US94547A - Improved railway-car coupling - Google Patents

Description

B W, BAYLOR.

Oar Coupling. No. 94,547.v Patented'sept. 7,1869.

WITNESSES.' INVENTOR.

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@anni @time Lette/rs Patent No. 94,547, dated September 7, 1869.

IMPROVED RAILWY-CAR COUPLING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent-and making part of the same.

To all whom it 'may concern.:

' Be it known that I, R. W. BAYLOR, of Norfolk, in

` the county of Norfolk, and State ot' Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exa-ct description oi` the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and tol the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification, in whieh Figure .1 is a top view of a draw-head, with my improvement attached.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view.

Figure 3 is a front view.

Figure 4 is an upper face view of the bottom plate.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the double coupling-link.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the draw-head.

Figure 7 is a View'of the key.

The nature of 'my invention consists in constructing the draw-head with a movable bottom, so hilwed that when left free, it falls, by its own weight, from its position parallel with the upper plate to one at an angle thereto.

rlhis bottom is elevated and held in position by means of a rectangular bearing-plate. so connected with a rod or arm that passes up through the draw head, that the revolving ofthe former shall give to the latter a circular sweep.

By this arrangement I am enabled at pleasure, by simply turning the rod, to bring the bearing-plate in a line with thc-bottom, or to throw the same in such position that they will each bo entirely free of the other, when the bottom instantly falls.

The bottom plate has a recess on its upper face. In this recess works the free end oi' thecoupling-catch or pm.

This catch or pin is pivoted in a suitable bearingon the inner surface ot' the top plate oi' the draw-head, and at such pointand in such manner as to fall a-nd rest against the forward face of the recess in the bottom plate.

' Thus it will be observed that so longas the bottom plato is held up, a iirm and secure bearing, and one that it cannot passLis atibrded the catch orpiu, but so soon as the bottom is lpermitted to fall, the pin being left perfectly ii'ee, a draught is only required that is suiiicient to more the same, to draw it instantly forward.

Vllile the catch or pin, so long as the bottom is held rin an elevated position, cannot be drawn forward beyond its line of bearing, still, owing to the form ot' the recess, its utmost freedom ot' movement in the opposite direction is allowed.

The slightest pressure of the coupling-link will readily elevate and push the catch or pin back, where Y it is held until thepassztge oi' the head or end of the link, when the pin will instantly swing back to its former position, resting or bearing against the front face of the recess, and securely `fastening.; the link.

By this simple and practical arrangement, one entiro-ly free from all complicated mechanism, I am cnabled to accomplish the two chiei` objects of my invention, viz, to furnish a device that, in coupling or connecting the cars, is 'purely automatic in its operation. and at the same time one which enables the brakeman, or other employ, to nnconple or disconncctthe cars at pleasure, and with as much readiness and ease when the pin is subjected to a heavy draught, as when the same is entirely removed.

Another feature of my ilwention is found in the method by which the rod or arm, which is connected with the bearing,r that supports the bottom plate oil the draw-head, is worked.`

To the rod is permanently attached a ratchet-wheel, which, in connection with a spring-pawl, secures the rod'at the desired points.

On the upper face of tlul ratchet-wheel are tivo short pins or stumps, which furnish bearing-surfaces for the key that moves the rod.

This key also works a bevolled plato thatis secured to the ratchet.

(living tothe form ofthe bevel and the key, the incluent you commence to turn the rod, the. pawl is held freev of the ratchet, and is retained in such. position until a sufficient revolution ot' the rod is made to insure thc necessary movement oi' the bearing-plate, and the consequent elevating' or lowerin r of' the bottom plate. i

My invention also consistsin constructing the catch or pin in the forni ot' a reversed cross, which is so arranged as to work in the groovcd bottom in such a manner that while it allows the necessary freedom oi' movement to the coupling-link, it atthe same time retains thc link in such position that it will not fall below the coupling-point.

My invention also consists in so combining a straight and reversed bent link that it can readily be made to accommodatc itself to an)l cars, no matter what thedii'- ference ot' their height may be.

To enable others skilled iu theart to make and use my invention, l will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the draw-head,which is constructed ot' any suitable material, and with the ordinary iiaring;` or bellshaped mouth.

ihe bottom A' of the draw-heini, instead of being constructed in one piece with top and side plates, as is usual, is an independent piece, and hinged as seen at a..

l t will be observed, by reference to fig. 2, that a This catch or pin C is pivoted in s p'ortion of the forward end of plate A is cut away. This causes they entire blow, produced by the cars coming together, to be receiuved by the top and sides of the draw-head, freeing entirely the hinged bottom of all undue strain. v

The plate A is formed with a circular groove or recess, B.

kIn this recess works the freeY end of the falling or adjustable coupling-catch or pin O.

"uitable bearings, c, arranged in the top plate, and is secured at such point that when it falls and occupies a perpendicular position, it rests and bears against the front face b of the groove B, and beyond which point it cannot pass or be drawn, so long as the bottom plate A' remains in the position shown in iig. 2. Still, owing to.the form of the groove B, the utmost freedom of movement in the opposite direction or toward b' is allowed, the slightestpressure against the catch or pin C readily causing the same. to swing back out of its line of bearing.

Thus it will be observed how easily, by the simple pressure of the link against the catch or pin (l, it can be pushed back, so as to allow of the passage of the link, and how impossible it is for the link, after it ha-s once passed, to be drawn ont, unless the bottom plate is caused to fall.

The form of the catch or pin is that of a reversed -cross, as is clearly shown in tig. 3.

The great advantage possessed by this form of catch or pin is found in the fact that while it allows the link all the necessary play required, still at the same time, the end of the link, when free, is never permitted to fall below the coupling-point, which is most important in car-couplings, especially those that are intended to operate automatically.

The hinged bottom A of the draw-head is held in position by means of a bearing-plate, D.

This plate D is constructed ofniet-al, and is rectangular in form. It worksin and is ehiey supported by a metallic bracket, 1)', which is secured to thel under surface ot'- one of the sides of the draw-head A.

This plate D is also, at (l, permanently welded or otherwise iirml) secured to a metallic rod or arm, E.

This rodhl passes up through the draw-head, and is held by a nut, d'.

This nut d can from time to time be tightened, and the looscness of the plate D, caused by wear, can be taken up.

lo this rod E is permanently att-ached a ratchetwheel, E. y

This ratcliet E' is retained and held in proper position by means of a spring-pawl, c.

To this pawl e is secured a bevelled plate, e'.

On the upper face of the ratchet-wheel .Il are permanently secured two stumps or bearing-pins, ff'.

F is the key, its form being clearly shown in jig. 7.

G is the combined coupling-link, and consists of two links, G1 G2, iirmly welded together. The form of this combined link is clearly shown in iig.

The operation is as follows:

The normal position of the draw-head A and the entire mechanism is clearly shown in iig. 2. The coupling-link G, on entering the draw-heini, pushes hack the catch or pin G, and retains the same in a slightly elevated angular position, until the curved end .of the link G passes the catch C. when the latter instautly falls in the opening of the link, and swings to its former position, having again its hea-ringr against the face b ofthe recess B.

The cars are now securely coupled, and no amount of draught on the link G will free the same, so long as the plate D retains the bottom A of theV draw-head A in position. But so soon as the plate D is turned, the bottom A', having no longer any support, immediately falls, and the cars are instantly uncoupled.

This plate D is worked in the following manner:

The key F is placed on the head of the arm or rod E, and its danged blade 11" is caused to bear'against the pin j. The end of the blade F' entering the bevel of the plate e' at x, forces the pawl e away from the ratchet l. The key'li can then easily turn the rod E, as, owing to the form of the bevel, the pawl c cannot come in cont-act with the ratchet E' until the point x on the bevel-plate e' is reached, when the pawl c falls against one of the teeth of the ratchet E', and its further progress, well as that of the rod E, is instantly arrested. But the revolution thus made by the rod E is exactly what is required to move the plate D from under the bott-om A out' to the side of the draw-head, and nearly at right angles thereto.

It will be observed that this circular .sweep of' the plate D entirely freesthe bottom A of all support, and it will, consequently, fall byits own weight down to point that will entirely free the end of the catch C, and permit the link G, without the slightest' obstruction, to be drawn out.

The draught on the pin C having nothing to do with the movement of the plate- D, it will readily be observed how easilyv it is to disconnect or uucouple the cars, no matter what the degree of V(.lraughtat the time may be. n

To elevate the bottom A', you have simply tov apply the key F as before, and turn the same in the opposite direction, bearing against the pin 7"insteadof the pin f. y

The'compound coupling G allows cars of different heights to be coupled, the links not used passing under and above. the draw-head, as the case may be.

Having thus fully described my invention,

That I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States, is-.

1. The draw-head A, when the same is provided with a hinged bottom, A', plate D, and rod E, when the whole is so combined and arranged as to operate substantially as described.

2. The bottom A', having a recess, B, and pivoted catch or pin C, when the same are so formed, combined, and arranged that they -will operate substan- 'tiantially as described, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The rod E, ratchet E', having pins f f', springpawl c, and bevelled plate c', when the same are so combined and arranged that theycan be operated by a key, F, substantiallyas described.

4. The ycompound link G, when the same is constructed substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my nameto this specitiation, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

it. XV. BAYLOR.

Witnesses:

EDWIN (latins, J. E. F. HomrnAn.

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