US475040A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

0. O. FIELDS. GAR COUPLING.

No. 475,040; Patented May-17, 1892.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn,

CHARLES CLINTON FIELDS, OF NEW HAVEN, WVEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,040, dated May 17, 1892.

7 Application filed February 15, 1892. Serial No. 421,600. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES CLINTON FIELDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of Mason and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The design of myinvention is to provide an improved automatic car-coupler which shall be thoroughly reliable in its action and at the same time quite simple in construction, easy of operation, and capable of use in connection with cars equipped with the common pin-andlink coupler.

To these ends the invention consists in the improved car-coupler constructed and operating as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing two of my couplers connected together. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the coupling-hook and a portion of the draw-bar, separated; and Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing my device for using the coupler in connection with the ordinary pin-and-link coupler.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates my coupling-hook, pivoted to the draw-bar B in the manner hereinafter described and having at its front end an arrow-shaped head to, whose rear walls a, are considerably undercut or inwardly inclined,so thatwhen engaged by the corresponding portion of an adjoining coupling-hook there will be no liability of accidental separation. The hook at its rear end has an enlargement 0, whose front wall inclines downward and forward, and constituting, with the adjacent under side of the body portion of the hook, a shape similar to the head a. Thus constructed when two cars are brought together the head of the hook that happens to engage the other hook so as to raise and pass under against said enlargement, as shown in dotted lines, "and transmit the shock to a coiled bufthe same will abut fer-spring provided, as is usual, in the rear of the draw-bar B. By providing the abutting surfaces as described there is no liability of injuring or breaking the hook, such as would exist were the abutting surface an abrupt one,because the blow upon the head is not at its point, but upon its upper and lower sides.

The upper side of the hook A, over and partly in the enlargement 0, but not extending entirely down through the same, is provided with a recess 0, into which a reduced portion 1) of the draw-bar B extends. A pin D, passing through this extension and through the adjacent sides of the hook A,pivotally secures the latter to the draw-bar. By not cutting the recess 0 down entirely through the enlargement O a shoulder or abutment c is left to engage the draw-bar end and thus prevent the hook A from falling below a horizontal plane, although the same is capable of free and easy upward movement, either to allow the hooks to pass by each other, as when coupling, or to permit the raising of the upper one touncouple by disengaging their arrowheads.

For the purpose of uncoupling fromaplace of safety an eye (1 is attached to the hook at or near its front end,to which a chain or cord may be attached and passed for manipulation either to the top or side of the car where boxcars are used; or, if the coupler is applied to platform-cars, to a convenient point on the platform. If desired, other means may be employed stood that I do not limit myself to those mentioned.

The draw-bar Bis placed between blocks or pieces on the under side of the car, being attached thereto by bolts E, which pass through a slot 17' or slots therein and through said to raise the hook, it being underblocks, which permits such longitudinal movement of the draw-bar as may be necessary in consequence of the impact of an adjoining car.

To adapt my nary device for use with the ordipin-and-link coupler, I have provided a link F, having a horizontal member f, designed to enter the ordinary draw-head and having an opening f for the passage of the coupling pin, and two diverging members f j" to engage the upper and lower sides, respectively, of the arrow-head a and having openings in .ler for satisfactory use line with each other by means of which said link may be connected to the head through the instrumentality of a pin g, which also passes through a vertical opening provided in i said head.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my coupler is quite simple in construction; that the coupling of the hooks is bound to be effected although there maybe a difference in the height of the two cars, as it is immaterial whether one arrow-head or the other is on top; that means are provided to 1 prevent damage to a head by its impact against a hook of an opposite car, and that the novel link which I have provided adapts my coup- With cars provided with the ordinary pin-and-link coupling.

Having thus described myinvention, what 1 claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car-coupler consisting of a pivoted hook arrow-shaped head and having in having an the rear of said head an abutting surface for a similarly-shaped head conforming in shape thereto, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a coupling-hook having an arrow-shaped head at its front end and an enlargement at its rear end with an inclined front side that forms with the. adjacent surface of the hook an impact surface for the simi- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' CHARLES CLINTON FIELDS. Witnesses:

G. L. BUSH, SAM. J. CAPEHART.

the draw-bar having a re-

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