US1050106A - Mail-collecting device. - Google Patents

Description

W. M. OOBOORAN.

MAIL COLLECTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED we. 26, 1912.

1,050, 1 06, Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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a a; WWWQMM WM artaraiz Q \Am UNITED STATES FATENT @Fhlfill WILLIAM M. CORCORAN, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

MAILCOLLECTING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM M. COR- CORAN, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Collecting Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in mail collecting devices for use in conjunction with railway trains, the object of the invention being to produce a means whereby mail bags may be taken onto and delivered from moving trains in a rapid and effective manner and without any danger of the same dropping or becoming lost or damaged.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly efl'ective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects, I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing a fragmentary portion of a railway car carrying the necessary attachments for the operation of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the complete device. Fig. 3 is a side view showing a device partly in section on a line X-X of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a post, Disposed cir cumferentially around the post 1 is a ratchet rack 2 while the numeral 3 designates a prO- jecting arm having ratchets a adapted to engage the rack 2 for the purpose as will appear. Disposed on the outer end of the arm 3 is a cross head 5 disposed through each end of which is a bolt or pin 6 hinged to each of which is a wing 7 there being a strong spiral spring 8 disposed around each of the pins 6 and bearing against the wings Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1912.

Patented Jan. 1 1, 1913.

Serial No. 717,019.

7 to hold them normally in closed position against the side of the arm 3. W hen it is desired to position the device to catch the mail sack 9 which is held on pins 10 on arms 11 projecting from the side of the frame 12 one of such wings 7 is opened outwardly and held in such position by means of a rod 13 which rod is pivoted to the wing as at 14 and it is projected against the pin 15 on the arm 3. The arm 3 is then moved on its pivotal point 3 to such a position as will bring the open wing 7 parallel with the railway track and then as the train approaches the mail bag 9 moves between the open wing 7 and the arm 3, strikes the rod 13 driving it off of the pin 15 and the spring 8 then forces the wing 7 to engage the bag 9 and holds it in position against the member 3 and moves it ofi of the pins 10.

In order to keep the arm 3 from moving toward the track when once set, the ratchet 4 on the side toward the track is engaged with the rack 2 while the corresponding ratchet 4 on the opposite side is lifted from the rack 2 and locked under a pivoted catch 16. Then when the mail bag has been caught between the wings 7 and the arm 3 the force of the impact throws the mail bag and arm 3 away from the track leaving the space clear, until the device is again posit-ioned. To prevent this operation being carried too far and throwing the arm and bag in a complete circle, I provide a stop pin 17 upon the opposite side of the rack 2. The device is provided with two wings 7 in order that it may be used for catching mail from both directions as can readily be seen.

The above operation described the means for taking the mail from the train and I will now describe the means for delivering the mail to the train, as follows, viz: On the post 1 are two hinged arms 18 and 19 provided with projecting pins 20 and 21 to which the mail bag is attached and on the train as at 22 is mounted a structure simi lar to the structure described above for taking the mail from the train, which structure, operates the same as above described and takes the mail bag from off the pins 20 and 21. Thereupon, the lower arm 19 drops against the post 1 by gravity while the upper arm 18 is forced upwardly against the post by means of a spring 23 thus clearing them out of the path of the train until such time as another bag is to be delivered when the same would be positioned on the pins 20 and 21. A ladder 24 may be used for cli1nbing up on the post 1.

To prevent the rods 13 from being thrown too far when disengaged from the pins 15, I provide pins 15 on the wings 7 which will limit the movement of said rods 13.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such devi ations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a post, a ratchet rack on the upper end of said post, an arm pivotally mounted on said post, a ratchet on said arm adapted to engage said rack and spring pressed wings on the outer end of said arm, as described.

2. A device of the character described comprising a post, an arm pivotally mounted on said post, spring pressed wings on said arm, rods pivoted on said wings, pins on said arm, said rods being adapted to pro ject against said pins, as described.

3. A device of the character described comprising a post, a ratchet rack disposed around said post, an arm pivotally mounted on said post and carrying spring pressed wings, a ratchet on said arm adapted to engage said rack and means for holding said ratchet out of engagement with said rack, as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. CORCORAN.

Witnesses JOSHUA B. VVEBsrnR, CLARENCE M. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

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