US569203A - Strainer for air-brakes of cars - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 7 V T. B. HUNT. STBAINER'POR AIR BRAKES 0P CARS.

No. 569,203. Patent-ed Oct. 13, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

THOMAS B. HUNT, OF CHICAGO, ILL INOIS.

STRAIN ER FOR Al R-BRAKES OF CARS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 569,203, dated October 13,1896.

Application filed April 24,1896. Serial No. 588,913- (No model.)

To all whom it nay concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drain-Cups and Strainers for Air- Brakes of Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in air-brake drain-cups and strainers.

' Heretofore in air-brake apparatus the draincups and strainers have been placed in the main air-brake pipe itself, the drain-cups being formed in the T coupling or connection leading to each brake-cylinder or reservoir through the triple valve, and the strainer, consisting of a cylinder of perforated sheet metal or wire-gauze, extending horizontally in the direction of the main pipe and being usually soldered to the necks of the cylindrical horizontal drain-cup to secure it in place; but great practical difficulty has been experienced in keeping such strainer and draincups sufficiently clean or free from dirt and water to prevent the triple valve from becoming stuck or gummed up and to enable it to operate properly and with certainty, as required; and a great deal of time and labor is required to clean the drain-cups and strainers, as to do this the main pipe has to be taken apart on one or both sides of the draincup, the strainer unsolderedand removed and cleaned, and then again soldered back in place.

The object of my invention is to provide an air-brake drain-cup and strainer of a simple, durable, and efficient construction by means of which these difliculties maybe avoided and by which the cups and strainer may be'easily and quickly cleaned without the necessity of disturbing the main pipe or its connections or even removing the drain-cup from its posi tion. These results I accomplish, and herein my invention consists, by combining with the main air-brake pipe and the customary triple valve leading to or controlling the connection able screw-threaded cap or plug at=its lower My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the drain-cup and strainer and their immediate connections. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig.2, and Fig. 4; is a detail view showing the preferred or perfected construction of the strainer.

In said drawings, A represents the main air-brake pipe of a railway-train, and B one of the triple valves controlling the communication between the main pipe A and the brakecylinder' 0, all these parts being of any ordi- So nary or suitable construction now familiar to those skilled in the art and needing no detailed description.

' Dis'the drain-cup, the same occupying a vertical position and being connected at its upper end or nipple d to the main air-brake pipe A by a T-coupling or other suitable connection' E. The drain-cup D has a screwthreaded nipple cl, projecting from its cylindrical surface'ne'ar its upper end and congo nected to the branch pipe F, leadingto the triple valve B. The drain-cup D is provided at its lower end with a removable screw-threaded plug or cap D, secured to the threaded end or nipple d of the cup D, a gasket or pack- 5 The lower of the drain-cup D is preferably divided into two parts or chambers D D by an intermediate wall or partition (1 and forming an intermediate support or guide for the flexible perforated wall of the strainer. The upper surface of this intermediate web d is preferd drain-clip and Strainer, and WhlCh may be ably conical or flaring, as shown at 61 but its ,under surface is preferably recurved, as

I similar purpose. I I I Owing to the uprightposition of the strainer shown at cl", in order that it may thus tend to downwardly deflect any dirt collected in. the lower chamber D of the cup and stirred up by the air when forcibly passing through the drain-cup and strainer from the main pipe A to the triple valve B or brake cylinder 0.

The internal dividing-web d? of the draincup has notches or openings (Z at its inner edge, surrounding the strainer, to facilitate the passage of air, dirt, or water into the" lower or drip collecting chamber D? of the drain-cup, and the upper surface of this' web is made flaring or downwardly inclined for a) and drain cup the upper portion of the strainer, or that part thereof withinthe upper or air-filtering or dirt-separating chainhe r]? of the drain-cup, naturally tends to remain clean or unclogged by the dirt until the lower or' dirt-collecting chamber D of the cup be comes filled to the level of the dividing web (1 and as the cup and strainer is of course cleaned out before such con'mi ei y occurs it will be seen that my device will always op erate reliably and properly and efiectua'lly prevent the triple or other valve from beam ing gummed, stuck up'; or clogged with dirt;

To facilitate the Withdrawal of the strainer G from the cup D, and also to strengthen it,

so that it will preserve its shape and properly I fit the guides or walls d d ofthe cup, lprjo' p I g e tion with the main aiibrake pipe a'iid the vide it with internal rings g g,preferab1y soldered therete, one at each end; These strengthening rings or shoulders afford a ready means for getting hold of the strainer to pull it out of the cup either with the flit-gar; or, if necessary, with a suitable hook, tool, or instrument; v I V The strainer G maybe singldas shown in Fig. l, but I prefer to make it doume, shown in Fig; 4, where two strainers G Gare slipped one inside of another. In this stirstruction the rings g for theouter strainer G serve also as 'spacingdevices to keep the strainers concentric or in place in respect to each other. I d I d The removable strainer or strainers, it will be observed, are simplypushed upward inte place in the drain-cup D and then supported in place by the removable cap D at the lower end of the cup. 7 p 7 v Instead of screwing the connection or branch pipe F directly onto the threaded mp;- ple cl, I prefer to secure said pipe F to said nipple cl by a screw-threaded union orcoup? ling H and gasket h, and interpos'e a second strainer K of a conical or hood shape between p pe an ifiliisv p1; main P ll? var im the drain-cup D and the triple valve B. By unscrewing the union H the strainer K can be readily cleaned, as it is clamped at its rim between a shoulder f on the threaded sleeve F and a shoulder cl on the nipple d. By

this means I secure an eflicient and reliable easily kept in perfect condition, as it can be thoroughly cleanedby simply unscrewing the cap or plug D, which closes the opening in the lower end of the cup, and removing the Y strainer from the cup; This, by my invention, can be done in a few minutes, whereas in the old construction a great deal of time I was required to clean the drain-cup and strainer, and by removing the drain cup and strainer entirely-from the in ain ,pipc A all danger or trouble arising from the strainer becoming cldgge'd with dirt or collapsing 1111? de'r pressure and thus interfering with the passage of the air threngh the inainpipe is wholly avoided; By reason of the; dirt and Water collecting in the chamber at the rower part of tire iaintiip, we dirt-and water separated from the air By the strainer isre tamed in a imp-er receptac e wasted o t Of the direct cu rent or the air in its passage fr th me time th l e aim th r e a ii hu e t filiwhi e wi an tact with such dirt and water-than is possible where the drain-cup and strainer are located in the main pipe or in the direct for a t n-refit of the air.- The accomplishment air this rest-1t is also aided hi the interposed -'ci1"3ind ortliegreater' portion theio passes.

, 1. In anair rakeapp 'itus,theco1nbinafiiil i l 6 i 11i s ili r qm m e with the brake-cylinder, at an iirr htfi 'i r esp interposed e; can said mam pipe and va v and res-aw ntsremevst estaiast as iawsest matin e st we -arr,

the eiit e'p'ening r the (nae-su and naming the reiiiovatiestramiit sits-e, satsafiasny j l sed tastes saie iniziii t s mnes a: v m-m fildeated iii Said branch a and said valve ar a with it. iemava able tap, substantially a The eonibiiiatieil with the trikemany as specified;

, a. The eonitiinat tnwitt drain'e ii'p nav -r, ing inlet and outlet openings for the air to ble strait-er held in plate by i l n 1 2 5 531 f) c ntested tosaia branch pass through and a double strainer anda removable cap closing the exit-opening of the drain-cup and holding the strainer in place, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a drain-cup having inlet and outlet openings for the air to pass through and a double strainer, comprising two separate strainers fitting one inside the other and each provided with an internal ring or shoulder and a removable cap closing the exit-opening of the drain-cup and holding the strainer in place, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a drain-cup divided into two chambers by an intermediate web or wall, of a strainer extending through said intermediate web or Wall, the lower surface of said intermediate web or wall being recurved substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a drain-cup divided into two chambers by an intermediate web or wall, of a strainer extending through said intermediate web or wall, the upper surface of said web or wall being downwardly inclined and furnished with openings, sub- THOMAS E. HUNT.

as specified.

Witnesses H. M. ll/IUNDAY, EDMUND ADCOCK.

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