US562827A

US562827A - Car-coupling

Info

Publication number: US562827A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1913-06-30

Description

(N0 Mode.) I

C. D= HORGAN.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 562,827. Y Patented June 30, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

CHARLES D. HORGAN, OF VICTOR, COLORADO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,827, dated J' une 30, 1896.

Application filed May 19, 1896. Serial No. 592,142. (No model.)

1'0 alt whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. MORGAN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Victor, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplings, and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and etlicient one, capable of coupling automatically, and adapted to be readily uncoupled without going between cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car-coupling in which the draw-head will be capable of vertical adjustment to adapt it to be arrangedat an elevation to suit the height of the drawehead of another car.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of swinging catches, and to provide one which may be readily renewed when worn, without discarding the entire catch.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

ln the drawings, Figure l is perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a det-ail perspective view of the catch. Fig. et is a detail view of the catch, the shoe being removed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the shoe. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner oi' hinging the draw-head.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

l designates a draw-head having a flaring mouth and provided with a longitudinal linkopening for the reception of a link 2, which is engaged by a swinging catch 3, and the latter is pivotally mounted in the longitudinal slot of the draw-head. The catch, which is substantially triangular, presents an inclined front edge adapted to be engaged by a link entering the draw-head, whereby the catch is automatically lifted to effect the operation of coupling, and its lower point or apex is received within a notch of the bottom of the draw-head. The rear side of the catch is recessed to receive the end of the link, and the upper portion of the rear edge of the catch is curved at 4 and bears against a curved portion of the draw-head to relieve the transverse pivot-pin 5 of strain.

It has been found by experience that catches, by being struck by links, become rapidly worn and have to be entirely discarded, and in order to enable a catch to be renewed without discarding it entirely a removable shoe 6 is provided. The shoe (i, which is preferably constructed of chilled steel in order to withstand the wear, is arranged at the front edge of the catch in position to be struck by a link entering the draw-head, and is provided with a longitudinal dovetail groove 7, which interlocks with corresponding dovetail flanges 8, and the shoe, which is rinserted on the catch from the tcp thereof, is provided at its top with a pair of flanges @,located at opposite sides of the catch, arranged in recesses l0 thereof, and provided with registering perforations ll to receive the transverse pivot-pin 5, whereby the shoe is securely fastened to the catch. The flanges S, which extend from the bottom of the cat-ch to within a short distance of the top of the same, are located at the opposite sides thereof, and are formed by recessing the catch, and the shoe completes the front of the catch and has its outer faces flush with the outer faces of the saine.

Should the shoe become worn or broken, it may be readily removed from the catch by withdrawing the transverse pin 5, and a new shoe can be quickly applied wit-hout discarding the entire catch.

The catch is provided with an oil-hole 12, extending from its upper edge downward to the opening or perforation for the reception of the pivot-pin 5, and then downward to its front edge, and the shoe is provided with a corresponding perforation l3,which registers with the lower end of the oil-hole l2, and by supplying oil, or other lubricant to the top of the oil-hole l2, the pivot 5 is lubricated and ICO also the front face of the catch, thereby greatly vreducing the wear and enabling the end of The operation of uncoupling is performed by a transverse rock-shaft 14, journaled in inner and outer bearings 15 and 16 of a car 17, and provided, at its inner end, with an arm 18,which engages an eye 19 of the catch. The eye 19 is located at the rear end of the catch and the arm 18 has its outer end bent downward and inward on itself to form a longitu-dinal loop 20, which is linked into the catch, and which permits the necessary play of the draw-head. The rock-shaft is provided, at its outer end,with a handle 2l,which extends normally outward and downward at an angle to the car, and 'when the catch is in engagement with the link the inner arm also bears against the upper portion thereof, so that the weight of the rock-shaft is borne by the catch to increase the weight of the latter. By pivoting the catch at the upper front corner thereof, the strain, incident to drawing a car, operates to hold the catch in engagement with the link and to prevent it from swinging backward and upward. The inner bearing 15, which receives the transverse rock-shaft, is provided with a substantially triangular loop to permit the necessary play of the drawhead, and also to accommodate itself to the adjustment thereof.

In order to enable the draw-head to be adj usted verticallyto accommodate itself to the height of the draw-head of another car so that a straight link may be employed, the shank or draw-bar 23 of the draw-head is provided with a hinged joint 24, consisting of a pair of ears, arranged at opposite sides of the front section of the draw-bar or shank, a centrally-arranged ear located at the front end of the inner section of the shank or draw-bar and iitting between the side ears, and a transverse bolt or fastening device 25,which passes through the perforations of the ears. The outer portion of the draw-bar or shank is arranged within a rectangular frame or stirrup 26,which depends from the car, and which is secured at its top to the same. This rectangular frame or stirrup comprises a horizontal bottom portion and vertical sides, and thelatter have their upper ends bent outward at right angles to form attachment-plates,which are bolted, or otherwise secured, to the framework of the car.

The draw-head is provided in rear of the catch, between the same and the iiange 27, with an eye 28, into which is linked one end of a chain 29, and the latter extends upward and passes over a pulley 30. The pulley 3o is mounted on the car, and the chain 29 extends therefrom to one side of the car and is `ceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it is capable of automatically coupling and of being readily uncow pled without going between cars. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the draw-head is capable of vertical adjustment to bring it into the same horizontal plane as the drawhead of another car, and that the catch may be readily renewed, when worn, without entirely discarding it. It willalso be apparent that by lubricating the pin and the front face of the catch the durability of the parts is greatly increased.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a link-opening and provided with a longitudinal slot, a swinging catch arranged in the slot, provided at opposite sides with a recess and having at its front dovetail flanges, a removable shoe having a dovetail groove interlocked with the dovetail flanges of the catch and provided at its top with side flanges iitting in the recesses of the catch, and a transverse pivot-pin passing through the side flanges and the catch, pivoting the latter in the draw-head and securing the shoe to the same, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a car, of a draw-head provided at its shank with a hinged joint and capable of a limited upward and downward movement, a pulley mounted on the car and located above the draw-head, a chain secured to the draw-head, passing over the pulley and extending to one side of the car, an operating-lever connected with the chain, a ratchet, and a pawl carried by the lever and engaging the ratchet, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a swinging catch arranged therein, provided with a transverse perforation and having a hole extend-ing fromits upper edge to its front edge'and intersecting the transverse perforation and adapted to receive a lubricant, a removable shoe arranged at the front of the catch, interlocked therewith IOO and provided with side anges embracing the my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in same, and @transverse pvot passing through the presence of two Witnesses. the side zmges and the perforation of the catch, looking the shoe to the latter and piv- CHAS. D. HORGAN. 5 oting the catch to the draw-head, substzm- Vtne-sses:

tially as and for the purpose described.A JOHN H. SIGGERS,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as THEODORE DALTON.