which is supported or held in position in any suitable manner. Centrally of the said crosspiece l is arranged. an ordinary draw-head 3, in which is held or supported loosclyby means of a pin 4 the pilot or draw bar 5, which is of the' usual or well-known form. 'Io effect the raising or lifting of the said bar to a horizontal position I employ beneath the pilot and in suitable supports therefor the devices which are under the control of the engineer in the cab of the engine, and which are set into m0- tion on the admission of air or other suitable ICO motor fluid. These devices consist principally of a plunger or piston and a lifting-bar in movable connection with the drawbar, and while various forms could be resorted to I prefer in practice the construction shown and about to be described. In a suitable frame or support 6, constructed and arranged beneath the pilot or cow-catcher, is located a socket 7, which is preferably of cast-iron or other suitable material, and which is formed or provided with a recess 8, the sides of which are flaring or beveled at 9. The said socket is for the reception and support of the elongated base portion 10 of a motor-fluid chamber 11, which latter is screw-threaded interiorly at 12 to receive the correspondingly screw-threaded lower end of the plungercylinder 13, as shown. Other constructions could be resorted to for uniting the cylinder with said chamber in both a steam and air tight manner, and if desired a' suitable packing might be used.

The elongated base portion 10 is straightsided for a distance equal to the depth of the recess in the socket, and it is the purpose to have such base portion comparatively heavy in order that there will be no tendency of the plunger or piston to lift the cylinder and chamber from the socket, and also that the said cylinder and other ad juncts to the lifting devices will be properly supported in position. By reason of the construction shown the lifting mechanism is permitted to turn or yield in any direction and thereby be selfconforming to lateral movements of the pilot or draw bar.

The motor-iiuid chamber 11 is beveled on its outer side at 15, and leading from the interior of the chamber is a passage 16 for permitting the escape of the motor uid when the pilot or draw bar is lowered upon the pilot. The lower end of the cylinder fits within the upper part of the chamber 11, as explained, while fitting the upper end of said cylinder is a cap 17, which is elongated at 18 to furnish an increased bearing for the hollovr piston or plunger rod 19. Said rod screws into a screw-threaded portion 2O of a plunger or piston 21, and the said plunger or piston is formed or provided on its under side with an extension 22 which rests upon the bottom of the fluid-chamber when the pilot-bar is down, and which also operates a valve 23, which closes the inner end of the passage 16 whenever the piston is raised by the action of the motor fluid. The Huid-inlet passage or opening is indicated at 24, and leading from which is a pipe 25, which extends to a tank or reservoir 26 located at any convenient part of the locomotive. In order to permit of the universal movement of the piston-rod and cylinder in the manner herein explained, the said Huid-supply pipe 25 may of itself be a flexible pipe or else a metal pipe the ends of which are provided with flexible tube connections both with the lower part of the cylinder and the tank from which the fluid is supplied.

In this way the said pipe will be permitted to conform to any movement of the cylinder within its socket.

The extension 22 of the piston is preferably screw-threaded, as shown at 27, and beneath the piston is a packing-ring of leather or other suitable material that is held in place by means of a washer 28 and a nut 29 screwing onto the extension. Surrounding the hollow piston-rod 19 is a spring 30, which rests upon the piston and normally exerts a slight pressure between said piston and the cap 17 of the cylinder, and whenever the piston is acted upon by the motor fluid said spring assists in imparting a yielding action and prevents undue shocks and strain. Extending into the hollow piston-rod for its whole length and resting by its lower end upon the upper surface of the piston is a lifting-rod 31, which at its upper end is in movable connection with a clamp or yoke 32 which embraces or surrounds the pilot or draw bar, and it is through the direct medium of said lifting-rod that the draw-bar is raised.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in order to lift or elevate the draw-bar it is simply necessary to turn the valve or cock 35 to admit the motor fluid to the chamber 11, whereupon the pressure of such fluid will cause the piston and rod to rise, and from the described connection between the lifting-rod and the draw-bar the latter will be elevated to the proper height and position. IVhenever v the pressure of the motor fluid upon the piston is relieved, the spring 30 tends to force said piston downwardly, and the parts are restored as before. As soon as the extension on the under side of the piston leaves the stem of the valve in the huid-chamber, the pressure of the iuid entering the chamber at once closes the valve to prevent escape of such fluid. When the piston descends, however, the said extension again lifts the valve and permits escape of the fluid or condensations thereof if steam is employed. From the construction of the socket, together with the base of the Huid-chamber, it is evident that the cylinder and lifting devices as a whole will readily conform to any lateral or sidewise swinging of the pilot-bar due to the motion of the locomotive in travel.

It has been found in practice that in addition to thelateral tilting of the cylinder, which is effected by the swinging movement of the draw-bar in the rounding of curves, there is a tendency of the cylinder to turn or partially rotate, as on a longitudinal axis, and this partial movement is greatly hindered by the use of supporting-trunnions on the sides of the cylinder, as heretofore practiced, because of the binding action produced between the trunnions and their supports, which latter permit ready conformability only of the cylinder in two directions at right angles to each other. By my construction a ready conformability of the cylinder is had in all directions, and particularly to the movement which lis IOO IIO

necessarily imparted thereto when the point of attachment of the piston-rod to the drawbar is made to turn in or describe an are of a circle of any considerable extent.

For the purpose of enabling the pilot-coup- 4 which is provided with an eye 42 fitting` around a crank-shaft 43, that is supported or held in bearings 43 of a bracket 44, secured in any suitable manner to the front of the frame of the locomotive at one side of the pilot. (See Fig. 2.) The said crank-shaft is provided with a hand-wheel 45, and it is evident that by grasping said wheel and turning the same in the proper direction the outer end of the connecting-rod will be carried outwardly and the draw-bar correspondingly turned to one side. Other means could be employed for shifting or turning the said draw-bar to one side in the manner explained, but the construction shown and described has been found exceedingly simple and effective, and is therefore preferred.

l Vhile any suitable form of coupling device may be employed in connection with the bar I preferably adapt the same to almost any of the well-known coupler-sections of the Janney type, and therefore have devised a special form of coupler-section which is secured to the end of the bar in any suitable manner. The said coupler-section is represented as a whole at A, and is provided-with the rigid jaws 50 5l, between which is loosely held, by means of a pivot 52, a pivoted or swinging jaw 53, which is provided with the portion 54 for interlocking with a similar jaw of some other coupler-section, and a tailpiece 55, which is engaged by alatch or similar lookin g device for maintaining the said .swinging jaw in coupled relation. While various forms of locking devices could be employed in connection with the jaw I prefer a gravitycatch 56, which is pivoted in a recess 57 in.

the coupler-section, and whenever the swinging jaw is brought into coupled relation said catch drops before the end ofthe tail-piece and holds the jaw securely. The upper inner edge of the tailpiece of the swinging jaw is tapered or beveled at 58, andwhen the jaw is open the gravity-catch 56 is elevated and rests thereon, it being the movement of the tailpiece from beneath the catch that causes the latter to drop. The coupler-section on the car or other vehicle may be of any of the usual forms-such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5-and wherein the locking device for the j aw is released by the operator on the car through the medium of a chain or lever 60. Thus when it is desired to release or disengage the coupler-section on the car from the draw-bar coupler-section it is simply necessary to operate the chain or lever on the car, and in this way the operator is not exposed to any danger. W'hile the caror other vehicle is thus separated or disconnected it is evident that the jaw of the coupler-section of the draw-bar is still in its locked position, and in order that such jaw may be opened and brought into position for eifecting a coupling when the bar is next raised for that purpose I employ suitable means for raisin g the catch automatically and pushing the jaw outwardly. Various means for performing this result could be resorted to, and while I have herein represented certain preferred means or devices it will be understood that I am not Y limited thereto in any particular. These preferred devices consist of a swinging lever 70 constructed in the shape of a curved hook 7l, having an offset 7 2, and being pivoted at 73 to the side of the central bars of the pilot. (See Fig. 3.) The gravity-catch is formed at an angle of about fortyfive degrees, and is designed to come into contact with the oifset or projection 72 of the lever. Thus it will be seen that when the draw-bar is lowered upon the pilot the push-pin 75 strikes the offset,thereby elevating the gravity-catch and releasing the jaw of the coupler-section and the lever 70 is at the same time swung upwardly and by riding beneath or striking the tailpiece 55 of saidjaw the latter is opened or carried outwardly. The action is entirely automatic, and when the jaw is turned outwardly the gravitycatch is 'of course held upward in readiness to again fall when next a coupling is made.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrations it is thought the construction and operation' of my invention will be fully understood, and, as before stated, I am not limited to the particular devices which have herein been selected as the forms wh ich are preferred in practice.

I claim- 1. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, a cylinder freely seated to turn in all directions in conformity to the movements of the bar, and connected with a motor uid supply, a piston working in the cylinder, and a movable connection between the piston and bar, substantially as described.

2. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, a socket located beneath the pilot, a cylinder freely seated in said socket to turn in all directions in conformity to the movements of the bar, and connected with a motor iiuid supply, a piston working in the cylinder, and a movable connection between the piston rod and bar, substantially as described.

3. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, a socket having beveled sides, a, cylinder having a straight sided bottom extension fitting in said socket, a motor fluid supply connecting with said cylin- IOO IOS

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der, a piston working in the cylinder, and an operative connection between said piston and the bar, substantially as described.

4. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, a socket, a motor fluid chamber having a bottom extension loosely fitting within said socket, and provided with a motor fluid supply, and a discharge passage controlled by a valve, acylinder fitting said chamber, a piston having an extension resting upon the bottom of said chamber and normally maintaining the valve in an open position, a hollowT piston rod tted to the piston,` a spring tending to lower the piston, and a lifting rod operated by the piston and in movable connection with the pilot-bar, substantially as described.

5. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, a socket having beveled sides, a motor fluid chamber having a bottom extension loosely fitting Within said socket, and provided with a motor fluid supply, and a passage controlled by a valve, a cylinder fitting in said chamber, a piston having a screw threaded extension resting on the bottom of said chamber and normally maintaining the valve in an open position, a packing ring and washer beneath the piston and a nut securing them in place, a hollow pistonrod, a springqsurrounding said rod, and a lifting bar operated by the piston and in movable connection with the draw-bar, substantially as described.

6. In means for operating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, the combination with the bar, and means for lifting the same, of a swinging rod connected at one end to said bar, and at the other end to a. crank supported at one side of the pilot, and means for operating said crank, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the draw-bar, of

' the coupler-section provided with the swingn ing through the coupler-section, and the pivoted curved lever on the pilot, the same having the offset which is struck by the tail piece when the bar is lowered upon the pilot, substantially in the manner shown and for the purpose described. l

9. The combination with the draw-bar, of the coupler-section provided with the swinging jaw, a catch for locking said jaw in coupled relation with a jaw of another section,

' and means located in part upon the pilot for releasing said catch and forcing the jaw outward when the draw-bar is lowered, substantially as described.

l0. The combination with the draw-bar, of the coupler-section having the swinging jaw provided with the beveled edge, the gravity catch having a tail piece projecting through the coupler section, and means on the pilot automatically releasing said catch by en gagement with the tail-piece, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL R. HEIDELBERG.

lVitnesses CHAs. McDowELL, S. W. LrrrLEJoHN.,

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