US103850A - Thomas w - Google Patents

Description

'I'. W. DEFREES. UAR GOUPLING.

Patented June '7, 1870.

y @JIU @sind ,Sintra @met @imita .THOMAS wnnr'anns or scorn BEND, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 103,850, dated June 7, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sama LTHoMAs W. Dnrnnns, of South Bend, in the v county of St. Joseph and State ot' Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Gouplings, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Obi'cts of the Invention.

locked position.

Fifth, in themode of constructing and combining the clutches, buffers, and clasp-hooks, as hereinafter described.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a plan or top` view of my improved coupling, partly in section.

Figure 2 represents a side 4elevation of the same, partly in section.

A A are clutch-hooks, attached, by vertical' pivots a a, to the car-frame, so as to adapt them to move toward and `from`e'ach other in a horizontal plane.

Arms A', projecting laterally from the heels ofthe hooks, are acted on by springs G, tending to press the said arms outward, and, consequently, to throw the heads ofthe hooks toward each other, and canse them to interlock.

B B are concave-faced buffers, pressed outward by gum or other springs D D, and adapted to' receive the impact of the hooks A A, when the latter are in their operative position, or of each other when the hooks are retracted. y

The retraction of the hooks is effected by means of chains E E, which may be wound up on shafts F, by 4 means 'of hand-wheels G, or suitable cranks.

lhe shafts F are provided with the ratchet-wheels O, to be engaged by pawls P, similar to those commonly employed to secure the brakes".

In' grooves hl h, inthe buffer-heads, are pivoted retaining-hooks H H, which fall into elongated eyes I I on the backs of the clutch-hooks vA A in such a manner as to prevent the accidental escape ot' the said hooks one from the other, but permit their longitudinal motion between eafch other and the buffer-heads as the cars run together or draw apart while' coupled.

The clasp-hooks H may be elevated by chains t, or other means.

The buffer-heads are provided with houzontal slots and pins P, for connecting them, by means of common links, with cars not provided with my improved coupling.

Operation.

As the cars move together, the oblique sides ofthe clutch-hooks A, coming in contact with each other, canse the said hooks to be pressed apart laterally' in a horizontal plane unt-il they spring into connection, each hook striking the opposite buffer-head simultaneously. Tile clasp-hooks H are then thrown over into the eyes I. l

When thefcars areto be unconpled, either while in motion or at rest, the hooks H are drawn up and allowed to fall back, an'd the clutch-hooks A may then be drawn apart, with any necessary force, by means of the winches F G, and may be scheld by the pawls N engaging in ratchet-wheels O, as shown by dotted lines in lig. 1.

The retractionof the hooks may, if preferred, be effected by levers at the sides of the cars.

While the clutch-hooks are in this position, the

buffers B may come together, and be connected by a' link and pin, so as to serve as common draw-heads.

The engaging faces of the clutch-hooks A, being slightly dovetailed' or linclined backward, causes the said hooks to interlock with perfect security while in operation, without any strain on the clasp-hooks H, but the said clasp-hooks are useful to preclude the possibility of the clutch-hooks separating accidentally under any unusual or sudden jar.

The construction and relative arrangement of the hooks A insure their locking together without fail when the cars are run together, although the two cars may vary in height or in parallelism, either vertically or horizontally.

The concave buifer-heads operate in connection with the hooks A with perfect success to preyent jar, or when the hooks are retracted they act with equal effect against each other.I

Claims'.

I claim as my invention-- I. lhe hooks A and springs C, in combination with separate buffers B, when the said hooks are pivoted to the frame' independently of the bnfiers, and the parts are constructed and arranged substantially as herein described1 so that the hooks and buffers may act in connection, or the hooks being drawn en tirely aside, the. buffers may come together and receive y a common link and pin-connection.

2.- 'lhc clasp-hooks "H and eyes I, in combination with the clutch-hooks A, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination'of the clutch-hooks A, springs O, buffers B, clasp-hooks H, and eyes I, substantially as and for the purposes specied.

Witnesses: '15. W. DEFREES.

. WM. H. BRERETON, Jr.,

I. SCHEITLIN.

Images