US1077417A - Pipe-coupling. - Google Patents

Description

J. T. MQGRAOKEN.

PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 30,1912.

077,417. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

I l I l WITNESSES I Wm ":Buir

A Home JOHN T. MCCRACKEN, OF BRADFORD, KENTUCKY.

PIPE-COUPLING.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed September 30, 1912. SerialNo. 723,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN T. MOCRAOKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of Bracken and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more particularly to couplings for air hose and the like employed on railway cars, and the pri-' mary object is to provide a simple structure of a novel character that will automatically close the passageways when the members are detached and to automatically open the same when the coupling members are brought into associated relation.

A. further object is to provide means for properly guiding the parts into associated relation in case they are slightly out of alinement.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the coupling with the members in associated relation. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through one of the members. Fig. 4: is a detail end view, illustrating the arrangement of the spring.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, each coupling member is a duplicate of the other, and they are arranged horizontally at opposite ends of the car, so that each will always move into coacting relation with the member of an adjacent car. Each member comprises a body 5 having a projecting nose 6 at one end and a stem 7 at the other, to which the usual hose pipe is attached. The body is also provided at one side of the nose with a recess 8 that receives thenose of the coacting member. Extending longitudinally through the stem 7 is the usual air passageway 9, which opens through one side of the nose, as illustrated at 10, and is pref-J erably surrounded by a suitable packing gasket 11.

A reciprocatory valve 12 is slidable across the passageway 9, being mounted in suitable guideways l3, and preferably having its margins or edges beveled. as s own at 14, in orderto provide a better joint.

This valve, when in open position, extends nto the recess 8, as illustrated. A swinging valve-actuating arm'15 is located in the recess 8, being pivoted in the open end of the same, as shown at 16, and having its rear portion slidably extending through a slot 17 formed in the outer end of the valve 12. A. spring 18 is coiled about the pivot 16, and has two arms 19, one of which bears against the wall of the recess, the other bearing against the arm. This spring serves to urge the valve to its closed position, as will be evident. Each of the projecting noses 6 of the member is provided near its end with a transversely, disposed rounded socket 20 that receives a similarly shaped projection 21 formed upon the adjacent side of the valve-actuating arm 15, the said projection engaging in the socket when the parts are in assembled position, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of properly directing the members into coupling engagement, in case they are slightly out of alinement, guides are employed, in the form of housings 23 slidably mounted on the bodies 5 of the members, and having flared open front ends 23. These housings have .rear walls 25, against which bear coiled springs'24t. The springs 24 are shown in the preferred embodiment, as surrounding the stem 7 and being abutted against suitable stop collars 26, but any desired arrangement may of course be employed. Under ordinary conditions, the flared ends 23 are disposed in projecting relation, but when said ends are brought together, they will of course move rearwardly on the coupling members and against the action of the springs. This also provides a good dust-excluder for the parts.

The operation of the structure is substantially as follows: When the members are separated, the springs 18 will act to move the valves 12 to closed positions across the passageways 9, and will maintain them in said closed positions. When the members are broughttogether, however, the projecting nose 6 of each will enter the recess 8 of the other, and will engage the arms 15, swinging the same outwardly, and thus causing the valves to move to open posltions. When the members are in properly associated relation, the projections 21 will drop into the sockets 20 and thus secure the coupling members against detachment, except when material strainvis imparted to the same. It will thus be seen that simple means are provided for automatically controlling the passage of air or other fluid tages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunder stood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

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

1. In a coupling of the character set forth, the combination with coacting coupling members, each having a nose that extends alongside the other, said members having longitudinal passages that open through the coacting faces of the noses, a slide valve movable across the passage of each member and operating transversely of such member, and a valve actuating device disposed longitudinally of each member and having its outer end pivoted thereto in spaced relation to the nose thereof, the rear end of each actuating device being connected to the slide valve, the nose of each member entering the space between the actuating device and the nose of the other member and effecting the operation of the former.

2. In a coupling of the character set forth, the combination with coacting coupling members, each having a nose that extends alongside the other, said members having longitudinal passages that open through the coacting faces of the noses, a slide valve movable across the passage of each member and operating transversely of such member, a valve actuating device disposed longitudinally of each member and movable toward and from the nose thereof, the rear end of each actuating device being connected to the slide valve, the nose of each member entering the space between the actuating device and the nose of the other member and effecting the operation of the former, and a spring bearing against each valve actuating device for urging it toward the nose.

3. In a coupling of the character set forth, the combination with coacting coupling members, each having a nose that extends alongside the other, said members having longitudinal passages that open through the coacting faces of the noses, a slide valve movable across the passage of each member and operating transversely of such member, a valve actuating device .d1sposed longituchnally of each member and movable toward and from the nose thereof, the rear end of each actuating device being connected to the slide valve, the nose of each member entering the space between the actuating device and the nose of the other member and effecting the operation of the former, and a spring bearing against each valve actuating device for urging it toward the nose, the valve actuating device of one member and the nose of the other having interlockingengagements to hold the members against separation.

4. In a coupling of the character set forth,

the combination with coacting coupling members, each having a nose that extends alongside the other, said members having passages therethrough that open and com municate through the opposing faces of the noses, a valve in each member controllmg the passage therethrough, and valve actuating means for the valve of each member operated by the nose of the other member and bearing against the outer side of such nose, said means serving to urge the opposmg faces of sa1d noses toward each other.

5. In a coupling of the character set forth,

the combination with coacting coupling members, each having a nose that extends alongside the other, said members having passages therethrough that open and communicate through the opposing faces of the noses, a valve in each member controlling the passage therethrough, and valve actuatoperated by the nose of the other member and bearing against the outer side of such nose, said means servlng to urge the oppos- 1ng means for the valve of each member ing faces of said noses toward each other, 1

and said actuating means furthermore interlocking with the noses to secure the members against separation.

6. In a coupling of the character set forth, the combination with coacting coupling a atin transversel of such member and a valve actuating arm disposed longitudinally in each recess and having its outer end pivoted therein in spaced relation, to the said nose, the rear end of each arm being engaged directly with the said slide valve, the nose of each member entering the spacebe tween the arm and the nose of the other In testimony whereof I have hereunto member and effecting the operation of the set my hand in presence of two subscribing 10 same, springs bearing against the outer sides witnesses.

of the arms to ur 'e them against the nose,

and thereby urgi g the noses against each JOHN MGCRACKEN' other, and interlocking engagements be- Witnesses:

tween the noses and the arms to prevent the VVILL A. FIELD,

accidental separation of the members. LEO G. ONEILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

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