US734999A - Car-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

J. TIMMS.

GAE GQUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. so. 1902.

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J. TIMMS.

CAR COUPLING. APPLIGATIOK 111mm APR. 30, 1902.

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GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1902.

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J. TIMMS.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1902.

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4/5 E ///A I N VEN T OR M W j W 6 Atlorney UNITED STATES Patented July as, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES TIMMS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUCKEYE MALLE ABLE IRON AND COUPLER COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,999, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed April 30, 1902. Serial No. 105,390. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES TIMMS, of Golumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to bee. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings, the object of the same being to provide improved means for throwing the knuckle into its open position.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the coupling with its head in section, showing the knuckle and lockingblock. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the coupling with the side of the head cut away and showing the locking-block in its position in front of the tail of the knuckle. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line at a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View in front elevation of the locking-block. Fig. 5 is a view of same looking toward the inner side or the side that is engaged by the tail of the knuckle. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of same. Fig. 7 is a view of the knuckle looking toward the tail of the latter. Fig. 8 is a detached view of the knuckle and block, showing the latter resting on the tail of the knuckle. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the locking-block engaging the restricted surface of the rear arm or tail of the knuckle for throwing the latterinto its open position. Fig. 10 is a view in transverse section through the head, showing the lock set. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic View showing knuckle arm or tail and look from the right side of drawhead, the knuckle being in an unlocked position ready to open; and Figs.'12 and 13 are similar views of modifications, and Fig. 14 is a view of a modified form of knuckle.

1 represents the coupling head, 2 the knuckle, and 3 a pin on which the knuckle is pivoted. The rear arm or tail 4 of the knuckle is constructed with a curved face 5, having an inclined surface 6 on its lower surface, which extends upwardly from the point 7 to the point 8. Locking-block 9 is constructed with a shoulder 10, which is adapted to rest on the upper surface 11 of the rear arm 4 of the knuckle and be supported there by. Thelower end of the locking-block is constructed with a laterally-projecting wedgeshaped portion having an inclined or Wedgeshaped bearing-surface 12, which is forwardly inclined from its upper and rear edge 14 to its lower and forward edge 15. This inclined surface 12 may be flat, orit may be made slightly convex, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and is provided with a hardened bearing-surface 16, which may be in the form of a hardened-steel button setinto the face of the incline. Instead of constructing the block with an integral inclined bearing-surface 12 the part carrying this inclined surface may be a separate piece attached to or actuated by the block. The inclined surface 6 on the rear of the knucklearm is also hardened to insure a smooth and hard wearing-surface. When the knuckle is in its locked position, the inclined or wedgeshaped bearing surface rests within the pocket 17 in the lower wall of the couplinghead and one side 18 of the locking-block engages the wall 19 of the coupling-head, while the tongue 20 on the inner end of the knucklearm interlocks with the groove 21, formed in one side of the locking-block. This construction insures a firm and secure interlocking engagement otlthe locking-block with the knuckle and retains the latter against displacement. When the locking-block is raised so that its wedge -shaped bearing-surface strikes the rear curved and inclined surface 6 on the knuckle, it will operate to rotate the latter on its pivotal bearing, and by continuin g to raise the locking-block its wed ge-shaped bearing-surface 12 will continue to rotate the knuckle until it has been thrown into its open position. This inclined surface 12, being forwardly inclined from its upper to its .lower edge, by its engagement with the inclined surface on the under side of the knuckle-arm serves to force the arm outwardly, and this action is greatly facilitated by the leverage of the knuckle-arm, which is equal to the distance between a line 21 passing through the pivot-pin 3 and a line 22 parallel thereto and intersecting the point 23, at which the wedgeshaped surface 12 engages theknuckle-arm. These two forces-viz., the wedge-shaped engaging surface on the locking block and knuckle and the leverage exerted by the locking-block on the rear arm of the knuckleenable the latter to be very readily and easily thrown from its locked to its unlocked position. 'By providing smooth and hard bearings on the inclined or wedge-shaped surface 12 of the locking-block and on the inclined surface on the rear arm of the knuckle the friction between the parts is greatly reduced and enables the knuckle to be opened by an expenditure of very little force and also the engaging surface which insures the opening of the knuckle is preserved from undue wear.

Instead of providing the under side of the rear armof the knuckle with an inclined surface it may be constructed with a horizontal lower surface, as illustrated in Fig. 14. As thus constructed the wedge-shaped and forwardly-inclined surface on the toe of the locking block will engage the lower and curved edge on the rear arm of the knuckle, and owing to the favorable leverage provided by the knuckle-arm the latter will be moved outwardly and into its open position. While I prefer to employ the inclined surface on the rear'arm of the knuckle, as it cooperates with the forwardly-inclined or wedge-shaped surface on the toe of the locking-block, I do not limit myself to such invention, because, as has been shown, the inclined surface on the knuckle may be dispensed with. Again, if desired, the rear edge of the tail of the knuckle may be inclined from its lower to its upper edge, as at 12 in Fig. 12, to correspond with a similar inclined surface l2 on the lock, or the rear lower edge ofthe knuckle may be forwardly inclined, as shown at 12 in Fig. 13, to engage an underhung projection 12 without any inclination.

The locking-block is provided with a shoulder 22, which is made to engage or hook on a shoulder or ledge 23 on the inner wall of the coupling-head by lifting the locking-block to its highest position when the knuckle is closed. Then it is desired to set the locking-block in a position which will permit the knuckle to be closed without being automaticallylocked, it is simplynecessary to lift the lockingblock to its highest position, and when so lifted its upper end will tilt to one side and cause its shoulder 22 to engage with and be supported by the shoulder or ledge 23 on the wall of the coupling-head. When the knuckle is opened, the upwardly-inclined surface 11 on its rear arm will engage the locking-block and disengage its shoulder 22 from the shoulder 23 and permit the block to rest with its shoulder 10 on the knuckle and cause the block to automatically lock the knuckle when moved to its locked position.

While I have shown and described one method of supporting the locking-block in its unlocked position, I do not restrict myself to the particular description shown and described.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupling-head and a pivoted knuckle, of a locking-block provided at its lower end with a lateral projection having a wedge-shaped upper surface, said surface having a decided inclination outwardly and downwardly from the upper and rear side of said projection to its lower and forward side.

2. In a carcoupling, the combination with a coupling-head and a pivoted knuckle, of a locking-block located approximately in line with the axis of the coupling-head and provided at its lower end with a lateral projection having a wedge-shaped upper surface, said surface having a decided inclination from the upper and rear side of said projection to its lower and forward side.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupling-head and a pivoted knuckle, of a locking-block located approximately in line with the axis of the coupling-head and provided at its lower end with a lateral projection, having a wedge-shaped upper surface, said surface having a decided inclination from its upper and rear side to lower and forward side, and hardened.

4. A locking-block for a car-coupling provided at its lower end with a lateral projection having a wedge-shaped upper surface, said surface having a decided inclination outwardly and downwardly from the upper and rear side of said projection to its lower and forward side.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JAMES TIMMS.

Witnesses:

JAMES D. OSBORN, H. N. SMITH.

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