US539687A - Car-coupling - Google Patents

Description

(NO Model.)

` J- N. KITGHEN,

UAB GOUPLING.

No. 539,687. Patented MayZl, 1895.

k ATENT Frios.

JOHN N. KITCHEN, OF WHITE (POST, VIRGINIA.

.CAR-CUPLING.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,687, dated May 21, 1895. i

Application filed March 25, 1895. Serial No. 543,131' (No model.)

.T0 aZZ whom it may cancer-72,:

Be it known that I, JOHN NEWTON KIToHEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at White Post, in the county of Clarke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of Which the following is a specifioation.

The object of my improvement is to provide such construction for coupling cars of the arrow-head and jaw type, as will cause the separation of the cars from each other, in the event of being derailed and overturned; and to render the coupling safe, strong and secure.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my improved coupling for railroad cars, in which- Figure 1 shows in vertical section a portion of two cars in coupled .relation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken through the coupling parts. Fig. 3 shows the coupling-bar, and Fig. 4 shows in front view the j aws in the platform-opening.

The end of each car is suitably constructed to receive a pair of jaws 1, 1, which are considerably wider than they are thiok and stand edge-Wise across and at the end'of the car. They are fitted in strong guides 2 in theplatform and are pressed toward each other by Springs 3 so that they are free to move toward and be forced from each other, their inward movement being limited by suitable stops 4, so that their inner ends stand apart sufficiently to receive the coupling-bar and are rounded for this purpose so as to form eurved faces 5 on each side of the opening 6, into which the arrow-head of the coupling-bar enters, in coupling the cars. At their inner sides these jaws form abutments 7 to receive the shoulders of the arrow-head of the coupling-bar. Each car is thus provided at each end with spring sustained jaws arranged to form a vertical opening three times or more in height greater than its width, and forming between them a space having a width slightly less than that of the coupling-bar. The curved faces of the jaws flare into the larger opening 6 in the end of the platform between the parts which cover and support the jaws.

The coupling-bar is formed with an arrowhead 8 at one end and a wide flat narrow head 9 at its other end, the part between these heads being round at its junction with the arrow head. The flathead stands at right angles to the position of the arrow-head and has a hole 10 passing through its greatest width and therefore at right angles to the arrow-head. The'diameter of the round part and the thickness of the arrow-head and the wide flat head, are the same or substantially the same, and the bar has a length suflicient to couple the cars and give freedom for turning. At each end of the car the platform has a vertical hole 11, passing through it longitudinally central with the opening between the jaws and in rear thereof to receive a coupling pin 12, which may be connected by a chain or otherwise for use at each end of the car. The coupling-bar is secured by the coupling-pin so that the wide flat head is pivoted in edge- Wise position and stands vertically between and is pressed on each side by the jaws, rendering it impossible for the bar to turn or be turned because of the position of its flat head between the jaws and the passing of the coupling-pin edgewise through the flat head. This is the important matter ofmy invention and it will be seen that`while the coupling-bar cannot turn when the cars are coupled, the ooupling-pin as a pivot, permits the bar to have a pivotal movement sidewise between the jaws, for the proper movement of the coupling-bar to allow the cars to turn curves, the jaws yielding for this purpose. This safe holding of the coupling-bar at its wide flat head to prevent it from turning, holds the arrow-head in certain engagement with the jaws of the coupled car. This maintaining the shoulders 13, 13 of the arrow-head in secure and safe engagement with the inner sides of the jaws, permits the automatic uncoupling of the arrow-head and its withdrawal from the jaws, in the event of the overturning of either or both of the coupled cars. This uncoupling takes place as soon as one car tu-rns over at a sufficient angle on its side to release the engagement of the shoulders of the arrow-head from the jaws, as said shoulders approach in alignment with'the opening between the jaws and free of them. The turning over of one car quicker than the connected car will tend to release the arrowhead, and the irregular turning of the conuected cars will tend to the same result. In any case of the turning over of the cars, the

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tease?V engagement is made very uncertain and in this particular becomes a matter of the last importance in pi'eventing the loss of life and the destruction of the cars.

The coupling-pin engages the flat end of the coupling bar With one car and the arrowhead of the coupling-bar engages `1the jawsi'of the connected car.

I make the hole in the flat-head slightly oval to facilitate the coupling of the bar with the pin, Which, passing through coincidentholes in the upper and under sides of the `platform of the car, passes also through the 'hole in the flat-head of the coupling-bar, ifnfsuch over of the `ear.

It Will be understood that the flat-head of l the coupling-bar can be secured by the ooupling pin in either endof thecar and thatlthe 1; arrow-head can be conpled with the jaWs in; either end ofthe car. p

As the fiathead of the coupling-barstands` vertical With its top and bottom edges against the top and bottom Walls of the opening, and as the coupling-pin passes vertically and edge- Wise through the flat head, the bar Will be kept in a horizontal and true position at all times and is thereby rendered certain to couple With the next car.

I claim as my improvement- 1. In a car coupling, the combination of the spring sustained jaws arranged crosswise at each end of the car, With acoupling-bar hav ing an arrow-head at one end, a Wide flat head at its other end standing at right angles to the arrow-head and of round cross section between said heads and a pin for engaging a hole ex- Atending through said flat head at right anglcs fto the Varrow-head, 'and -th'roughlcorrespon din g 5holes in the upper and under sides of the platformoftheoar, substantially as described.

For use in coupling cars `:provided With *spring sustained jaws andcoupling pins, an `Yarrow-head conpling-bar having at one 'end a *Wide flat head at right anglesto the arrowihead, and formed with a hole extending` 1 'through it in the `direction of 'its greatest 'width as ``show-n and described.

JOHN N. KITCHEN. W'itnesses:

A. E. H. JOHNSON, A. ROLAND JOHNSON.

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