US402775A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(Nomod'el'.)

Gr. W. SMILLIE.

GAR GOUPLING. No. 402,775. Patented May '7, 1889.

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GEORGE W. SMILLIE, OF NEVARK, NEV JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 402,775, dated May '7, 1889. Application filed February l, 1888. Serial No. 262,674. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SMILLIE, a citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings furnished, is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers in which the connecting-link is automatically supported in a horizontal position, when desirable, by one of the couplingsockets, yet allowed to yield in the proper direction when engaging with another coupler when upon the same or a different plane, it being an improvement upon inventionsfor which patents were granted to me July 8, 1884, and April 19, 1887 and it consists, principally, in the means, factors, and combinations of such by which the coupling is made more effectual, useful, and convenient for the various purposes intended, the object of which is to so form the coupling-heads that they may serve the double purpose of buffers and coupling-sockets and by their peculiar construction save the link connective at its pivotal points from injury when in practice.

Another object is to so construct the coupling-head that it may hold the couplingpin loosely suspended upon a notch or rest when not connected with the other, that the jolt or jar caused by the contact of a car backed up for connection will loosen the said pin from its position and drop through the link into position without the aid of a person to assist in their union.

Another object is to hold the link-pin securely suspended above the link when the car is intended to stand without connection with others, as when to be left upon switches or'side tracks, all of which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved coupler and buffer with levers, catches, and stops for suspending and operating the coupling-pin, which parts are attached to vthe front of a car-frame. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of my improved coupling and buer-head, showing the coupling-pin supported above the link. Figs. 3 and 4 represent a front and edge view of a stop serving to check the upwardmovement of the coupling-pin, lever, and supporting-catch; Fig. 5, edge view of left lever and supporting-catch,

the front of which is shown in Fig. 1. Fig.

6 represents a catch adapted for supporting or holding the lift-lever with coupling-pin up when desired, being a modication of that shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the draw-head, substantially of the same form as that shown in the first of the patents hereinbefore referred to, with the exception of the outer extremity or head, which, instead of being hopper-shaped or flaring out uniformly, or nearly so, from the center, as that shown in my patent of July 8, 1884, I re-enforce by thickening the upper portion of the same and drop or lower the upper surface or edge slightly in order to bring it nearer on the same line or level with the main portion of the said draw-head, in order to gain the additional strength resulting thereby, and extend or project it beyond the lower edge or front surface and sides of the said coupling-head to form a bearing-surface with a broadened face, as more clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. This feature has been found in practice to be Very important, as it not only protects the lower face surface of the couplerhead from injury and bruises by frequent concussion of engaging parts in practice, thereby preventing the hinged connective which holds the link from being battered, but it also enables the constructer to dispense with the buffers usually employed, generally located upon each side of the draw-bar or coupler upon the carframe, thereby allowing theJ train-men additional space between the ends of the cars, and consequently additional security to themselves when for any reason they are called upon to act between the ends of connecting cars, and thus the danger of coupling and unooupling of cars is materially diminished.

B represents a vertical opening or receptacle in the said draw-head for the admission of the coupling-pin C; D, a spring-actuated plunger operatin g within a longitudinal chamber, e, in the said draw-head. The said plunger is thrown across the opening B when the coupling-pin is drawn above the said opening by the spring d.

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The coupling-link E is loosely secured to the draw-head through the medium of a connective (shown at F) pivotally united at both ends, and when in position for coupling is held horizontally, or nearly so, to engage readily with the cofoperating draw-head, the link being wider than the plunger and the chamber with its recesses within which the said link is sustained in position. (More fully described in my patent of July 8, 1884.)

b represents a step or recess forming a rest located in one side of the said opening or receptacle B to form a support for the couplingpin C when drawn above or withdrawn from the coupling-link. In order that the couplingpin may catch and keep its position on the said rest 19,1 form one side of the said pin straight, or nearly so, to its end and round or tapering on. the side opposite the former, as shown at c in Fig. 2.

The use of the pin and rest h, as described, is required principally in those cases where the coupler is not provided with a lever or other similar means for withdrawing and supporting the coupling-pin. Vhen a car is to be uncoupled, the pin C is raised or drawn from its position Within the coupling-link and supported on the rest h, thus allowing the cars to uncouple without further assistance on the part of the operator, and when the cars come together the plunger D is by the jolt thrown back within the chamber e on engagement with the coupling-link, said link being held by the coupling-head horizontally, or nearly so, as before described, and the jar caused by the colliding or coming together of the cars is usually sufficient to jar or throw the coupling-pin from its support on the rest b into position within the coupling-link, and by so doing a single person can couple the same number of cars formerly requiring several men to do.

F represents a lever adapted to be fulcrumed to the face or frame of a car, provided with a iixed arm, G, extending therefrom and connected to the coupling-pin C through the medium of a link, l-I. The said lever F is provided with the arms f f,extendin g at right angles therefrom, all arranged and operated substantially as described and shown in my patent of April 19, 1887.

i 1l represent suitable fulcrum-bearings for the said lever F', secured to the face or frame of a car and on each side of the arm G.

I represents a stop of suitable material adapted to be secured at its lower end to the face or frame of a car, and is provided with an angle or bend, (more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) in order to throw the upper part of the said bar from the face of the car in order to allow it to extend beyond the face of the lever F.

J represents a slot or guideway in 'the upper part of the said stop, through which the fixed arm or extension G projects. The length of the said slot J is adapted to be varied by an adjustable screw, J located at and projecting through the upperl end of the stop, against which the arm G may strike or rest when the coupling-pin is drawn up to prevent the said pin from being withdrawn or jerked from its proper position within the opening or receptacle B in addition to the pintle or projection 7o, with which the said coupling-pin is provided at or near its end. It is obvious, however, that other suitable devices maybe secured in proximity to arms G, or near the handles f and fulcrum-bearings t' t', as shown in Figs. l and 5 of the drawings, and forming a stop for the arm G; or, again, the arm G may be provided with an arm or extension of suitable length on the side nearest the car.

The arm G, when drawn or raised up withini the slot J for the purpose of drawing up the coupling-pin, is adapted to be heldin. its raised position bya stop consisting of a catch (shown at L) pivotally secured to the said stop I at one side of the slot J, as shown in Fig. 3. This catch may be operated in one direction by a spring in a manner to throw the same across the slot or opening J to engage or catch the arm G and hold the same in suspension. When it is desired to have the coupling-pin drop in position, disengagement of the catch is accomplished by a line or rod attached to the said catch L, the free end of which may be secured to the top, side, or any other desired position on the car or frame thereof. I

Figs. 5 and 6 represent different means for operating the coupling-pin.

The chief object of my several catches and supports is to support the coupling-pin in a raised position when not desired to have the same operate automatically, as hereinbefore described.

In Fig. 5, p represents a movable support for the arm or extension f to rest on and adapted to be supported on the catch p.

In Fig. G the support p is secured at the side of the car or frame and provided at its end with a notch or opening to engage one of the several notches located on the under side of 4the arm Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, an d desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination, in a car-coupling provided with a draw-head,link, coupling-pin, and ahorizontally-arranged lever to which said coupling-pin is connected, provided with arms at each end thereof, of one or more bars or rods pivotally secured to the frame of the car, adapted to be supported by a catch when in a raised position to support said arm s, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a car-coupling provided with a draw-head having a thickened upper face, lilik, coupling-pin, and a projecting horizontally-arran ged lever provided with a fixed arm or projection extending therefrom for connection with said coupling-pin, of an upright arm adapted to be secured to the face of the car, provided with a longitudinal open,-

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ingl through Which-the fixed arm of said horizontal lever projects, and an adjusting-screw arranged in said upright arm, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, With a draw-head provided With a vertical opening` or pin-receptacle having a rest or support in one side thereof, a link, coupling-pin, and a horizontally-arranged lever having a lined arm extending therefrom, of avertically-arranged 1o arm provided with an opening in which said flxed arm operates, an adjusting-screw, and a spring-catch, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth. GEO. WV. SMILLIE. Witnesses:

JOHN DANE, Jr., CHARLES F. DANE.

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