USRE11403E - Philip c - Google Patents

Description

P. C. BROWN.

UAR ooUPLING. x

No. 11,403. ReissuedTeb. 6, 1894.

17 I G 1773.1 I g (C l 1,. 1 III I J lf .i hllmllll PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP C. BROWN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofIteissued Letters .Patent N o. 11,498',- dated February 6, 1 894.-

Originelle. 494,246, dated lllfaruh 28, 1893. Application for reissue tiled August 30, 1893. Serial No. 484,411.

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that`I`,"IH1LIP C; BROWN, a cilizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car couplings, and has for its object to produce a simple and inexpensive coupling, each member of which has a reversible element that performs a different function in the operation of coupling when s o reversed, a coupling that will automatically couple without the aid of a brakemanV or attendant, and that can be coupled upon a grade or curve, and when coupled will ,automatically uncouple in the event ofl one of the cars being derailed and overturning,

and to these endsmy invention consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterfullydescribed and afterward definitely pointed outin the claims, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is -a vertical, longitudinal central section of my improved coupling in a coupled position; Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 a side elevation, partly in section, showing the manner in which the cars are unc'oupled when one of them is overturned; and'Fig. 4, an end view of a car showing the means for operating the coupling.

In describing lthe construction of the coupling, one member `thereof only need be described,both members being identical, and for the sake of clearness the member upon the left hand of Fig. 1 will be selected.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A indicates the draw-bar constructed and fitted to the car in the usual manner. Cast integral with the draw-bar A is' the draw-head B, open upon its upper side and having its under forward portion made flaring, as at b.

D indicates a hooked catch pivoted between the side walls b', b', of the draw-head B by means of a bolt C. The forward end of the hooked catch D is provided with a downwardly projecting lip E, constituting a catch,

said lip being beveled. upon its forward or front end as at e, for the purpose hereinafter made apparent.v The l'rear portion o f the hooked catch'D is reduced in width, its end terminating in a downwardly projecting hook F. The hooked catch D near its forward end is provided with an elongated aperture or slot d which is inclined upwardly and forwardly and through which passes the holt C, by means of which it is pivoted between the side walls b', b', of the draw-head B. The rear portion of the head G of the hooked catch D is recessed, as at g, forming a shoulder g over which the hooked end F falls and by which the said hooked catch is held.

'lo'the rear 0f the head G of the hooked catch D is secured one end of a chain Il,the other end of said chain extending to the top of thecar, and connected with the chain 1I are two chains Il', ll', which pass over suitable guides I, I, and extend to each side of the car.-

The operation of my improved coupling is as follows:-When two cars are to be coupled together, one of the hooked catches, as D, is swung by means of the chain II or H into the position shown 'in Fig. 1, the other hooked catch D being swung into position, so that the hooked end F' projects forwardly from the car, in a horizontal position, being held in such position by the head G of the hooked catch D abutting against the bottom wall of the drawliead B. As` the cars are caused to approach each other, the hooked end F of the hooked catch D' strikes against the vbeveled portion eof the-lip E on the hooked catch D and causesvsaid hookedcatch toswing upon the bolt C and permit the hooked en d F- to pass beneath. and behind4 the lip E, asfshown in Fig. 1. The bolt hole e being made elongated and inclined, as shown, the hooked catch'D, in coupling, is caused to slightly rise and move forward, whichdoes away with any lost motion, thus requiring that the hooked end need o-nly be pushed in the drawhea-d suii'icieutly far to pass the point at which the rear of the lip E will rest when thc coupling has been permitted. After the hooked end F has passed behind the lip E, the hooked catch will drop down and back by gravity, insuring the immediate coupling ofthe cars. At the same time the hooked end F of the hooked catch l) drops into the recess g and behindgtheshoulder g. When the cars are in motion, the hooked end F fitting behind the shoulder g' bears all the strain of the draftand relieves the bolt C of the same. In coupling, when the hooked end F passes the lip E the weight of the hooked end F will cause the hooked catch D to drop into posi-v catch D', thus throwing the hooked end F ,IIS

backward over the shoulder g' and forcing the lip E down into engagement with the hooked end F'. By recessin g the rear portion gof the-head G, the hooked end F is prevented from being disengaged from the shoulder q'l when the drawbars are forced in under the cars, as for instance, when the brakes are applied or in going down a steep grade, because the s aid hooked end rests within the slot g,

and is protected thereby so that it cannot come in contact with any portion of the'end of thecar. i In the act of coupling the forward ends of the drawheads -B abut against each other at the moment the coupling has been effected, and actas bumpers. It will be noticed that the hooked end F is of a thickness to entirely occupy the space between the bottom of the lip E, and the bottom wall of thedraw-head B, which tends to prevent acci-- dental uncoupling of the cars. Should one of the cars be derailed, and turned over, it will be automatically uncoupled, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3.

In such event, the sides of the hooked end F' being perfectly plain and smooth, said hooked end will slip from out thedraw-head B, there being nothing for thelp E of the hooked catch .D to engage.

By the use of my improved coupling, it is entirely unnecessary for the brakemen to go between the cars, for by means of the chains .H and H' the hooked catch can be thrown into either position to couple or uncouple from either the top or either side of the car. The cars may also be coupled upon curves or grades; and the two cars need not be of the same height.

In order to enable the o rdinary link and pin to be used with one of myimproved couplings, I provide the head G of the hooked catch and the bottom wall of the draw-head with pin holes for the reception of the coupling pin, the coupling being eEected in the usual manner.

It `will be manifest that the couplings may be turned so that they will be at right angles to the; position shown in the drawings,that` 6o` is to say, so that the sides of the draw-heads Vvwill then constitute the top and bottom, and will still accomplish the objects sought:` to be obtained. v

1. In a car coupling, the `combination with the draw-bar and draw-head, of the pivoted hooked catch D provided at one end with a downwardly projecting lip E and at its other end with a hooked end F, and adapted to be reversed, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with the draw bar and drawhead, ofthe hooked catch D provided at one end with the downwardly projecting li'p E and at its other end with a hooked end F, said hooked catch being provided with an elongated slot inclined as shown, and a pivot bolt passing through the draw-head and said slot, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

3. In a car coupling, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-head, of the pivoted hooked catch D provided at one end with a.

downwardly projecting lip E and at its other end with a hooked end F, and the shoulder g' on the drawhead adapted to be engaged by the hooked end F, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

4. In a car coupling, the combination with the drawbar and drawhead, of the pivoted hooked catch provided at one end with a downwardly projecting lip E and at its other end with a hooked end F, the drawhead being recessed as at g, forming a shoulder g', and adapted to receive and be engaged bythe hooked end F, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

5. In a car coupling, the combination with i IOO passing through said slot and through the sides of the draw-head, said draw-head being provided at its rear with a shoulder g', and a chain connected to said hooked catch for re-l versing the saine, substantially as described.

6. In a car coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and draw-head, of a catch pivoted on the draw-head and capable of reversal thereon, end for end,either end of the catch being adapted to automatically engage with the opposite end of a similar catch (reversed) on the other drawhead to Vcouple the cars, said engagement being automatically effected by contact of the projecting end of the catch with a surface of the other drawhead, sub stantially as described.

7. In a car coupling, the combination, with an open topped drawhead, of a reversible catch pivoted ltherein, to swing through said open top, having two hooks, both on the same side of the pivot, and both extending downwardly in one of the terminal positions of the catch, either hook engaging the other hook of a similar `companion catch, reversed, on the opposite drawhead, to couple the cars, sub stantially'as described.

8. In a car coupling, the combination, with a pair of drawheads, of similar catches similarly pivoted' thereto, whereof one in its locking position passes under the other and engages it at a point below its .pivotal airis, .sub stantially as described.

IXO

9. Inacar coupling, the combinatiomwith the draw-bar and draw-head, of the reversiy ble catch having a hooked ond constructed to engage in one position thc draw-head and in the other an attachment on thc other drawhead, substantially as described.

10. In acar coupling, the combination, lwith the draw-bar and draw-head, of a reversiblel catch secured thereon, whereof one portion engages the drawheadto carry the strain ytherefrom, and another portion engages an attachment of the other draw-head, substantially as described.`V

ll. In a carcoupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and draw-head, of a catch pivoted thereto, capable'of reversal on its pivot, havmg a forward lower portion adapted to pass under the lower portion of a similar catch, reversed, on the other draw-head to raise the same on its pivot, and a rear upper portion adapted to strike the other catch above its pivot to restore it to its locking position, substantially as described. 12. The combination,withadraw-head havmg a transversely extending shoulder, of a retaining block pivoted on said drawhead having two oppositely disposed lips whereof one 1s adapted to engage said shoulder and thc othera catch on the other draw-headsub an open top, side walls converging at the rear,

and a web or shoulder between the converging walls, in combination with a catch pivoted in the front portion of the draw-,head,aud having a hooked portion supported by said web or shoulder between tlconverging walls, substantially as described. l

14. In acarcoupling, the combination, with a draw-head having an enlarged front portion and a small rear portion, of a catch having an enlarged portion pivotally retained in the front portion of the draw-head and, 'a small rear portion adapted to enter the small portion of the draw-head, the enlarged por-v tion having a lip adapted when depending from said pivot to engage a catch from the opposite draw-head, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name, at the city of Washington, District of Columbia, in the presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP C. BROWN. Titnessesz FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, F. V. SUMAN.

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