US225410A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

0.... 8 m. 9 R r .E a N M m d .e K m. me 111cm M Pv &0. 0 mp. M B H MPETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. DV 0.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. MYER AND HOLLY SKINNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,410, dated March 9, 1880.

Application filed December 27, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HENRY B. MYER and HOLLY SKINNER, both of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic Car- Coupling; and we do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to-the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, in section, of two railroad cars embodying our improvement; Fig. 2, an inverted bottom view; Figs. 3 and 4, end views; Fig. 5, details of the draw-head, and Figs. 6 and 7 detached sec tions in detail.

The object of this invention is the construction of a simple and efficient device for coupling and uncoupling cars without the necessity of the operator exposing his person to be injured by passing between the cars during the operation of coupling the same.

The coupling device is so arranged as to readily adapt itself to cars of a variable height, and is intended to be automatic in operation, the exact construction and operation of which will be hereinafter more fully explained in detail.

In referring to the drawings, A represents a passenger-car, and A a freight-car, connected together by our improved coupling. a a are arrow-shaped draw-heads, which engage with each other in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. a a represent the drawbars, to which the heads a care attached. B represents spiral springs placed upon and coiled around the rear ends of the drawbars in a horizontal plane, and 1) represents spiral springs arranged on the top of and underneath the draw-bars in a vertical plane, in the manner shown in the drawings.

The bottom of the car is provided with a cavity for the reception of the upper spiral spring, which arrangement permits the drawbar to be forced up close against the bottom of the car.

chain c, or any other suitable flexible connection which will coil about the draw-bar. When the operation of uncoupling is to be performed it is easily and conveniently accomplished by moving the operating-lever outwardly, which movement causes a one-quarter rotation of the draw bar and head, and the cars are uncoupled.

The inner end of the rear horizontal spring is recessedinto the draw-bar, so that when the draw-bar is rotated during the operation of uncoupling the car the twist given to the spring will exert sufficient power to throw the draw-bar back into proper position for coupling when the operating-lever O is released from its locked position.

We do not strictly confine or limit ourselves to the employment or arrangement of the operating-lever C, as herein shown, but may make use of such other mechanism as will rotate the draw-bar and perform the operation of uncoupling the cars.

The draw-head is recessed and perforated, adapting the same for the reception of the old style of link-and-pin coupling, should it any time become necessary to make use of the old style of coupling.

The vertical springs arranged above and below the draw-bar adapt the coupling device to be used on cars of any variable height, from one-sixteenth of an inch to eight inches, as the highest draw-head will yield in an upward direction and the lower draw-head in the opposite direction when the cars are brought together for the purpose of coupling the same, the draw-heads becoming interlocked in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

D represents a stirrup, which incloses the draw-bar at a point near the front end of they car, and is for the purpose of preventing alateral or swaying movement of the car or 'cars, thereby imparting a more easy and regu- In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of the following elements consisting of the draw-bar a and its integral parts, and all susceptible of a one-quarter rotation, the horizontal spring B, the vertical springs b, the lever O, and the chain 0, when constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY B. MYER. HOLLY SKINNEB.

Witnesses:

L. B. GoUPLAND, H. V. ToBEY.

Images