US642719A - Car-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

No. 642,7l9. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

M. H. RICE.

GAR COUPLING.

lication filed June 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

gm t Jn/eni az NITED STATES MILTON H. RICE, OF CARNFORTH, IOVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,719, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed June 22, 1899. Serial No. 721,499. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON H. RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garnforth, in the county of Poweshiek, and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the type commonly known as the Janney, and has for its object to improve the construction of car-couplers of this type, so as to make itimpossible for the draw-bar to fall on the track in case it pulls loose from the car to which it is attached, and thus prevent the wreck and damage that is often caused by such an accident.

The nature of the invention will fully appear in the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a carcoupler embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pair of the same, the plane of the section being a little to the right of the center and longitudinal to the draw-head shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the unlocking-pin and a crosssection of the locking-bar.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A designates an ordinary freight-car, and B the uncoupling-lever forming a part of a rock-shaft, mounted in suitable bearings at the end of the car and having an arm 13 connecting by a suitable chain 0 with the unlocking-pin H in the usual way.

E is a draw-head of the conventional type, but differs from those in common use by having a flange E in the nature of a bridge extending from about the point of the deflecting-arm E to a junction with the other arm E to which the knuckle F is pivoted. This bridge spans the arm E of the other drawhead when the two are coupled, and must therefore be enough higher than the body of the draw-head to allow for such coupling, notwithstanding differences in the heights of cars and variations in height according as cars are loaded or empty. The purpose of this bridge is to catch on the arm of the drawhead under it in case either draw-bar is pulled loose from the car, and thus prevent the detached draw-head from falling on the track and wrecking the train. This also involves the use of a special apparatus to prevent the draw-heads from uncoupling, and this device will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 2, F designates the knuckle of the right-hand draw-head and is shown in full outline, a sectional fragment only of the other knuckle F being shown. These knuckles are locked by a locking-bar G, which 'is in general use. This is in the nature of a latch, the knuckle automatically coupling by its tail slipping under the inclined outer end of the locking-bar as it turns inwardly and backwardly. To uncouple, this bar is elevated at the forward end by a pin I-I, having a shoulder at H to engage the under side of the bar, and connecting at the upper end with the arm B by a chain.

My improvement consists in providing a recess H in the side of the pin H long enough to allow the locking-bar to rise and fall without disturbing the position of the pin. It further consists in making the hole for the pin through the draw-head of such a shape that the pin may be drawn back considerably at its upper end, providing a lip E at the upper end of said hole on the back side, and forming a notch H in the pin adjacent thereto. This is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the hole E being tapered to allow for the swing of the pin backwardly. Now in case the draw-bar pulls loose fromthe car, as often happens, the upper end of the pin H is drawn back, the notch H engages the lip E and the connecting-chain O is broken. This of course leaves the draw-heads coupled together, and while so coupled it is impossible for the broken one to slip down through the jaws of the other, being held by the bridge above described.

It is to be understood that in the foregoing the term draw-bar refers to the tail portion under the car and the term draw-head to the head or outer portion of the same casting.

To prevent the pin from catching on the draw-head in ordinary use, the lifting-lever B is extended somewhat forward of the vertical center of the pin, as shown in Fig. 2, so

that as it lifts it tends to draw thepin away from the lip E instead of against it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head it having an elevated bridge connecting the deflecting and knuckle arms, a locking-bar adapted to rise and fall and engage the knuckle when in coupled position, a pin mounted to tilt a limited distance in the draw-head, engaging said locking-bar near the lower end and connecting with the uncoupling apparatus at the upper end, a notch in the back side of said pin, and a lip formed in the draw-head, with which said pin eugages when the draw-head pulls loose from the car, as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head of the Janney type having a raised bridge connecting the deflecting and at the upper end, and a lip formed in the 30 draw-head to engage said notch, and a connection of the upper end of the pin with the uncoupling-lever, substantially as shown.

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

MILTON H. RICE.

- Witnesses:

P. J. OoLLUN, O. M. SLAYMAKER.

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