Improvements in Atmospheric Brake Couplings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 28th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Atmospheric Brake Couplings.
We EUGENE BEARSS, Locomotive Engineer, of Ellenville Ulster County and
State of New York and WYATT CARR, Air Brake Inspector, of No 20 Benton
Avenue, Middleton, Orange County and State of New York, both in the United
States of America do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to means for opening and closing the valves of air brake
hose couplings so that whenever the two sections of the coupling are united to
establish an uninterrupted passage for the air through the coupling, or when the
sections are uncoupled, to automatically shut the valve in each section.
The invention consists of two movable interlocking sections, a valve in each
section, and an arm rigidly secured on one section and adapted to engage a plate
on the stem of the valve in the other section.
In each valve body of the sections there is loosely fitted a valve sent resting at
its inner end on a gasket having its outer end projecting slightly beyond the
opposite faces of the valve bodies so that the said projecting ends of the two valve
bodies move in firm contact with each other when the sections are united. The
valve seats in the valve bodies are held in place by caps screwing in the outer faces.
of the said valve bodies and pressing the inner end of the valve seat in firm contact
with the inner face of the corresponding gasket. The valve seats are provided
with conical valves whose stems extend through the caps and through stuffing
boxes on the said caps, and on their outer ends are each formed with a handle
preferably made in the shape of a flat plate and each adapted to be engaged by
the forked end of an arm attached to the valve body of the opposite section.
When the two sections are uncoupled by turning one section on the other in the
usual manner, then the arm on one section engages the handle of the stem of the
opposite valve and turns the latter, and at the same time the arm on the other
section engages the handle on the stem of the other valve and turns the latter, so
that at the time the two sections are in position for uncoupling, the arms have
turned the valves sufficiently to close each section.
As the forked ends of the arms engage the handles, the two sections can be
readily moved apart in uncoupling, and after the valves are turned, the said forked
ends readily slide from the said handles.
In coupling up, the arms again engage with their forked ends the handles so
that when the sections are moved in their normal coupling position, the handles
are so turned by the arms that the valves are opened and a continuous passage is
formed through the coupling. The forked ends of the arms are of such a length
as to extend at their extreme outer ends beyond the centres of the valve stems at
the time the said forked ends engage the stems, so that the two sections cannot be
coupled unless the handles or plates, and consequently the valves, stand in the
proper position, as otherwise the said forked ends of the arms would strike the
sides of the handles and thus prevent coupling. To prevent the valves from
accidentally turning when in an open position and in case the section is coupled
with a section of a different construction we provide forked arms pivoted on the
sections opposite the other arms which are spring pressed and provided with
handles adapted to be engaged by the operator for the purpose of moving the arms
out of engagement with the handles. When either of these arms engage with the
handles, the valve is held in an open position, so that the section can readily be
coupled with a coupling section of a different construction, without danger of the
valve closing accidentally to interrupt the continuous passage through the coupling.

page_text: By unscrewing either of the caps, the corresponding valve can be readily
removed from the seat and the latter can be easily taken out of the corresponding
valve body for repairs or for other purposes.
Dated this 16th day of January 1894.
E. BEARSS,
By A. M. and Wm. Clark,
W. CARR,
3, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Atmospheric Brake Couplings.
We EUGENE BEARSS, Locomotive Engineer, of Ellenville in the County of
Ulster, and WYATT CARR, Air Brake Inspector, of 20 Benton Avenue,
Middleton, in the County of Orange, both in the State of New York, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to means for opening and closing the valves of air
brake hose couplings so as whenever the two sections of the coupling are
united to establish an uninterrupted passage for the air through the coupling,
and when the sections are uncoupled, to automatically shut the valve in each
section.
The invention consists of two movable interlocking sections, a valve in each
section, and an arm rigidly secured on one section and adapted to engage a plate
on the stem of the valve in the other section.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the
same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement; Figure 2 is a plan view of the
same; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one coupling section on
the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same on
the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
The improved hose coupling is provided with the two sections A and A¹ having
valve bodies A and A' respectively provided with the pipes A' and A' connected
with the hose extending under two adjacent cars. The sections A and A¹ are
provided with the usual catches B for interlocking the sections, as is well
understood.
"In each valve body A' and A' of the sections is loosely fitted a valve seat C,
resting at its inner end on a gasket E having its outer end projecting slightly
beyond the opposite faces of the valve bodies, so that the said projecting ends of
the two valve bodies move in firm contact with each other when the sections A
and A' are united as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
The valve seats C in the valve bodies A' and A' are held in place by caps D
and D' screwing in the outer faces of the said valve bodies A³ and A'
respectively, so as to securely press the inner end of the respective valve seat in
firm contact with the inner face of the corresponding gasket E. The valve seats C
of the valve bodies A and A' are provided with conical valves F whose stems G
and G, respectively extend through the caps D and D' and through stuffing
boxes D' and D' on the said caps D and D' respectively.
The outer ends of the valve stems G and G₁ are each formed with a handle G³
and G respectively, preferably made in the shape of a flat plate and each
adapted to be engaged by the forked end of an arm. H and H' respectively,

page_text: of which the arm H is secured on the valve body A³ and the other arm H¹is
secured on the valve body A³.
When the two sections A and A¹ are coupled as illustrated in Figures and 2
the conical valves F are open and a continuous passage is formed through the
coupling from one hose to the other, but when the two sections are uncoupled by
turning one section on the other in the usual manner, the arm H' on the one
section A. engages the handle G³, turns, the latter and conséquently the stem G'
carrying the valve F of the valve body A' at the same time that the arm Hon
the section A¹ engages the handle G² secured on the stem G, and turns the latter,
and the valve F in the valve body A'. Thus, by the time the two sections A
and A' are in position for uncoupling (as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1)
the arms H and H' will have turned the valves F sufficiently to close the same, so
that each section A and A' is shut.
As the arms H and H' engage with their forked ends, the handles G³ and G³,
the two sections can be readily moved apart in uncoupling, and after the valves
are turned, as the said forked ends readily slide from the said handles G
and G. The valves remain in this closed position until the sections are again
coupled, at which time the arms H and H' again engage with their forked ends
the handles G' and G³ so that when the sections are moved into their normal
coupling position (as indicated in Figures 1 and 2) the handles are again turned
by the arms H and H', so that the valves F are opened and a continuous passage
is formed through the coupling.
The forked ends of the arms H H¹ are of such a length as to extend at their
extreme outer ends beyond the centres of the valve stems G and G' at the time
the said forked ends engage the stems as will be readily seen by reference to the
drawing, so that the two sections cannot be coupled unless the handles G³ and G³,
and consequently the valves F stand in the proper position, as otherwise the said
forked ends of the arms H, H', would strike the sides of the handles G'G' and
thus prevent the coupling of the sections. The prongs of the forked ends of the
arms H H' are preferably made flaring as plainly shown in Figure 1 so as to
readily engage the plates G³, G'.
In order to prevent the valve F in section A or A', from accidentally turning
when in an open position and in case the section is coupled with a section of a
different construction, forked arms I and 1' are provided pivoted on the sections A
and A¹ respectively, opposite the arms Hand H. The arms I and I¹ are spring
pressed and are provided with handles I' and I' by means of which the operator
moves the said arms out of engagement with the handles G and G³ respectively,
whenever a coupling of the sections A and A' is to be effected in the manner
above described. When the arm I engages with its handle G³ the valve F is held
in an open position so that the section A can be readily coupled with a coupling
section of a different construction, without danger of the valve F accidentally to
interrupt the continuous passage through the coupling.
It will be seen that by the improved construction, the valves are securely held
in an open position as long as the sections A and A³ are coupled, as the arms H
and H prevent turning of the valves.
By unscrewing either of the caps D or D', the corresponding valve F can be
readily removed from the seat C, and the latter can be easily taken out of the
corresponding valve body for repairs or for other purposes. By the special
construction of valve seat described, an air tight joint is formed, as the said
valve seat is securely pressed in contact with the gasket by the corresponding
cap D or D¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A device of the class described, comprising two movable interlocking sections,

page_text: plate forming a handle, and a forked arm rigidly held on one section and adapted
to engage with its forked free end the flat plate of the valve in the other section,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A device of the class described, comprising two movable interlocking sections,
a valve in each section, and a spring pressed pivoted arm held on each section and
adapted to engage with its forked end the handle of the valve in said section,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this ZoLIY
or rebruary 1094.
E. BEARSS,
W. CARR,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.