US784990A - Thill-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

No. 784,990. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

- E. J..S.. DAVIS.

' THILL COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1904..

gluoentez v Z A? UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFrcE- ERNEST J. S. DAVIS, OF KNOXVILLE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW VANDRIMMELEN, OF KNOXVILLE, IOWVA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 784,990, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed June 4:, 1904. Serial No- 211,181.

To alt whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST J. S. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Thin-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in thill-couplings; and its object is to provide an attachment of simple and inexpensive construction which is adapted to be placed upon the clip of the coupling and which is provided with means whereby rattling of the thill-iron within the clip is prevented.

A furtherobject is to provide means for look ing the pin of the coupling in position within the thill-iron.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of a frame adapted to be placed outside of and hung from the armsof the clip of the thill-coupling, and this frame has inwardly-extending ends which engage the arms, so as to hold the frame in position thereon. A spring engages one end of the frame and has a curved portion for bearing on the thill-iron, and this spring is adapted to be tensioned by means of a cam which is mounted within the frame and is adapted to be 0perated by a suitable handle. A pin-retaining strip is pivoted to the frame and is adapted to hold the coupling-pin in position. The invention also consists of the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my-invention, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a coupling. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the coupling, the thill-iron being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the antirattler attachment, and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner of connecting the spring to the frame of theattachment.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is an axle having a clip 2 of ordinary construction secured thereon, said clip being provided with forwardly projecting arms 3 for the reception of a coupling-pin 4. This coupling-pin extends through a thill-iron 5 5 of ordinary construction. An attachment is provided for preventing rattling of the parts ,of the coupling, and this attachment comprises a frame 6, which is substantially rectangular in form and has inwardly-turned ends 5 5 7, which extend over and bear upon the arms 3. The frame 6 inc loses the arms of the clip and has a recess 8 at its lower end, in which is located a tongue 9, which fits within a slot 10, formed within one end of a spring 11. This spring has a curved portion 12, which bears upon the end of the thill-iron 5. A rod 13 is revolubl; mounted within the sides of frame 6 and has an extension 1 1 at one end, which forms a handle. The central portion 5 of the rod 13 is pressed out of alinement with the remainder thereof, as shown at 15, so as to produce a cam which is adapted to press the spring 11 forward and cause the curved portion 12 thereof to tightly bear upon the 7 end of the thill-iron. An ear 16 extends laterally from one side of the frame 6 and serves to support a retaining-plate 17, which is pivoted to said side of the frame, as shown at 18, and is adapted to overlap the head of the coupling-pin 4 and prevent the parts from becoming detached. This retainingplate 17 has 'a laterally-extending car 19, which forms a thumb-piece whereby the-strip can be readily movedfrom position upon the pin-head. By having a space between the ends 7 of the frame 6 said frame can be spread apart or contracted, so as to adapt it for use upon clips of different widths.

When it is desired to attach this antirattler 5 device to a clip, the thill-iron is removed and the frame 6 is placed over and suspended from the arms 3. The thill-iron' 5 is then placed between the arms 3, and the coupling-pin 4 is inserted thereinto. The spring 11 is so pro- 9 portioned that when the parts are in these positions the curved portion 12 of the spring will bear lightly upon the end of the thilliron. Strip 17 is then swung downward upon the car 16 and assumes a position upon the head of the pin t, and thereby prevents it from being accidentally displaced. After the Having thus described the invention, What strip 17 has been swung downward into retaining position the cam is rotated, so as to press the spring 11 tightly against the thilliron, thereby holding all of the parts securely together and preventing rattling. The extension 11 of the rod 13 does not contact with the bottom of the axle until after the cam 15 has passed the point of greatest pressure on the spring. It will therefore be seen that this cam and the parts connected therewith are held in place by the pressure of the spring thereagainst. Moreover, the inner end of the strip 17 is straight and at right angles to the side edges thereof, and when the spring 11 is tensioned in the manner above described the inner end of the strip 17 is pressed against the flat piece of the axle, and said strip is therefore prevented from being moved either upward or downward. The head of pin4 projects slightly beyond the arm 3 of the clip, and therefore prevents the arm 6 from slipping forward out of position in the event of is claimed as new is 1. An antirattler attachment for couplings comprising a frame having inwardly-bent separable ends and a laterally-extending ear, a retaining-strip pivoted to the frame and adapted to be supported by the car, a lug upon the frame, a spring havinga stationary apertured end detachably engaging the lug, said spring also having a curved portion, and a cam mounted within the frame for tensioning the spring.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a clip having arms extending from it; of a thill-iron between the arms, a longitudinallymovable coupling-pin engaging the arms and thill-iron, a frame partly surrounding the arms and suspended therefrom, one end of said frame having inwardly-bent and separable supporting portions bearing upon the arms, an ear upon the frame, a lug integral with one end of the frame, a spring having an apertured stationary end detachably engaging the lug, said spring being adapted to bear upon the thilliron, means for tensioning the spring and a retaining-strip pivoted to the frame and adapted to extend over one end of the coupling-pin and to bear upon the ear.

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

ERNEST J. s. DAVIS. Witn esses:

L. B. MYERS, W. R. MYERS.

Images