8620 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, No. MAY 8, 1886

8620 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, No. 540. MAY 8, 1886.

stick, one stroke of the heaving-round engine will start 2,000 square feet ol heating surface and 44 square feet believed that there can be no reasonable objection to it again without a perceptible delay. These engines of grate surface. The coal bunker capacity is 28 tons, the above as general essential conditions. And further, have proved themselves economical in fuel, dead and the draught on trial 2ft. 3 in. forward and 5 ft. it is believed that the coupleI' which answers to the weight, and repairs, and for moderate power-that is 6 in. aft. Two of these vessels were built for the Aus greater number of the above conditions, giving prefer to say, under 1,500 horse-power indicated·-they deserv trian Government. They left Gl'eenhithe on the 18th ence to the first ones in order, is the coming l.loupler. ed more fuIl adoption than until recently they had re· of last February, and duly arrived at Cagliari, stopping An inquiry as to the value of this coupleI' will prob ceived. several hours at Oporto, where they arrived in Febru ably bring out points of consideration about as fol ary, to take coals and stores on board.-Engineering. lows: First, for No. 1, 1'elative to men going between cars to work the couplers. No one will deny that it is very CAR COUPLERS. dangerous for the IDen that do it. Too many men are killed this way, and known to be, to admit of any By Prof. S. W. ROBINSON. argument. Relative to this danger, railroad men seem IN the forthcoming report of MI'. Hylas Sabine, Rail to look at this matter of retaining an old coupleI' as road Commissioner of Ohio, will appeal' a chapter on does a general in an army to take a fort; it costs the lives car couplers, by Prof. S. W. Robinson, for foul' years of IDen to do it, and the general regrets this because it one of the inspectors of railways in that State. We ap leaves him less able to secure further trophies. The pend this chapter in fuIl, as foIlows : railroad man regrets the cost of live:,; at the coupleI', The prevailing car coupleI' of to-day, viz., the "link because new men, seeing the danger, demand high er and pin," might be classed with hand brakes as among wages, and families of those sacrificed demand com those parts of railroad equipment for which no consider pensation, pension, etc. Money being the object of able improvements have been adopted since railroading railroads, the pensions are regretted, while the lives began. This is, however, no fauIt of inventors, as the sacrified are another matter. Doubtless, individual thousands of patents on couplers and the numerous officers of roads regret this extravagance of human life, paten ted couplers of high merit will testify. While in hut the officer must act for the cOlllpany, to be a good ventors wonder why their couplers cannot be intro servant, and it is the company that has no heart. duced, railroad men faIter at undertaking so great When a coupleI' comes that costs the company no more a task. One serious drawback in the way of introduc money, aIl things considered, the road will doubtless tion is the difficulty in deciding upon the adoption of adopt it. It may be influenced a little by the life con an acceptable coup leI' from the many offered, State sideration, but for a venkre it is safer that the cOllling commissions and cOlnmittees of societies of high stand coupleI' be so comlIlendable as to leave out the life con ing, appointed to make selection, not bein� able to sideration. But, from a humane standpoint, let the decide in favor of any one coupleI'. Such mdecision new coupleI' satisfy No. 1. is probably in the way of progress in this matter, and As to what is undeJ'stood by "going between cars," due partly to the fact that a coupleI' adopted by any in coupling 01' uncoupling, it should be taken in one road should couple readily with that in use on any its broadest sense; that is, the coupleI' should not other road. require the men to even step between the raUs No one denies the need of a new coupleI' for general for uncoupling, 01' to place a link and pin, 01' use by which the numerous grave evils of the "link ami a jaw 01' hook, in position to be ready to couple pin" shaIl be avoided, evils which are greatly intensified when the cars come together. Many couplers claim to by the increased weight of car loads, and which show not require the operator to go between cars, overlook up this old coupleI' as founded upon a most thoroughly ing the fact of getting a coupling ready by going unscientific basis. Increasing agitation of the coupleI' between cars 01' in front of the car. But this is tn tJe question indicates that the time is now near at hand avoided, because men will do this while a car is in when a move mnst be made, and that the old coupleI' motion approaching another to be coupled, when .. must go," and be tried for a11 its sins scored in the catching of the foot in a frog 01' switch will be fatal. loss of thousands of human lives and untold damage Evidently the "link and pin "IlluSt be ruled out for L�1 to property in transportation, and that the coming No. 1 condition, because in coupling two cars t,here ME'IIN 1'1IESSUIIE'0 'l5,glZ. coupleI' will be hailed with greater 01' less acceptability may be present in the drawheads two links 01' none, according to fulfi11ment by it of the various qualities while one only mutst be had. Probably the link and and conditions rightly to be demanded of a coupleI'. pin coup leI' is not yet invented that will either pro A study of the coupleI' has resuIted in the form'Ilating duce 01' vanquish a coupling link to a drawhead except and announcing of some of the points of demand in by hand. It may be said that the man may run over the new coupleI', most of which, if not all, together to the standing car, avoiding the one in motion, to pre with others, which are probably self-evident, are given pare for coupling up. Likewise, a man going along a here: railway !Day not walk between the rails, but for a fact 1. That they be coupled and uncoupled without re he will; that is, men will submit to danger to get easily quiring men to go between cars. over the present moment. It is, therefore, better to 2. That whatever the relative heights of the couplers, not demand the duty which can in any way entail We give aboye a set of diagrams slightly reduced they couple and uncouple equally weIl. danger. from the originals courteously placed at our disposal 3. That free slack, as far as possible, be dispensed Evidently, the best way to meet No. 1 is to throw by Messrs. Robert Stephenson & Co, They are from with, to reduce damage to equipment and freight. out the link and pin, and substitute an ar 'angement the s.s. Telamon. The first and second were taken 4. That cars can be coupled easily and with a mini which always has all its parts present, and f 'om which with steam at 80 Ib.; the vacuum 24� in.; revolutions mum of concussion, to encourage careful handling of nothing can be removed, and which is at the sallle time 58� per minute; temperature of sea 72 deg.; of feed 130 cars. a copy of what is on the car to be coupled with. Then deg. The high pressure cylinder indicated 566'8 horse 5. That they be simple and durable, and at a mini- by suitable connecting rods chains, handles, etc. , the } power; the low-pressure cylinder 655'6 horse-power ; mum of cost. parts can be operated from tne side of the car, thns en total 1,222 4 horse-power. Dmgrams 3 and 4 were taken 6, That the couplings at both ends of a car be alike. tirely obviating the necessity of placing the hands with steam at 74 Ib.; vacuum 26 in.; revolutions 57�. 7. That there be no loose parts to be lost. upon the part8 of the coupleI' proper. 'l'h9 indicated horse-power in the high-pressure cylin 8. That they couple on curves. From these considerations it appears that the simplest der was 5413; in the low 750'553 ; total 1,299'246. 9, That they couple with certainty, and remain so contrivance that can satisfy the conditions would seem without danger of parting on the road. to be some sort of jaws 01' hooks, where one car end 10. That they be such as act favorably with brakes. will have the same as the other. THE AUSTRIAN TORPED O BOAT FALKE. 11. That coupling and uncoupling be unobstructed .As to Condition No. 2.-It at once appears that the WE publish an illustration of this vessel prepared from by inclement weather. link and pin cannot win, because when the link is held a photo graph. The boat is 135 ft. long, and 88 tons dis 12. That the coupling be universal, 01' readily con in the higher of a pair of drawheads approaching to placement at trial draught. The engines are of the necting with all other couplers. couple, the link must be thrown into a downward three cylin�er com{>ound. c0!lde�sing type, the high 13. 'rhat they do not occupy excessive room in a train, position, while if it be in the lower, it must point up pressure cyhuder bemg 18 m. 111 dI ameter, and the two to giveit undue length. ward. Some couplers can thus control T,he position low pressure cylinders 26 in. in diameter, the stroke Whatever other conditions may be judged to be of the link, but a careful estimate must be made of being 18 in. Steam is supplied by one boiler having essential, even by advocates of particularcouplers, it is relative lleights of drawheads and the liuk set, 01'else

THE AUSTRIAN TORPEDO BOAT FALKE.

======--::==-=-=- -=--=-�._-= _ ..=- -.===-=--=.. =. . ======- -, =:.::_-- --- the link must be directed while the cars approach to leaves the summit, with consequent destructive effect, The same [01' No. 9, except that with any coupleI' due couple-either requiring complication of mechanism but power will be plenty on the declivity. But in caution should be exercised that parts be properly and of operation. Jaws 01' hooks which swing about a moving out from a sag, shocks will occur as the slack shaped so as not to work out of position. A pin is vertical axis and quite deep in the vertical line of direc between succeeding cars pullsout, consumingpower for somewhat like a sIed stake 01' the side stake of flat cars, tion, and of uniform figurethroughout that depth. will destruction and damage that is needed for pulling the in this-if tapered, it may work up. The science of a meet the condition No. 2 perfectly, provided the train, and perhaps causing partial fractures of links 01' sIed stake requires that it be a little larger at the point difference in height is not more than the depth of jaws. pins, which on the up grade lllay part, with calamitous I than at the top end of that part where it fits the This depth, then, must be great enough to provide for consequences. Probably one-fourth of the "wear"of socket. Trains on long, continuous trips up grades all such variation in height as is due to yielding of car three-fourths of the" tear" in freight rolling stock is may part by reason of the pin being tapered arId springs for all loads, wearing of axle brasses, setting of due to free slack. All these destructive effectsare only working out. A case of this kind came under my springs, wear of bolsters. wear of carrying plates. etc., to be avoided by running with elose couplings, and in- personal observation, except that the pin was knocked as weIl W! variations in ad0p.ted heights of drawbars troducing a sufficientlyliberal amount of elastic slack back .into place to prevl'!nt parting of train. Pins, in new cars. Such hooks WIll give the best conditions to admit of ready and convenient operating of trains. latches, catches, et.c.• used in couplers should be so of drat't, a hi�her drawhead not tending to lift a Jower In attempting the reduction of free stack to a min- shaped as to work fTOm instead of toward upcoupling. one, 01' to ralse a car end off its truck. nor to jerk the imUlu. the link and pin will be found a hard customer No. 10 is a point of especial importance. It is weIl truck upward off the track. In the hooks described, to deal with. So many conditions affect t.he slack in known to those who have observed the action of air each car will carry its own load pertectly as far as this case that a safe minimum cannot be placed lower brakes on trains with and without free slack. that by couplers are concerned. This is especially favorable in than one 01'perhaps one and a half inches. Some of far the least jamming and jerking of cars occurs wh en places where the track is not in exact .. surface," 01' these conditions are: 1. Links and drawheads must be there is no free slack. The Westinghouse Air Brake where variations in surface are intended, as in case of capable of universal interchange between the various Company insists upon Janney couplers, already the Wharton switch, in which instances the hooks may roads where drawheads and lengths of link will differ, mentioned above. slide vertically in each other. and a sufficient allowance must be made in the froo This point is weIl taken by the Westinghouse By the [ree slack in the third condition is meant the slack, so that coupling up is always possible. If these company for the reason of the impossibility of reducing same as in the discussion of hrakes. The link and pin parts are not" standard," that is, all nominally the free slack with safety below about an inch with the is an example of a coupleI' where a considerable free same, the free slack will sometimes be greater than link and pin, while for hooks it can be brought down slack is prevalent. This has been considered as essen above stated. 2. Varyin� heights of drawbacks will to one-fourth that value, as already pointed out. tial for 0rerating trains in order to start a train from a cause the link to be inclined, alld thus require extra In buffer brakes also the free slack must be reduced standstil . It is known that the resistance in starting length. 3. Difference in size and bending of pins will to the minimum to avoid destructive action upon the is greater than the resistance in motion of a train. vary t.he free slack, and bent pins are common. 4. buffer brake parts. But as long as these brakes stand With two inches of free slack a train of thirty cars will Wear of face of drawhead and of pinholes will increase the concussion due to free slack; those concussions will be five feet shorter when the drawheads are in con the free slack. be reduced by the presence of the buffer brakes, be- tact than when drawn out to bearinl? of links upon Any substitute for links, like double-ended spear- cause, when a car pitches forward against the next. the the pins. Thus, when a train is fully' slacked back." heads 01' double eyebolts, etc .• which lllay take vari- brake will be set and the concussion at this car checked. if the locomotive starts to energetic pulling. the cars ously inclined positions. must be provided with extra Likewise for all the cars with the buffer brakes. A will be pulled out, one at a time, with a violent jerk length, the same as the link and pin, and always train fully equipped with these brakes will therefore for each. These jerks are sufficient to move frelght count.ing in the free slack. In all of these there are be much relieved from the shocks incident to running about in the cars. worry live stock, throw brakemen five dimensiuns to be provided for, each of which will over summits and sags with free slack. BufIer brakes trom the cars, etc. vary, viz.• from end of drawbar to pinhole. two'; must therefore prove a great relief in this matter of Railroad men may suppose that the jerks constitute length of link, one; diameter of pin, two. Besides concussions, due to the fact that the buffer causes the an undoubted railroad "license," but the license is a these there is the inclination, making a sixth provision brake to catch on just at the instant needed, whereas source of much damage, as evinced by such facts as in all. in the air brake the delay between action of brake at that live stock shipped from Chicago to New York by But in the hooks on the 'Janney and Dowling prin- the real' of train as compared with the front has the the cars of the Palace Stock Car Co. is worth more ci pIe, where there is nothing to become inclined, there effect to exaggerate the shocks due to free slack. cents per pound, and that the stock is sought by are only two dimensions to provide for. viz .• the thick- Besides eliminating free slack from couplers with ad butchers in New York in preferenceto that shipped by ness of hook, one. and the thickness of the space which van1age for all brakes. it is importantfor buffer brakes jerks ; also the fact that fruit trains over the Chesa embraces the hook, one. and no inclination, altogether that the buffer and draught springs be judiciously peake and Ohio required that the real' part of the air only two provisions. From these facts there can be no arranged for action on the drawbar, in order to secure brakes be cut out in long trains to aVOld the jolting hesitation in deciding that hooks, the shapes of which the maximum of effect with the brakes, such as to en and damaging of the fruit in transit, and in the case of appeal' only in a horizontal plane, are the only able those brakes to do safe service on steep grades. shipment of household furniture. on arrival it was practical coupling devices which can reali2;e to us those In the chapter on brakes it is stated that the buffer found out of place and tipping over in consequence of modern ideas of slack which are based on reason. spring should be capable of about five inches com the free slack. The first road that abandons free slack science. and economy. pression, in order that the yielding necessary for will find its revenues increased in consequence. Then Relative to No. 4.- If couplings depend on cars being working the brake can be had under the initial it is thatother roads will be obliged to run minus free brought together with force sufficient to close up the compression of spring, for which the compressive slack. couplers, whatever their nature, then it is evident that force will be quite mild ; the object being to obtain There is intrinsically much more deprecation of the this force should be slight. for the samfl reason that the full action of brakes with a comparatively light free slack than people usually are aware of. When jolting of cars while in motion should be reduced to a buffer pressure. But the five inches of compressive danger occurs from it, it is to some extent submitted t.o minimum, viz., that freight may be handled carefully. displacement of drawbar is probably more than without murmur instead of being blown all over the If couplers require severe concussion to make them railroads will be willing to allow. To reduce the country by the papers, because thoughtlessly looked elose up, the fact will encourage rough handling of motion and yet secure that necessary for braking under upon as an unavoidable concomitance of frei�ht trains. cars, and managers cannot issue effective orders mild pressure. a mild s:pring may be employed for the As to the necessity for slack, there sooms to be a da against it. 2 to 2� inches of imtial movement for setting the mand for it, from the fact that the starting resistance .As to No. 5, it would appeal' from what has already brake, when a second and stiffer spring maY come into of trains is weil known to be much greater than the been said that the free slack should be dispensed with play. By this arrangement. two 01' three springs will running resistance. Thus. a passenger train of twelve for durability of couplers. Broken links. pins. and be needed to each drawbar. but by it we secure the cars appears to be about a11 that alocomotive can start drawheads around yards stand to witness against free arrangement for highest efficiency of buffer brakes, with on a mild up grade. when the same engine can take slack. That free slack is responsibJe for havoc, take without an excessive drawbar movement. Three the same train, making time. over a11 grades of the Hne. the fact that a locomotive can only exert a pull of springs are already in use on some drawbar�, and with about 15.000 to 20,000 pounds. and compare it wIth the this num bel'the very best conditions for the couplers In freight trains. it is probable that a locomotive can 1� haul a train over the Ime which is fully twice as long 150,000 pounds resistance of a link of in. iron. a and also buffer brakescan probably be had, so as to ex and heavy as one that it can start from rest without seven to ten fold greater value ; even reducing the link tend the successful operating of trains by buffer brakes slack. to the resistance at the elastic limit, its strength would to aB grades in use. But that the slack that seems to be so essential must be five times greater than the dflad pull of an engine. }ioT No. 11, there can be doubt. Pockets that will be "free slack" is to be denied. Trains are alreadv How, then, are links broken? 'fhe answer is, not by carry water, and ice or snow, should be avoided. equipped with Janney couplers with no other appred elastic slack, but by the jerks born of free slack. To openings in cavities in which moving parts work ahle slack than what might be called "elastic slack." illustrate, suppose a loaded car with total weight of should be kept closed by the Illoving parts. and got from the springs of the drawbars. In these 40,000 pounds started by jerk from a standing position l That No. 12 shou ld be satisfied is essential, so that there are the draught springs and the buffersprings, the in a train, and given at once a velocity of three feet per there never will be any trouble in Illovinga car, 01' coup former resisting the drawing out of the drawbar, and second. it will contain stored up in its mass 5,625 foot ling it into a train. If hooks are adopted, there must the latter the compression of it. Now, if a drawbar pounds of energy. A draught spring of 8,000 pounds, be provision for coupling them with the link and pin. will pull out three inches and go back two inches, there yielding three inches. to come down solid will consume, No. 12 will not be denied. Yard and standing room is will be five inches of elastic Rlack. With this the in being drawn down solid, 1,000 foot pounds. This. too valuable to be taken up by unnecessary space for trains mentioned have been able to start readily. By taken from the above, leaves 4,625 foot pounds of stored couplers between cars. An excessive space is danger pushin� back at the front end of a train. the first ener�y. Now, the drawbar will pull dead against the ous to trainmen, for liability to falling between car�. spring IS compressed to move that car; then the next car tllubers; and if we allow that the timbers yield one- Out on the line there is room enough, but in going car is moved by compression 01' spring, then the third, half an inch to the jerk. the tension on link must be around curves excessive train length is objectionable etc., until finally the last car is on the point of starting about 110,000 pounds, which is considerably above the as giving cause for crowding outward the cars ne ar the back. Then the cOlupression of the springs along the resistance of the coupling link at the elastic limit, viz., engine when the latter is holding back for brakin�, train is different, and diminished from a maximum at 75,000 pounds. A link cannot stand mallY such jerks. and in pulling there will be the opposite tendency. In the engine to a minimum at the caboose. Now, if the But in the absence 0 f free slack no such jerking can oc- taking sidings and on sidings, undue length of train is engine reverses and pulls, the spring resistance at each cur, so that a comparatively weak hook couplin� with· very undesirable. All considerat.ions favor shortness car will be reversed one after another, the last occur out slack will be durable. Thus, with hook coup- of train, so that the drawhead should not be desi�ned ring when the cabooseis on the point of starting. The lers devoid of free slack, drawheads and bars can be for standing far out, witb the object of getting in a forward cars then will have considerable motion, due made much lighter than the devices at present in use; lo� mild spring. to the drawing out of about six 01' eightfeet for a train but while introducing them. and while link and pin The free slack is to be dispensed with to meet this of thirty cars, and probably enough for starting this 01' couplers are still pre\'alent, the hook couplers must point. and drawheads should be as short as may be. any train the locomotive can take over the line. be much stronger and heavier and consequently more After thus carefully analyzing the working conditions In the link and pin coupleI' there will be the free costly than after the link and pin disappears. When of couplers. a review of the analyses points in unmis slack and a small amount of elastic slack, and both hlJok cout>lersare thus relieved of those intense strains taka ble terms to the following unavoidable in the link and pin, they will be found to together may be somewhat in excess of that for the CONCLUSIONS. Janney. Dowling. and other couplers as described ; but be unnecessarily heavy. Thl'!Y may be relieved con- the free slack, in consequence of the slacks and con siderably. and ret possess lasting qualities as weIl as 1. That the avoidance of "free slack" is one of the cussions due to it, is very uneffective, from the well lightness of wmght. They may be made of steel cast- most important and vital steps to be taken in the com known principle in mechanics that in shocks and ings, and hence not expensive. ing freight car coupler, both for economy to the road collisions there is always a loss of energy. Thus, when FOTNo. 6 nothing need be said here. It will be ad· in avoiding wear and tear and for relief from damage one mass with a certain velocity collides dead with mitted by every one for all couplings. of goods in tram;'portation, and that this is only second another equal mass at rest. half of the energy of mo The same [or No. 7, in a general way. would be ad- in importance to the adoption of such devices as shall tion is lost. A ball will not roll nl'!aras far on a cobble mitted by all disinterested. Is it possible that any be automatic. and not hazardous to the lives of train stone pavement when let go with a given velocity as it can be so biased toward the link and pin as to insist IDen in operating. will aJong a smooth floorwhere. there are no shocks 01' that with it there are no loose parts to be lost? Extra 2. That the threefold numerous dimellsions to be knocks. And so in trains of cars since the introduc links, good. bad, and indifferent, strewn about a yard provided for in the link and pin coupleI'. as compared tion of smooth steel rails, tractile resistance has drop may be held to not be lost. When two cars approach with hook couplers. and the greater liability to con ped from six to eigh t pounds per ton for iron track to to be coupled. if each drawhead has a link, one must structive variat,lOn in those dimensions, make it abso three 01'foul' for steel. Likewise,.much less energy is be removed; 01'if neither has a link, one mmt be forth- lutely certain that with the link and pin the free slack lost with the smooth elastic slack than with the free coming. In one case the link taken out may be lost, must unavoidably be very much greater than in hook slack, which jerks cars and couplings to pieces and de and in the other one may be found, alld as long as these couplers. leading to disastrous consequences, while with stroys freight. Again, it is plain that these destruc two demands neutralize each other, all �oes weIl. Of hooks it can be reuuced to practicaBy nothing. tive effects can be only the result of work performed. course. much of this may be provided against by a rule 3. That with hook couplers the riggin� at both ends This work comes from the locomotive, and is thus con that the west one 01' south one of the two pins m ust be of a car can be positively identical, with no detach sumed in tearing the train goods to destruction inc ,irawn when uncoupling for remaking trains 01' dis- able parts, whereas with the link and pin this is im stead of doing what was intended. viz., starting and charging cars. But a run to the caboose for a pin 01' a poosible. hauling the train. Then away with this monster of link mllst occasionaBy be made. whereas, with those 4. That close hook couplers can be much lighter than destruction, free sl&.ck. and attopt that elass of slack couplings, such as hooks, where no part can be de- in those where severe concussions occur, as in the link ! that is based on rational and scientific principles tached except by a mechanic with tools. and where two and pin. What has been said of the destructiveness and ex couplings approaching to couple 11p are alike. with 5. That close hook couplers serve much more favor travagance in power of free slack. as connected with nothing to take out 01' put in with either. there can be ably than others in connection with all kind" of brakes. the starting train. is also true of trains out on the line. no such annoyance and delay as where parts are going over summit and sags. In p'ulling over a summit necessarily detachable. m grades of about 20 feet per IDlle 01' over. there will No. 8 needs no cOlllment with respect to any form of 'l'HE NOI·folk. Va .• crop of strawberries is larger he shocks due to free slack as the last partof the train coupleI'. this year than any since its trucking career began.