US374735A - Mail-bag - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A.A.EPPERT.

MAIL BAG.

No. 374,735. Patented Dec. 13, 1887..

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3o jaws.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED A. EPPERT, OF AMELIA, OHIO.

' MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374.735, dated December 13. 1887- Applioation tiled November 4, 188i'. Serial No. 254,271. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. EPPERT, a resident of the town of Amelia, Clermont county, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to -provide a locking dev-ice to be attached on the inside of a mail-bag, to lock automatically, and to ldispense with the use of straps and padlocks, and thus save much valuable time.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the top portion of a bag and flap with my improved locking device attached thereto, the outer upper portion of the bag and the shield being broken away to show said locking device. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection of the top portion of a bag provided with the locking device, the said parts being in position just before locking. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the bag locked. Fig. 4 is a top View ofthe lockingbolt, plate, and spring to be attached to the inside of the flap ofthe bag, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the plate shown in Fig. 4, showing the manner of attaching the spring thereto. Fig. 6isaverticalcrosssection taken through one of the lock-cases, showing the preferred form and construction of the locking- Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the lock-cases, showing the circular slot in which the pin attached to the locking-jaws operates. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of four of my irnproved lock-cases and hinged plates and connecting operating mechanism as preferably constructed.

My invention is applicable to any of the ordinary Inail-bags now in use, and is preferably constructed in the following manner: To the inner top portion of the back of the bag is riveted or suitably secured aseries of plates, A, which are pivoted or hinged together, as shown in Figs. 1, V7, and 8, to allow the bag to be doubled on itself, and also to keep the locking-jaws an equal distance apart. It' attached to the-leather, these jaws would vary, as the leather would expand when dampened and contract when dried out. This series of hinged plates entirely overcomes this difficulty. As shown, and as preferably constructed, to each alternate plate is attached, in any suitable manner, one of the lock-cases B, in which the jaws b are secured and pivoted in the usual manner.

Around each ofthe pivots is coiled aspringwire, b', one end of which is secured to the case and the other end to thejaw, as shown in Fig. 6. These jaws b may be secured in locking position by any suitable spring mechanism, the object being to constantly keep the jaws locked until separated in t-he manner presently to be described. l

' To each of the jaws b is secured a pin, b2, which latter projects through the case, (one on either side,) as shown in'Figs. i' and 8. These jaws b are inclined inward and downward on their upper face at an angle to receive the angular-shaped bolt Cand to permit said bolt being pressed in between the jaws and separating them. Thejaws are again brought back into locking 'position so soon as the anged portions of bolt() have passed the flanged portion of said jaws by means of the springs b.

Having now described the construction of the hinged plates, loclr-cases, and jaws, I will briefly describe the construction ot' the mechanism for unlocking the jaws.

To the outer end of each of the end plates is (when constructed as shown) pivoted the lever D, to each end of which the chain or strap d is attached, as shown in Fig. 8. One endof this chain .or strap is attached to a pin or lug, d', made fast, preferably, to the center' connecting-plate, the other end of said chain being attached to the lever. One end of the adjacent reciprocal chain or strap is attached to a lug or pin, d2, made fast to the tumbler D', the other end being attached to the lever. Near the stationary pins cl the chain has a link of coiled spring, d, to assist in bringing the parts back into locking position, as will hereinafter appear.

The pins b", attached to the jaws b, extend through the openingsv in the loclccases, as shown in Fig. 7, to which pins the chains or straps d are made fast, as shown in Fig. 8.

When the tumbler D is made to rotate from left to right by means of any suitablekey, the top chains (when constructed as shown in Fig. 8) are drawn to the right and the lowerchains or straps are drawn to the left. rlhe pins b2, beingconnected to the chains or straps, willV IOO necessarily move to the right and left as the chains are moved, and, said pins being connected to the jaws, this right-andleft movement of the chains and pins will cause the jaws b to open or separate to allow the flanged portions of the bolt to escape from said jaws.

Instead of using the levers D at each end,

as shown, two covered pulleys may be employed, the chain or strap at either end passing over said pulleys instead of being attached to each end of the levers, as shown. This series of hinged plates, locks, and operating spring or equivalent, G, in any desired `manl ner. Through an Opening in this `springthe bolt C passes, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the object of the Vspring Gbeing to cause theflap to open when the bolt C is released from the jaws b, in the manner before described. The locking-bolts C pass through suitableopenings, `H,

in the front face of the bag and corresponding openings in the shield and cases, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When locked, the tendency of this spring G is to cause the ilangeson boltC to bear against the flanged portion of the jaws b, and so soon as these jaws are separated by rotating the tumbler D the -iiap is made to iiy open through the resiliency of the spring G. This tumbler D is covered with a suitable escutcheon, in the usual manner, and is rotated by a key inserted through a suitable opening in the iiap of the bag, as shown in Fig. 1. But one tumbleris necessary to operate two or more of said locking devices. When the bag is locked, there is nothing visible from-the outside, excepting the heads of the bolts or rivets and the keyhole.

The advantages of my device are apparent. Besides being cheap of manufacture and simple in construction and operation, the bag cannot be unlocked, except by use of the key. Much time is saved by the use of my invention, asv

no straps or padlocks are used to take uptime in locking and unlocking the bag. To lock the bag, all that is required is simply to press the flap on the bag, the locking being accomplished automatically. 'lo unlock the bag, the tumbler is rotated by means of the key, thus unlocking the bag in a second of time.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

1. In a lock for mail-bags, aseries of metalliccases containing suitable locking-j aws, said cases being connected by the hinged plates secured to the inside of the bag, and mechanism consisting of suitable chains attached to atumbler 'and connecting-pins for simultaneously unlocking all the jaws, the whole being covered with a shield, in combination with locking-bolts attached to the inside of the flap vof the bag, substantially as set forth.

2. In a lock for mai1bags, the iianged bolts C, springs G, and plates F, attached'to the inside of the iiap, in combination with a series of locking-jaws secured to the inside of lthe bag, and suitable chains connected to said jaws, and mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said chains, as and lfor the purposes set forth.

3. In a lock for mail-bags, aseries of metallic casiugs, B, having the jaws b secured there` in, connecting-plates A, springs b', forkeeping the jaws locked, chains d, attached to tumbler D' and to levers D or equivalent devices, pins b, attached to the jaws b and to said chains, and shield E, in combination with bolts C, substantially as set forth.

ALFRED A. EPPERT.

Witnesses:

HENRY Woosr, GEO. W. CRARY.

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