US439800A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. J. 1 100030 80 A. J. ISAACKS. GAR COUPLING.

No. 400,800. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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THOMAS JEFFERSON I-IODGES AND ANDREXV JACKSON ISAAOKS, OF ASHVILLE, ALABAMA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,800, dated November 4, 189 0.

Application filed June 26, 1890- Serial No. 356,834. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS JEFFERsoN HODGES and ANDREW J AOKSON ISAACKS, citizens of the United States, residing at Ashville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates, generally, to carcouplings, and particularly to that class of couplings in which a link and pin are employed; and it has for its object, first, to provide a coupler of the kind named, which may be operated from the side of the car; second, to provide a coupler which may be instantly adjusted to accommodate cars of diiferent heights; third, to provide an improved link with spring-jaws adapted to be opened by the pin and to close automatically; fourth, to provide an improved draw-head, and, fifth, to provide simple and durable means for ad justing the link and holding it securely in its adjusted position; and it consists in the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved coupling in position to form the coupling; Fig. 2, a longitudinal horizontal section through the link-frame and draw-head with i one of the plates of the frame removed, and

Fig. 3 a detail perspective View showing the ends of the links.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the end beam of a car, and B a block secured at the center of the same, immediately beneath which the draw-head C is secured in the usual or any desired manner. The draw-head, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, is formed with a throat to, of substantially the same diameter throughout, and does not contract toward its rear end, as is customary, but retains a uniform size from the mouth of the draw-head to its rear end, and is formed with a perforation b intersecting the throat of the draw-head to receive the pin 0. The links are formed of two levers D, having wedgeshaped heads d at one end, the rear portions of which form hooks e, and said hooks being reduced, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so as to overlap each other when in position. The levers D are formed at their opposite ends with the circular offset f, which is perforated at g.

E represents square or rectangular plates, between which the rear ends of the levers D work, said levers being pivotally secured between the plates in pairs at each end bythe bolt or rivets h, which serve to hold the plates together. The levers are arranged with their circular offsets adjacent to each other and with their hook ends projecting from between the ends of the plates a suitable distance to permit of the levers entering the mouth of the draw-head on the adjacent car, the throat of said draw-head being formed of a uniform size throughout, in order to receive said levers.

F represents a spring having a triple curve resembling the numeral 3, one of which is inserted from each side between the plates at about their center, and which are held in place by screw-bolts m passing through per forations in the plates at each side between the adjacent ends of the respective pairs of levers. The outer curves of the springs embrace the circular offsets of the levers and tend to force the heads of said levers together, and the central curve or bend in the springs embrace the bolts m, said bolts being held in place by nuts. The bolts or also serve to fasten a yoke n in place on the upper plate, to which a hook G, secured to or formed on one end of a chain H, may be caught, said chain passing back to and over a pulley I, journaled in the front of block B, and about a pulley J, mounted horizontally on top of said block, and from thence over a pulley K, having a guard L mounted on the end beam of the car, and is secured to a lever M, having one end pivot-ed to said end beam and its other end extending past an upright ratchet-bar N, which is bolted to the end beam.

The lever M is adapted to catch against the teeth of the ratchet-bar, and by raising or lowering the same the link-frame is raised or lowered, as desired, by the chain H to accommodate cars of different heights, and held in its adjusted position by lever M being caught in the teeth of the ratchet-bar.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a car-coupling, ofthe draw-head, the plates bolted together, the levers formed with wedge-shaped ends pivotally secured between said plates and projecting from the ends thereof, and the springs arranged between the plates and adapted to force the outer ends of said levers toward,

each other, substantially as described.

2. A link-frame for a car-coupling, consisting of the plates bolted together, the levers having perforated circular oflfsets at one end and wedge-shaped heads forminghooks piv otally mounted on the bolts which secure said plates together, and the curved springs partly encircling said ofl sets and adapted to force'the outer or free ends of said levers together, substantially as described,

3; A link-frame for a carcoupling,consisting of the plates bolted together, levers hav ing perforated circular ends and wedge: shaped heads forming hooks, said circular ends'being pivotally mounted on the bolts which secure the plates together, a yoke se cured to the top plate, screw-bolts passing through said plates between the rear ends of the levers, and curved springs held between said plates by said screw-bolts and adapted to force the outer ends of said levers together, substantially as described.

4. A link-frame for a car-coupling, consisting of rectangular plates, levers having perforated circular oifsets at one end pivotally secured in pairs between said plates and projecting from each end thereof and having Wedge-shaped outer ends forming hooks, and said hooks being reduced, springs curved to form a figure 3, secured between said plates and between the ends of said levers, and a yoke secured to the upper of said plates, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a draw-bar, of a link-frame, levers pivotally secured'to said frame at each end in pairs and having hooks formed on their outer ends, a yoke secured

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