Automatic hose connector for railway cars

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC HOSE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES EQUIPPED AT EACH END THEREOF WITH AN AUTOMATIC COUPLER WHEREBY ADJACENT VEHICLES MAY BE COUPLED TOGETHER TO FORM A TRAIN AND WITH A HOSE THE FREE END OF WHICH IS CONNECTABLE TO THE FREE END OF THE HOSE ON AN ADJACENT VEHICLE FOR CONDUCTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT COUPLED VEHICLES, SAID AUTOMATIC HOSE CONNECTOR COMPRISING: (A) A FIRST MATING HEAD FLEXIBLY SUPPORTED BY THE COUPLER HEAD ON ONE VEHICLE AND HAVING ARRANGED THEREON THE CONNECTING END OF THE RESPECTIVE HOSE OF THE ONE VEHICLE, (B) A SECOND MATING HEAD FLEXIBLY SUPPORTED BY THE COUPLER HEAD ON THE ADJACENT END OF AN ADJACENT VEHICLE AND HAVING ARRANGED THEREON THE CONNECTING END OF THE RESPECTIVE HOSE ON THE ADJACENT VEHICLE, (C) SAID MATING HEADS BEING POSITIONALLY ALINED FOR MAKING COUPLING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER TO EFFECT SEALING CONTACT BETWEEN THE CONNECTING ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE HOSES UPON COUPLING OF THE VEHICLES, EACH OF SAID MATING HEADS BEING PROVIDED WITH A RECESS, AND (D) RESPECTIVE SPRING MEANS FOR FLEXIBLY SUPPORTING EACH OF SAID MATING HEADS ON THE RESPECTIVE COUPLER HEADS, EACH OF SAID RESPECTIVE SPRING MEANS COMPRISING: (I) A FIRST LEAF SPRING, AND (II) A SECOND LEAF SPRING COMPLEMENTING SAID FIRST LEAF SPRINGS, (III) SAID FIRST LEAF SPRING AND SAID SECOND LEAF SPRING BEING CLAMPED TOGETHER AT ONE END AND ANCHORED AT SAID ONE END TO THE RESPECTIVE COUPLER HEAD, (IV) ONE OF THE LEAF SPRINGS HAVING A PERMANENT DEFORMITY YIELDABLE FOR EXERTING A CONSTANT BIASING EFFECT FOR MAINTAINING THE TWO LEAF SPRINGS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, AND FOR AXIALLY BIASING THE RESPECTIVE MATING HEAD TOWARD THE OTHER MATING HEAD FOR MAINTAINING POSITIVE SEALING CONTACT BETWEEN THE CONNECTING ENDS OF THE HOSES, (V) ONE OF SAID LEAF SPRINGS BEING PROVIDED AT THE OTHER END OPPOSITE ITS SAID ONE END WITH A FLAT HORIZONTAL POSITION ON WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MATING HEAD ASSOCIATED THEREWITH RESTS, AND (VI) THE OTHER OF SAID LEAF SPRINGS BEING PROVIDED AT THE OTHER END OPPOSITE ITS SAID ONE END WITH A CYLINDRICAL PORTION EXTENDING INTO SAID RECESS IN THE RESPECTIVE MATING HEAD, (VII) SAID FLAT HORIZONTAL PORTION AND SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION COOPERATING TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE SUPPORT MEANS FOR THE RESPECTIVE MATING HEAD.