US1640083A - Device for use in sorting and delivering mail - Google Patents

Description

g G. F. LADD DEVICE FOR USE IN SORTING AND DELIVERING MAIL 3 Shets-Sheet l `Filed May 11, 1926 gvioemkoz r 5 1-1- -P ----l------,1..

Aug.' Z3, 1927.

' G. F. LADD DEVICE FOR USE IN SORTINC. AND DELIVERING MAIL 4Filed May 11, 192e 5 sheets-shea 2 l @nannten 1 6%. f'. Lada.

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G.-F`.LADD DEVICE 'gEoRusE INORTING ANUDELIVERING MAIL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 11. 192e Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE FRANK LADDfOF FORBES, NOBTH'DAKVOTA.

Application illed my k11,

This invention relates to improvements in devices for use in sorting and A delivering mail and While it may be` employed by both city and rural mail carriers, it` is one of the objects of the invention to provide a device of this class which will be especially .15 the mail, be conveniently employed by the carrier in delivering the mail Without any likelihood of confusion such as Would resultfrom a disarrangement of the `sorted mail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for use in sorting andv delivering mail embodying a plurality ofpockets into which mail for deliveryy to different residences and places of business is deposited y as it is sorted and which device will be lfiexible to the extent that a considerable volume of mail may be deposited in onel or more pockets if the adjacent pockets are not filled to capacity, the arrangement being such that the bottoms of the pockets are displaceable and the pockets are so arranged one above yanother that the bottom of each pocket will constitute, in effect, the top of thepocket beneath it, so that the desirable result re-y ferred to may be obtained.

Another object of the invention` is to provide a, novel construction and arrangement of the pockets such as to provide for co1- lapsin'g of the `entire device to occupy minimum space after all ofthe sorted mail has 40 been deposited in the pockets thereof.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a device of the class referred tow ich will be extremely simple in construction and possess a maximum capacity 'and which, when not in use, may be collapsed to very compact form. f v

Another object of the invention is to'so construct the device that it may be suspended above a bench or other vsupportin a post office While mail'is being sorted and nnvIcn ron Usa m sommo AND :mamxvmmm:urnv

i926. serial 16.168399.

'which may be conveniently carried and like VWise suspended wvithinan automobilev vor other vehicle where the device is to beeinployed in making rural deliveries.

In the accompanying drawings f Figure 1 is a perspective view of Vthe device embodving the invention, supported in a. suspended position for the vsort-ing of mail, the view illustrating also the supporting means which likewise constitutes a part of 00 the invention. A

Figure 2 is a verticaltransverse sectional n View in detail through the upper portion of the device. Y Y

Figure 3 is a .vertical front yto rear sec- 05 tional" view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction arrow E .Y F1gure4 isv a yvertical transverse stlona-l view through a vslightly` modified form` of the device.'the view illustrating the device supported in suspended position.

Figure 5.is a vvertical front vto rear Sec-v tional view through the lupper portion of the modified structure shown in VFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of one 'of the pockets of the modified structure spread'out and before being arranged and secured within the body of the structure. y'

The invention comprises a flexible case 60 which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and the side walls 2 and rear ,wall 3 of which are preferably formed of a single piece of canvas, oilcloth, or any other ma- Vterial of a flexible 'nature found suitable 85 for the purpose.- The case further includes `a sheet metal top 4 yand a sheet metal .bottom 5, and the upper and lower edgesof the side walls 2 and rear wall 3 are preferably hemmed and folded over to respective- 90 ly overlap the side. and lrear marginal ypor-v tions ofthe top 4 and underlie the corresponding marginal portions ofthe bottom 5, the hems being secured by rivets or. other Suitable securing elements, to the said top v and bottom. At thisV point it willv be evident that the case as a whole is collapsible y inasmuch as all lof its walls except its top and` bottomrare flexible. .In o rder lthat the V. case may be suspended and likewise in order that the same may be carried about in a convenient manner, a combined suspension and hand strap 7 is secured at its ends by rivets or other suitable securing elements 8 to the opposite side marginal portions of the top 4 substantially midway between the front and rear edges thereof, the said fastening elements passing also preferably through the heins at the upper margins of the side walls 2 of the case. The front marginal portions of the side walls 2 are preferably heinmed as indicated by the numeral 9, so as to strengthen the open front of the case.

The invention contemplates the, provision, within the case, of a plurality of pockets ali'- rangedone above another in a vertical series, as clearly shown in the several figures of the drawings, and these pocket-sli-ltewise are flexible to an extent which will now be'made apparent. The pockets are indicated in general byv the numeral 10, and 1 each of the pockets includes in its construction, a rectangular wire frame indicated in general by the numeral 11 and comprising side members 12 and fro-nt and rear end members 13 `flexible material which is str etched at its marginal portions over the respective inembers'of the frame 11 and provided with hems 16 accommodating the said members of the frame, asbest shown in Figures 2 and 3' of the drawings. Each pocket further comprises side walls 17 and a rear end wall 18, these walls being of canvas or other material of a flexible nature found suitable for the purpose and being preferably formed from a. single piece of such material having its lower marginalportion extended beneath the hems of the bottom sheet at both the sides and the rear end of the said bottom and united thereto by the saine stitches which establish the said hems, The upper margins of the side walls 17 and the upper margin of the rear end wall 18 ofeach pocket areoverturned and united by stitch- `ing as at 19 and 2O respectively, along hoi'izontal lines, to the sidewalls 2 and rear end wall 3 of the case, and,rpreferably, the line of attachment of the upper edges of the side and rear end walls of each pocket is located in a plane slightly above the plane of the bottom of the pocket next above, and liliewise the frames 11 are preferably ofjdimensions slightly less than the interior dimensions ofthe case, so that the bottom of each pocket will'.clepend a shortdistance within and inspaced relation to the open top of the pocket next beneath it, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The peculiar arrangement of the pockets with rclation to one another holds true except that the top 4 ofthe case constitutes the topV of the uppermost pocket while the spaces between the lowermost pocket and the bottom .tionand semi-nestechf as shown in the several figures of the drawings, the weight of the frames 11 constitutin.Gr the bottoms oi the n o 4 7 pockets beingpositioned to render the side walls 17` and rear end walls 18 substantially taut. llhei'efore, when the case 'is suspended in this manner, mail maybe introduced into the different pocket-s until all of the inail ,intended` for introduction into the device has been sorted. To facilitatel soi'tii or the mail, eachv pocket has associated' with it` a tag holder which will now be described. The tag holders forfthe pockets arefindicated in general by the numeral 21 and each is preferably formed from a suitably shaped sheet metal blank andv comprises a v"nach plate 22 having a vrearwardly extending iiange 23 at its upper edge which is disposed in overlapping relation with respect to the forwardedge of the bottonrof the rc' tive pocket and secured thereto'by rivets or other suitable fastening elementsI 2%wliicli pierce the sheet comprising' thebottom 15 immediately rearwardly of Vthe front inember 13 of the respective frame A11. inform-,1

ing the tag holders, the plate 22 at the juncture of its fiange. 23v or, in other words, at each upper corner, is formed with incisions and voverturned to provide lugs25 projectingrdo'wnwardly in ad'va'nceot the respective, plate 22, and the lower marginal portion of each plate is turned upwardly upon itself, as indicated by the numeral.26,`so that a card or slip of anysheet material of proper dimensions may be fitted into the holderI with its lower' edge engaging behind the fiange 2G and its upper `corners engaging' behind the retaining lugs 25'. Such card or slip will bear the name ofthe head of the household, for example, of a particular residence, oi' the namefof the proprietor of a business place, or the name of thel business place, on the carriers route, and it will be preferable, ofcourse, to arrange the cards or slips, which are indicated by the Vnumeral 27, in the order in which the different residences andl places of business willbe reached ,by the carrier Vin traveling over Vhis route.

One of the tag holders will be mounted upon the forward edge portion of the top 4; and, u

of course, associated with the upperinos one of the pockets, and the tag holder wliicii is supported upon the forward edge portion of the bottom of each pocket will, ofc-ouin relate to the pocket next beneath it. Se

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as the invention is concerned, any. other stuitable identifying arrangement may be provided vfor ythe several pockets.

In the use of the device embodying the invention, one, or any-numberthereof, is.A

suspended with lit-s open front presented toward the one who is to sort the mail, and t-he pieces of mail are inserted into the proper pockets. The pockets have a uniform capacity, generally speaking,ror, vin other words, each pocket has its side and its rear Aend walls of the 'same height as any other one of the pockets. However, due to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the pockets within the 'ca-se, the invention presents this advantage, namely, that if, in

vthe sorting of the mail, the quantity of mail introduced, into any one pocket is such that 'it extends from the bottoml of the said pocketto the bottom of the pocket next above it, more mail may still be introduced inasmuch as the' walls of the pockets are flexible and, therefore, the bottom of the last mentioned pocket may be yelevated to a greater or less extent, as shown for example in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings,

and this holds true for each pocket. except, vof course, ,the uppermost pocket and, therefore, it may frequently occur that in any one of the devices, several of the pockets will be filled with mail matter occupying a greater space than the normal capacity ofv the pocket and inasmuch as the ybottoms of all of the pockets arev upwardly displaceable through the flexibility of their walls and the capability of the wa s of collapsing as the `bottoms ofthe pockets are elevated, it will seldom occur that any diiiiculty will be found Vvin introducing into any yone of the pockets all of the mail due for delivery to the 'recipient identified bythe tag in the tag holder associated with the respectivepocket.

Therefore, the device' may be said to have a v maximum possible capacity and consequently presentsA a decldcdad'vantage over devlces in which the pockets Vare lmore or less 1n 'the nature of non-,flexible or non-expansible compartments having a limited capacity.'

` vAfter all of the mail to be delivered has been sorted or distributed to the pockets, the case is removed vfrom its suspension means and collapsed or permitted to collapse,

taut, may be so held through the medium of any ordinary type of buckle indicated by lthewnumral T31. located a greater or less distance forwardly Preferably the strap is of a plane midway Vbetween the back and `the open front of the case, so that the front portion vof the case, in its collapsed condition, is constricted to a greater degree than the rear port-i011 of the case and, therefore, the case is more restricted near the open forward ends of the pockets to better retain in place the vpieces of mail matter which are arranged within the said pockets.

A convenient supporting means for the device during the period of sorting the mail is clearly illustrated in Figurel of the drawings, and the same comprises two base members or feet 32 which are secured in any suitable manner upon a bench or shelf 33, and standards 34 are mounted at their lower ends `in or upon the base members'32 and at their upper ends fit into sockets 35 provided at the ends of a cross piece 36 which extends between the said upper endsl of the standardsv and may be of any desired length, depending upon the number of the devices which are -to be suspended therefrom. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the supporting structure is arranged to support a single vone of the devices, and the standards 34 arespaced apart a distance to accommodate the device without lateral binding thereof. A vsuspension hook 37 is carried by the cross piece 36 and the suspension or hand strap 7 is engaged with` this hook.l Likewise, in the arrangement shown, the bottom of the case engages between the opposing sides of the base membersl 32, which members are arranged in parallelism to each other, and consequently there is no likelihood of lateral swinging of 'the device while mail matter is being inserted into the pockets. Of course, where several of the ldevices are to be supported,

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they willv be arrangedV side by side andthe 'l cross piece 36 will be longer and provided with a corresponding number of the hooks 37, the uprights or standards 34 being likewise spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the requisite `length of the cross piecev asL also the base members 32.

After the sorting of the mail matter, the

devices are, as before stated, removed from the'supporting or suspension hooks and collapsed andV constricted lby tightening the straps'28, and the strap 7 then serves as a handlev by which the device may be carried to the vehicle employed by the postman. At such time, the straps 47 constitute a convenient means lwhereby the several devices may be suspended within the automobile or other vehicle` beneath the top thereof and thus be protected'from theV elements as well l lasA preventing soiling of the mail matter whichy might" occur if the devices were merely deposited upon the floor of the vehicle body. Y

Figures 4, -and 6 of the drawings, illustrate a somewhat modified and likewise ,simplified construction of the pockets of the holder and, as clearly shown in Figure 6, each of these pockets comprises a rectangular vframe 38 which is preferably of Iwire and tively broad hemsA 42, the folds embracing the front and rear members of the frame, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, and lines of stitching 43 being run -throughthe heinsclose to the folds and consequently along and close to the inner sides of the said end members of the frame, and these lines of stitching being extended about the entire length of the front and rear marginal portions of the sheet of material. The marginal portions constituting the heins 42 have their edges hemmed and united by lines of stitching 44 to the body of the sheet so vthat a` material reenforcement is provided at the front and rear ends of each pocket. The frame 38 is disposed equi-distantly from the opposite side margins of the sheet comprising the pockets and lines of stitching 45 are run through the hems 42 at opposite sides 0fv and close to the side members 39 of the frame so as to maintain the frame and the 'pocket sheet in proper position with respect to each other. This arrangement of the frame leaves side portions 46 which,lin fact, constitute the sides of the pocket and these sides are reenforced at their front and rear ends inasmuch as the hems 42, as stated, extend throughout the entire length of the front and rear marginal portions of the sheet. The lateral margins of the sheet are hemined, as indicated by the numeral 47, and these hemmed edges are united by lines .of stitching 48 to the side walls 49 of the case, which case, in this and in every other respect, corresponds to the case l of the previously described embodiment of the invention. It will be noted that in themodified form of the invention, the entire pocket coinprises the single sheet of material and the vframe arranged and united as described and that the pocket is open at both its front and rear ends. I-Iowever, the fact that each Apocket is open at its rear end is not' of material consequence inasmuch as the said ends of the pockets are disposed relatively close tothe back of the case which, in the figures illustrating vthe modification, is indicated by the numeral 50.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. In a device for use in sorting and deside and rear walls, the side and rear walls.

of the pockets being flexible and thereby adapted to be collapsed and being attached at their upper portions to the respective walls of the case, the pockets of the series being semi-nested with relation to one another whereby the bottom of one pocket may constitute a displaceable top for the pocket next beneath it.

2. In a device for use in sorting and delivering mail, a case having an open front and relatively non-fiexible top and bottom, the case further comprising fiexible side and rear walls adapting it to be collapsed, and a series of pockets within the lcase arranged one above another and having relatively non-flexible bottoms and flexible side and rear walls, the said side and rear walls being connected at their upper portions to and suspended freely from the corresponding side and rear walls of the case.

3. In a. device for use in sorting andV delivering mail, a case having flexible side walls adapting it to be collapsed, and a series of collapsible semi-nested pockets Within the case and each having a bottoim'and flexible walls extending upwardly from the bottom and'having their upper edge portions connected with the flexiblewalls thereof.

4. In a'device forvuse in sorting and delivering mail, a case having flexible side and rear walls adapting it to be collapsed, the case being open at its front, and a series of pockets within the case arranged one above another and eachcomprising'walls of iiexible material united at their upper portions to the corresponding walls of the case, each pocket further including a non-flexible bottoinextending between its walls and of dimensions less than the interior dimensions of the case, the lowerV portion of one pocket depending freely within tlieupper portion of the pocket next beneath it, whereby the pockets are freely collapsible with the case and whereby the bottoms of the pockets are freely upwardly displaceable.

5. In a devicefor vuse in sortingand delivering mail, a case having flexible side and rear walls adapting it to be collapsed, and a series of pockets arranged one above another within the case and each pocket comprising flexible Walls -attached at their upper marginalportions to the corresponding walls of the case and suspended therefrom, each pocket further including a bottom comprising a. frame and a sheet ofmaterial stretched within the frame and connected at its marginal portions therewith and to the lower marginal portions of the walls of the pocket.

6. In a device of the character described, a case open at its front, and a series of pockets arranged one above another in the case, each pocket comprisin a flexible body, and a. bottom frame dispose upon said body,

the front and rear portions of the body 10 pocket therein and permit upward displace- 15 lment of its bottom. Y

In testimony whereof I. aix my si ature. GEORGE FRANK LADD. 5.]

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