US1227951A - Slack-adjuster. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. SAUVAGE. SLACK Amussa.

APPLICATION FILED jAN. 25, 1916.

Patented; May 29, v1917.

Illbl UNTTED @TATES ATFNT @FFTQE WILLIATJI H. SAUVAGE, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SLACK-A'DJUSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed January 25, 1916. Serial No. 74,187.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, citizen of the United States, and resident of Flushing in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack-Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic slack adjustcrs for brake rigging, and in its more intense aspect to the brake rigging associated with a car truck, although it is of course to be understood that without material modification, the apparatus may be applied to the Jfoundation brake rigging adjacent the power cylinder.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical slack adjuster of the above Igeneral type having few parts which will be cheap to manufacture and install. Another object is to provide an automatic slack adjuster mechanism of the last above mentioned type which will be reliable and efficient in use and operation. A further object is to provide a slack adjuster mechanism particularly adapted for the brake rigging associated with the trucks of a car in which certain parts are more directly associated with the truck framing.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing such parts of a truck and brake rigging as are necessary to fully understand the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail views of certain parts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Fig. 1, 5 denotes the transverse truck bolster, to one side of which is pivotally attached at 9 a dead lever support 6 to which the upper end of a dead lever 7 is adjustably and pivotally connected. The lower end of this dead lever is connected. at the point 8 to a solid nonex- .tcnsible push rod 10, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the point 11 to the lower end of live lever 12. The upper end of this lever is pivotally connected at the point 18 to pull rod 14. If this mechanism were to be applied to the foundation brake rigging, the power cylinder would be substituted for the bolster 5 and the piston connected at the point 13. This mechanism so far described is all of well known construction and operation.

The slack adjuster mechanism is preferably located between the live and dead levers and connects their lower parts as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This mechanism comprises brake beams 15 and 16 which are provided with the usual brake shoe heads and shoes adapted to coact with the peripheries of the adjacent wheels. The brake beam 16 adjacent the .dead lever is connected thereto by means of strut 17 The other brake beam 15 is provided with a central housing as shown in cross section within which are mounted in the present case a plurality of dogs 18 normally held in vcanted position by means of a coiled spring 20 surrounding a take up and holding rod 21. This rod performs additional function of the strut between the brake beam and the live lever and accordingly permits the dispensing of this element.

The brake beam 15 is provided at its lower under side with a bifurcated portion provided with a pivot or pintle pin 22 passing through a lost motion slot 23 in one end of an adjusting rod or link 24, the opposite end of which rod is provided with an elongated slot 25 through which passes a pin 26 provided with any desired form of friction take up clamp. This friction clamp may, for

example, comprise one or a pair of spring washers 27 as shown in Fig. 4L, gripping the opposite sides of the adjusting rod 24 whereby the rod 2st may have a relative movement with respect to said link in either direction under abnormal circumstances, but is normally designed to slip in one direction only to take up the excess or false travel of the brake rigging due to wear of the parts.

To permit a certain amount of turning of the rod 24 with respect to its length and prevent wear thereof at its point of support there is provided a half ball washer 28 about the pin 26 adapted to rollin a socket in the support 30, as shown in Fig. 3.

1n other words, if any false travel exceeding` the lost motion provided by the slot 23 occurs it is registered upon this slot 2.5, and on release of the brakes will actuate the permanent take up and holding device including` the dogs 18 upon the rod 21. At this point, it may be noted any other form of take up rod may be substituted, such for example as ratchets, screw threads or the like,

in fact, any device adapted to effectively take up and hold the slack between the effective ends 0f the telescopic parts will answer the purpose although the construction shown is preferred due to its accuracy of movement.

This device operates insubstantially the following manner:

On application of the brakes, the upper end of the live lever 12 moves toward the left and reacts upon the dead lever through the push rod 10 to move the lower end of the dead lever toward the right. By means of the connections between the live and dead levers and the associated brake beams the shoes are of course carried into contact with the peripheries of the adjacent wheels. 1f, excess travel takes place exceeding the lost motion provided for by the slot 23 relative slipping movement between the friction clamp 27 and slotted end 25 will take place proportional or equal to the lost motion.

lfOn release of the brakes, the parts are returned to normal position under action of release spring 31 to bring the live lever to full return position with stop 32 against one side of the bolster. The initial return movement permitting the brake shoes to drop away from the wheels .is provided for by the lost motion slot 23, which insures a desired brake shoe clearance, and on continuation of the return movement if excess travel takes place the friction clamp will hold the link 24 in relatively fixed position which in turn prevents further movement of the brake beam 15 toward the right. This, of

course, will permit rod 21 to slide freely through the dogs 18 to the right an amount substantially equal to the excess travel.

This operation willbe repeated from time to time as may be necessary due to the wear of the parts and the brake beams are progressively carried toward their respective wheels as the holding rod 21 telescopes with its holding device 18. As the live lever is always returned to normal position with its stop at rest uniform piston travel will take place at all times. From the above it will be seen that the temporary and permanent take up and holding devices including the friction clamp device and the positively acting dogs are directly connected with each other in series and connect the live and dead levers with each other intermediate their ends. It is thus clear that the present device-is adapted to accomplish, among others, all of the objects and advantages above set forth.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the ge- .therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, a push rod connecting said levers, and an adjusting mechanism connecting said levers intermediate their ends and substantially parallel with said push rod, said mechanism comprising a take up and holding means anda temporary adjusting means directly connected with each other in series.

2. In a slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, a push rod connecting said levers, and an adjusting mechanism connecting said levers intermediate their ends and substantially parallel with said push rod, comprising a holding rod, a telescopic member coacting therewith and an adjusting means connected at one endto one of said parts and at the other end with the dead lever.

y 3. 1n a slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, a push rod connecting the ends of said levers, and an adjusting mechanism connecting said levers intermediate their ends and comprising a housing, a holding rod connected with the live lever and `telescoping within said housing, and an ad- CFI connected at one end with said housing and at its opposite end with said dead lever, said connections of the adjusting rod comprising a lost motion device at one end, and a friction clamp device at the other.

5. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, a rod connecting said levers, the slack adjusting mechanism connecting said levers and comprising a housing located in one of the brake beams, a holding rod telescoping with said housing, and an adjusting rod connected with said housing at one end and having a friction clamp connection at its opposite end.

6. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, a push rod connecting said levers, the slack adjusting mechanism connecting said levers and comprising a housing located in one of the brake beams, a take up rod adapted to telescope with said housing, holding means within the housing adapted to coact with the effective end of said take-up rod to permanently take up and hold the slack due to excess tra-vel, and an adjusting rod having a lost motion connection with said housing and a frictional connection near its opposite end with the other brake beam.

7. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a housing located in one of the brake beams, a holding rod adapted to telescope with said housing, means within the housing adapted to coact with the effective end of said holding rod to permanently take up and hold the slack due to excess travel, and an adjusting rod associated with said housing having a rotatable frictional clamp device near one of its ends, and a lost motion device near its other end.

8. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever and a holding rod having a pivotal connection with said live lever, and a take up and holding connection with the adjacent brake beam, and an adjusting rod connected with the latter.

9. In a slack adjuster, a live lever, brake beams, a holding rod connected with said lever, and adjusting` mechanism associated with the lever and brake beams, comprising a housing located in one of the brake beams, said holding rod having a telescopic action with said housing, take up and holding means within the housing coacting with the holding rod and adjusting means between the brake beams.

10. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams adjacent said levers, a push rod connecting the ends of said levers, and adjusting mechanism associated with the levers and brake beams, comprising a housing, a holding rod connected with the live lever and having a telescopic action with said housing, take up and holding means coacting with said holding rod, and adjusting means between the brake beams, having a frictional connection with one of the brake beams and a lost motion connection with the other.

11. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams adjacent said levers, a push rod connecting the ends of said levers, and adjusting mechanism associated with the levers and brake beams comprising a holding rod connected with the live lever, take up and holding means coacting with said holding rod, adjusting means coacting with the holding rod between the brake beams, having a rotatable frictional connection with one of the brake beams and a lost motion connection with the other, and a return spring associated with the live lever.

12. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams adjacent said levers, a rod connecting said levers, adjusting mechanism associated with the levers and brake beams comprising a holding rod connected with the live lever, take up means between the brake beams, having frictional connection with one of the brake beams and a lost motion connection with the other, a release spring associated with the live lever adapted to return the parts to normal position, and a stop associated with the upper end of the live lever adapted to limit the return movement thereof.

18. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams adjacent sla-id levers, a push rod connecting the 100 ends of said levers, an adjusting mechanism associated with the levers and brake beams comprising a housing located in one of the brake beams, a holding rod connected with the live lever and having a telescopic action 105 within said housing, take up and adjusting means between the brake beams, having a frictional connection with one of the brake beams, and a lost motion connection with the other, a release spring associated with 110 the live lever adapted to return the parts to normal position, and a stop coacting with said bolster and the upper end of the live lever adapted to limit its return movement.

14. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a 115 relatively fiat adjusting rod, a friction clamp associated therewith, a support for said clamp, and means associated with said support permitting relative rotation of the rod about its longitudinal aXis.

15. In a slack adjuster, in combination, an adjusting mechanism comprising a brake beam, a housing formed directly therewith and take up and holding means located directly in said housing.

16. In a slack adjuster, in combination, an adjusting rod, a friction clamp associated therewith, a support for said clamp and a spring washer included in said clamp adapted to bear against said rod.

17. In a slack adjuster, in combination, brake beams, live and dead levers associated therewith, a non-extensible push rod con necting` said levers, the'slaok adjuster meehanism Connecting said levers intermediate their ends and Comprising a housing located directly near one of the brake beams, a take up lrod adapted to telescope'` with said housing, holding means within the housing adapted to coaet with said take up rod to permanently take up and hold the slack due to excess travel and an adjusting rod conneoting,- the brake beams land having a lost motion connection at one end with one of said beams, and a yielding frietional connection at its other end with the other of said beams.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 16th day of December A. D. 1915.

VILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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