US548295A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Mode 1.)"

G. W. CLAYTON.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Oct. 22,1895.

ANDREW BAGRANAMAPHUTU'LTHUAWASN INGTDN.D.C.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

GEORGE W. CLAYTON, OF LEBANON, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 548,295, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed May 25,1895. Serial No. 550,728. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. CLAYTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, county of Van Buren, and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings and Attachments Connected Therewith, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification suiiciently full, clear, and accurate to enable carbuilders to make, apply, and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a car-coupling which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, durable, of few parts, and which can be operated without the necessity of going between the cars. An additional object is to provide a device which will indicate to the switchman the condition of the coupling, whether in position for coupling or for engaging an adjoining car, without the act of coupling being performed.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter specifically described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the end of a car with my coupling and operative means applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal perpendicular section of Fig. 1, taken on a line passing through the coupling and operative means. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of Fig. 2, taken through the center of the coupling-head, showing the pivoted door and spring. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the switchmans indicator in position for holding the coupling-pnin an inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a perpendicular sectional View of the coupling-head, showing the two positions of the link and pin adapted to engage a draw-head on an adjacentcar which is lower than or on a level with the prescribed standard. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the coupling-head, illustrating the shape or form of the hole adapted to the peculiar construction of coupling-pin used. Fig. 7 is a view of the door detached, showing the lip and groove under the same.

Like figures of reference designate like part throughout the several views.

Oommencing with the operating means, 1 is a horizontal rod journaled to the end of the car-bod y by suitable clips, as shown, and having the crank-handles 2 2. Rigidly attached to the rod is an arm 3, having the projecting part 4. A plate 5 is attached to the car-body in the rear of the arm 3, to serve as a stop to limit the movement of the arm.

6 is a heavy rod which joins the arm 3 and coupling-pin l0 in such a way as to allow a slight movement ateach of the joints. The coupling-pin is provided with ribs 11 11, adapted to the hole in the coupling-head, as shown in Fig. 6 at 9 9.

7 is the switchmans indicator, having the forked arm 8 for engaging the crank-handle 2, as clearly'shown in Fig. 4. The indicator should be painted White or some other distinguishing color on the two faces exposed to view-when it is in operative position.

The coupling proper is made up of two parts, the head 9 and the strap 14, the latter bent upon itself, as shown, provided with a tail-bolt, which can be inserted from the rear and connected with the head by a bolt 16. vA filling-piece 15, of wood or metal, is also inserted between the arms of the strap and so shaped at the end as to snugly fit the opening in the rear of the coupling-head. The coupling-head has a perpendicular hole for receiving the coupling-pin of a shape or form, as hereinbefore described, adapted to the ribs 11 on the sides of the pin. A pivoted door and spring are located in a recess inthe body of the coupling-head, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and designated bythe numerals 12 and 13. It will be observed that the recessl in which the door and spring are located is larger than the opening which receives the coupling-link, and therefore that the door and spring must be placed in position from the rear, the bolt 16 being removed and the coupling-head detached for that purpose. By this ,construction no foreign matter can make its way into the recess and render the door and spring inoperative. Water, snow, and ice are entirely excluded.

The modus operando' of the coupling and attachments is as follows: When the switchman or yardman desires to transfer a car from one part of the yard to another and not have it couple with another car with which it comes in contact, he raises the crank-handle of the IOO operating device and causes it to engage the arm 8 of the switchmans indicator, as shown in Fig. 4. In this position the projection 4 of the arm 3 engages the plate 5 and the pin is held permanently in a partially-withdrawn position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the act of coupling cannot take place. The indicator 7, which revolves through the arc of a circle on suitable journals to a position adapting it to,

support the crank-handle, exposes its white or painted surfaces in this its operative position. This indicates to the observer in any part of the yard that the adjacent cars are not coupled.

If it is desired that a car shall couple with another and advancing car, the coupling-pin is withdrawn and set in the position shown in Fig. 2, the end of the pin resting upon and supported by the forwardly-projecting lip of the door 12. In this position the switchmans indicator does not engage the crank-handle, but occupies its lowered position, in which it serves as a support or step for the brakernan in ascending to the top of the car. The link also is set in the position shown in Fig. 2, en gaging the door. It is obvious that the advancing car when its draw-head engages the link will force the same backward against the door, rotating it on its pivot, compressing the spring 13, and allowing the coupling-pin, deprived of its support, to drop by gravity to its lowest position and at the same time pass through the opening in the link.

If it is desired to coupleacar to an advanc ing car which has adraw-bar somewhat lower than the standard, the crank-handle is re volved so as to bring the coupling-pin to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. It will be seen that in this position the ribs 11 of the pin engage with the edges of the link and regulate and determine the position of the same. Byrevolvingthecrank-handlethe link can be made to occupy any desired position within limits which will adapt it to engage the opening in the couplinghead of the advancing car. If it is desired that the car shall couple with another car having the standard height of draw-bar, the crank-handle is allowed to fall to its lowest position, which will cause the link and pin to take the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. To effect this with certainty the rod 6 and arm 3 are made sufiiciently heavy that taken in connection with the pin lO the weight will beV inoperative through the presence of foreign matter-such as dirt, snow, or ice,-and that the coupling-head and draw-bar being madein two pieces and easily detachable the former can be readily replaced when broken and at a very small expense.

While I have shown and described specific constructions adapted to perform the required functions for securing the objects hei-einbefore set forth, I do not wish to be confined to said particular and exact constructions, inasmuch as many changes in shape, proportions, size, and kinds of elements may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a car coupling device of the crank handle, as 2, and the switchmans indicator, provided with means for engaging the said crank handle and positively locking and retaining the said indicator in a raised and outwardly projecting position, substantially as described.

2. The switchmans indicator, as 7, pivoted to the outer wall of the car body and adapted in its lowered position to serve as a step and in its raised position to engage the crank handle of the operating device, in substance as described.

3. The combination in a car coupling of a draw bar, a draw head, a coupling pin, a rod provided with a crank handle for raising and lowering the pin, a switchmans indicator having an arm to engage the crank handle and lock it in a raised position, connecting means be tween the pin and the rod consisting of the arm 3 having the projection 4 engaging the plate 5, and the rod 6, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a car coupling of the following elements, to wit: the draw head 9 having a door and spring, a strap 14 bent upon itself and joined to the coupling head by bolt 16, the filling piece 15 snugly fitting the opening in the rear of the coupling head, and the tail bolt adapted to be withdrawn as shown, in substance as set forth.

5. The car coupling composed of the tail bolt, the strap 14, the filling piece 15, the coupling head 9 having the door and spring adapted to support the coupling pin, andthe bolt 16 passing through both the strap and coupling head and detachably securing one to the other, whereby a broken coupling head can be easily and cheaply replaced, substantially as described.

6. The car coupling `consisting of the tail bolt, the strap 14, the filling piece 15, the coupling head 9, the bolt 16, and the coupling pin having the ribs 9 as shown adapted to the opening 9 9 in the coupling head, substantially as described.

7. The coupling consisting of the casting 9 having a longitudinal opening from end to end, a strap 14 bent upon itself as shown, the filling piece 15 located between the arms of ICO IIO

i the strap and its forward end fitting the longitudinal opening in casting 9, the bolt 16 passing through the casting, strap and filling piece, and the tail bolt, in substance asset forth.

8. The combination in a car coupling of the rod 1 having the crank handles 2 2, the arm 3 having the projection 4, the rod 6, the coupling pin 10, the draw head 9, the strap 14, the filling piece 15, and the bolt detachably securing the draw head to the strap, substantially as described.

9. The combination in a car coupling device of the draw bar strap, bent to a U shape as shown, the coupling head, detachably secured to the strap by a bolt, the coupling pin having the ribs, the rod 6, the arm 3, the rod 1 having the crank handle 2, and the switchmans indicator having the arm 8 to engage the handle to hold the pin in a raised position, substantially as described.

10. In a car coupling device the means for raising and lowering the pin consisting of the rod 6, the arm 3 having the projection 4 which in its raised position engages the plate 5, the journaled rod 1 and the crank handles, and

the switchmans device engaging one of the crank handles to hold it in a raised position, substantially as described, whereby by reason of the projection 4 engaging the plate 5 the coupling pin cannot be entirely withdrawn.

1l. The coupling device consisting of a draw bar strap, U shaped as shown, a coupling head joined to the strap by abolt whereby the head can be easily renewed when broken, a coupling pin, a rod having crank handles, means for locking the same in a raised position, an arm as 3 having the projection 4 engaging in its highest position the plate 5, and the rod 6, substantially as described.

12. In a car coupling the combination of the strap 14, the coupling head 9 having the pivoted door 12 and spring 13 adapted to be inserted in position through the rear opening of the head, the Iilling piece 15 snugly tting the said opening, and the bolt 16, substantially as described.

GEORGE W. CLAYTON.

Witnesses:

W. T. SMITH, JAS. R. BLACK.

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