US1923434A - Cushioning and centering device for railway car couplers - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 22, G,- Q GlLPlN CUSHIONING AND CENTERING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY .ICAR COUPLERS Filed July 6, 1931 Garzh/ G. Gi//olln/ Patented ug. 22, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE CUSHIONING AND CENTERING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CAR COUPLERS poration of Delaware Application `uly 6, 1931. Serial No. 543,799

9 Claims.

The device relates to railway cars and more particularly to the means for supporting the outer end of a railway car coupler adjacent its head which permits the coupler to move hori- Zontally and vertically and adjust itself to the curves and unevenness of the track, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a yielding means for supporting the outer end of 'the coupler in a vertical and/0r horizontal direction so that when free to do so the coupler `will return 'to its normal height and to a position adjacent the center of the car, which arrangement has several objects and advantages hereinafter enumerated.

When coupler is supported by a carrier, which is movable vertically, a great stress is thrown in the shank of the coupler when the car passes over a hump or valley in the track (technically known as vertical curves) which when occurring while the couplers are under severe pulling or hurling stresses is a serious matter and this condition was a contributing cause of the American Railway Association increasing the size of the standard coupler shank. One of the objects oi the invention, therefore, is to reduce the service stresses in the coupler by providing a yielding coupler carrier thereby permitting the outer end of the coupler Ato move downwardly so that the center line ci the coupled couplers will be nearer a straight line, thereby reducing the resultant forces in the coupler IShanks. When the force ceases, for instance, when the cars are uncoupled, the yielding carrier forces the coupler to its normal vertical position, which is prescribed by the American Railway Association and which is necessary so that the couplers will automatically couple when the cars are run together.

Another object of the yielding carrier is to prevent the jar in the coupler caused by the uneven track and the movement of the coupler upon the carrier from being transmitted to the adjacent car parts, which jar and vibration causes the fastening means, such as bolts, to become loose, or perhaps entirely ineffective. Jars and jolts between the coupler and the carrier are also caused by the engaging parts of the two coupled couplers slipping over each other under pressure. Furthermore, such yielding means, by reducing the vertical force of the coupler upon its carrier, reduces the friction and consequent wear between these parts. The wear upon `the coupler shank makes a weak place in the shank causing it to break at that place when the cars are coupled, especially when coupled in a hump or valley in the track.

Another object of the invention is to provide a specially formed bar spring to support a car coupler and position it in the car relative to the car coupler so that when the coupler moves siden wise of the car the spring is distorted, causing a tendency for the spring to return the coupler to the center of the car and when the coupler moves vertically the spring is compressed causing a tendency to return the coupler to its normal height.

Another object is to provide a device which cushions and centers the coupler without twisting the coupler when the cars go around curves, which twisting action distorts the coupler shank and moving parts of the coupler causing them to 0 work hard or even bind, making the coupler inop erative. This is accomplished by maintaining the top of the carrier parallel to the bottom of the coupler and in contact therewith. In` other words, the carrier adjusts itseli' to the coupler. 5 Maintaining the width of the coupler shank in contact with the carrier maintains a large bearing area between these two elements and thereby reduces the wear upon them.

One of the objects of the invention is to increase the amount ci permissible lateral movement of a coupler by providing automatic means for returning the couplers to the longitudinal center of the car or at least close enough thereto so that the automatic couplers will couple. This is what is termed the coupling range.

It is very often necessary to couple cars on curves and frequently when the radius of the curve is very small, as is common around industrial plants, the couplers of the two cars will be so far out of alignment that they will not automatically couple. Another object oi the invenn tion is to automatically bring such couplers within coupling range. n

In my device the lateralmovement between the coupler andthe carrier is eliminated, thus reducing friction and consequent wear on the parts. This is quite an item particularly in sandy countries because couplers are costly and the replace ment of a coupler means keeping the car out of service.

Coupler positioning devices reduce the number of broken knuckles and guard arms on couplers which members are frequently bent or broken when the couplers are not within coupling range. Such devices also reduce the number 0I" accidents to train men as they are not required to go between the cars and position the coupler preparatory to coupling. i M0 Another object of the invention is to provide means to limit the upward movement of the yielding coupler carrier so that the yielding means will not force the coupler up beyond the predetermined standard height established by the American Railway Association. It is also desirable to restrict the vertical upward movement of the coupler so that when the car is turned upside down in an unloading machine the component parts of the yielding means will not lose their proper relative positions and become ineffective.

Another object oi the invention is lto provide means to limit the movement of the carrier lengthwise of Arlie car, which. means also prevents the carrier from tipping when the coupler slides over it.

In the drawing:

Fig. l shows a 'typical application of my device to a railway car when the coupler is in normal position.

Fig.2 is a section on line .5l-2 oi' Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows the device with the yielding means completely compressed and with the coupler i central position.

' Fig. 4 shows the device when the coupler is in extreme lateral position.

Fig. 5 shows the device when the coupler is in extreme lateral position and the yielding means is completely compressed.

Fig. 6 shows a modified construction oi my device.

In the drawing the striking casting or other car part 2 is attached to the car and supported thereby by any convenient means, such as the rivets 3 4, which hold it to the draft sills 5. The yielding means in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive consists of a specially formed bar spring 7 having a coupler bearing surface 8 adjacent its upper part and lugs 9 secured to the spring to restrict the lateral movement of the coupler 1) relative to the spring. The spring is formed into several sweeping and preferably reversed curves 14-15 on each side oi the center of the car and has a pair ci gibs 17 at its ends which penetrate apertures 13 in the car part to prevent the bottom pcrtion of the spring moving sidewise. Any other convenient means may be used to hold the spring in place, such as the rivets 20 shown in Fig. 6.

The spring isk formed into extensions 22 which move sidewise of the car between spaced apart walls 24-25 of the car part to restrict the movement of the spring longitudinally of the car and prevent it from tipping when the 4coupler moves over it. As the coupler 8 moves sidewise, however, these extensions move between the spaced apart walls of the car part, thereby permitting free lateral movement of the coupler. (Note Fig. 4.) Y

I preferably provide a bolt 30 or similar member engaging the spaced apart walls 24--25 of the car part 2 which is positioned adjacent a part of the bar spring so as to restrict the lateral movements of the bar spring. (See Fig. 4.) This -member is preferably also positioned to restrict with lugs 45 to hold the coupler in central position of the spring. This carriage stifiens the upper horizontal portion 47) oi the bar spring 40 as a beam and also provides a removable wearing piece, thus increasing the life of the spring.

The wall 48 restricts the upward movement of the spring and the rivets 20 secure the spring to the car part 50.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details oi construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car.

2. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, the ends oi said bar spring terminating in gibs penetrating apertures in the car part to prevent the ends of the spring from moving sidewise of the car.

3. A cushioning and centering device for a railway c ar coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, a coupler carriage, and a bar spring positioned between the car part and the carriage which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler .to normal position, said carriage secured to the bar spring forming a spring stiffener anda coupler bearing surface, said bar spring` comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car.

4. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apart walls on each side of the center of the car, a. railway car coupler, and a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairs of spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the spring lengthwise of the car.

5. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, and means to restrict the sidewise movements of the spring.

6. A cushioning and centering device for` a. railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apart walls on each side of the center of the car, a. railway car coupler, aV bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairs of spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the spring lengthwise of the car, and means to restrict the sidewise movements of the spring, said means comprising members engaging said walls and positioned adjacent said bar spring to restrict said movements.

7. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, and means to restrict the downward and sidewise movements of the spring.

8. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apart walls on each side of the center of the car, a railway car coupler, a bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position, said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of the car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairs of spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the spring length- Wise of the car, and means to restrict the downward and sidewise movements of the spring, said means comprising members engaging said walls and positioned adjacent said bar spring to restrict said movements.

9. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car coupler comprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and a bar spring positioned in a single substantially vertical plane between the car part and the coupler with its end portion secured to the car part so that said spring acts vertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position.

GARTH G. GILPIN.

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