US691109A - Coupling device. - Google Patents

Description

No. 69|,|o9. Patented Jan. I4, 1902.

` M. A. BRowN.

COUPLING DEVICE."

(Application lsd July 25, .1901.1

(No Model.)

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MARK A. BROVN, OF DOUGLAS, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM O. PAXSON, OF DOUGLAS, GEORGIA.

COUPLING DEVICE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 691,109, dated January 14, 1902.

Application ned July 25,1901. stanno. 69,586. (nomma.)

y To all wiz/m it may con/007%:

Be it known that I, MARK A. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Douglas, in the county of Coffee and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Coupling Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to car-couplings, and more particularly to a device comprising a pivoted coupling-head and a coupler proper. It may be used upon railways and in analogous relations.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the igures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section upon the line 1 l of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is an oblique section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

The draw-head 1 is provided upon its under surface with an integral shoulder 2, the edges of which are slightly rounded, as shown in Fig. 1, at 3 and 4. The object of this shoulder is to support the abutting shoulder 5 of the coupling-head 30 so as to cause said coupling-head to project straight outward, and thereby register with any other couplinghead. The shoulder 2 also serves to protect the pivotal connection by which the couplinghead is made movable, any excess of pressure tending to break the pivot being received upon the shoulder 2.

The draw-head lis provided with a hole 11, extending vertically through the same, and is beveled, as at 13, and is square at 111. The object of the bevel 13 is to make room for the movable parts of the coupling. The rounded surfaces 3 and 4 of the shoulder 2 serve to allow more or less freedom of movement between the draw-head 1 and the coupling-head 30. This freedom -of movement is further facilitated by the shape of the walls 31 32, through which the draw-head 1 projects into the coupling-head.

From the bottom of the coupling-head projects a lip 8, terminating in the shoulder 5 and provided with edges 6 and 7. The object of this lip is to afford a flat bearing-surface which abuts upward against the draw-head 1 and serves to assist in sustaining the coupling-head in a horizontal position, as well as to abut against the shoulder 2 for the purpose above explained.

The parts 9 and 10 are of the usual form and need not be described in detail. The pivot 12 extends through the coupling-head and also through the draw-head, and the coupling-head has by virtue of its pivot and of the tapering walls 31 32 and the curved surfaces 3 Il of the shoulder 2 more or less rocking movement relatively to said drawhead.

The coupling-head 30 is preferably extended longitudinally in the direction of the drawhead, and the pivot 12 isplaced in one end, so to speak, of the coupling-head. By this means the free end of the coupling-head has more or less lateral swing for the purpose of enabling it to partake of the general direction of the track in passing around a curve. Upon fthe free end of the coupling-head 30 and secured thereto by a vertical pivot 17 is a knuckle, the outer end 22 of which is provided with a hole 23, said outer end being of the usual type employed in .Ianney couplers, and which therefore need not be described in detail. An arm or wing 15, integral with said knuckle, extends into the opening 33 of the coupling-head 30. -This wing moves radially upon the pivot 17 and is provided with a spiral cam 18. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 2.) Behindthis Wing is a simple form of leaf-spring 23,which Idenominate a triggerspring. This part being substantially the same as that described in my former application, I do not deem it necessary to describe in detail.

The coupling-pin19 is partly cutaway and provided with a shoulder 20 and is adapted to move upward when actuated by the spiral cam and to drop downward by its own weight when the high portion of the cam passes, so as to leave the pin Without further support. This pin is provided with a shoulder 27 and with a link 21, whereby it can be actuated by means of any approved form of lever. The shoulder, lever, and link being old form no part of my present invention.

IOO

Parts and 26 represent the connections for holding the spring-trigger in place. The edge 28 of the coupling-head 30 is beveled and in other respects the coupling has the usual form of couplers. 29 is a slot in the wing 15 for engaging the spring-trigger.

The operation is as follows: When two cars are brought together and a coupling-head similar to the one described or a Janney coupler of any kind is brought into contact with this coupler, pressure upon the face 34 of the knuckle causes the Wing 15 to swing inward into the position shown in Fig. 1. In doing this it compresses the spring-trigger 23' bydirect compression, and the spiral cam 18, engaging the shoulder 20 of the pin 19, raises the pin vertically upward, passing under the same, and When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the piu drops down by its own Weight into the place it formerly occupied, -thus effectually preventing the wing 15 from moving out of the couplinghead until the coupling-pin is raised, which is done in the usual manner. The bevel 13 upon the draw-head is regarded as an important feature of my invention. By means of this bevel the wing 15 is allowed to swing freely in an unobstructed path and considerable space is saved. The tapering walls 3l 32 and the rounded edges 3 and 4C of the shoulder 2 allow the coupling-head to swing with considerable freedom upon the drawhead l1, so that the free end of the couplinghead has considerable lateral play. This lateral play is of great importance in enabling the coupler to pass curves, as above eX- plained. The freedom of lateral motion in the coupling-head is greatly increased by the beveled edge 13, because if this edge were not beveled the end of the draw-head adjacent to the pivot would jam against the cam 18 and obstruct the movements of the wing 15. The bevel 13 constitutes a mutilation of the draw-head l for the joint purpose of allowing the coupling-head 30 to swing side- Wise and of allowing the wing 15 to swing upon`the pivot 17, meanwhile allowing the coupling to be made in a compact form. The coupling can be made several pounds lighter by virtue of this mutilation and because4 of its compact form can be more readily handled.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent- 1. A coupling device, comprising a longitudinal draw-head provided with a beveled surface, a coupling-head pivoted centrally upon said draw-head, a radially-movable member pivoted upon said coupling-head at a point eccentric to the center thereof and substantially facing said beveled surface, and means for locking and releasing said movable member, the arrangement being such that the path of said radially-movable member is partially bounded by said beveled surface, whereby the entire structure is rendered compact and strong.

2. A coupling device, comprising a hollow coupling-head provided rearwardly with an aperture, a longitudinal draw-head extending through said aperture into said couplinghead and provided therein with a beveled end, a radially-movable wing pivoted in said coupling-head at a point out of alinement with the general longitudinal direction of said draw-head, but free to swing across the general direction of said coupling-head, in a path bounded by said beveled end of said drawhead.

3. A coupling device, comprising a hollow coupling-head provided rearwardly with an aperture having diverging walls of different sizes constituting bearing-surfaces, a longitudinaldraw-head extending through said aperture and provided with bearing-surfaces of different Sizes for engaging said diverging walls, the forward end of said draw-headk being provided with an oblique face adjacent to the smaller of the said diverging walls, a rearwardlymovable Wing pivoted in said coupling-head at a point out of alinement with the general longitudinal direction of said draw-head, but free to swing in a direction substantially parallel to said oblique face, the free end of said Wing normally lying adjacent to said beveled end the arrangement constituting a strong and compact coupling ot' light weight, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MARK A. BROWN.

Vitne'sses:

F. WILLIS DART, GEO. R. B Riees.

IOD

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