US435508A

US435508A - Catching foek

Info

Publication number: US435508A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1907-09-02

Description

(No Model.)

J. F. MAINS. MAIL BAG GATGHING PORK.

No. 435,508. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. MAINS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO BRUCE CARR AND HARVEY M. LA FOLLETTE BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

MAlL-BAG-CATCHING FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,508, dated September 2, 1890.

Application filed Ianuary 13, 1390- Serial No. 336,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: One end of leverL is pivoted to the bar or to Be it known that I, JOHN F. MAINS, a citithe arm, and the other rests againstastop m,

zen of the United States, residing at Indianprojecting from the other member, the arapolis, in the county of Marion and State of rangement being such that the lever stands 5 Indiana, have invented a new and useful across the path of the incoming bag, so as to Mail-Bag-Catching Fork, of which the followhold the fork open, and its free end is disenis a Specification gaged from the stop by the impact of the bag My invention relates to an improved device against the edge of the lever. for catching mail-bags either upon or from a The catching-fork is mounted across a car- IO car in motion. door by means of a pair of brackets like C,

The objects of my improvement are to presecured to the side of the car-door, the brackvent the mail-bag from rebounding out of the ets being alike, so that the bar A may be catching-fork and to cause the bag when turned end for end in the brackets and precaught to be automatically swung onto a platsent the open end of the fork always toward 15 form or into a car, as the case may be, all as the direction in which the car is moving.

hereinafter fully described. Bar A is provided at its rear end with an The accompanying drawings illustrate my elastic buffer N,preferably of rubber, and the invention. bar is secured in its bearings by a cotter-pm Figure 1 represents a plan showing the 0, passing through the bar outside of the 2c catching-fork set to receive the bag. Fig. 2 bearing, the arrangement being such that represents a plan showing the bag caught by when the end of buiferNi-ests against the inthe fork and ready to swing into the car. Fig. ner face of the bracket the rib (Z will rest in 3 represents a plan showing the fork at rest the groove 6, and there will then be sufficient after receiving the bag. Fig. 4 represents a space between the outer face of the bracket 2 5 plan of the fork, showing the interior of its and the cotter-pin to allow a longitudinal joint. Fig. 5 represents a view in perspective movement of the bar sufficient to draw the of one of the brackets in which the catchingrib out of the groove. fork is mounted. For the more secure retention of the mail- In the drawings, A is a bar having at each bag when caught the edge of bar A, opposed 8o 0 end a cylindrical portion adapted to slide to the arm F, may be provided with one or longitudinally and to turn in bearings like I), more inwardly-inclined teeth, as at 1). formed on a supporting-bracket C, Fig. 5. In operation the mail-bag is suspended at One end of bar A is provided with a short astation in the usualwell known'or any other projecting rib d, which is adapted to enter suitable manner, so that the middle of the 3 5 and slide easily in a groove 6, formed in the bag will be about on a line with bar A on the face of bracket O, the purpose being to precar and within reach of the arm F when exvent bar A from turningin its bearings when tended. As the car approaches the station, the rib is engaged with the groove. arm F is extended and held in position by F is a slightly-curved arm pivoted at one engaging the free end of the trip-leverL with 40 end to bar A at h. Arm Fis drawn normally stop m. Bar A is now turned so that rib d toward bar A by a stiff spring 2', mounted in enters groove e, thus holding arm F extended a hollow casing j, formed on the bar and suroutward at an angle with the side of the car, rounding the pivot h. A clamp is thus the open end of the angle being toward the formed which is adapted to embrace and hold suspended mail bag. As the car passes the 5 a filled or partially-filled mail-bag. bag, the bag enters the angle between bar A For the purpose of holding the free end of and arm F, and lever L, coming in contact arm F away from bar A, and thus forming a with the bag, is disengaged from stop m, arm fork in which the bag 10 may be received, and F is released, and the bag is grasped between which will be automatically closed on the enarm F and the bar by the tension of spring i. I00 0 trance of the bag, I mount between the bar The shock of contact with the bag compresses and the arm near their joint a trip-lever L. buffer N and the recoil of the buffer throws rib (I out of groove r, thusleaving the bar free to yield to the weight of the bag and turn on its axis, thus swinging the lower end. of the bag into the car in the position shown in Fig. 3. It is obvious that the fork may be used to receive a mail-bag in like manner from a moving car by mounting the fork on a frame beside the track and suspending the bflfl from the car.

I claim as myinventionf 1. In a mail-bag-eatehing fork, the combination of bar A, adapted to slide and to turn in fixed bearings at each end and having the hollow easin formed integral therewith and provided with stop m, arm F, pivoted to the bar within said casing, spring 11, mounted within the casing and arranged to engage and control the arm, and trip-lever L, pivoted to the bar and arranged to engage the stop.

whereby the buffer is compressed by the impact of the mail-bag and the rib is disengaged from the groove by the recoil of the; butter, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN F. MAINS. Witnesses:

II. 1. H001), E. K. Hoop.