US1660180A - Combined cross-connecting switch and coupler for electrical and auxiliary air lines - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1928.

I C H. E. VAN DORN COMBINED CROSS CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 19, 1922 kin. NW0

fn/vfemtar Feb. 21, 1928.

1,660,180 E. VAN DORN COMBINED CROSS CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES Filed April 19, 1922 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 I II IIIIIIIIIIII/A\ Feb. 21, 1928.

1,660,180 H. E. VAN DORN GQMBINED cnoss CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES Filed April 19, 1922 "7 Sheets'$heet 4 Feb; 21, 1928. 1,660,180

H. E. VAN DORN COMBINED CROSS CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES Filed April 19, 1922 7 Sheecs$heet 5 Feb. 21, 1928. 1,660,180

E. VAN DORN H. CQM BINED CROSS CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES Fi led April 19, 1922 7 Sheets-Shegt 6 Feb. 21, 1928. 1,660,180

H. E. VAN DORN COMBINED CRO NNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECT AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES 1 ed Qpril 19, 1922 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 a- T Llllll lllflll l llll &9 7

IN-m.

Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. VAN BORN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED CROSS-CONNECTING SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR ELECTRICAL AND AUXILIARY AIR LINES.

Application filed April 19, 1922. Serial No. 555,644.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple, compact and efficient coupler by means of which electrical connections may be reliably made between two cars, the cir cuits will be cross connected when two similar cars are coupled together, thus permitting the use of a minimum number of contacts, and by means of which the air system for controlling the pneumatic actuating devices associated with the coupler and, if desired, the car coupler, will be connected to the corresponding system on another car so as to cause the various operations in coupling and uncoupling to takeplace in unison on both cars-when a master valve on either car is operated.

A, further objectof the present invention is to produce a simple and compact construction and arrangement whereby movable contact carrier adapted to co-operate with a similar carrier on another car will normally be effectively housed within a suitable easing containing also a simple cross connecting switch, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the door in the casing must be opened before the contact carrier can be moved in a direction tending to project it from the casing.

Another object of the present invention to produce a simple and novel electric coupier combining a movable contact carrier and a cross connecting switch.

A further object of he present invention is to produce a simple and novel electric coupler having a closure for protecting the parts in the interior thereof when the coupier not co-operating with another, coupler, and having the actuating controlling means for the movable parts so interlocked that they are compelled to move in the proper sequence to a oid interference with each other, although they may be controlled from a single master controller.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages. reference ra be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accom anying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of my improved coupler, including the necessary pip-- ing and a master valve shown diagrammatically 5 Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale taken approximately on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately on line 3--3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. a is a section taken approximately on line 14[ of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, on a smaller scale, taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken approximately on line 66 of Fig. 4, on a somewhat smaller scale than the latter;

Fig. 7 is a section taken approximately on line 7-7 of Fig. 5, but on a larger scale than the latter; and

Fig. 8 is a section through the front end of the contact carrier taken approximately on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

efcrring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable casing or housing open at the front end and provided with a door 2 having rearwardly-projecting flanges or wings 3 and 4 pivotally connected to the side walls of the casing by suitable bolts 5, so as to permit the door to swing between a position in which it closes the front of the casing to a position in which it lies underneath the front end of the casin As best shown in Fig. 3, there is in one side of the casing a longitudinally-slidable spring-pressed plunger 6 lying in rear of and engaging with a nose 7 on one of the wings of the door below the hinge axis. When free to do so, this plunger closes the door, and the door can be opened only by pressing back the plunger. ()nthe same side of the casing as the plunger 6, above the same and plarallel therewith, is a piston rod 8 passing t rough the rear wall of the casing and fixed to a piston 9 slidable in acylind'er 10. The front end of the piston rod lies behind and engages with an car 11 located on the wing 4 above the hinge axis. lVhen air is admitted into the cylin der 10 behind the piston it forces the pis ton and rod forward, swinging the door-open against the resistance of the spring-pressed plunger. In the opposite side of the casing is a gravity dog 12 adapted to drop behind shoulder 13 located on the wing 3 above the hinge axis of the door; the parts being so proportioned that when the door is ful y open the dog drops in place behind the shoulder and holds the door open until the dog is lifted out of the way.

Within the casing or housing is acontact carrier the principal member of which is. a

fiat box-like member 1 1 somewhat narrower than the casing. The member 141s provided with upwardly-projecting v ears through which pass stationary'guide rods 16 extending lengthwise ofthe casing from the front to the rear wallsof the latter. Each of the rods 16 passes through a stationary lug 17 extending downwardly from the top wall of i the casing. On each of. the guide rods is a spring '18 hearing atone end against one ot the lugs 17" and at its rear end against one of the cars or lugs 15 on the contact carrier. The'springs 18 tend to hold the contact carrier in itsretracted idle position and, after the contact'carrier has been projected forwardly so as. tojext'end through the open doorway, the springs,when'left free to dose, return the carrier to its idle position within the casing. On one side of the member 14 is hung 'a gravity dog'19 havingan up- -wardly-projecting nose 20 which is adapted to strikeiagainst a downwardlyprojecting lug 91 on the dog 12, when the carrier is projected forward and ride underneath this lug without tripping the do On the return movement of the contactcarrier, the nose'QO strikes against the front side of the lug'2l but is prevented fronr swinging downwardly past the/lug byrmeans of a pin'or stop 22 flying behindthe same and below the piyotal point. Consequently as the contactcarrier 15 retracted the nose 2O acts on the lug 21, en-

' gaging-with the inclined lower face 23 there of, and forcing the lockingdog for the door upwardly so as to release the door and permit the springpressed' plunger to close the V to engage with an arm 27 hinged at its lower end, as'indic'ated at 28, to the contact carrier anduising verticallytherefrom; said arm having a forwardly-pro]ectingpin '29 which passes slidably through a lug 30 pro ject-ing upwardly from the top of the memfee her lat. (A strong spring 31 surrounds the member 29, hearing at its front end against the lugiit) and at its rear end against the upper end of 'thcswinging arm 27L The contact carrier is brought to rest before the actuating piston 25 has fully completed its stroke, by bringingfsome portion of the carri er against a stationary stop; so that further compression of the spring31 will occur after the carrier has been pro ected forward as far 7 as itwill go; andthe carrier will therefore be yieldingly held in its extreme forward position. A simpleway to arrest the forward movement of the carrier is to permit the forward lugs or ears 15 to strike'agalnst the front wall of the housing or casing or,

preferably against bosses projecting in- 2" ii iv from said wall and ca able ofbein D iihed so as to secure accurate adjustment ot' the carrier.

Abovethe member 27 is hinged a swinging dog 33 inposition to drop down behind the upper end'ot thearin 27 at the completion of the working stroke of the actuating piston. In 0rd r to release the contact carrier so as to permitthe springs18 to return it to its retracted positiointhe member 33 must be lifted out of engagement with the arin inthe arrangement shown, there 18 formed in the top-of the casinga shallow vertical cylinder 32lcontaining a piston 35 having a rod or stem'36 which is loosely conn'ectecl in any suitable way to the free end of the member 3%; Normally the weight of the parts and, if desirei'ha spring 37 acting on the niei'nbcr 333, permits the catch device to a ssumo its locking position upon the projection forward of vthe carrier. V hen airun dc "pressure is admitted into the cylinder 34 underneath the piston, the'piston is forced up and unlocks the carrier Air is supplied to the unlocking cylinder 34: through a pas-' sage'38 arranged in the top wall of the cas ing' and extendingto the frontend of the casing where it is provided with a suitable terminal 39. adapted to make a tight-jointwith a correspondingterminal on, another coupler and thus establish communication between the passage 38 and the correspondmg passage in another coupler. V

The front end of'the box-like member 14 of the contact carrier is filled with a body &0 of insulating material carrying theelectrical contact pieces-or terminals adapted to engagewith similar parts in a coupler on an- M other car. It is highly desirable thatithe contacts in two co-opcrating couplers slide upon each other when a coupling is effected, in order to keep the working faces of the connection between each pair of coi-operating contacts. Where'the working faces of the contacts are approximately at right 1 angles to the longitudinal axis of the coupler the sliding engagement between the contact"; of two couplers can readily be brought about by means ofa. bodily lateral shifting of the couplers themselves. Itmay happen or be desirable so to support the electric couplers that they will be aligned before the contacts have come together or so soon thereafter that no substantial sliding of the contactf faces on each other can take place. Under such conditions, it is highly desirable toprovide means for insuring a sliding ofthe contacts-upon each other. This may CO111811 iently be accomplished by mountingsome or contacts clean and insure a good electrical all of the contacts so that they are slidable in directions making an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the coupler, so that as they slide in and out, their transverse working faces move bodily in the lateral direction.

In the arrangement shown there are twelve contact pieces arr: nged in two groups of sir; symmetrically disposed on opposite sides 01 a verti al plane containing the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The contacts 11, oi one group, are shown as being stationary and as projecting only slightly from the l'ront face of the'body of insulating material Q0. The contacts 42 of the other group are slidable in passages d8 parallel with each other and each making an acute angle witl the longitudinal axis of the coupler. A spring 4st arranged within each passage behind the contact therein, holds the contact thrustt'orward a considerable distance beyond the front end of the insulating block. The contact faces 45 on the outer ends of the pieces a2 are arranged substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. It will be seen that when two couplers are brought together, properly aligned, the contacts ll in one coupler will engage with the contacts &2 of the other coupler, forcing these contacts backward against the resistance of the springs 14, and thus producing a bodily lateral shifting of the contact .taces and consequently a sliding engagement between these faces and the working faces of the contacts ll. It is desirable to reduce the number of electrical terminals in the coupler to a minimum and therefore, in order that each of the contact pieces 41 and i2 may at all times be a uselul terminal, I have provided the coupler with a simple cross connecting switch which will. serve properly to cross connect the "sires o't sevoral similar cars each having only as many terminals in the coupler as there are circuits to be connected. in the bottom of the coupler casing are two transverse parallel bars 4-6 and -it7 of insulating material on each of which are placed as many stationary contacts as there are terminals in the coupler, in the present instance twelve. The contacts on the bar to are indicated at 48 and on the bar 41:? at 49. The elements l8 lie directly behind the corresponding elements in the row 4.9. At the rear end of the carrier 14- is a block of insulating material 50 underneath which extends a series of contact strips 51 equal in number to the contacts in each of the rows 4:8 and 1-9 and so disposed that each strip lies in a vertical plane containing one of the contacts in the row 48 and one of the contacts in the row 49. The terminal con tacts 4-1 and 42 are connected to the strips 51 by means of suitable wires 52. The contact strips 51 he somewhat above the stationary contacts t8 and t9 so as toleave room be- 'gagemcnt witn the strips 51, and a set 58 ranged on the unde; and adapted to have slicing cn 'agement with the s u contacts 48 and -'l--. Corresponding contacts 5? and 58 are electri :all connected together this being conveniently accomplished by making one of lingers W the corresponding finger 58 out of a single piece of resilient metal suitably bent and attached the supporting bar.

The parts are so pr they are in th i-al e p c in Fig. 2, the iingex; 8 lie hehi most row 48 ot the stationary contacts and therefore interrupt the electrical continuity between the terminals 41 and and the wires or lines, (not shown) which extentrom the stationary contacts 4:8 and 4t) in lh form of a cable or otherwise through a suitable outlet .59 at the rear end of the casing. When the contact carrier is projected as heretofore Xplained, tire movable member 01 the circuit closer may either be placed in a position in which it bridges the gaps bctween the contact strips 51 on the 01111 and the stationary contacts 1-8 or in a tion in which it bridges the gaps between the contact strips 51. and the stationary con tacts 4:9. The same wires are of course coanccted to both the contacts 48 and the contacts 49, but in a reverse order in the roea' thereby pern'iitting the contacts 1 1 and to be connected in either ot two ways to wires of which they are to term the l(,i'l nals. The parts are so proportioned t the fingers 58 cannot at the same time we in engagement with both the cont: cts {'19 and 49. but must leave the contacts of one loiv in; I

iili) iiibeitore they come into engagement with the contacts of the other row.

Two actuating devices are provided for the circuit-closing member of the cross--v connecting switch, one of these actuators b ing intended to move the member into operative relation to the row o'l contacts 6% and the other being designed to more the member into operative relation to the row of contacts eh in the illitlilgennilli' shown. there are arranged in rear of the coupler casing two cylinders 50 and 51, these cylinders being placed in the vicinity of the longitudinal center of the coupler and with their in the same horiso id pla: a as the member In the cylinder (30 is a piston 62 having a piston rod 63 which e2;-

piston is effective in both directions.

casing and engages with the rear edge of the member 55 without being attached to the latter.- The piston 62 has a stroke 'suiiicient to carry the member 55 from its idle position into a working position in operative relation to the contacts 48. In the cylinder 61 is a piston 64 having arod 65' which extends through the rear wall of the coupler casing and is attached in any suitable manner tothe member 55. The stroke of the piston 6 1 is sufiicient to permit the piston to move the member 55 between its idle position and a working position in which the contact fingers 58 thereon engage witlrthe stationary contacts &9. Itwill be seen that the piston 62 can be used only tomove the member 55 in one direction while the other It'desired, suitable spring catches 66 may be pro vided at the sides of the casing for co-operation with the ends of the member 55 when the latter is in its first working "position. that 1s in operative relation toathe contacts 48, so as to. cause the member 55 to be yieldingly' held in' such working position and avoid the danger of accidental displacement after the operating airrhas beenshut off. IVhen the member 1s moved into its sec- 0nd working position; that is in operative relation to the contacts 49,-it is preferably In the her 55 into operative relation to the contacts iii.

49. The plunger 68 projects out from a suitable pneumatic cylinder 69 into which air may be admitted to retract the plunger and thus release the member 55 so that it can be drawn back into its idle position.

In addition to the air terminal 39 to which refcrencehas heretofore been made, the coupler is provided with two other air terminals 70 and 71 joined together by a suitable passage 72 formed in the top wallof the easing. A branch passage 7 3 extends from the passage 72 into a valve chamber 7% the top of which may conveniently be formed by a detachable cover 75, as best shown in Figs.

land l. This valve chamber lies at one side of the casing, directly above one ofthe wings of the door. In the valve chamber is a valve 76 having a stem 77 which projects down through the bottom of the chamber into-the path ofashoulder 78 on the underlying door wing or flange; the parts being so proportioned that when the door approaches its fully open position, the shoulder 7 8 engageswith the valve stem and forces the valve open, thus allowing air to flow from the topor" the chamber 74- past the valveinto the lower portion of the chamber from which it may then pass through a pipe tact carrier.

79 to the actuating cylinder 26 for the con- In other words, the contact carrier cannot be projected forwardly until after the door has been opened.

In the'drawings I have shown a system erpiping for insuring the proper operation of the various mechanisms onboth of two 0011- '81 is adapted to connect either of two pipes 82 and 83 to the pipe 80 or to atmosphere;

the arrangement being preferably such that when-either of thepipes 82 and 83is connected to the pipe 80, the other will be connectedt-o atmosphere. The'pipe 82 leads di f rectly to the rearend of the long cylinder 61. A branch pipe 84 extends from the pipe 1 82 to the passage 72 whichconnectstogether the two terminals 70 and 71 at the front of the coupler. Another branch pipe 85 6X- tends from the pipe 84 into the rear end of I the cylinder'60. The pipe Set is also connected to the rear end of the door-opening cylinder 10, by meansv of a pipe 86, as best shown in Fig. 3, In the pipe 84;, near the point where it is connected to the pipe 82, is

a check valve 87 which prevents air from flowing from'the pipe 84; into the pipe 82 but permits a flow in the. opposite direction. In the pipe 85 is a pressure valve 88 which prevents a flow of air into the, 'cylinder 60 until a predetermined pressure has been reached in the pipe'84c. It will be seen that when the master valve is turned to admit air into the pipe 82, (assuming that two couplers have been brought into coupled relation to each other,)..ai'r will flow into the actuating cylinder; 61 for the cross connecting switch, causing the member 55 to be pushed forward in the coupler until it is in operative relation to the contacts 49. At the same time air will flow into the dooropening cylinder 10 so that the doorat the front, end ofthe coupler will be opened. Air

,will also flow through the pipe 845 and passage 73 to'the valve chamber 74 so that; as soon as the door of the coupler has been swung out of the way, air will be admitted to the actuating cylinder 26 for the contact passages .72 and 73 and also through the pipe 84; the flow or" air through the pipe 84 being inthe opposite direction from that in 'the coupler first considered,'so that the air will be prevented by the check valve 87 vfrom flowing into the cylinder 61 in the second coupler. Consequently while the door in the second coupler will belopened and the carrier and the contact carrier will be forced contact carrier projected in precisely the same way as in the first coupler, air can enter only the short actuating cylinder for the cross connecting switch in the second coupler and not the long cylinder, so that in the second coupler the member ot the cross connecting switch will be moved only into its first working position in which it lies in operative relation to the contacts as. Consequently in one coupler the electric terminals connected to the circuits through the contacts L9 and in the other they are connected to the circuits through the contacts 48.

YVhen it is desired to uncouple, thc controlling valve on either car is moved into the psition in which air is adapted to flow into the pipe 83 while the pipe 82 is connected to atmosphere. It will be seen that the air flows directly from the pipe 83 through a. pipe 90 into the front end of the cylinder (31 and, since the front ends of the cylinders and 61 are connected together by a port 91, the air enters both the cylinders 60 and 51 and tends to force the pistons back. In that car in which the movable member of the cross connecting switch has been moved only partially forward, the locking plunger associated vitli the long stroke piston will not have been brought into play and therefore both ot' the pistons in that coupler will be forced back so as to bring the movable member of the cross connecting switch into its idle position. In the coupler of the first car, that is the one in which themaster valve was operated to effect the coupling, the movable member of the cross connecting switch will be in its extreme forward position and therefore the piston rod associated with the long stroke piston will be positively locked against retraction until the locking plunger is 'it-h'drawn. The withdrawal of the locking plunger 68 is effected by air which passes from the pipe 83 through a pipe 91 which is connected through a pressure valve 92 to a pipe 93 leading to the pneumatic device (19 in which the locking plunger 68 is mounted: It is therefore necessary for pressure to build up in the pipes and 91 before the long stroke actuating piston for the cross connecting switch can be unlocked. The pipe 91 communicates with the passage 38 in the top wall of the coupler casing so that air flows directly from the pipe 83 through tne pipe 91 .into the releasing cylinder 34- for the catch which locks the carrier in its projected posit-ion. Air flows from thepassage 38 through the terminal 39 into the co-operating coupler.

It is desirable that the unlocking of the car couplers be delayed until the electric couplers have been placed in idle condition. This may conveniently be accomplished by extending a branch pipe 9% from the pipe 93 to an unlocking cylinder 95 for a car coupler. 'Vith this arrangement, air cannot flow into the unlocking cylinder until a pre determined pressure has been built up behind the pressure valve 9:2, which pressure may be great enough to insure that the catches for locking the contact carriers in both couplers in their projected positions will be released before any air an flow to the unlocking devices for the air couplers.

In order to insure that the air will properly be exhausted in certain of the pipes when air under pressure is admitted to other pipes, regardless of: the position of the inaster valve, suitable snillle valves or cocks 96 and 97 may be placed in the pipes 82 and 83, respectively; whereby these pipes are open to atmosphere except when the pressure is above a predetermined minimum. Consequently whenever air is pushed back into either of these pipes by one of the pistons, it can escape through the snifile valve.

lVhile I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim 1. In an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, a movable contact carrier in i he casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, an actuator for said carrier, a, controller for said actuator, and apart on the door in position to operate said controller as the door is opened.

In an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, a movable contact carrier in the casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, a pneumatic actuating device for said carrier, a controlling valve for said actuating device, and a part on said door in position to operate said valve when the door is opened.

3. In an electric coupler, a casing, a door for-said casing, a movable contact carrier in the casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, a pneumatic actuating de vice for said carrier, a normally-closed valve controlling said actuator, and a part on said door in position to open said valve when the door is opened and hold the valve open while the door remains open.

a. In an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, a movable contact carrier in the casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, a pneumatic actuating device for said carrier, a normally-closed valve controlling said actuator, a part on said door in position to open said Valve when the door is opened and hold the valve open while the door remains open, and a catch for holding said door open.

In an elec'tric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, a movable contactcarrier in the casing; adapted to be projected when the door is'open, an actuator for said carrier, means associated with said door for controlling said actuator, a catch for holding said dooropen, and apart on said carriei' for tripping the catch when the latter is retractedfl I j r '(SQIn an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing,-

movable contact carrier in the casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, an actuator for said car= r'ier, means associated with said door for controlling said actuator, a catch for holding said door opcn, and a dog movably mounted on said carrier and constructed and arranged to travel pastsaid catch without tripping itwhen the carrier is projected and to engage with the catch and trip it when the carrier is retracted 7. In van electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, aspring tending to close said door and hold itclosed, means for opencatch; 7

8LIn an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said casing, a spring tending to close said door and hold it closed, means for openingthe door" against the tension of said spring, a catch for holding the door open, a contact carrier in the casing adapted to be projected when the door is open, a spring tending to move said carrier into and hold 7 it in its retracted position, an actuator for projectin said carrier against the tension of'its spring, means associated with the door for controlling said actuator, means associated with the carrier for controlling said catch, and acatch for holding-said carrier in its projected position. I

In an electric coupler, a casing, a door for said 'casing, a spring tending to close said door, a catch for holding the door open,

' means'for opening the door, a contact carrier in the casing adapted to be'projected when the door is open, 'an'actuator for projectingsaid'carricr, a controlling device'for the actuator, means associated with said door for operating said controlling device when'the dooris moved into its open position,-and 'ine'ans asso'ciated'wi'th said carrier for tripp'ingsaid catch as the carrier moves from its projected position to its retracted position; a p

10. In anelectric coupler, a casing, a conagainst said stop. 7

tact carrier mounted in the casingso asto be movable between an idle position and working position, a stop for arresting said carrier when'it reaches its working position, a yieldable part on the-carrier, an actuator engaging with said yieldable part to move said carrier into its working position, and; a spring arranged between said yieldable partand the main portion of the carrier so as tobe stressed when the actuator is operated. v

11. In an electric coupler, a casing, acontact carrier mounted in the casing so as to be movable between; an idle position and a working position,"astop for arresting said carrier when'it reaches its working posit-ion a yieldable part on the carrier, an actuator engaging with said yieldable part to move said carrier into its'working position, a

spring arranged between said yieldab'le part" and the main portion of the carrier was to be stressed when the actuatoris operated, and a catch in positionlto engage'with said yieldable part after said carrier has engaged T saidstop so as yieldingly to hold the carrier I 12. In'an electric coupler, a casing, a contact element mounted in the casing so as to be slidable in a direction forming an acute anglewit-h the longitudinal axis of the casing, said element :having at its front end a contact face arranged atright angles to said axis, a spring'arranged between said element and said casing and tending constantly to hold said element in a forward position in which said contact face lies'in front of said casing, and a second contact elcmenthaving a contact face on its outer end, SaldLSGCOHd vContact elementheing stationary and lying on-the oppos te side of said axis from the first contact element so as to be adapted to make a wiping engagementwith a sliding contact element on a cooperating coupler.-

13. In an electric cou'pler,-a casing, two" contact elements inounted n said casingand having on their outer endscontact faces arranged at right angles'to the longitudinat axis of the casing, at least one of said elements lying at an acute angle to the longi-[ tudinal axis of the casing, a spring arranged behind the latter contact-element and between the same and thecasing yieldingly to hold said element projecting fa considerable distance beyondthe front end of the casing, said elements being arranged symmetrically with respect to said axis so asto .be capable of" engaging with the contacts on a similar cooperating coupling,

14. In an electric coupler, a casing, two contactelements mounted in the casing and symmetrically'disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the latter, one of said elements being stationary and, projecting at itsfront end somewhat beyond the frontend of the casing, the second. contact element ex-- tending at an acute angle to said axis and slidable in the direction of its length, a spring behind said second contact element tending constantly to hold the same in a forward position with its front end lying in advance of the front end of the first contact element, one of said contact elements having at its front end a contact face at right angles to said axis.

15. In an electric coupler, a casing, two contact elements mounted in said casing and having at their outer ends contact face-s symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing and lying at right angles to said axis in planes disposed from each other longitudinally of the asing and both lying in front of the casing, the contact element whose contact face lies farthest forward lying at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis and being slidable in the direction of its length, and a spring arranged between the latter contact element and the casing for yieldingly holding the contact element in its advanced position and permitting it to slide back against the resistance of the spring. 7

16. In an electric coupler, a casing, two groups of contact elements disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the coupler, said contact elements projecting at their front ends beyond the casing and terminating in transverse contact faces adapted to make butt contact with the contact elements of the cooperating coupler, the. elements in one of the groups lying atan acute angle to said plane and to the contacts of the other group and being movable with respect to the casing in the direction of their lengths, and springs between the elements of the latter group and the casing tending constantly to hold said elements with their forward ends advanced beyond the forward ends of the elements of the other group.

17. In an electric coupler, a member of insulating material having on one side of the longitudinal axis a group of parallel passages forming an acute angle with said axis, contact elements slidahle in said passages, springs behind said elements tending to hold them thrust forward with their front ends projecting beyond said member, and a group of stationary contact elements equal in number to the pieces in the aforesaid passages disposed on the opposite side of said axis, all of said contact elements having on their front ends contact faces arranged approximately at right angles to said axis.

18. In. an electric coupler, a contact carrier movable between an idle position and a working position, two similar parallel rows of'stationary contacts having faces lying in a plane parallel to the path of movement of the carrier, a row of contact pieces equal in number and similar in spacing to the contacts in each of the aforesaid rows mounted on the carrier so as to face and parallel the said rows of contacts, and a circuit closer having two working positions in one of which it is adapted to connect each of said contact pieces with the corresponding contact in one of the said rows while in the other position it is adapted to connect each of said contact pieces with the corresponding contact in the other of said rows.

19. In an electric coupler, a casing, a contact carrier arranged within the casing and having contact elements adapted to engagewith similar elements in another coupler, said carrier being movable between an idle position and a working position, auxiliary contacts on the carrier and an electrical connectioniwith said contact elements, two sets of stationary contacts arranged within the casing adjacent to said carrier, and a circuit closer in the casing movable independently of said carrier and constructed and ranged electrically to connect said auxiliary contacts to either of said sets of stationary contacts when the carrier is in its working position.

:20. In an electric coupler, a casing, a contact carrier in said casing having contact elements adapted to engage with similar elements in another coupler, auxiliary contacts on said carrier electrically connected to said contact elements, said carrier being movable between an idle position and a working position, two sets of stationary contacts in said casing, and a circuit closer movable in said casing independently of said carrier between an idle position and two working po sitions; said circuit closer being constructed and arranged electrically to disconnect said auxiliary contacts from said stationary contacts when both the carrier and the circuit closer are in their idle positions; electrically to connect said auxiliary contacts with one set of said stationary contacts when the carricr is in its working position and said circuit closer is in one of i s working positions; and electrically to connect said auxiliary contacts with the other set of stationary contacts when said circuit closer is in its other worl position.

21. In an electric coupler, a casing, a movable contact carrier in said casing having contact elements adapted to engage with similar elements on another coupler, auxiliary contacts on said carrier electrically connected to said contact elements, two sets of stationary contacts in said casing, and a circuit closer movable in said casing between an idle position and two working positions, said circuit closer being constructed and arranged electrically to connect said auxiliary contacts to one set of said stationary contacts in one working position and electrically to connect said auxiliary contacts to lOt) the other set of stationary contactsin the other working position.

22. In an electric coupler, a casing, a mov able contact carrier in the casing having contact elements adapted to engage with smnlar'elements on another coupler, auxiliary contacts on the carrier electrically connected tosaid contact elements, two sets of stationary contacts in the casing, a circuit closermovable in the casing between an idle position and two Working positions, said other set of stationary contacts inthe other working position, and means for locking said circuit closer in one of its positions.

23. In an electric coupler, a c1rcu1t-con trollingelement having an idle" position and two working positions, two pneumatic actuating, means for moving said element into said working positions, piping leading to said actuators and to anair terminal adapted to register with a corresponding terminal on another coupler, and acheck valve 50 p0- sitioned in said piping that air flowing toward said terminal in said piping will pass to both actuators while air flowing through said terminal from another coupler will pass to only one of said actuators. V

24. In an electric coupler, a circuit-com trolling element, a pneumatic actuator for said element, a catch for holding said element in apredetermined position, a pneumatic releasing device for the catch; connected piping leading to saidactuator, and said releasing device; and a pressure valve in said piping in position to require air pres sureto build up after air is'admitted to said'actuator before it can enter said releasing device.

25. In combination, an electric coupler having a. circuit-controlling element, a pneumatic actuator for said element, a catch for holding said element in a predetermined po sition, a pneumatic unlocking'device for a car coupler; piping directly connecting said actuating device, said releasing device and said unlocking device; a master controlling valve for admitting air to said piping, and V I V l p the car on which the coupler is mounted and to cause the other actuating device to come a pressure valve in saidpiping between said actuator and the said two devices. I

26. In 'anelectric coupler, a casing having a door, a pneumatic actuator for opening said door, a contact carrier in said casing, apneumatic actuator for said carrier, acircuit closer in the casing co-ope'rating with said carrier, a pneumatic actuator for'said circuit closer, piping connecting said actuators to gether, a valve for admitting airto said piping, and adoor-controlled valve in said piping at av point to control the admission of air to the actuator for thecontact carrier.

27 In an electric coupler, a casing, 21. con-'- tact carrier in the casing, an actuatortor.

said carrier, a circuit closer in the casing having two working positions and an idle position and co-operating with the carrier to produce different circuit connections in said two working positions, two-actuating devicesfor said circuit closer one having a long stroke and the other a short stroke,- piping connecting saidactuator and said actuating: devices together'and to an air terminal at the front end'of said casing, and a check valve in said piping so positioned that when air flows in one direction in said piping it will enter said actuator and both of said actuating devices andwhen it flows in the other direction w1ll enter said actuator.

and only one of said actuatingdevices.

28. In an electric coupler, 'aseries' of con .tact elements ada-ptedto engage withsimilar contact elements on another coupler, a cross connecting switch including two sets of stationary contacts and a movable circuit closer, a pneumatic actuating device for moving said circuit closer into engagement with one of said sets of stationary contacts,

a second. pneumatic actuating device for moving said circuit closer into engagement closing positions and a. movable member movable independently of said contact elements, two pneumatic actuating devices for said movable switch membeigone of said actuating devices being adapted to move said member into one of its circuit closing positions, the other actuating device being adapted to move said member in its other circuit closing position; and a piping system connected and arranged to bringone of said actuating devices.- into play when air is supplied from into play when the air is supplied from a car on which a co-operatingcQupIer is mounted.

30. In an electric coupler,'contact elements adapted to engage with similar contact elements on a co-operating coupler, a cross connecting switch having two circuit closing positions and a movable 'member movable independently of said contact elements, two. pneumatic actuating devices for said movable switch; member, one of said actuating devices being adapted to move said member into one of its circuit closing positions, the other actuating device being adapted to move said member in its other circuit closing position; and a piping system connected and arranged to bring one of said actuating devices into play when air is supplied from the car on which the coupler is mounted and to cause the other actuating device to come into play when the air is supplied from a car on which a co-operating coupler is mounted, and to cause both of said actuating devices to be retracted to bring said movable switch member into an idle position when air is supplied from either either of said two cars in uncoupling.

31. In an electric coupler, a casing, two

contact elements projecting beyond said casing and symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing, said contact elements having faces arranged at right angles to said axis, one of said elements being stationary, the other of said elements being sli'dably mounted at an acute angle to said axis, and a spring tending constantly to hold the latter contact element in a forward vposition.

32. In an electric coupler, a casing, two contact elements projecting beyond said casing and symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the latter, said contact elements having faces arranged at rightangles to said axis, one of said elements being so mounted that the distance between its contact face and said axis remains constant, the other of said elements being slid- 1' fication.

HERBERT E. VAN DORN.

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