US1107166A - Contour car-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

R. E. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16, 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5, 1914.

I I l I l 3 l I I I/ I I 1 I l Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THiE AORRIS- Phllzh'b ca. PiIGTU-LITHQ. WASHING mu. 0 c.

I Zlfiziimasi R. E. L. JANNBY.

CONTOUR CAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED'NOTiG', 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5, 1914.

1,107,166, Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHE}JT 2.

R. E. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR CAR commas.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 16 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5, 1914. 1,107,166 Patented Aug. 11, 1914,

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TH'E AORRIS PETERS CO, FHOTU-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

R. B. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR GAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED 11011.16, 1911. RENEWED 1,111.5, 1914.

1,107,166. Patented Aug. 11, 1911 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

iUNlT STATES nonnnr n. L. JANNEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONTOUR CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed November 16, 1911, Serial No. 660,712. Renewed January 5, 1914. Serial No. 810,511.

whereby car couplers of increased dimensions may be adapted to mate with car couplers of the present standard dimensions.

Car couplers are constructed in accordance with certain standards established by the Master Car Builders Association, these standards including among other things, a deiinite contour line for the working face of the coupler and knuckle. This contour line was established over twenty-five years ago and has not been changed to an extent whereby the couplers with and Without the change would not mate during that period. It has been found during recent years, how ever, that owing to the largely increased capacity and weight of cars, length of trains, speed and shocks, that couplers even though constructed of the strongest mate rials known, would not stand in service. However, to increase the size of the couplers, or, in other words, to provide for a greater mass of metal, it is necessary to increase the dimensions of the couplers to such an extent that the present standard couplers will not mate therewith. The weakest point in the present standard M. G. B. coupler is in the hub of the knuckle and the lugs on the drawhead to which the knuckle is attached. It will'be seen that any increase in the amount of metal in the knuckle hub or in the lugs means a necessary change in the contour of the coupler knuckle face. Certain variations are permitted with respect to the tail of the knuckle, the charac ter of the lock and the like. Obviously, a change in the contour line of the coupler makes it necessary either that the couplers shall all be changed at the same time or that means shall be provided whereby this transition from the present to the new type may be effected gradually and without any impairment of the service. When it is considered that there are in service in the United States approximately four million couplers, it will be seen that the change in the couplers can not be effected at once;

1 ing such transition period.

first, for the reason that sufficient couplers i I desirable, inasmuch as it will take several years to bring about the transition, that the advantage accruing to the increased size and capacities of couplers should be secured dur- It is the object of my invention to pro vide means whereby the result last stated may be accomplished.

It is a further objectof my invention to secure in the transition period the highest efiiciency by the use of simple and inexpensive means and this I do by eiiiciently increasing the strength of the present M. C. B.

coupler by the addition of means for of fecting the transition itself.

It is well understood that the contour of the coupler now in use is established from a single point, which point is the intersection of two lines, one extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the coupler and the other extending at right angles thereto. These lines are called the longitudinal and transverse base lines respectively. The inner face of the coupler knuckle when closed and the outer face of the coupler head are substantially at equal distance from the transverse base line. The point at which the temporary knuckle to be used during the transition period is pivoted, and which knuckle is to be afterward replaced bya permanent knuckle, is not subject to the variation allowed in the present contour, but is confined practically to one point, for two reasons. First, the attaching lugs for the knuckle should contain suflicient metal to provide the requisite resistance. If the lugs are projected forward in order to pivot the knuckle any considerable distance ahead of the transverse base line itwill be seen that during the use of a temporary knuckle when engaged with a coupler oft-he present cons tour the lugs must becut away to allow for the necessary degree of curvature between the engaged couplers. This cutting away, ofcourse, weakens the lugs, and should be avoided, and, second, if under the same conditions the knuckle is pivoted at a point considerably to the rear of the transverse base line, it will be seen that the knuckles must swing on a longer radius and that therefore, two couplers so arranged cannot inter'en gage without sidewise movement to permit clearance and mate readily in coupling, as is well understood by those versed in the art. Therefore, it will be seen that the pivot point for the knuckle in the enlarged contour coupler must be located at some definite point with relation to the transverse base line, at which point it will be unnecessary to cut away the lugs to permit the proper degree of curvature or without an exaggerated radius of movement which would require side shifting in order to mate with an opposing coupler. It has been found that this point in the enlarged contour coupler is just forward of the transverse base line, but that when the enlarged contour coupler is arranged for use with a standard M. C. B. contour the 1 point falls slightly to the rear of the transverse base line. This is accomplished by shifting the base line and not by shifting the pivot pin hole. The contour lines of the present M. C. B. coupler when increased as proposed, will render the new coupler unadapted to mate with the present standard coupler. It is obviously impossible to substitute couplers of this new type for the present standard on all cars in service simultaneously and as it is essential that cars shall be provided with couplers which will mate, some means for effecting the transition gradually must be provided. To this end I have devised a means to effect this gradual transition without impairing the efiiciency of the new coupler and with an increased efiiciency of the present standard.

The fundamental principle of my invention consists in preserving temporarily such contour line as will enable couplers of the present and of the new standard to inter engage for service until such time as the present equipment is superseded by the new type and this I do by providing a supplemental member to be interposed between the co-acting faces of the coupler heads of the two types and which is preferably appliedto the coupler of enlarged contour. This intermediate member may be for convenience called a shim and is of such form and dimensions as to be efficiently secured to the inner face of the enlarged coupler so as to preserve the present contour line, thereby adapting such enlarged coupler to engage a coupler of present dimensions. This intermediate member is preferably so shaped as to be secured to the enlarged head externally of the pivot lugs, thus enabling employment of a knuckle having a hub of increased dimensionscorresponding to the enlargement of the coupler head, the hook remaining of such form as to engage a corresponding hook on the couplers of the present size. -In this way there is immediately secured additional stren th over that of the present M. C. B. coup er and when the transition is effected by the removal of the intermediate member and the substitution of a knuckle having the same hub dimensions and the correspondingly enlarged contour of the hook portion, the couplers of the enlarged type will be adapted to interfit with each other and the transition will thus be effected with the increased advantages arising from the enlargement without impairment or inconvenience to the service and with no additional cost save that of the intermediate member and the temporary knuckle.

To recapitulate therefore, the principal objects of my invention may be stated as follows: First, to provide a coupler of such increased dimensions as to meet the present day needs of the railroads due to increased weight and capacity of cars, loads carried and shocks sustained. Second, to so arrange such a coupler that it may mate with a coupler of the present contour. Third, to secure practically all the advantages of increased dimensions during the period of transition from the smaller to the greater contour. Fourth, to so locate the knuckle pivot pin hole that the coupler lugs need not be cut away and the knuckle may nothave such excessive radial movement that it will not mate with an opposing coupler. and, fifth a further object is to accomplish this result without materially increasing the dis tance between cars.

My invention will be more readily understood. by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 shows in full lines a coupler of enlarged contour having a knuckle of the desired dimensions and in dotted lines a coupler of the present M. C. B. standard contour, this view being intended to show that the two will not mate; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the enlarged contour coupler provided with a temporary knuckle and with a novel shim or filler block, this coupler being mated with an M. C. B. standard coupler and showing in dotted lines the position assumed by the M. G. B. coupler due to inter-engaged cars passing onto a curve necessitating side swing of the engaged couplers; Fig. 3 is a view showing two enlarged contour couplers, each with a shim and a temporary knuckle; Fig. st shows two enlarged contour couplers without the shim and with full size knuckles, and Fig. 5 shows in perspective my novel shim.

The couplers shown in the accompanying drawings are more or less diagrammatic in form and show no details other than the outline of the couplers. The views are on a scale of 6 inches to a foot, the M. C. B. standard lines known as the 190a M. C. B. contour being taken from Master Car Builders Association drawing No. 28, appearing in volume 4.4 of the 1910 proceedings of the Master Car Builders Association.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that in Fig. 1 I have shown two couplers, A and B, the former being of the proposed enlarged contour coupier and the latter, in dotted lines, the present M. C. B. standard contour. This view is made for the purpose of showing that two such couplers will not mate and illustrating why they will not mate. It will be seen in this view that the guard arm 10 of coupler B projects considerably into the plane of the knuckle 11 of coupler A and that the knuckle 11 of coupler A is much larger than the opening between the coupler face and the knuckle locking face of coupler B. The solution of the problem as to how these couplers may be made to interengage is shown in Fig. 2. In this view it will be seen that coupler A has had applied thereto a shim l2 and a temporary knuckle 13. The hook of this knuckle 13 is of practically the same dimensions as the M. C. B. standard knuckle and easily enters past the guard arm of coupler B. In order to fill up the opening left between the outer face of the knuckle and the coupler B and the face of the coupler the shim is inserted and thus I provide a standard M. C. B. contour, gaining however, the advantage of increased size. strength and mass of metalin every part except in the hook portion of the knuckle. The knuckle 18 itself has a much larger hub and is to this extent strengthened. Lugs 14 of coupler A as shown in Fig. 2 are cut outat 15 in order to permit the guard arm 10 of coupler B to swing a sufficient amount, this cut away portion at that point correspond" ing to the outline of the temporary knuckle 18.

In Fig. 3 I have shown two couplers A, each having shims 12 and temporary knuckles 13, these couplers being inter-engaged and securing all the advantages accruing to the large size coupler except in the hook portion of the knuckle as heretofore explained.

In Fig. 4 I have shown also two couplers A without the shims and with the full size knuckles 11. This represents the ultimate condition after the period of transit-ion from the small to the large size coupler. In this view it will be seen that the cut away portion 15 is no longer necessary and will not be employed in couplers produced after the period of transition.

Referring now to Fig. 1 it will be seen that in coupler A the transverse base line is marked a"w and that the knuckle pivot pin is located forward thereof. By locating the opening at this point it is necessary to cut away only a small amount of metal from the lugs as at 15; however, if the plvot pin hole were extended farther forward with the consequent extension of the lugs, it would be necessary to cut away additional metal to permit the lugs to enter the guard arm of the small coupler and such cutting away would materiallyweaken thelugs; furthermore, it will be seen that if the pivot pin hole were moved to the rear to any extent the radial movement of the knuckle 11, would preclude its engagement with another coupler without excessive sidewise shifting of both couplers.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the transverse base line has been moved due to the insertion of the shim 12 and is now located forward of the pivot pin for the knuckle. In this view is shown a temporary knuckle mating with a standard size coupler, and although the pivot pin hole is to the rear of the base line, the couplers may be engaged and disengaged without sidewise shifting. The transverse base line g 1 of coupler B is, on the contrary, back of the pivot pin.

In Fig. 4 are shown two full size couplers in each of which the transverse base line falls to the rear of the pivot pin.

My point is that I have devised means in connection with the substitution of small for large size couplers whereby they may be made to mate without bodily shifting the pivot point for the couplers when mating with either small or large size couplers, the re sult being accomplished by reason of the use of a temporary shim and temporary knuckle.

I In Fig. 5 I have shown in perspective my temporary shim, which consists of a body portion 16 having two perforated cars 17 adapted to fit over the lugs 14 of the enlarged coupler. On the opposite end of the shim I provide a hook portion 18 having a recess 19 therein, which recess accommodates a projection 20 on the guard arm of the coupler. To apply the shim it is only necessary to hook the portion 18 around the guard arm of the coupler, then register the openings in the ears 17 with the openings in the lug 1 1, then insert the knuckle pivot pin 21 through the parts.

It will be understood that the shim herein shown is only one of many forms which might be used in order to accomplish the same purpose, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to any particular form or construction thereof.

-While the contour of the enlarged coupler is simply an enlargement of the present contour,the use of this shim permits variations to be made in the enlarged contour best suited to the conditions of the service without changing the J anney type, which variations in the present contour are impracticable as they would prevent the couplers from mating.

I claim:

1. The herein described means for enabling the operation of two car couplers of different contour lines, which consists in applying to the coupler having the greater contour, an intermediate removable member corresponding in thickness to the difference in contours, substantially as described.

2. The herein described means for enabling the operation of two car couplers of different contour lines, which consists in applying to the coupler having the greater contour an intermediate removable member corresponding in thickness to the difierence in contours, and a temporary knuckle having a hub portion fitting said enlarged coupler and an engaging portion corresponding to the contour of the smaller coupler, substantially as described.

3. A coupler of increased dimensions having means whereby it may be engaged by a coupler. of less dimensions, said means including a filling member and a temporary knuckle, said knuckle being pivoted forward of the transverse base line when arranged to mate with a coupler of its own dimensions and back of the transverse base line when arranged to mate with a coupler of smaller dimensions.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY.

Witnesses A. TREVOR JONES, E. WALTERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 'Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

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