US1199461A - Mail-bag catcher. - Google Patents

Description

F. J. GRATE.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION man APR. 14. ms.

1 1 99,46 1 Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

FREDERICK J. GRATE, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed April 14, 1915. Serial No. 21,387. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. GRATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved mail bag catcher, and has for its primary object to provide an improved construction of catcher arm which. is carried by the car, whereby a mail bag may be moved in a crane or hanger mounted at one side of the track.

The invention has for another and more particular object to provide a mail bag catcher of the above type, which will, without fail, remove the bag from the crane and retain the same in position so that the bag may be removed from the arm by the mail clerk.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a very simply constructed catching arm which is capable of withstanding severe usage, to which such devices are subjected.

lVith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail catching arm constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention and showing the same in the act of removing a bag from the crane arm; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device, partly in section.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the rod or rock shaft which issuitably journaled at its ends in bearings fixed upon the side posts of the door opening in the car wall in the usual manner. Upon this rock shaft, at a point intermediate of its ends, the sleeve 6 is rigidly fixed, said sleeve having a projection 7 formed on one end extending longitudinally along the shaft 5 and in engagement therewith. This end of the sleeve 6 is also formed with an elongated curved arm 8 which extends in divergent relation to the rock shaft 5 and has an outwardly curved extremity terminating in a cylindrical enlargement indicated at 9,

Upon the extension 7 of the sleeve 6, one

end of a heavy leaf spring 10 is secured by means of the screw or bolt 11, said spring extending in convergent relation to the arm 8. The free end of this spring 10 is inwardly curved toward the shaft 5, as shown at 12, and also has a cylindrically-formed terminal 13. The space between the nearest point of approach of this spring 10 to the rigid arm 8, defines the entrance throat 14 which receives the medial or central portion of the mail bag, indicated at B.

To the sleeve 6, and on the opposite side thereof with respect to the rigid outwardly extending arm 8, a rod 15 is fixed at one of 7 its ends, the other end of said rod being provided with a weight element 16 which may be either of Wood or metal. Upon the rock shaft 5, a suitable hand grip 17 is provided, whereby said shaft may be turned or rotated in its bearings to dispose the catcher arm in position to receive a mail bag.

In the use of the invention, it will be understood that the catcher arm is so mounted within the door opening that the rigid arm 12 is normally disposed in a vertical plane within said opening by the gravity action of the weight 16. When it is desired to dispose the catcher arm in position for operation, the shaft 5 is turned until the arm 8 is disposed in a horizontal position and extends outwardly from the door opening, said shaft being held against further turning movement by any suitable looking or latch device. As the car approaches the station, the contracted central portion of the mail bag B which has been properly arranged upon the crane, is received in the throat l4 and the impact of the bag forces the leaf spring 10 inwardly toward the car wall soas to permit of the entrance of the bag into the space between the inner end of the rigid arm 8 and the relatively stifi fixed end of the spring 10. Said spring, upon returning to its normal position, effectively closes upon the bag and holds the same upon the arm. By now releasing the shaft 5, the weight 16 gravitates downwardly so that the bag will be carried by the arm 8 inwardly into the door opening in convenient position to be removed by the mail clerk.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of my invention Will be cle y and tally nders o d- 7 It will be seen that I have produced a very simple, effective and reliable, and also durable mail catching arm which is exceedingly serviceable and convenient in actual use and will remove the bag from the supporting frame without, in any way, injuring the same or the mail matter contained therein.

Owing to the very simple construction of the device, it will be seen that the same is well adapted to withstand the severe usage to which such catching arms are ordinarily subjected.

lVhile I have shown, in the accompanying drawing, a particular form of the rigid catching arm and the yieldable spring plate which is associated therewith, it will, of course, be apparent that these structural features of the invention are necessarily sub ject to various minor changes in form and proportion, owing to the particular circumstances encountered in the use of the invention. It will, therefore, be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, proportion and arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is The herein described mail bag catcher including a rock shaft, a sleeve fixed upon said shaft, a rigid catcher arm integrally formed at one of its ends upon the medial portion of the sleeve, and a spring arm fixed at one end to said sleeve and extending therefrom in convergent relation to the rigid catcher arm, the free end of said spring arm being normally disposed in contiguous spaced relation to said rigid arm, ,to provide a narrow entrance forthe mail bag, the free end portions of said arms being longitudinally curved in relative opposite directions to direct the mail bag into said entrance.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two wltnesses.

FRED. J. GRA'IE.

lVitnesses JOHN :L. STRANGE, JAs. R. BUCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0:

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