Improvements in Hose Couplings for Railway Cars.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hose Couplings for Railway Cars.
We CARL PLETTNER Engineer of Stettiner Strasse 34 and OTTO LEHMANN,
Fitters Foreman, of 63 Zimmer Strasse, both of Berlin Germany do hereby
declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention consists of a coupling for hose pipes, designed principally
for use in connection with air brakes, for coupling the carriages of railway
trains.
And in order that the invention may be more readily understood, we will
proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
similar letters denote similar parts throughout the several views:
Fig. 1 being a vertical section through the coupling when joined,
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the opened coupling,
Fig. 3 is a plan of the detached parts of the coupling,
Fig. 4 is a plan of the coupling joined,
Fig. 5 a plan of the parts in position in the act of being joined,
Fig. 6 a detail view of the packing rings between the coupling parts and
Fig. 6 a detail section of the packing holder and securing ring.
A and A' are the two halves of the coupling shaped as may be seen at Figs. 1
and 2, a and a¹ are valves mounted within the said halves respectively, and having
stems d and d¹ passing out through the orifices ff at the ends of the coupling
halves, said orifices f being provided with suitable packing rings 9 9. The
valves a a¹ are adapted to close on to their seats c and c¹ under the action of their
springs band b¹ (Fig. 1), when the said coupling is unjoined. The coupling
ends e e¹ are semicircular or box-shaped each having an opening corresponding
to that of the other in the contacting faces as shown at Fig. 1. At the ends of
each box about in a line with the contacting surfaces is a segmental projection
or
said projections having their rims thickened underneath so as to better grip
the segmental gripping pieces arranged at the opposite or hose end of the box.
These grippers consist of the segments i and under which are arranged radial
grooves into which the aforesaid segmental projections and engage or lock
when the two halves of the coupling are placed with their facings contacting but
with the longitudinal axis at right angle to.each other and then turned a quarter
of a turn, so as to bring the parts into engagement and lock the same as shown in
Fig. 4. To the upper face of each of the said segments i and ¿¹ is formed a
radial web or vertically extending curved projection, said web being excentric to
the curves of the segment as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This web is adapted when
the two parts of the coupling are turned to be locked, to contact with the outwardly
extending end of the spindles or valve stems d d and push the same inwards, thus
opening the valves a and a' when the coupling is locked.
The contacting surfaces of the two coupling halves are packed or tightly closed
by means of the following device :-Circular bushes m and m¹ (Fig. 1) are fitted into
the outlet passages of the coupling boxes as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 6^, said
rings having bevelled edges to their flanges, and being retained in position on the
boxes by means of outer rings o ol having their inner edge bevelled to fit and
overlap the outer edge of the bushes m and m'; to the rings m and m' are attached
the packing rings p and pl in suitable manner. Thus when the boxes are put
together face on face, and turned and locked the packing rings m p and m' pl will
be free to turn on their own axis and thus save the friction which would otherwise

page_text: have been caused had the said packing rings been rigidly attached to the box
facings.
The device is manipulated in the following manner :-
The facings of the said coupling halves are placed together the said halves being
held at right angles to each other, the said parts A and A' are now turned into a
straight line when the projections and lock under the segments and ¿
respectively and simultaneously the webs 1 push the valve stems d and d¹ back
thus opening the said valves a and a¹. On uncoupling the parts the valves will
again return to their seats under the action of the springs band b'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A hose coupling for railway cars consisting in the combination of coupling
boxes e and el, having corresponding orifices in their contacting faces, valves a a¹
having springs band valve seats c c at right angles to said contacting faces, and
on to which said valves spring close, stems d d¹ to said valves extending through
the ends of the said boxes, radial clutches i ¹ and to the said coupling parts
as specified, excentrically arranged webs Il on the said outer clutch members i
and to contact with the valve spindle ends in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as described and shown.
2. The combination of the coupling boxes e and e¹ having corresponding orifices
in their contacting faces, and valve seats c and cat right angles to said faces,
valves a and a having springs b b and adapted to close on to said seats, stems d d
to said valves, extending through the ends of the said boxes, radial clutches i i¹
and to said coupling halves as specified, excentrically arranged cams or
webs on the said outer clutch members i and 11 and revoluble bushes m m' in
the facial orifices, said bushes having bevelled outer flange edge, retaining rings o o'
to overlap said bevel rings means to attach the said retaining rings to the box face
and packing rings p p attached to the bevel rings in the manner and for the
purpose substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of June 1894.
HORN & SUN,
Applicants' Agents.