US555559A - buckley - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

J. BUCKLE-Y. AU TOMATIG GAR COUPLING.

Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. BUOKLEY. AUTOMATIO' GAR COUPLING.

No; 555,559. Patented Mar. 8, 1896.

Fig-5 coupling similar to the coupling on the first but in such a manner as to permit the rod to NITED STATES JEREMIAH BUOKLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 555,559, dated March v3, 1896. Application filed July 29, 1895. Serial No. 657,484. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH BUoKLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Automatically Coupling Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This device embraces coupling and uncoupling and braking of cars. The whole of this work may be done by the engineer, who hascontrol of the train, all the brakes being applied at one time, and a man in charge will relieve the engineer of much of the work. He can leave behind any part of the train where there are none to be taken on. 1 My invention relates to the "coupling of trains of railway-cars and provides means for securing a plurality of cars together from one point without the necessity of handling each coupling device.

My invention may be divided into three parts, one comprising means for holding two cars together by couplings, another comprising means to open and close said couplings froma predetermined pointsay the cab of the engine-and at the same time to connect the cars together by auxiliary coupling or locking heads of a peculiar construction, each adapted to meet the locking-head on the adjacent car in readiness to consummate the engagement or locking of the said heads by a movement instituted from the predetermined point on the train, and the third comprising means to apply brakes to the wheels of each car.

One embodiment of my invention may consist of a coupling pivoted to the under side of the car and provided with a cam-shaped part, the coupling having a hooked end. On a second car, to which it is intended that the above-named car shall be coupled, is also a car, but adapted to engage the coupling on said car. To actuate the coupling I provide a coupler-rod extending the full length of each car and carried on the under side of the same,

move longitudinally. Near the ends of the rod are means to operate the coupling. Said means may consist of a yoke adapted to engage the cam-surface 0f the coupling, or may be substituted by other means attaining the same end. These devices in themselves are extremely convenient and desirable,as independent means for applying the brakes may be used; but I have devised means for applying the brakes automatically, which may be put in operation simultaneously with the uncoupling of the cars or without uncoupling them. These means may be embodied in different ways, one being the moving of the coupling-rod longitudinally, and as each individual coupling-rod is connected by its lockirig-head to the coupling-rod carried on the adjacent car, it will be evident that the movement of the rod will apply the brakes simultaneouslyto all of the wheels in the train.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of two cars provided with my invention, as seen from the bottom. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of said cars on the line 2 z of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the locking-heads and coupling. Fig. 4 is a front elevation in section on the line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the hand-actuated mechanism. Figs. 6 and 7 are face views of the male and female heads.

To the under side of the car 1 is pivoted the coupling 2 by bolts 3 or otherwise, the coupling being formed with a semicylindrical cam 4 and with a rearwardly-extending limb 5, which is held normally by the spring 6 in a longitudinal position, the spring being coiled around a rod 7, secured to angle-pieces carried by the car. To the car are also secured the standards 8, through which passes the coupling-rod 9, extending the entire length of each car, and is supported by the standards, in which it may rock. Near each end of said rod is a yoke 10, which may be secured to the rod in any convenient manner and slides in the yoke-guides 11, which are carried by the car. One end of the yoke engages the camsurface 4 in such a manner that the coupling will be thrown laterally whenever the yoke moves longitudinally backward or forward, but if in the center of the semicylindrical cam will not effect the coupling.

The coupling comprises a male and female lockling-head, the male head 12 being at one end of the rod and the female head 13 at the other end. The former comprises two lateral detents 14 with ends turned at right angles and a central post or guide 15, the end of the head proper being cone-shaped. The female head is depressed and eone-shaped, with spiral ways or openings 16 and with offsets 17, behind which the detents of the male head may engage.

The clutch mechanism comprises a cam-support 18, adapted to travel on guides 19, which are secured to the car. It carries the cams which have the inclines 20 and straight slots 21, one on each side and pointing in opposite directions. In front of the opening or jaws of the cam is a pivoted two-part clutch 22, carried by the car and adapted to embrace the coupler rod normally loosely. WVhen, however,the coupler-rod is reciprocated longitudinally, the cam-jaws embrace the clutch and draw its two members or parts together, whereby the coupler-rod will be held securely and prevented from rocking.

The mechanism for applying the brakes may comprise a sleeve 23, provided with an upwardly-projecting pin 24, adapted to travel in a slot in the truck 25. The other end of the sleeve is flattened and provided with a pin 26, on which may rock the swinging piece 27, the lower end of which engages the brakebar 28, provided with shoes 29. The upper end of the piece 27 is provided with two eyes through which the ends of the brake-rods 31 project. These rods have stop-collars 32, pre venting them from sliding through the apertures or eyes. The opposite ends of the rods are pivoted to the lever 33, which oscillate about the king-bolt 34 of the truck. To one end of the oscillating lever is pivoted the link 35, whose opposite end is secured to the yoke 10 in such a manner that when the yoke is moved the oscillating lever is actuated. It is evident that when the latter is oscillated, be it backward or forward, one of the brakerods 31 will force the swinging piece so as to apply the brake.

For coupling or uncoupling the cars by hand I may make use of the following devices, which have been illustrated separately for the purpose of rendering their construction more apparent to the eye; but it will be quite evident that the mechanism for coupling all the cars at once from one point and the mechanism for coupling one car by hand may readily be united, the hand mechanism being lo cated on each car.

Between the coupler-head and the yoke and rigid on the coupler-rod there may be located a circular rack 36, the teeth of which should be sufficiently long to permit of longitudinal movement of the coupler-rod3 above the coupler rod a level rack 37, carried by a bridge 38 spanning the latch 2, a hand-brake 39 may be provided with a gear 40 engaging the straight rack 41, secured to the side of the bridge 38, by means of which the bridge may be moved transversely of the car and so rock the coupler-rod.

Means for moving the coupler-rod longitudinally, and thereby uncouple or couple together all the cars of a train at once, may

comprise a hand-lever 44, pivoted at 45 and projecting downwardly underneath the ear. Its lower end may be provided with jaws 46, adapted to embrace a collar 47, rigidly carried by the coupling-rod 9. This mechanism may be located in the cab of the engine or elsewhere on the train, and by its means the whole number of coupler-rods move, whereby the couplings of the cars will be thrown out of engagementwith one another by the action of the yokes on the cams. The train will now be held together by the locking-heads, and these will be separated one from another by the rocking of the coupler-rod. It will be evident from Figs. 3, 6 and 7 that the pair of locking-heads will not be disengaged if rotated in one direction, but that the act of opposite rotation will effect the unlocking. This may be done from the cab of the engine or any other point where means to accomplish this result may be located.

Means for approaching the male and female heads together by hand may consist also of a hand-brake 42, provided with a chain 43 secured to the yoke 10, by means of which, should it be necessary to couple two cars together, the operation may be accomplished without the necessity of handling the coupler-rod directly.

Modifications of this embodiment may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore desire not tobe restricted to the exact form shown and described herein, as what I have shown and described is but one embodiment and may be a preferred construction.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a device for coupling cars, the combination with a coupling pivoted to the car and provided with a cam, of a coupler-rod provided with means for engaging said cam, and with looking heads, substantially as described.

2. In a device for coupling cars, the combination with a coupling pivoted to the car and provided with a cam, of a coupler-rod provided with a locking-head at each extremity adapted to engage the'suitable locking-head of a second car, substantially as described.

3. In a device for coupling ears, the combination of a car, a coupler-rod extending the length of the car, a male locking-head located on one end of said rod, a female locking-head located at the other extremity, and a clutch to prevent the rocking of said rod, of a second car also provided with similar devices and adapted to coact with the first-named devices, substantially as described.

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

JEREMIAH BUCKLEY. lVitnesses:

J OHN G. FoLsoM, JOHN ENNIS.

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