US55870A

US55870A - Improved car-coupling

Info

Publication number: US55870A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1866-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1883-06-26

Description

HIHUGHES. Car Coupling. I No; 55,870. I Patented June 26.1866.

fnifenlaz' N-PETERS. PHOYO'LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, Dv C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIClE O HIRAM HUGHES, OF SAVONA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED CAR-COUPLING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,870, dated June 26, 1866.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates toanew and improved car-coupling of that class which is commonly called se1f-coupling; and it consists in a pivoted latch and a suspended bar arranged within a draw-head and used in connection with a link or shackle, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby a simple and etficien t self-acting or self-connecting coupling is obtained, and one which will admit of being readily disconnected when desired.

Arepresents a draw-head, which maybe attached to a car in the usual way. This drawhead has a mortise, a, made vertically through it, in which a latch, B, is fitted and works on a pivot.b. which isabout two-thirds the length of the latch from its front end.

The front end of the latch B is provided with a pendenthook, c, and the rear part of the latch is formed with two pendent projections, 61 61, one at each side of the pivot b, which projects down through the mortise a of the draw-head, and the pivot 7) passes transversely through the lower part of the draw-head some distance below the line of the hook c, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. v

To the top of the draw-head there is attached a spring, 0, which has a tendency to keep the latch pressed down; and on the pivot 11 there is suspended a bar, D, out of center, the front part of said bar (the portion in front of the pivot) being considerably longer than the rear part, and proportionally heavier, so that the rear part of the bar will,;in consequence of the (See Fig. 1.)

superior gravity ofthe front part, press against the rear pendent projection, d, of the latch and assist the spring Gin keeping the hook 0 down,

and by pressing or drawing up the front end' of the bar D the front part of the latch B will be forced up and the link or shackle disengaged. This bar D may have a cord or chain attached for the purpose of thus actuating it. This result may also be attained by a chain or cord secured to a ring, 0, on the front end of the latch B. This chain or cord, as well as that connected to the pivoted bar D, may be carried to any part of the car so as to be convenient for the brakeman or other employe to operate.

The link or shackle (designated by B) will, on entering the draw-head, force up the front part of the latch B, so that the hook 0 will be forced into it, and this link or shackle maybe so constructed that it may be fitted in either the ordinary draw-head or in my improved draw'head, or one end fitted in my improved draw-head and the other in the ordinary drawhead, my improved draw-head being provided with shoulders f, to serve as bearings for the end of the link or shackle.

This coupling cannot casually disconnect itself, while it will connect or engage itself with certainty in 'the event of two cars coming in contact. The frequent accidents now caused byrailroad employs passing between the cars to couple and uncouple them will be avoided. In consequence of the pivot I) being below the line of the hook c, the pull on the latter by the link or shackle will have a tendency to press the hook down in the link or shackle.

I disclaim the hook c separately considered.

Having thus described 'myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of thelatch B, with its catch c and pendants dd, of the form shown, and the pivoted bar D, operating in combination with a suitable link, E, in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

HIRAM HUGHES.

Witnesses:

J. G. MALLORY, J. D. BARNES, G. W. HAMMER.