Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-06-05
J. v. ROBINSON OF SALEM
lNVENTS AN AUTOMATIC
AIR HOSE COUPLING


Joseph V. Robinson, q Salem lad
19 years of age, has invented an
automatic air brake attachment
which will be the means OF saving
thousands of lives yearly, notwith-
stand the many dollars which the
railroad companies expend annually
for repairs and installing of con-
Meeting air hose.
This new invention entirely does
away with hand connection of air
hose between freight and passenger
cars, which is probably the most
dangerous part of the trainman's
work. Among the many innovations
that have been introduced In recent
years for the safety of the railroad
employees, and the exDediting of
coupling and making up the trains
in yards and terminals, the Robin
son automatic cvonnector is one of
the most important improvement ad-
ded to railway equipment and the
following description will enable one
to understand the, exact working of
the connector:
The signal, brake and steam pipe
gask Is or packing rings are similar
tD those now used in the ordinary
hose couplings, but not of the same
dimensions, and are applied in a
similar manner. on the face of the
coupler are two contact points
known as the male and female. One
on one side of the drewhead and one
on the other, and the gaskets pro-
ject slightly in advance of the face
OF the coupler head. There are two
powerful springs attached to each
section OF the coupler which, soon
as the sections meet and the draw
heads are locked, will hold the con-
Meeting air hose. tight and snug and
yet allow a slight play for curvature
and inequalities in the heights of
cars and track owing to the connec-
tor operating on a ball and socket,
and can be moved I'm all directions.
Each connector head Is provided
with two guides which line up the
connectors when the cars are being
coupled which will bring all pipe
connections directly together and
with the assistance OF the powerful
steel springs, an unleakable connec-
tion Is made. There Is no lock fas-
tenlng to be contonded with I'm the
new invention which system costs
the railroad people thousands OF
dollars annually for the breaking
OF air hose and worn out hose locks
as the result OF cars pulling apart
frequently or the breakman's neglect
on uncoupling cars to unfasten the
air hose. The entire apparatus is
suspended by a lug fastened to the
car coupler head. The connectors
will always be carried with the cars
and will not be affected with weak |
draft gear springs. Therefore there |
Ia a constant distance between the |
two suspension points of the con-
hector, always assuring the same |
tensions on the springs. steam heat
will also be more practicable and |
mach money can be saved by the |
railroad people in eliminating the
loss of steam due to insecure con-
nections made between passenger
cars.
Much credit Is due young Robin
son for his clever invention over /
which he labored many months. The
Westinghouse Air Brake company
ious 10 secure the new invention, and
the young inventor Is now backed
by the Safety Investment Company
OF Portland. who now have the pat
ent gas shuton contraption ON the
market, and he Is receiving letters
daily from the foremost mechanics
In the United States asking for des-
OF his inventions.
This Is not the first invention
young Robinson has made and with
In IA few days another time-saYlng
and valuable article will be COM
nletod for the inspection OF the pub
lie. The air brake connector will
be on exhibition at the Seattle fair
and Robinson intends 20 get Il be-
fore the railroad people In the short