Improvements in Combined Car Coupling and Pipe Coupling.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1889-Accepted, 6th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Car Coupling and Pipe Coupling.
I, RICHARD JAMES EDWARDS a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
Galena, in the county of Jo Daviess and State of Illinois, gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED CAR COUPLING AND
PIPE COUPLING" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the adjacent ends of two freight cars
coupled together according to my invention; Figure 2, a sectional view of a portion
of one of the cars, showing the means for uncoupling the air pipes and cutting off the
air; Figure 3, a similar sectional view showing the car-coupling devices; Figure 4, a
detail plan view of the air-pipe or hose coupling; Figure 5, a detail plan view of one
of the coupling sections; Figure 6, a side elevation of the same; Figure 7, a side
elevation of the valve in the air-brake pipe.
This invention has relation to that class of car-couplings covered by a United States
patent issued to me on the 17th day of April 1888 and numbered 381,349; and it has
for its object, mainly, to provide such couplers with simple and improved means,
whereby the air-brake hose-couplings are uncoupled and the shut-off cock closed at
the same time and by the same movement that operates the car-coupling devices, as
will be more fully hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings, A A¹ represent the adjacent ends of two freight cars;
B, the usual or any improved draw-bars provided with the draw-heads C; D, the
upper coupling-pins attached to the draw-heads by means of chains; E, the lower
coupling-pins inserted in the lower pin-apertures in the draw-head and supported by
means of a pivoted operating lever F; G, the sliding dog in the draw-head, which is
adapted to support the coupling-pin; H, the pivoted lever in a recess in the draw-head
adapted to operate the said sliding dog; I, the defending gravitating rod hung upon
the said lever H, and adapted to operate it; and J, the transverse operating-shaft
journaled in the beams of the car and provided with a crank-arm, J', to operate the
lever F, and operating-handles J" at its end at the sides of the car.
The parts are constructed and operated in substantially the same manner as in my
former Patent above mentioned, and a more minute description is deemed unnecessary in
this specification. There are, however, a few important parts which I will now point out.
In this device the sliding dog is not operated automatically to drop the pin, as in my
former patent, but it is operated by hand, the lever H being placed back in a recess
in the draw-head out of the way, so that the coupling link will not strike against it
upon entering. I prefer this construction to that shown in my former patent, in that
it will preclude the possibility of the lever H becoming broken or injured in any way.
In this invention I also place on the crank-arm J¹ a loose anti-friction grooved roller,
by means of which the lever F, is elevated. This roller permits the lever to be
elevated in a steadier and smoother manner, as is evident. I also provide the under
side of the draw-bead with depending integral guards C₁, to prevent the pin E,
rod I, and lever F from being injured in any way.
I will now describe the devices employed for detaching or uncoupling the hose-
couplings of the air-brakes.
The letter K designates the main air-pipe of the air-brakes provided with the
usual valves or stop-cocks, a, near the ends of the cars and connected to the flexible
hose sections K. The stop-cook or valve a is operated by means of a lever, b, secured
to the stem of the plug of the cock, this lever b being provided with a leaf spring, c.
When this arm or lever 6 is in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2, the passage
is closed, and when turned down to the position shown in Fig. 7, the passage through
the air-pipe is open. This valve-arm 6 is turned up to close the valve by means of

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a crank-arm, d, on the rock-shaft J, the arm d bearing against the yielding spring c
to prevent and reduce concussion or wear of the parts. It is evident that the
spring may be omitted and the crank-arm made to bear directly against the arm
or lever 6 without departing from my invention. The crank-arm d is so placed on
the rock-shaft that when the cars are uncoupled the arm will at the same time be
turned up sufficiently high to close the stop-cock thus preventing the escape of
compressed air.
The ends of the flexible hose sections K¹ are provided with twin coupling devices L,
provided with suitable interlocking flanged lugs.
I prefer to use in connection with my invention the "Westinghouse" detachable
coupling, and I have shown that construction of device in my drawings. This hose-
coupling is uncoupled by a partial revolution of its two sections, and for that reason
I prefer to use it. It is evident however, that I may employ other detachable hose-
couplings that uncouple in substantially the same manner without departing from my
invention.
Secured on the outer faces or sides of the sections L of the hose-coupling by
means of screw-bolts or cast integral therewith, are upwardly and forwardly projecting
rigid arms L' which are connected by means of suitable chains f, to crank-arms e on
the rock-shafts J, as shown. The chains pass over pulleys 9, secured to the bottoms
of the cars.
It will be observed that by drawing on either one of the chains f, by means of one
of the rock-shafts and crank-arms, the coupling sections L L will be elevated and
rotated a sufficient distance to become disengaged from each other, as shown in
Fig. 2.
The crank-arms e are so located on the rock-shafts that the hose-couplings may be
detached by the same movement and at approximately the same time that the cars
are uncoupled and stop-cock a closed. It will therefore be observed that by one
partial revolution of one of the rock-shafts the whole operation of uncoupling is
accomplished.
Among the many advantages derived from using my invention is that the whole
operation of uncoupling the cars and air-brake couplings and closing air-pipes may
be accomplished without the slightest danger as well when the cars are in motion or
standing still.
It will be observed that I may use my invention with equal advantage for uncoupling
steam-conveying pipes.
To uncouple the cars and shut the stop-cocks a, the levers or handles J" are
moved forward, and to uncouple the hose-couplings they are moved in the reverse
direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The combination with a car, a draw-head, coupling devices, and a shaft for
operating the uncoupling devices, of the air-pipe, flexible hose section, coupling
section on the end of the said flexible hose section, and a chain connecting the
said hose coupling section with the said operating shaft, substantially as described.
"
2nd. The combination with the rock-shaft provided with a crank arm e, the air-
pipes, the flexible hose section provided with a coupling section, and a chain
connecting the said coupling section with the crank arm on the shaft, substantially
as described.
3rd. The combination with operating shafts, the air pipes and flexible section, the
detachable coupling sections, rigid arms on these coupling sections, and chains
connecting these rigid arms to the operating shafts substantially as described.
4th. The combination with the air pipes, a stop-cock in the air pipes, an operating
arm 6 attached to the plug of the stop-cock, and an operating shaft provided with a
crank arm adapted to operate the said operating arm b, substantially as described.
5th. The combination with air-pipes and flexible hose sections, detachable coupling

page_text: sections, a multiple crank-shaft, chains connecting the crank-shaft with the
coupling sections, stop-cocks in the air-pipes, operating arms in these stop-cocks,
whereby the stop-cocks are closed and the coupling detached at one operation,
substantially as described.
6th. A draw-head provided with the depending integral guards C¹, C¹, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
7th. The combination with the draw-head, ejecting pin, pivoted operating lever F,
operating crank-shaft J, and an anti-friction roller on the said crank-shaft, substan-
tially as described.
8th. The combination with the air-pipes and flexible sections, detachable coupling
sections, the operating shaft, chain connections, and, a guiding pulley
chain connections, substantially as described.
1000
for the said
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.