US89544A - Improved railway car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

gian/a' @gianni i @titre DAVID DOLMAGE WRIGHT, OF OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA.` .13mm Parent No. 89,544, camz April 27, 1869.

The Schedule i'eferred to in these Letters Patent and making parti of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID-DOLMAGE WRIGHT, M. D., of Oakville, Halton county, Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar- Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings of the same, making part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a horizontal section of the draw head of the car-coupling and the coupling-link, the several parts being in the position when the link is coupled; I

Figure 2 represents s. similar section, the several parts being in the position they occupy just previous to effecting the coupling;

Figure 3 represents a vertical transverse section of the draw-head, through the line a; :u of iig. 1, the parts occupying the position shown in iig. l;

. Figure 4 represents a similar section. the parts occupying the position shown in iig. 2;

Figure 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the draw-head, the several parts occupying the positions shown in iig 2; and

Figure 6 represents a view in perspective of the hinged supportinggate, in the position it occupies when the link is coupled, and showing more particularly the stops for limiting the motion of said supporting-gate.

In the accompanying drawings- A represents the upper and lower bars of the drawhead, united .at the front by the usual dat or bellshaped end-plate, c r mouth B, through an opening,

B2, in which passes the coupling-link C.

These bars are also united a suitable distance from their front ends by a block, D, forming the deadwood against which the coupling-link acts while being coupled. t

The coupling-pin E passes through openings F in the bars A, and confines -the link in or releases it from the draw-head, in coupling and uncoupling the cars.'

These parts are of the usual construction.

My improvements relate to a certain combination of devices for sustaining the coupling-pin, so that the coupling` may be automatically effected for limiting the motion of the supporting swinging-gate, for attaching the said gate toithe draw-head, and in the construction of the upper cross-bar with a thimble or guide,gfor sustaining the pin in the act of coupling.

The supporting-devices consist of a gate, G, se-

cured to the draw-head by means of a vertical bolt,

IL airanged'in a line transversely with the openings F, for the coupling-bolt E, and outside of the parallel bars of the draw-head.,

Thehinge H of thegate G, therefore, does not pass through the draw-head, but is secured to an upper and a' lower cross-bar, I I', placed transversely above and beneath the bars A of the said draw-head.v

These cross-bars I I' project beyond the sides of the draw-head a distance suicient to form the hinge of the gate, outside of the range of motion of the coupling-link.

'Th ese transverse bars I I', therefore, form the supports for the hinge of the gate, and are secured in position by being clampedto the draw-head by the boltsH, on either side.

The' gate is, therefore, hinged in a vertical position, and is of aheight to allow it to swing vbetween the parallel bars A of the'draw-head, so as not to interfere with the coupling-link, and rests upon the lower bar. It is also of 'alength suticient to extend from its hinge over the opening F, through which the coupling-bolt .E passes.

lhe lower cross-bar'Iis made with a depression, a, into which the lower bar of the draw-head its, but the projecting ends oisaid cross-bar are nearly on a level with the topo(` the lower horizontal bar A, so that whilesaid projecting ends form the 'attachmentE for the gate, the latter does not rest thereon, but upon the draw-head, so that its weight, together with that of the coupling-bolt, will keep it from being jarred out of position when set to effect the coupling.

lhis is an important feature, and adds greatly to the successful operation of the swinging-gate.

. The projecting ends of this cross-bar I are also constructed with two shoulders b c, between which the end of the bar is of circular form, concentric with the axis of the hinge of the gate. y s

The hinged end of the gate is made with a rib, or arm,-cl, so arranged as to project below the bottom of said gate, and between the shoulders b c of the crossarm I; and the limitof the motion of the gate is governed by these projections.

' The outer shoulder b permits the gate to swing just so far, and to occupy a position directly over and underthe openings in the draw-head, as not to interfere with the descent of the pin in the act of coupling, the inner one, c, allowing the gate to swing out of the way of the coupling-link, but not entirely around. Thus these projections, together with the Weight of the gate, maintain the latterin its position, whether closed or open.

The upper cross-bar I is constructed witha neck, or socket, J, which surrounds the opening 'through which the coupling-bolt passes, and forms a guide to maintain the bolt in a vertical position, and prevent it from leaning whilst resting upon the gate, which would render its descent uncertain, as is the case with couplings of this character now in use.A And toprevent the bolt from binding in this guide, or socket, it is' made slightly larger in diameter than the opening in the draw-head, as shown in the drawings.

Both ends of the projecting cross-bars are alike, in order that Athe gate may be adjusted either to one side or the other, or admitting of two gates, if required'.

This Construction enables the gate to be attached to any draw-head now in use. The cross-bars thus constructed also allow the gate to be readily attached to any coupling-head now in use, without taking oft' the draw-head, or making any alteration Whatever. This is a very important advantage in rendering its adaptation economical, simple, and secure.

That portion of the topof the gate upon which the bolt rests is provided with a slight depression, or it may be ribbed or rasped, as well as the end ofthe bolt, in order that the latter may bite thereon, thus forming an additional security against the jarring of the gate from beneath the bolt.

I am aware that a plate has been pivoted beneath vthe upper bar of the draw-head, to sustain the coupling-bolt in the position to effectthe coupling, and having an arm dependingr therefrom in a position to be struck and turned aside by the insertion of the coupling-link, but this arrangement has many disadvantages. The pivot of the plate is liable to be broken oli' or twisted, and the arm is also liable to be broken oior bent when struck suddenly and with force by the coupling-link. Moreover, the plate is liable to bind against the under side of the bar, to which itis secured by a pivot, and the slightest tight Work- `ing of sueh plate would be fatal to its proper operav tion, while the swinging-gate of my invention, being hinged by a bolt passing through it from top to bottom, outside of the draw-head, forms a sure and effectual support for the coupling-pin when in position to couple, and nnerring in its capacity to move out of' the way, whether the coupling-link strikes with a sudden, severe blow, or pushes it aside by simple Contact therewith, there being no danger whatever ofthe binding of the gate in its swing in or out.

Having thus described my improvements,

I claim- 1. The clamping cross-bars I I', arranged in eonnece tion with the draw-head in such manner as to sustain the coupling-pin E and the solid swinging-gate G, and admit of the attachment of these parts to the opensided draw-head, substantially as described.

2. The swinging-gate G and cross-bar l, constructed with stops b c (l, operating substantially as described.

D. D. VRIGHT, M. D.

Witnesses:

T. H. UPPERMAN, A. E. H, JOHNSON.

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