US433296A - Combined car and air-brake coupling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. J. LUPTON. COMBINED CAR AND AIR BRAKE COUPLING.

No. 438,296. Patented July 29, 1890.

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.11 //v VENTOH ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. J. LUPTON.

COMBINED CAR AND AIR BRAKE COUPLING.

No. 433,296. Patented July 29, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

D. J. LUPTON. COMBINED CAR AND AIR BRAKE COUPLING.

No. 433,296. I Patented July 29, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 4.

D. J. LUPTON.

COMBINED CAR AND AIR BRAKE OOUPLING.

No. 433,296. Patented July 29, 1890.

26- INVENTOR:

A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID J. LUPTON, OF JERUSALEM, OHIO.

COMBINED CAR AND AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,296, dated July 29, 1890.

Application filed December 17, 1889. Serial No. 334,043. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID J. LUPTON, of Jerusalem, in the county of Monroe and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Combined Car and Air-Brake Coupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers that couple upon contact and that can be uncoupled from the platform of a passenger-car or from the top of a freight-car; and the object of my invention is to provide means for effectively coupling ears automatically and of uncoupling them in such a manner that the operator will not need to stand between the cars, also to combine with the car-coupler an automatic coupler for the steam or air brake connections, so that the air-pipe will be coupled and uncoupled by the same operation that couples and uncouples the carcouplers, thus enabling air-brakes to be used upon freight-cars with greater facility than they are now used upon passenger-cars.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of two couplers embodying my invention coupled together and applied to passengercars. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the coupler as applied to a freight-car, showing a rod by which the coupler is operated from the top of the car; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4:, a side elevation of the coupler, partly in section, on the line as m of Fig. 5; Fig. 5, a plan of the same; Fig. 6, a longitudinal" section on the line y y of Figs. 5 and 8, showing the front end of the coupler in elevation; Fig. '7, a horizontal section of the air-brake coupler on the line 1 1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9, a plan view of the air-brake coupler; Fig. 10, an enlarged front elevation of the coupler; Fig. 11, a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 8,

and Fig. 12 a plan view of a modification of the device.

The frame A of the car-coupler is provided with a shank A, which extends back through a frame B,in which it is supported, the frame B being rigidly attached to the end beams of the car 0 C. The shank A is retained in the frame B bya key a, which passes through a slot in the shank A and rests against the back of the frame B. The shank A of the coupler-frame A is backed by a buffer-spring D in the usual manner to prevent excessive jolting.

The coupler frameA is hollowed out in front and provided on one side with a forwardly-extending arm A and on the other side with two f0rwardly-extending ears AF, arranged at the top and bottom of the coupler, and between which is pivoted the coupling-piece E. The coupling-piece E is of curved form and is pivoted to the ears A of the coupler-frame A by the pin 1), which passes through the couplingpiece near the center of the curve, so that the forward end of the coupling-piece will extend laterally in front of the mouth of the coupler, and the rear end in the form of a shank will extend around inside the couplerframe A, where it may be retained by a vertical key (Z, which extends down through the coupler-fraine. A

The outside of the coupling-piece E is provided with rounding teeth 6, arranged thereon behind the pin b, which engage the end of a flat spring f, which is attached to the side of the coupler-frame A by a screw g, so that when the rear end of the coupling-piece E is released by the key (Z the spring f, pressing against the teeth e and having the pin Z) for a fulcrum, will press in the rear end of the coupling-piece E and swing the forward end into open position ready to receive the coupling of another car. The coupling-piece E is also provided with two projecting ears E, through which passes an ordinary couplingpin I-I, so that the coupling-piece may be coupled to the link of an old-style coupling in the usual manner.

The key d is pivoted at the top to the interior of the coupler-frame A by the pin d. it extends down through the coupler-frame A,

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and is curved backwardly at its lower end, so that it will enter the frame K of the air-brake coupler. It is also capable of a limited oscillating movement in the vertical recess h of the coupler-frame A.

A fiat key M extends laterally through the coupler-frame A through a slot in said frame, in which it may slide. The inner side of the key is notched and beveled at the part 1, (shown in dotted lines in Figs. and 8,) and the beveled part bears against the front of the key cl, and one end of the key is provided with a slot 1', which engages the end of the crankarm j of the rod N. The rod N extends vertically through two ears I on the outside of the coupler-frame A, in which it turns, and the lower end of the rod is provided with a crank-arm j, having a downardlyextending pin, which enters the slot 1 of the key M. The upper end of the rod N extends upward through the passenger-platform C, and in the case of a freight-car is elongated so as to reach the top of the car, and is provided with a lever-handle P, pivoted thereto by the pin on, so that it may swing vertically. The top of the platform and of the car are provided with catches n, which receive the handle P and prevent it from turning.

The air-brake coupler K is provided with a backwardly-extending shank L, which slides in the bearing 0, and around which is coiled the spiral spring 1", one end of the spring bearing against the back part of the air-brake, coupler frame K, and the other against the bearing 0, so that the spring will keep the frame K and the key (1, the end of which enters the frame K, pushed forward.

When the cars provided with this coupler cometogether, one of the coupling-pieces E will slip in behind the corresponding piece of the other coupling, and the extending arms A of the couplings will strike the coupling-pieces E, tipping the front end of the coupling-pieces inward, forcing the rear ends of the couplingpieces outward, and forcing back the keys cl until the rear ends of the coupling-pieces E pass the key d, when the springr, acting upon the frame K and key d, will force the key forward in front of the rear end of the coupling-pieces, as shown in Fig. 8, thus holding them in locked position. v

To uncouple the cars, the handle P is raised from the catch at and turned back, thus turning the rod N and arm j, and the arm 7', acting on the slot i, will draw out the key M, and as the beveled part 1 of the key-strikes the vertical key d it will force it back into the recess h, and the spring f, acting on the coupling-piece E, will swing it into open position, as already described. When the handle P is turned back, the key M will be pushed in and the spring 0" will again throw the key at forward ready for another operation.

The air-brake coupler K is provided 011 each side at the top with projecting flanges K', which move in the slide-grooves S in the bottom of the car-coupler frame A, and by which the air-brake-coupler frame K is suspended from the car-coupler frame. The front of the frame K is provided with a door R, which swings downwardly upon the bolt 15, the door being fastened in closed position by a key and staple 5. The door R is provided upon one side with a projecting nozzle R, having an annular rubber band a fixed in a groove around it, and with a projecting plate R fixed in the mouth of the nozzle, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. Upon the other side of the doorR is a circular opening R which is lined with a rubber ring to assist in packing, and adapted to receive a nozzle R of anoth ersimilar coupling. Within the frame K is a movable abutment T, having its front portion covered bya rubber pad or packing-piece T, which closes over the opening to the nozzle'R and the opening R The abutment T and packing T are pressed against the front part of the. frame K and over the openings above described by a spiral spring T which is hold in place by a guiderod T and the abutment is prevented from moving laterally by a screw 6, which passes through the bottom of the frame K and into a slot in the bottom of the abutment. To the top of the chamber formed by the frame K is attached a spring-plate V by the screws 0, and which is provided with a forwardlyprojecting hook W and a small hook W which engages an inclined slot or groove 2 in the key M, and which passes through a recess 3 of the key M when the frame K is pushed backward and forward. When the cars are coupled, as heretofore described, the nozzle R of the air-brake coupler K will enter the opening R of the opposite coupler, the rubber bands to will press against the walls of the openings in doors R and prevent the air from escaping from the couplers, and

the plates R will push the packings T and.

abutments T, so that the air which enters the side of the air-brake couplers through the opening g, which communicates with the airpipes, will circulate freely around theabutments T and through the nozzles R. The hook W will spring over the shoulders 4 at the top of the doors R, thus holding the parts together. The door R is held in closed position by a Wooden key, which passes through the staple 5, so that if the cars should break,

apart the hook W would pull open the door by breaking the wooden key, and the brakes would be set. and the cars stopped.

When the handle P is turned and the key M drawn to uncouple the cars, as. above described, the hook W will engagethe inclined slot or groove 2 of the key M, and, following the incline of the groove, will raise the springplate W and release the hook W from the shoulder l of the air-coupler K, thus uncoupling the air-pipes at the same time that the cars are uncoupled. When the keyM is again pushed in to set the car-coupler, as described,

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the hook WV will travel down the incline of the groove 2 and the plate 7 will spring back into position ready for another operation.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a modification of the car-coupler shown in the other figures,

but which works in the same way as the device described, the only difference being in the form, the projecting arm A being more flaring than the arm A and the couplingpiece E being bent ata more acute angle than the coupling-piece E.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car-coupler consisting, essentially, of a frame having a forwardly-projecting arm upon one side thereof, forwardly-projecting ears upon the other side thereof, a bent or curved coupling-piece pivoted between said cars, a spring-actuated vertical key adapted to engage the rear en d of the coupling-piece and lock the same in closed position, and a spring attached to the outside of the frame and having its free end bearing upon the rear of the coupling-piece, so as to swing the same into open position, substantially as described.

2. In a ear-coupler, the combination, with a coupler having a curved or bent couplingpiece pivoially attached in the mouth thereof, of a vertical spring-actuated key adapted'to lock said coupling-piece in closed position, a horizontal key movable laterally in said frame and adapted to release said vertical key from the coupling-piece, and a spring attached to the side of the frame and adapted to swing the coupling-piece into open position, substantially as described.

In a cancoupler, the combination, with a coupler-frame having a coupling-piece pivotally attached in the mouth thereof, of a spring-actuated vertical key adapted to engage the rear end of said coupling-piece and lock it in closed position, a horizontal key movable laterally in said frame and adapted 5 .to force back said vertical key and unlock the coupling-piece, and a vertical shaft connecting with said horizontal key and extending to the platform or top of a car, and provided with a handle whereby said horizontal key may be actuated, substantially as described.

4:. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the frame A, having the curved coupling-piece E, pivotally attached thereto, of the springactuated key (1, fiat key M, and rod N, provided with armj and handle P, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the frame A, having the curved or bent coupling-piece E, provided with teeth e, pivotally attached thereto, of the vertical spring-actuated key d, the flat key M, having slot t, rod N, provided with arm j and handle P, and spring f, substantially as described.

6. The combinatioi1,witl1 acar-couplerhavin g a eoupling-piece pivotally attached in the mouth thereof, and a vertical spring-actuated key for locking the coupling-piece in closed position, of an air-brake coupler having the frame thereof attached to the frame of the car-coupler and connected with said vertical key of the car-coupler in such a manner that the air-brake coupler will move backward and forward with said vertical key and couple and uucouple in unison with the car-coupler.

7. The combination, with a car-coupler having a coupling-piece pivotally attached in the mouth thereof, a vertical key adapted to lock said coupling-piece in open or closed position, and a horizontal key connected with said vertical key, and with a vertical rod having a handle thereon adapted to move said horizontal key and actuate said vertical key, of an air-brake coupler adapted to slide in the bottom of the ear-coupler frame, having its frame actuated by a spring and connected with the vertical locking-key of the carcoupler, and having a spring-plate provided with a hook adapted to engage an inclined groove of the horizontal key of the car-coupler, so that when said key is actuated to couple or uncouple the car the spring-plate of the air-brake coupler will be raised or lowered to couple or uncouple the air-brake coupler, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a car-coupler, substantiallyas shown, of an air-brake coupler adapted to slide in the car-coupler, said airbrake coupler consisting, essentially, of a spring-actuated frame inclosing an air-chamber connecting with the pipe of an air-brake, and having a door in front provided with a projecting nozzle upon one side thereof openin g from the air-chamber and having an opening on the other side adapted to receive the nozzle of a corresponding coupler, said airchamber containing a movable spring-actuated abutment adapted to close the openings to the coupler-nozzles, and having a springplate provided with a projecting hook adapt ed to engage the shoulder of an adjoining coupler, and a hook connecting with the horizontal key of the ear-coupler, by which said plate may be raised and uncoupled in unison with the uncoupling of the car-coupler, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the car-coupler frame A, having the coupling-piece E, pivotally attached thereto, of the key d, air-brakecoupler frame K, provided with shank L, spring 0, and bearing 0, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the car-coupler frame A, provided with horizontal key M and rod N, having handle P and arm j, of the airbrake-coupler frame K, adapted to slide in the frame A, and having spring-plate XV, provided with a projecting hook W, and a hook adapted to engage the key M, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with the frame A, having the keys (Z and M, arranged therein and operated as described, of the air-brake coupler K, having shank L, provided with spring 0',

and having a spring-plate W, provided with forwardly-projecting hook V, and a hook W for engaging the key M, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a carcoupler consisting of a frame A, having the couplingpiece E, keys d and M, and rod N, provided with armj and handle P, arranged and operated substantially as shown, of an air-brake coupler adapted to slide in the frame of the car-coupler and consisting, essentially, of the frame K, having shank L and spring 0', an air-chamber connecting with the air-pipe of the air-brake, a spring-actuated movable abutment T contained in said air-chamber, a door R, provided with nozzle R and opening R and a spring-plate XV, having hooks V and W all arranged and operated substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination, with the air-brake- 2o 14;. The combination, with the frame K and door R, of the nozzle R, provided with projecting plate R and rubber band it, substantially as described.

DAVID J. LUPTON.

\Vitnesses:

W. R. GATCHELL, J. M. GIBBINs.

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