US648780A - Automatic coupling. - Google Patents

Description

'No. 648,780. I Patented May I, I900. l'. H. PATCHING.

AUTOMATIC GOUPL ING.

(Application filed July 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

THE Nonms PETERS 00., mommrnou wxsmnm'un. D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT Futon.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,780, dated May 1, 1900.

Application fil July 22, 1899. Serial No. 724,840. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, THOMAS HENRY PATCH- ING, tailor, residing at Strathfield,in the Colony of New South ales, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Couplings forUse on RailwayCai-riages and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description simple in construction and certain in action than any hitherto invented. p

A further object is to provide a coupling possessing the afo'resaidmerits which can be disconnected without necessitating the'oper- .ator going between the carriages.

My invention consists of a ratchet-bar hinged to a draw-bar of ordinary construc-. tion, hereinafter called the male coupling, and a female coupling soconstructed as to receive and retain the same. portion consists of two metal bars of peculiar construction, as hereinafter described, similarly hinged to a draw-bar of ordinary con,- struction and having between them an eccentric pawl which is operated by means of a lever.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the coupling in operation. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. ,1.

. Fig. 3 shows the coupling with one side of the female portion removed. Fig. 4c is a detail View of the coupling, showing the pawl out of contact with the teeth of the bar and in position to be lifted by the further movement of Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of This fem ale Z) Z) are the draw bars to which the couplings are hinged.

couplings are attached to the draw-bars.

d is a ratchet-bar which forms the male coupling. This bar is provided with an arm or angle-bracket e, which rests against the end of the vehicle to which the baris attached for the purpose of maintaining it in a horizontal position. The teeth of this ratchetbar are shown in the'drawing's triangular in form; but I do not confine myself to teeth of any particular shape, as under varying condesirable. I

ff are-two bars which form the body of the female coupling The end of each of these bars expands into a bracket-head, through the lower portion of which pass-the pins 9' g i for the purpose of securely joining them t-ogethe'r, as shown. The said bars are here shown parallel to one another 5 but it maybe found desirable to make them slightly wider apart at the bracket ends to allow for greater play. These bars are also provided with arms or angle-brackets j j, which rest against the end of the vehicle to which they are attached.

It is a guideblock on which the male coupling rests when in action and which also forms a distance-piece between the bracketheads of the bars aforesaid.

s k is a pawl revolving on an eccentric m, suspended on trunnions between bracket-heads, as shown in Fig. 3.

1 n n are the aforesaid trunnions, which revolve in bearings formed in the top portions of the bracket-heads.

p is a crank-arm keyedto one ofthe trunnions.

r is a connecting-rod pivoted at one end to the crank-arm p and suitably connected at the other by any of the well-known methods, so as to be easily operated by a weighted handle or lever s or any suitable attachment, which may be placed on the side of the vehicle or in any other convenient position.

t 25 are converging guide-plates for the purpose of directing the male coupling d between the bracket-heads of the bars f f.

a: x are guide-pins fixed on each side of the c c are the pins by means of which the ditions teeth of different forms may be found pawl, working in suitable inclined slots to 10,

provided on the bracket-heads, for the pur-.

pose of directing and controlling the course of the pawl when lifted by the eccentric from contact with the toothed bar d.

u is a concentric slot or groove in the side of the pawl 7;. This slot maybe on both sides of the pawl, if found desirable.

v is a pin in the periphery of the eccentric m which fits into and travels'iu the slot to.

The method of operating my invention is as follows: When the vehicles are pushed together, the male coupling 01, being directed by the guide-platest t, enters between the bars ff, the pawl m riding over the teeth until further progress is stopped by the buffers. This automatically completes the coupling. When in this position, the coupling is securely locked and it is impossible to withdraw the ratchet, as from the relative positions of the teeth and the pawl the strain comes on the dead-center. The gripping faces of the teeth may be slightly rounded, so as to allow of the male coupling having freer play without strain when the vehicles are going round a curve. eccentric on is rotated by the crank-arm ,which movement gradually draws the pawl back from contact with the teeth of the male c ou pling, and thepin 'v coming in contact with the endof the slot at, in which it travels, .the pawl is lifted clear and the vehicles disconnected; It-is obvious that a pawloperated by an eccentric such as hereinbefore described can be easily withdrawn from contact with the teeth of the ratchet no matter how great the draft strain may be.

Having now particularlydescribed and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In an automatic coupling for use on railway-carriages and the like, the combination with a coupling-section comprising atoothed bar, of a coupling-section having two'spaced 1 side bars, between which the toothed bar is ad apt-ed to extend, an eccentric provided with trunnions mounted to turn in the said side bars, a pawl mounted on the eccentric and actuated thereby, a crank-arm on one of the trunnions of the eccentric, a rod pivoted at one end to the crank-arm, and means for actuating the said rod, substantially as described.

2.- In an automatic coupling for use on railway-carriages and the like, the combination with a toothed bar hinged at one end to a draw-bar, and provided at its hinged end with In order touncouple the vehicle, the

the pawl is actuated.

an arm adapted to engage the end of the vehicle to hold the bar in a horizontal position, of two bars secured together and'arranged approximately parallel with each other, the said bars being hinged to a draw-bar on the other vehicle and provided at their hinged ends with arms to engage the vehicle to which they are attached, the other'ends of said bars being provided with heads, an eccentric provided with trunnions mounted to turn in bearings in the upper part of said heads, a pawl mounted to turn on said eccentric and adapted to engage the toothed bar, a guideblock between the said heads at the lower part thereof and on which the toothed bar is adapted to rest, and con verging guide-plates for directing the toothed bar between the heads, substantially as shown and described. 3. The combination with the two sections to be coupled, of a toothed bar carried by one section, bars carried by the'other section and spaced apart, the outer ends of saidbars being enlarged formingbracket-heads, a pawl located between the bracket-heads "and arranged'to engage the toothed bar, and an cceentric by which the pawl is actuated.

4. The combination witha coupling section comprising a toothed bar, of a second coupling-section provided with a guide on which the toothed bar is adapted to rest, a pawl located above the guide and arranged to engage the toothed bar, and an eccentric by which 5. The combination witht-wo sections to be coupled, of a pawl carried by one section and arranged to engage and hold the other section, an eccentric on which, the pawl is mounted and by which it is actuated, and a pin-andtrolling the course of the pawl when lifted.

6. The combination with two sections to be coupled, of a pawl carried by one section and arranged to engage and hold the other section, an eccentric on which the pawl is mounted and by which it is actuated, the said eccentric being. provided with a peripheral pin arranged to travel in a slot in the pawl, the

coupling-section carrying the pawl being provided with inclined guide-slots, and guidepins on each side of the pawl and extending into said inclined guide-slots.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of May, 1899.

THOMAS HENRY PATCHING.

\Vitnesses:

T. O. ALLEN, WALTER SIGMONT.

IIO

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