US669747A - Automatic car-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. l2, l90l.

A. HERON. AUTOMATIC BAR COUPLING.

(Application filed m s, 1900.)

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ALEXANDER HERON, OF DELAWARE TOWNSHIP, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 669,747, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed July 5, 1900. Serial No. 22,649. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HERON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Delaware township, in the county of Middlesex, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Oar-Coupling, of which the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a device for connecting the ears in a train; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter first fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of two draw-bars embodying my invention. In this view the draw-bars are shown coupled together and the front side of one is removed. Fig. 2 is a plan View of same. In this view the drawbars are shown in section, and the couplinglink and weight in one of them are removed. Fig. 3 is another similar view of same, showing the draw-bars before being coupled together and in one of which the coupling-link is set to be automatically coupled with and by the one opposite when they come together. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line a; a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is another view of Fig. 4, showing the position of the weight D when the draw-bars are coupled together. Fig. 6 is a detail central horizontal sectional view of the draw-bar, showing the cross-bar. Fig. 7 is an end view of the coupling-link looking at it from the outer projecting end.

In the accompanying drawings, A and A designate draw-bars, one of which is secured to each end of a car in any manner or by any means found most suitable or convenient, and each draw-bar is formed with a flaring mouth A to guide and direct the end of the couplinglink in the opposite draw-bar to the opening A and said draw-bars are each provided with the jaws A cross-bar A shoulders A stud A stop A and socket bearing A for the purpose which willbe hereinafter set forth.

B designates a short shaft or spindle which is supported by, held in place, and rotates perfectly free in the socket hearing A of the draw-bar.

E designates a flange formed on one end of said shaft B, and in the other projecting end of said shaft a pin B is secured, the purpose of said flange and pin being to prevent the shaft B from becoming accidentally displaced or falling out of the draw-bar; but said shaft may be held in place in said draw-bar in any manner or by any means found most suitable or convenient.

B designates a socket or opening formed in said shaft B for the purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

0 designates a coupling-li|1k,which extends through and is supported by, held in place, and rotates perfectly free in the socket or opening B of the shaft or spindle B, and this coup1ing-link O is formed with an enlarged arrow-head or end 0 with the shoulders 0 with the pin-hole C and with the rounded corners G and to the other end of said coupling-link O the weight D is rigidly secured.

D designates a weight which is rigidly secured to the coupling-link C, and the outer segmental face of said weight is formed eccentric for the purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

F designates a chain or other flexible device which is connected to the weight D for the purpose of operating the latter, as well as the link 0 secured thereto.

G designates an adjustable support pivotally secured to the under side of the drawbar, and said support is provided with an upturned end G, on which the coupling-link may be supported when desired, or said support may be adjusted to the position shown by dotted line in Fig. 1 when not in use. Each of the draw-bars is provided with a link 0; but only one link is necessary to couple the cars securely together, the other being held in reserve for any emergency, and when not in use the links Gare adjusted to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1.

When wishing to couple two cars that are some distance apart, the links 0 in the drawbars at the adjacent ends of said cars are adjusted as follows: The link 0 in one draw-bar A is adjusted to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 or out of the way, as it is not required, and the link in the other draw-bar A is adjusted in a horizontal position. It is then turned or rotated in the sockets B of the spindle B until it is in the position shown in Fig. 3 or at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2. Said link is then drawn outward until the weight D abuts against the spindle B. This adjusts the arm E under the stud A when the former is engaged with the latter. When adjusted as just described, the weight D will be in the position shown in Fig. 4-that is, on the opposite side of the link to that on which the arm E engages with the stud A and its action will be to securely hold said arm in engagement with said stud. As a result the accidental displacement or disengagement of the arm E from the stud A will be avoided and completely prevented and the link 0 safely and securely retained in said position until the draw-bars and cars to which they are secured are coupled together. Again, the length of the couplinglink 0 is greater than the distance between the spindles B when the ends of two adjacent draw-bars abut against one another; but the distance from the spindle B in one draw-bar to the inner end of the open space A in the body of the opposite draw-bar is greater than the length of the link 0, so that the inner end of said coupling-link can move back in the draw-bar and be perfectly safe from being crushed or otherwise injured when the drawbars strike together. Again, the outer projecting end C of the coupling-link C is narrower in one cross-section; but the shoulders 0 make it wider in the cross-section at right angles thereto than the opening A between the jaws A of the draw-bars, so that as the cars move toward one another the ends of the horizontal coupling-link O when adjusted as shown in Fig. 3 will freely enter the opening A of the opposite drawbar, and just before the draw-bars strike together the outer end of the coupling-link C will abut against the spindle B of the opposite draw-bar. When in this position, as the draw-bars move together said coupling-link and weight will be adjusted inward in the draw-bar. This will adjust the arm E back and away from the stud A when the action of the weight D will be to automatically rotate the coupling-link in the socket B of the spindle B to the position shown in Fig. 2-

that is, with the shoulders C engaging with the jaws A This will automatically couple and lock the draw-bars, as well as the cars to which they are secured, together, any excess of movement of the weight D beyond the position shown in Fig. 5 being avoided and completely prevented by the longest radius d of said weight coming in contact with the stop A and when the link 0 in one draw-bar is in the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 a portion midway between its ends abut-s against the bar or shoulder A of the draw-bar A, so

that if the end of the horizontal link C in the opposite draw-bar should be slightly below the spindle B and abut against the side of the vertical link 0 the latter would offer sufficient resistance to adjust said horizontal link to couple the cars. At the same time the vertical link would be held from moving pivotally inward and upward in the drawbar, so that all danger of said vertical link being injured from turning up and striking the inner end of the draw bar would be avoided and completely prevented, and the effort necessary to move said weight D from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 will not only have to be continuous and gradually increased, but will have to be greater than can be exercised by the jolting and jarring of the cars underany circumstancesf As a result when the link is in the position shown in Fig. 2 all accidental uncoupling of the cars will be avoided and completely prevented. At the same time the cars may be readily and easily uncoupled by grasping the chain F or device connected therewith extending to the top or side of the cars and drawing said chain upward until the weight D is in the position shown in Fig. 4:. This will adjust the link O to the position shown in Fig. 3 and disengage the shoulders C from the jaws A and permit the dgsaw-bars and cars connected therewith to separate. By adjusting both the links C to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 the cars, if they did come together, would part again without coupling. Again, if the cars were stationary and close together and the draw-bars touching one another they could be readily and easily coupled or uncoupled, as follows: If the cars were stationary and coupled together and it was required to uncouple them, this could be readily and easily accomplished by drawing the chain F upward until the weight D was in the position shown in Fig. 4. This would adjust the link 0 to the position shown in Fig. 3. When in this position, by adjusting the link 0, with the spindle B as a pivot, down through the opening A to the vertical 'position shown in Fig. l the draw-bars of the cars would be uncoupled. Again, if the cars were stationary, uncoupled, and the drawbars in contact and it was required to couple them this could be readily and easily accomplished by adjusting the link 0 to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1. When in this position, by adjusting said link 0, with the spindle B as a pivot, up through the opening A to a horizontal position as soon as the link 0 was released the weight D would automatically adjust itself to the position shown in Fig. 5 and rotate the link 0 until the shoulders O engaged with the jaws A when the cars would be securely coupled together. Again, by providing the draw-bars with the shoulders A against which the short shaft or spindle B abuts, a wide and strong hearing surface for said spindle is provided.

- ed or curved, as shown in Fig. 8.

Again, two of the corners of the coupling-link O diagonally opposite one another are round- The support G is adjusted in front of the opening A and the link C is supported thereon when constructed and arranged as just described. As the outer end of said link strikes the flaring mouth of the opposite draw-bar the upper rounded corner lowers one side and the lower rounded corner raises the opposite side of the coupling-link. As a result when the coupling-link, adjusted as shown in Fig. 2, with the weight adjusted as shown in Fig. 5,strikes the flaring mouth of the opposite draw-bar said link is automatically rotated to the position shown in Fig. 3 and enters the opening A of the opposite draw-bar, and as soon as the shoulders on said link pass in beyond the jaws A the weight D automatically adjusts the link to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the link C is automatically rotated to enter the opposite draw bar and then automatically returned to its normal position again to couple the cars together. In this case it would not be necessary to engage the arm E with the shoulders A of the draw-head A in order to automatically couple the cars together.

The outer projecting end of the couplinglink 0 is provided with a bolt-hole 0 so that it may be coupled with ordinary or other automatic coupler while this one is being introduced, and the spindle B rotating freely in the draw-bar and the coupling-link C rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely in said spindle the different operating parts of the coupling are perfectly free to adapt themselves to loaded or unloaded cars, or cars of different height and to inequalities or curves in the road'loed. As a result all danger of injury to this coupling from one or more of the operative parts binding on the other is avoided and completely prevented, so that cars provided with couplings constructed according to this invention could come together and be automatically coupled or part again without coupling,- as desired, and at the same time one in which the cars when stationary and the draw-bars in contact may be readily and easily coupled or uncoupled, as desired, and at the same time a device is provided which is simple, strong, and durable in construction and efficient in practical use.

I have found by experiment that the construction herein shown and described gives the best results. At the same time, while I prefer the same, I do not wish to limit myself to the details thereof, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawbar, provided with a stud, A and stop, A and in which a socket-bearing, A is formed,

a spindle, B, rotating freely in said socketbearing in said draw-bar, and provided with a socket or opening, B, and a coupling-link, 0, extending through the opening, 13, in said spindle, B, and rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely therein, in combination with a weight, D, provided with an eccentric segmental face, and with an arm, E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawbar provided with a stud, A and stop, A and in which a socket-bearing, A is formed, a spindle, B, rotating freely in said socketbearing in said draw-bar, and provided with a socket or opening, 13, a coupling-link, 0, provided with shoulders, G and extending through the opening, 13, in said spindle, B, and rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely therein, and a weight, D, provided with an eccentric segmental face, and with an arm, E, in combination with a draw-bar, A, provided with the jaws, A and daring mouth,

A and in which an opening, A, is formed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawbar provided with a stud, A and stop, A and in which a socket-bearing, A is formed, a spindle, B, rotating freely in said socketbearing in said draw-bar and provided with a socket or opening, B, a coupling-link, 0, provided with shoulders, 0 and extending through the opening, B, in said spindle, B, and rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely therein, and a weight, D, provided with an eccentric segmental face, and with an arm, E, in combination with a draw-bar, A, provided with the jaws, A flaring mouth, A ,bar, A and shoulders, A, and in which an opening, A is formed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawbar provided with a stud, A and stop, A and in which a socket-bearing, A is formed, a spindle, B, rotating freely in said socketbearing in said dra\v-bar, and provided with a socket or opening, B, a coupling-link, 0,

provided with shoulders, C and extending through the opening, B, in said spindle, B, and rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely therein, and a weight, D, provided with an eccentric segmental face, and with an arm, E, in combination with the draw-bar, A, provided with the jaws, A and flaring mouth, A and in which an opening, A", is formed, and the operating device, F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

, 5. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawbar provided with a stud, A and stop, A and in which a socket-bearing, A", is formed, a spindle, B, rotating freely in said socketbearing in said draw-bar, and provided with a socket or opening, B, a coupling-link, C, provided with shoulders, 0 and extending through the opening, B, in said spindle, B, and rotating and adjustable lengthwise freely ISO therein, and a weight, D, provided with an In testimony whereof I have signed my eccentric segmental face, and with an arm, name in the presence of the two undersigned 10 E, in combination with the draw-bar, A pro- Witnesses.

vided With the jaws, A flaring mouth,A bar, A

A and shoulders, A and in which an open- ALEXANDER HERON ing, A is formed, and the operating device, Witnesses:

F, substantially as and for the purpose set P. J. EDMUNDS,

forth. M. BRAUND.

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