US1616937A - Car coupler - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. '98, i927.

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JOHN WrLLisoN, or CLEVELAND, orare, Assrenon, er inserm assiomarinus, 'ro

NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND CASTINGS conronnfrion orA omo.

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CAP GOULULER.

Applieation filed August, 1921. Serial No. 490,233.

Fig. l is a plan of a pair of couplers Vembodying my invention in interlocked yor' coupled position; Figs. 2 and 2fL are elevations of opposite sides of a single coupler; F i gs. '3 and 4 areV plans of couplers angled to eXtreme positions to the left and right, respectively; Fig. 5 `is a plan showing the couplers guided into partial buiiing position; Fig'. 6 is a plan showing` the coupler in full buiiing ,position and also the operation of the uncoupling` mechanism; Fig. '7 is a plan showing the operation of the uncoupling mechanism; and Fig. 8 shows a modified form of uncoupling' mechanism.

My invention relates to'couplers of the vertical plane` type, and comprises a coupler which interioclis with the opposing coupler head without employing any ofthe usual movable parts such as knuckles or locks. My improved coupler is also provided with mea-ns' for effecting,r the uncoupling of the interlocked heads. My invention further comprises the'various features which I sha-ll hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, A and B indicate the opposing coupler heads, each of which has rigid jaws or hooks 2 and 3 and a` connecting' buiiing face 4 inclined at an angle .ler has a recess 5 to the rear of the jaw 2 to receive the complementary jaw 3 on the opposing coupler and permittheir respective pulling faces G and 7 to become engaged. These pulling faces 6 and 7 areset at such an angle to the center line of the coupler that'when these faces are engaged and lhe couplers are under draft they will tend to swing toward each other. In' buff, also, the inclination of the 'buiiing faces 4 tends to swing` the couplers toward each other, but they are maintained in proper alignment by he faces 8 of the jaws 2 bearing againstv the faces 9 on the jaws 3.

As the couplers come together the vertical faces 10 on the jaws 2 and the faces4 will guide the jaws 3 into the nacessesk 5 inthe rear of the jaws 2, and when draft is plied thcpulling` faces 6 on the jaws 2 will engage the correspondingfaces on the jaws 3, which form reentrant angles with the faces 8 on these jaws.

Each coupler is provided with an uncoupling member ll, which is Y mounted in a transversely extending slot 12 in the coupler shank just back of the coupler head rand is prevented from removal therefrom 'by .any suitable means, such as a pin and slot connection 13, by which the uncoupling` member` allow the member ll to slide rearwardly into inoperative position after .the uncoupling operation has been completed.

When the couplers in moving` together bufi' inthe extreme angledposition shown in Fig.

23, the engagement of the ends of the bufting faces 4 on the jaws 3 causesthese faces to slide to thc right along each other through the position 'shown in Fig., 5` into .the full buiiing;` position lshown in Fig. 6, with the jaws 3 in the recess 5 vof the` jaw2. Then, when draft is applied, the face '7 of the jaw 3 pulls forward againstvthe "face 6 of the jaw 2 and the couplers are thus brought into locked position shown in Fig. 1. l/lilhen the couplers meet in the extreme angled position shown in Fig. 4 they are .swung to the left until the jaws2 clear the jaws' and then the boiling' faces 4 guide the jaws 3 into the' recesses', as has just been described above.

In uncouphng, the Vcouplers are buffcdl to full buedposition, as shown in 6, and

then either one of the uncoupling'members 1l is swung; over and pushed forward into the position in the recess 16 indicated byv the dotted lines in Fig. 6. Then, when *thel couplers are under draft, the point Vof'the jaw 2 will rideV along' the rear Vfacewof the unccaipling` member4 l1 and be preventedfrcm interlocking with the jaw 3, andthe couplers `will swing away from each other until the jaws V2 clear the j awsv 3. rl`he uncoupling member 11, as soon as it is relieved from the.

Vpressure .from the point'l'of the jaw 2,

slides rearwardly down the incline 14 into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and during subsequent coupling` movements is pushed back` out of the way by the jaw 2,

as is shown in the full lineposition of the uncouplingr memberin Figs. 6Y and 7.

In Fig'. 8 l have shown a modified form of my invention in ,which the uncoupling member 11 is mounted in a slct in the jaw 2. ln this form the member 11 in advanced position fills in the reentrant angle in the formed bythe surfaces G and 8, and thereby prevents the face 7 of the jaw 3 from engaging the face 6 of the jaw 2.

My invention is of great advantage, since it dispenses with the use of the usual knuckles and locks but nevertheless provides a light', strong and compactcoupler of 'etitreme simplicity which can be readily coupled or uncoupled. llfhile no positive lock is provided, the couplers can not pull apart unintentionally unless they are first buifed together to take up the contour slacli, and then while pulling apart one or both must slide laterally against the friction of the carry iron. As this lateral motion of the coupler is always opposed by friction of the carry iron, and as the couplers are non mally forced laterally into full coupling position every time they are buffed, so that their pulling hooks are lined up to engage under draft, it is impossible to conceive accidental parting of the couplers under noi'- mal service conditions.

The terms and expressions which l have employed are used asl terms of description and not of limitation, and l have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding` any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

wWhat I claim is: Y

1. A coupler head of the vertical plane type having a plurality of jaws integral therewith, a cavity on the inner side of one of said jaws having reentrant angles arranged to receive a complementary jaw of a similarly formed coupler head, each ofsaid A first named jaws having acutely angled sui'- faces for interlocking' with` the complementary jaws on the opposing coupler head.

2. A coupler head of the vertical plane type having a plurality of jaws, one of said jaws being of hook shape and ar 1anged to receivewithin the bight of the hoolt a jaw of a similarly vformed coupler head, and the other rof sai-d jaws being formed to fit into thev bight of a hook-shaped jaw on the opposing coupler head,.the said jaws having acutely angled faces comprising means for interengaging and holding' the coupler heads together.

3. A coupler head of the vertical. plane type having a laterally extending bufiing face, a plurality of pulling jaws arranged to receive and engage complementary jaws of an opposing coupler for effecting coupling, and an uncoupling mechanism comprising` a member insertable into one of the said jaws to prevent the complementary jaw on the opposing coupler from entering and interlocking therewith.

4. A coupler head of the vertical plane type having a plurality of jaws, one of said jaws having a recess therein, a similarly jaws having a recess on its rear sidepar-v ranged to receive a complementary jaw on a similarly formed coupler head for effecting a coupling, and an uncoupling member mounted in said coupler head and movable Y transversely thereof into said recess to prevent coupling. A

6. A coupler head of the vertical plane type having a plurality of interlocking jaws, one jaw having a recess on its rear side and the other a projectonon its forward side, bufling faces on 'each jaw and also a baiting face between the jaws, said builing faces being arranged to engage complementary ouiiing faces on a similarly formed opposing coupler and move said jaws laterally into position to engage a complementary project-ion and a complementary recess on the opposing coupler.

'i'. il coupler head of the vertical plane type having a pair of jaws each having' a pair of acutely angled pulling faces, Ya clearance space to the rear of each suchpair of fac-es arranged to give room for compleinentaiy jaws on an opposing` couple-r head having' similarly formed faces, anden inclined bufting face between said jaws comprising means for bringing the said acutely angled faces into position for engagement.

S. A coupler head of the vertical plane type having a laterally extending' bufhng face, a plurality of jaws Yhaving a pulling engagement with complementary jaws of an opposing coupler lfor effecting coupling, a guiding' face uponrtlie forward side of one of said jaws, the plane of said guiding face being in advance of the forwardmost portion of the other of said aws.

9. A coupler' head'of the vertical plane type having a laterally "extending4 buffing face, a plurality of pulling jaws arranged to receive and engage complementary jaws of an opposing coupler for effecting coupling, one of said jaws being located forwardly of the other, guiding faces on the forward side of each of saidjaws, the guiding face of the forwardmost jaw being of vgreater lateral extent than the distance between said jaws for the purpose of bridging the space between the jaws of an opposing coupling and thereby guide said couplers into coupling position.

JOHN lVlLLlSON.

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