US894127A - Automatic air-brake coupling. - Google Patents

Description

No. 894,127. l PATBNTBD JULY 21 l A.-s.-E,1VA1\1Si v AUTMA-TMAIR BRAKE GOUPLING.

APPLICATION IILED MAR. 11. 1908.

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ARTHUR S. EVANS, OF ARVONIA, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Applcationrled March 11, 1908. Serial No. 420,417.

'provements in Automatic Air-Brake Coup- 1ngs, ofl which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic air brake couplers and couplers of a like character designed for use upon railway cars for connecting the ends of fluid conductors upon the proximate ends of the ears of a train, the main obj ect of the invention being to provide a simple and efficient type of coupler which will be normally maintained in proper coupling position, which is adapted in operation to have universal motion to conform to the motion of the cars, which is provided with means for securing an eiicient cushioning action during the cou ling operation, in which provision is ma e for holding the coupling head against independent motion when uncoupled, and in which the airfeed valve therein will be automatically opened and closed when the coupling is respectively engaged with and disengaged from the coupling of' another car.

Viith the foregoing and other important objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and. `arrangement of parts `hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the proximate ends of two coupled railway cars equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the connected airbrake coupling shown in Fig. 1,'the outlines of the car bodies bein indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is avertica longitudinal section'through. one of the automatic couplers. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the coupling head thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 respectivelyT designate the proximate ends of two coupled cars equipped withI my invention, and 3 and 4 designate, respectively, in a general mannerthe air brake coupling devices carried thereby, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are coupled to c'onneet the train pipe sections 5 upon the cars with each other.

Each automatic coupling device comprises a coupling head 6 having a beveled abutting face 7 to engage the reversely beveled face of a coacting coupling, it being understood that the heads at opposite ends of a car have their upper and lower surfaces respectively beveledrso that the beveled faces of opposing 'couplings upon the proximate ends of cars will mate and iit snugly together. Each coupling head is also provided with lateral stop shoulders 8 for an obvious purpose and with a yoke or strap 9 overhanging its bevel face to receive and engage the outer face of the coupling engaged therewith, thus providing for the irictional engagement of coupler heads tight enough to prevent leakage of air and yet loose enough to permit the heads to separate upon the uncoupling and movement apart of the cars. Each coupler head isformed with a longitudinal bore opening through the bevel face thereof and in which is iitted a rubber tube or lining 10, which projects slightly beyond the bevel face to form a sealing disk or portion 11 which on engaging the corresponding disk of another coupler will form an air-tight connection therewith to obviate all liabilityoiI the leakage through the coupler heads of the air flowing from car to car through the train pipe.

The coupler head is connected by an externally threaded bushing tube 12 with the forward end of a tubular shank comprisingV two sections 13 and 14 detachably connected by an interposed threaded bushing tube 15,

'between which and the section 13 is inserted suitable packin 16 to revent leakage of air at the joint. T e shan 1 section 13 is formed with an inlet tube or nozzle 16 connected by a .rubber tube or hose 17 with the train ipe 5, and the lower or inner end of said nozz e is incoininunication with the feed bore or passage ici-ined by the tubes 10 and 12, at the inner Vend of which bore or passage is an elastic valve seat 18 for the 'automatic check valve 19 which is normally closed to vrevent the escape of airthrough such feed oore or passage. The rear end .of the shank section 16 carries a partially spherical head or ball 20 which fits and turns within a' socket 21 mounted upon the forward end of a tubular vdraw-bar 22, which is inovably mounted upon the car in a manner hereinabove described. The socket. 21 is preferably constructed of sections suitably united to retain the head therein, and carries an oil cup or lubricating device 22 to keepthe surfaces of said arts thoroughly' lubricated. The stein 23 ofp the check valve 19 extends rearwardly through the coupling 15 into the shank scc.- tion 14 and terminates lwhen the valve is closed adjacent' the forward end o a cylinf drical bore or passage 24 in the head 20, in rear of which bore or passage said head is formed with a flared socket or recess 25. A coil spring 26 is disposed about the stem 23 between an adjusting nut 27 thereon and the coupling member 15 and tends to force .the

` check valve open.

The shank 22. is slidably mounted for movement longitudinally of the carin a yoke shaped guide ilraine 28 having a cross piece 29, the shank being movable in said cross piece and the front cross piece of said frame. The frame is connected at its forward end with a bracket 3l vand at its rear end with a bracket 32 secured to and depending from the bottom oi the car, which brackets are reinforced by suitable inclined braces 33. The rear portion of the shank is reduced to form a seat for a coiled cushioning spring 34 bearing at one end against the cross piece 29 and at its other end against a washer or shoulder 35 on the shank. This spring normally holds the shank projected forwardly to the normal l-imit of movement of the coupler, which position it occupies when disengaged from another coupler, and in which position the valve 19 is closed against the passage of air between the coupler head and train pi e.

When the coupler is engaged by anot erv coupler and forced back, the spring absorbs the shock of impact and maintains the coupler under tension, so that the heads or the two couplers will be held iirmly in contact.

A valve controlling rod 36 extends through the shank and normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, in which its forward end occupies the bore 24 in the head 20 and abuts against the rear end of the stem 23. The rear end of the rod is forked, as at 37, and carries a pin 38 which has a loose pivotal engagement with the upper end of a lever 39, which lever is lulerumed at its lower end on a fined pin 40 carried by an arm 4l attached to the bracket 32. 'lhe lever forms a shifting motion transferring connection between the rod and shank, and to this end has a loose pivotal connection between its pivotal points 38 and 4() with a pivot pin 42 carried by a yoke 43 having a threaded stem 44, which passes through one end of an arm 45 adjustably secured thereto by retaining nuts 46, the other end of said arm having a threaded engagement with the rear'end of the shank 22 and being secured thereon by a retaining nut 47. 'lhe lever .59 normally stands in the in clined position shown in Fig. 3, in which its upper end lies in advance of its lower end, and is adapten to swing rearwardly to the substanl ially vertical dotted line position when the shank ol the coupler slides rearwardly l'rom the impact and pressure of another coupler in the coupling operation, in which action the movement ol` the shank will be transmitted to an accelerated degree to the rod 36, by which the automatic opening ofthe valve 19 will be permitted for the low of luid through the joint coupling heads and to and between the air brake systems of the cou led cars.-

rom the foregoing description, it will be apparent that in the ,normal position of the parts the feed valve will be held closed by the rod 36 against the pressure of the spring 26, while the forward end of said rod 36 occupy# ing the bore 24 will lock the head 2O from movement in the socket 21, th'us maintaining the head 6 in position to be engaged by the coupler on another car. When thehea'd 6 is forced back by the other coupler to the eX tent permitted by the spring 34, the shank 22 will transmit motion through the connections 43 and 45 to the lever 39, which in turn through the greater range of motion of its upper end will transmit through the connections 37 and 38 an increased degree of rearward motion te *he rod 36. As a result, the forward end oi' the rod will move out of the bore 24 into the flared recess or socket 25, thus permitting the coupler head to have universal motion to accommodate itself to the movements of the cars, while at the same time upon the pressure of said rod on the stem 29 .being relaxed the spring 26 will open the valve 19, thus opemngcommunication between the feed passages of the two connected couplers and the train ipes on the cars. When the cars are uncoup move out of engagement the spring 34 restores the coupler to normally forwardly rojected position and thus projects the ro 36 into interlocking engagement with the head 20 and to force the valve closed against the resistance of its opening spring.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In an automatic air brake coupler, the combination of a longitudinally movable shank, a coupler head having a pivotal connection therewith and rovided with a feed passage, an automatica y opening valve controlling said passage, a cushioning spring for permitting rearward movement of the shank and returning the same to normal position, a valve controlling member normally arranged to hold said valve closed and the head from pivotal movement, and means for rendering said member inoperative upon the rearward movement of the coupling.

2. In an automatic' air brake coupler, a rearwardly yielding shank having means for returning it to normal position, a head pivotally connected therewith and provided with a feed passage, an automatically opening valve controlling said passage, a movable member l'or normally holding the valve closed and the head from )ivotal movement, and ineans operated by the recession of the shank from normal to coupling position to render said member inoperative.

In an automatic air brake coupler, a

ed and the heads 6 projecting said rod.

longitudinall movable coupler, means for cushioning t e rearward movement of said o'oupler and returning the same to normal position, said coupler having a feed assage, a device for normally holding the va `ve closed, and means operated by the rearward movement of the coupler for rendering said device inoperative.

4. ln an automatic air brake coupler, a s ring controlled lon itudinally movable s ank, a head ivotaily connected therewith and provi ed with a feed assa e, a lookin device' for -holding the liead. rom pivotal movement, an automatically opening feed valve controlling said passage, means whereby in the backward and forward movements of the shank the lookin` device Will be retracted and projected an the valve permitted to open in such rear- Ward movement.

5. In an automatic air brake coupler, the combination of a lon itudinally movable shank, a head pivoted t ereto and provided with a feed assage, a spring for cushionin the rearward movement of the shank and returnin the' same to normal position, an automatically opening valve controlling said passage, a rod for normally locking the head from pivotal movement and holding. the valve closed, and means operated by the movements or the shank for retracting and in an automatic air brake coupling, y combination of a movable shank, a spring for' cushioning the rearward movement of said shank and returnin position7 a head pivota'llg mounted upon the shank and provided with a feed passage, an automatica ly op'enin valve controlling said passage, arod carrie 'mally holding the head from pivotal movement and the valve from opening) movement, and an operative connection etween the shank and rod, .whereby in the rearward movement of the rod the shank Willv be4 adjusted to an inoperative osition.

7. ln an automatic air combination of a movable shank, a 'spr' for, oushonin the rearward movement said shank' and returning the someto normal position, a head vpix'fotally mounted upon the shank for universal movement and with a feedi passage, 'an automatica ing valve;= controlling said passage, a rod carried b the shank or normally holding .the rom pivotal movement and the valve movab the same to normal.v

by the shank for nor' rake coupling, the' rovided ly openfrom opening movement, and a lever connected With the shank and rod and operated upon the rearward and forward movements of the shank to move the rod to inoperative position and to restore it to operative position.

8. In an automatic air brake couplino, a movable spring cushioned shank, a cou ing head pivotally connected therewith and provided With a feed passage, an'automatically openingn valve controlling said passage, a e member for normally locking the head from pivotal movement and holding the valve from opening, and a variable movement connection between the shank and member for adjustinfr said member to an inoperative position in ment of the shank and restoring it to opera` tive osition upon the forward movement or" the s ank.

y' 9. .In an automatic sliding tubular shank,

the r arward moveair brake coupling, a a spring iorf maintaining the same in normal position and per mittin rearward movement-thereof, a head pivots ly connected with the shank and provided With a feed passage, an automatically o ening valve controlling said siding rod movable in the shank to noie mally look the head from pivotal movement and hold the valve from opening, and oon.- necting means between the shank and rod for retracting said rod upon the rearward movement of the shank.

il). ln van automatic air brake coupling, a tubular shank` having a socket, a couplinp head having a portion mounted for universal movement in the socket and provided 'with a 'iced passale, an automatically opening 'valve eontroingpsaid assage, a rod end: Wise movable" in the sh to engage and hold the head from pivotal movement and the valve from opening movement, a spring for maintainirig the s ank in normal position' and' ermittim, rearward movement thereof, an a pivote u ally connecting .the rod and shank to oommunicate accelerated rearward movement to the rod upon a corresponding movement of the shank. lil-testimony .vhereoil l ailiz in presence o two witnesses.

. @Viti TS.

viren-,sm A

R. U. Owens, d. RALPH Ecrans.

nature passage, a

Lv mounted lever pivots

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