US592876A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

CAR COUPLING.

No. 592,876. I Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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HARRY L. MILLER, OF WAIISAU, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,876, dated November 2, 1897.

Application filed March 15, 1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY L. MILLER,-of Wausau, in the county of Marathon and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Car-Couplers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has'relation to improvements in oar-couplers.

The object is to provide an improved construction of automatic coupler which is set for coupling without the necessity of a trainman passing in between the two cars, and which is also of such form that one car provided with my improved coupling is adapted by improved means to be coupled to another car in which the draw-head thereof is on a higher plane than the draw-head of the car carrying my improved coupler, the couplinglink being adapted to be readily adjusted, so as to accurately fit into the higher draw-head.

With the above primary'objects in view the invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of two cars equipped with my improved couplings, said couplings being in locked position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the draw-heads, showing the pin in one head as lowered and passing through the coupling-link and the pin of the other draw-head as in' its raised position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the couplingheads. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the transverse rock-bar for raising the coup ling-pin.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 6 6 indicate two cars equipped with my improvements. The draw-heads connected to these cars are indicated, respectively, by the numerals 7 7 and each of these draw-heads is provided with the usual longitudinal opening or mouth 8, flared at its outer end for the more ready entrance of the coupling-link. The bottom of this opening or mouth just back of the flare is raised or offset, as indicated at 9, to form a seat for the coupling link 10. Near its outer end the draw-head Serial No. 6 2 7,61 2. (No model.)

is intersected by vertically- alined openings 11 and 12, the former extending through the top of the longitudinal opening 8 and the latter from the longitudinal opening through the bottom of the draw-head. These alined openings form a passage for the coupling-pin 13, which near its upper end is provided with an annular shoulder 14, which rests on the bordering edge of the opening 11 and serves to retain the pin in its lowered position within the openings. Each pin is also provided with an eye in which a ring 15 is pivoted. The top of each draw-head is also provided with an elongated opening or slot 16, which extends rearwardly for a desired distance and also extends down to and in communication with the opening or mouth 8.

In the bottom of the opening 8 of the drawhead is pivoted upon a transverse pin 17 a dog 18. This dog is provided with a shoulder 19, which is adapted to engage under the end of the pm when said pin is raised. It is also provided with another shoulder or projection 20, whichwhen the pin is lowered is adapted to bear upon the link and maintain said link in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane. The upper end of this dog extends through the elongated slot 16.

Extending transversely across each car is a rock-bar 21. The ends of this bar extend through and turn freely in eyes formed in plates 22, projecting from the sides of the car, and the extremities of the bar are bent down in the form of handles 23 23. The plates 22 are also formed with outstanding lugs 24,

which are adapted to act as stops to limit the extent of the upturning of the rods.

Each rock-bar is formed or provided medially with a projecting arm 25, which extends down at an obliquity or incline, thence upwardly at an incline, and finally out in a straight horizontal line. The under edge of the upwardly-inclined portion of this arm is adapted, when the coupling-pin is down, to rest upon the upper end of the dog 18.

While the specific form of arm 25 just described is preferred, yet I do not wish to be understood as confining myself thereto, as any form may be adopted which will permit the arm to bear upon the upper end of the dog in the manner above described. The

outer straight extremity of the arm is connected with the ring 15 of the pin by means of a chain 26.

Passing through an opening in a projecting portion of the roof of each car and also through a guide or keeper 27 is a vertical rod 28. The lower end of this rod is connected to an eye 29, formed on the upper edge of the arm 25, said connection being made by means of a chain 30.

Each coupling-pin 13 is advisably intersected at its lower end by a transverse pin 31, and this pin is adapted to pass into recesses 32 in the lower opening 12 and also to pass for a short distance into recesses 33 33 in the upper opening 11. These recesses 33, however, only extend for a short vertical distance, and their upper ends therefore act as stops to prevent the entire withdrawal of the coupling-pin upwardly.

In the operation of my invention, if it is desired to couple two cars equipped with my improved form of couplers it is first necessary that the coupling-pin of one of the couplingheads be raised and held in its raised posi tion. If, for instance, the trainman is nearest the car (5, he will take hold of the handle of the rock-bar 21 at the side of the car where he is and turn said handle upwardly. This will have the effect of raising the couplingpin by means of the arm 25 and the chain 26. The moment the pin is raised to its full ex tent the dog, being overweighted at its outer edge, will turn forwardly by gravity on its pivot until the shoulder 19 passes beneath the lower end of the coupling-pin, as clearly shown at the right hand of Fig. 2. The couppin of the other car, it will be understood, is in its lowermost position and passes through the link, said link extending out a desired distance from the mouth of the draw-head and being maintained in horizontal position by the shoulder 20 of the dog bearing against the inner end of the link. The two cars are now made to approach each other, and the moment the forward end of the link strikes the dog of the draw-head 7 it will throw said dog backward on its pivot until the shoulder 19 is out of engagement with the lower end of the coupling-pin. This coupling-pin then of course at once drops by gravity, and, passing through the link, has the effect of securely coupling the cars together.

In the operation just described the coupling-pin of the drawhead 7 was raised by turning one of the handles at the side of the car upwardly, which of course obviates the necessity of a trainman going in between the cars. The rods 28 also provide means for raising the coupling-pins from the tops of the cars. In order to thus raise a pin, it is only necessary to pull upwardly on one of the rods 28.

After coupling the cars in the manner just described, if it is desired to uncouple, all that is necessary is either to turn one of the handles 23 upwardly or pull upwardly 011 one of the rods 28. This has the effect of raising the coupling-pin and throwing the dog forward, thus permitting the opposite car to withdraw the link.

My device is most admirably adapted for coupling with higher or lower opposite drawheads. This function is secured by reason of the fact that when the coupling-pin is lowered the upwardly-inclined portion of arm 25 bears 011 the top of the dog, and by manipulating one of the handles 23 a wedging action is produced by said upwardly-inclined arm on the top of the dog. By turning the handle 23 downwardly the outer end of the coupling-link is raised, while by turning said handle in the opposite direction the outer end of the coupling-link is permitted to fall.

It is furthermore to be noted that my improved device will couple on a curve as well as on a straight line.

Attention is also directed to the fact that there is very little danger of the coupling becoming clogged up with dirt or snow, as it will readily clear itself of such matter.

A further advantage is gained from the fact that I do not use throughout the entire construction a single spring. The use of springs in some forms of construction is very objectionable owing to said springs either losing their resiliency in a very short time or becoming broken or otherwise damaged.

Still another important advantage possessed by my invention will be here mentioned. It resides in the fact that the dog takes the thrust of the link, and the solid shock of the link against the draw-head is thereby obviated.

In addition to the advantages heretofore recited it may be stated that all the links and pins now in use in the old form of couplers maybe used in connection with my automatic coupler, and that also in coupling ears the link is entirely free from any strain or pressure while it is being inserted in the drawhead, as the two draw-heads of the cars being coupled will meet before any thrust can be imparted to the inner end of the link.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, of a draw-head provided with a longitudinal opening or mouth, and having an opening intersecting said longitudinal opening or mouth vertically, a coupling-pin fitting in said vertical opening, a pivoted dog adapted to swing forwardly as the coupling-pin is lifted and to engage the pin and hold said pin in elevated position, a coupling-link insertible in the draw-head, and through which the couplingpin is adapted to extend, when said pin is in its lowered position, a pivoted dog adapted to bear against the link, and a transverse rockbar provided with a projecting arm adapted to bear against the upper end of the dog, and the outer extremity of said arm being connected with the coupling-pin, for the purpose of operating said pin as the rock-baris turned.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, of a coupler-head provided with a longitudinal opening or mouth and having an opening intersecting said longitudinal opening or mouth vertically, a coupling-pin fitting in said vertical opening, a pivoted dog adapted to swing forwardly as the coupling-pin is lifted and to engage the pin and hold said pin in elevated position, a coupling link insertible in the draw-head, and through which the coupling- IO pin is adapted to extend, When said pin is in its lowered position, a pivoted dog adapted to bear against the link, and a transverse rockbar provided with a projecting arm adapted to bear against the upper end of the dog.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. MILLER. Witnesses:

EDW. O. KRETLOW, E. L. BoEHM.

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