US37441A - Improvement in railroad baggage-checks - Google Patents

Description

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/y /y f FHILADELPHIA CLEVELAND' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. H.'FURNISS AND F. R. MYERS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD BAGGAGEr-CHECKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 37,44 l, dated January 20, 1863.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, F. H. FURNTss and F. R. MYERS, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and lState of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Baggage-Checks; andA we do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 2, Plate A, represent reverse sides of a local check, with numbers representing the several stations marked thereon, as, for example, the Cleveland and Pittsburg from Cleveland to Wellsville. Figs. 3 and 4, Plate A, show the same checks with the strap inserted through the slots, indicating the number of the station to which baggage is to be forwarded. Figs. 1 and 2, Plate B, show reverse sides of a through check between important points, as, for example, Chicago and New York, Cleveland and Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chicago, Sto.

The nature of our invention relates to the construction of checks for local or through routes that can with equal lfacility be used on the return trips, and for any intermediate station on a local line, or for important points on through lines. The same feature is embraced in each. The only diierence is that on the local check numbers are used to indicate the stations, while on the through lines the names of the places are stamped upon the check.

We will first describe the local check. The one represented in the drawings is designed for the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad, from Cleveland to Wellsville, that portion of the road comprising a local section embracing thirty-two local stations. The check is made of a plate of brass or other suitable material, about six inches in length and abo'ut one and a half inches wide. Upon one side on the righthand margin is stamped half the numbers of the stations in figures-in this case from 1 to 16 inclusiveand upon the opposite side on the right-hand margin is stamped the remaining half of the number of the stations in figures-in this case from 17 to 32 inclusive. The central portion of the check is occupied by a series of slots, S, placed opposite the numbers and corresponding thereto. The left-hand margin of the check, upon both sides, is

stamped with any number from one upward, and with the initial letters of the name of the road or the name in full, as, for example, 1,448, C. & P. A duplicate check, Fig. 5, Plate A, with the same number (1,448, C. & P. Local) accompanies each local check and is given to the -person owning the baggage at the time the check is attached. Now, for example, if a passenger starts from Cleveland, which station is marked N o. 1, and desires to have his baggage stop at Bedford, which station is No. 4, the check-strap T, which is attached to the lower end of the check, is put through the slot opposite ligure 4, as shown in plate A, Fig. 3. If he desires to stop at Hudson, the sixth station, the strap is put through at gure 6. If at Alliance, it is put through the slot at 12. The slot C at the upper end of the check is designed for the strap to pass through from the reading face backward, for the purpose of keeping the check in a suitable position for reading. In all cases the strap is inserted from the back forward, for in this manner the baggage-man is less liable to make mistakes in the numbers. Whichever side of the check is used the strap should be inserted from the side opposite the number, as, for example, if Salineville is the station indicated,

the strap should be adjusted as in Fig. 4 at number 28. lf at Wellsville, the strap should pass through slot No. 32. It will be seen by this arrangement that any station on the whole route, in running in either direction, can be indicated by the position of the strap through the slot. This check can be arranged for the whole of the route to Pittsburg or other section of a local route by attaching, by means of a hinge or otherwise, an extension-plate to either end with the number of stations marked thereon, with corresponding slots, as before described.

Instead of numbers being used, the names of the stations can be stamped upon the bars between the slots, but numbers are more conveniently read, and the necessity for marking with chalk upon the trunk or package is thus avoided.

Plate B, Figs. 1 and 2, represents reverse sides of a through and return check between important points, as, for example,from Chicago to New York via M. S., C. 8a T., C. 85 P., Cen. Penn., N. C., and C. 85 A. R. R. We have simply taken the above-named route as an illustration, and which we denominate the A route. From Chicago to New York via M. C., C. 8: F., C. 5 A., and N. Y.Cen., we denominate the B route, and via Erie B. It., the,

C route, and the checks are thus marked A, B or C, according to the route, and the same between other important points. This check, Figs. l and 2, Plate B, consists of a plate ot brass. or other suitable material, some tive or six inches long and one and a haltl wide. Along the middle is a series of slots, S, and upon theintermediate bars is stamped the laines of the important stations upon the sevei al lines com posing the route, as Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York.

as shown in the figures. The names'or p :inta on the route are reversed in their order on opposite sides of the check, as shown in Figs. l and 2, New York standing at the head 011 one side and Chicago standing at the head on the other.

the route-lettera A B or C, according to the route for which the check is designed; but

, serted, as shown in Plate B, Fig. 3; It' from Chicago to Pittsburg, the strap is inserted so that these two names only are shown on the front side .of the check. If baggage is to be rlhe strap' Tis attached to the lower end of the check,

Upon one margin ol the check is' stamped any number from l upward, and' forwarded from Cleveland to Harrisburg, the strap. is so inserted that Cleveland and Harrisburg only are seen.

It will be observed that the checks are always read from the top toward the bottom, whichever side is used-one side being from Chicago to New York, and the other side from New York to Chicago-therefore, if baggage is to be forwarded from New York to Chicago, that side'of the check shown in Fig. 4, Plate B, is used, and the strap so inserted that all the naines are hidden, except New York and Chicago. If baggage is to be forwarded from Philadelphia to Cleveland, the strap. is inserted as shown in Fig. 4, Plate B the check will therefore read Philadelphia Cleveland.77

The same kind ot' combinations are to be used in any other route, whether local or through. rlhus it will be seen that in the eX- a-mples given, these checks can be used between any two stations or points onthe local or through lines. y

In the example cited for the through line from Chicago to New York and from New York to Chicago, over two hundred v.and fifty combinations can be effected, and is therefore equivalent to the same number of checks.

What we claim as our improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Placing the number or names of stations on baggage-cheeks in consecutive order, with i'ntermediate or corresponding openin gs orslots for the insertion `of the strap, as andk for the purpose Specified. Y

. F. H.= FURNISS.V

F. It.. MYERS. i

Witnesses:

J. BRAINERD,

W. H. BURRIDGE.

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