US589591A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

J. R. BBARD.

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(No Model.)

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Patented Sept. 7, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT rricn,

.lr-ililES ROBERT HEARD, OF HARRISBURG, ARKANSAS.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 589,591, dated September. 7', 1897.

` Application filed .Tune 25,1897. Serial No. 642,316. (No modeld To @ZZ whom it may con/cern.-

Be it know that I, JAMEs ROBERT HEARD, a citizenof the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of koinsett and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to iinprove the construction of car-couplings and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eticient one, which will be strong and durable and which will be capable of coupling automatically and ci being readily unccupled from the tops and sides ot cars without going between them.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and ar angement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed ont in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

l designates a draw-head provided at its top and bottom With longitudinal slots 2 and 3, receiving a hook 4 and a spring 5, which engages the rear end of the shank of the hook and is adapted to hold the front end of the same into engagement with a link G. The link G, which is provided at each end with a slot to receive 'the engaging portion of the hook, is of a length that will permit the drawheads to come together to relieve the hooks or pivoted catches of strain during backing and duringl the operation oi' coupling, and the slots 7 of 'the link are of suiicient length to ypermit the draw-heads to have alimited longitudinal movement independent of each be formed integral with the same. The rear end of the spring curves upward and engages the rear portion of the shank of the hook. The shank of the hook is pivoted between its ends by a transverse pin or fastening device 9, and the front engaging portion of the hook is beveled, as shown, in order that the link may readily raise it and pass under it, and the ends of the link are also beveled to facilitate such automatic coupling.

The rear portion or" the shank of the hook is depressed against the action of the spring 5 for releasing the link and eiiecting the operation of nncoupling by a verticallyrecip rocating rod l0, mounted in a guide 1l of the draw-head, and having its lower end engaging a socket or depression of the shank of the hook. The guide ll, which is substantially rectangular, as shown, is formed integral with the draw-head and abuts against the car l2, as shown, and takes the place of the iiange or enlargement ordinarily employed for this purpose.

The lower portion of the rod l0 is rounded and passes through a perforation of the guide il, and the spring 13, which is disposed on the rounded portion of the rod, is interposed between a pin at the upper end of the rounded portion. andthe top of the guidevhereby the rod is normally supported in an elevated position to relieve the lower spring 5 of the weight of the operating mechanism.

The upper end of -the rod l0 is connected with an upper operating-lever li, which is fulcrumed at its outer end upon a standard l5 and which is designed to extend within convenient reach from the top of a box-car in order that the operation of u n coupling may be performed from that point to avoid the inconvenience of descending to the ground and uncoupling the car from that position. The handle end oi the operating-lei-*er let is depressed to effect the operation of uncoupling, and the standard l5, which has its upper end slotted to receive the lever 14, is lnounted upon a bracket or support 16, which is suitablyr secured to the draw-head, preferably by means of the transverse pin upon which the hook is fulcrnmcd. The bracket or support 1G, which is substantially rectangular, as shown, is recessed at the lower ends of its sides to lit the draw-head and to form ICO rio

shoulders for resting upon the upper face thereof. The top of the bracket or support is provided with a rectangular opening for the passage ci the standard, which has its lower end enlarged and secured between the sides of the support at a pointbeneath the top.

rl`he operation of uneoupling is performed at the sides of the car by means of transverse levers 17, extending inward from the sides of the car, crossing each other at the vertically reciprocating rod lO, and arranged in advance and in rear of the saine. The transverse levers l5, which are fulcrumed at their ends on link-rods 1S, are provided between their ends with eyes 19, which engage hooks 20 ot the reciprocating rod, whereby when the ou ter ends of the transverse levers are depressed the front end of the hook will be raised to release the link. The inner ends of the transverse levers are provided with eyes and are linked into similar eyes or hooks of the upper ends of the rods 1S, which are secu red at their lower ends to the draw-head, at opposite sides thereof.

The advantages of the invention are as i'ollows:

The operation of coupling is purely automatic, and the operation of unconpling may be performed from the tops and sides of cars without going between them.

The link will permit the draw-heads to come together in order to relieve the pivots er fastening devices of the hooks during the operation of coupling, and when the cars are being backed suiiicient longitudinal play is provided to enable the cars of a train to be successively started.

lVhat l claim isl. ln a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a spring-actuated hook mounted in the draw-head and disposed longitudinally thereof for engaging a link, a vertically-reciprocating rod arranged to engage the hook and adapted to release the same, a standard rising from the draw-head, a longitudinallydisposed operating -lever fulcrumed on the standard and connected with the rod and adapted to be operated from the top of a car, and transverse levers connected with and adapted to operate the rod from the sides of a car, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a spring-actuated hook mounted within the draw-head and disposed lon git udinally thereof, a vertically-reciproca-ting rod mounted above the hook and provided at its front and back with hooks, a spring disposed on the rod and supporting the saine, link-rods mounted on the draw-head and extending u pward from the sides thereof, the transverse levers fuleruined on the link-rod and previded between their ends with eyes engaging the hooks of the said rod, and means for operating the rod from the top of lthe car, sub-- stantially as specified.

In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a hook mounted in the draw-head and pivoted to the saine at a point between the ends of its shank, a spring mounted on the drawfhead at a point below the hook7 and having its rear portion extended upward and bearing against the rear portion of the shank of the hook, a guide rigid with the draw-head and adapted to abut against acar, a vertically-reciprocating rod passing through the guide and engaging the rear portion of the shank of the hook, a spring disposed on the rod and bearing against the guide and support-ing the former, the support mounted on the draw-head in advance oit the guide, a standard rising from the support, a longitudinal operating-lever ulernined on the standard and pivoted to the rod, supporting-hooks connected with the rod and arranged in advance and in rear ot the same, and the oppo sitcly-disposed transverse levers fulcrumed at their inner ends and provided between their ends with eyes engaging the supporting hooks, substantially as described.

4. In a eancoupling, the combination of a draw-head, a hook arranged within the drawhead, a transverse pin passing through the i hook and the sides of the draw-head and extended beyond the latter, the substantially rectangular support provided at its top with an opening and recessed at the lower ends of its sides to form supporting-shoulders, the standard passing through the opening of the top of the support and having its lower end enlarged and fitting between the sides of the same, a transverse fastening device passing through the sides and the lower end of the standard, a vertically-reciprocating rod en gaging the hook, and a lever fulerumed on the standard and connected with the rod, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that l claim the `foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ROBERT BEARD.

Witnesses:

E. N. BECKLEY, THOMAS L. Brr-inn.

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