US764729A - Emergency-key for automatic car-couplings. - Google Patents

Description

No. 764,729. PATENTED JULY 12, 1904, J. T. KEATING. EMERGENCY KEY FOR AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 10. 1903. N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 12, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN T. KEATING, OF GARRISON, KANSAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,729, dated July 12, 1904.

Application filed December 10, 1903. Serial No. 184,593. (No model.)

To all 1071,0712, it n'trty concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. KEATING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garrison, in the county of Pottawatomie and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Keys for Automatic Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in temporary appliances for recoupling cars equipped with the now generally-used couplings provided with the open jaws and extended draw-heads with jointed knuckles or similar device attached thereto; and it consists of a metal block or wedge adapted to be inserted between said knuckles and take up the lost motion incident to worn knuckles or sprung jaws, thereby making it possible to recouple the cars without the use of the old-style link and pin, thus doing away with the necessity for the link-slot and pin-hole in the knuckle,

and thereby strengthening that part of th coupling.

My invention and the manner of applying the same are hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View in perspective of a carcoupling with my invention inserted therein as when in use, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of my invention.

Similar letters and figures indicate like parts in both views.

The key A is a metal block or wedge approximately sixteen inches long, three inches wide, and three-eighths of an inch in thickness in the body thereof, the lower end being tapered somewhat to facilitate its insertion in place for use. In the construction of the key, however, its several dimensions may be varied as found necessary for use with the various styles of couplings. The upper end of said key is provided with the horizontal projection 2, which I preferably make by slitting the top thereof to the depth of about two and onequarter inches one inch distant from what for convenience we will term the left side when holding one broad surface of the key toward the body of the person constructing it, thus forming a strip one inch wide by two and one-quarter inches long, which is then bent toward the body at right angles with said key, forming a projection which when the key is in use rests on the top of one of the knuckles and prevents said key from dropping out of place. A hole 8 is also made through said key approximately on a level with the under side of said projection, said hole serving as a means for hanging up said key when not in use and for preventing the key from dropping by the insertion of a pin in lieu of said projection when the latter may have been broken off or removed. B and C represent the couplingknuckles referred to above, and D D projections of the draw-heads, to which said knuckles are respectively pivoted. E represents one of the jaws. It will be seen that the object of placing the projection 2 on the prescribed side of said key is so the said projection will rest on that part of said knuckle farthest from the point of passage of the opposite knuckle. The position of the key between said knuckles is shown by dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. An emergency-key consisting of a block or wedge adapted to be placed between the knuckles of car-couplings and take up the lost motion incident to worn knuckles or sprung jaws, thus effecting the recoupling of the cars, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with a car-coupling, an emergency-key consisting of the wedge or block placed between the knuckles thereof to take up the lost motion incident to the knuckles becoming worn or the jaws sprung and means for holding said wedge or block in place, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination therewith, of the wedge or block placed between the knuckles thereof and provided with a lug or projection to rest upon the top of one of said knuckles and prevent said wedge or block from dropping out of place, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination therewith, of an emergency-key consisting of the wedge or block placed between the knuckles thereof and provided with a hole and pin for suspending the same in position, all for the purpose of taking up lost motion incident to worn knuckles and sprung jaws, substantially as shown and described.

5. A Wedge or block provided with a lug or projection and a hole in which to insert a pin near the top of said Wedge or block, for suspending the same between the knuckles of car-couplings when said knuckles become so 10 Worn or the jaws so sprung as that the couplings will no longer hold together, said wedge or block thus taking up the lost motion and effecting a recoupling of the cars, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- I 5 nature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. KEATING. Witnesses:

A. C. SOHAEBER, FRANK V. GAY.

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