US495116A - Mail-bag catch-hook - Google Patents

Description

(NomodeLj J. B. LAMKIN. MAIL BAG GATH HOK.r

Patened Apr. 11, 189.3.

' la @Ff VIl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. LAMKIN, OF GARFIELD, ARKANSAS.

MAIL-BAG CATCH-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,116, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed December 12, 1890. Serial No. 374,528. (No model.) Y

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. LAMKIN, a resident of Garfield, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in a device, commonly known as Catch-Hooks, used in connection with a double-pronged suspensionclasp for postal-car service; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail bag catching hooks and is used for the purpose of catching mail bags preferably suspended by or between a double pronged clasp attached to a projecting bar or beam near the road side although any of the forms of mail-bag cranes might be used and safely delivering said bag on board of the postal car of a running train, and it consists in the employment of a metal arm adapted to project out of the car-door, and provided with a handle, and slidably mounted on a cross bar rigidly attached to a postal car. The outer part of said arm is formed with two parallel prongs at or near a right angle therewith and extending forward longitudinally with said car, and the outer ends of said prongs are bent apart forming a iiaring or V shaped opening between the inner side surfaces thereof and adapted to receive and firmly hold a mail bag between said prongs while the train is in motion.

The object of my invention is to provide a two pronged catch hook attached to the postal car of a rail road train and adapted to catch, firmly hold and deliver a mail bag on board of a moving train avoiding any liability of dropping said bag in the operation by rebound, or high wind or storm blowing in the same direction in which'the train is moving. The above mentioned object and advantages I attain by the mechanism as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure l. is a perspective view of my invention showing a portion of a postal car to which the catch hook is attached in position. Fig. 2 is a top view of the double pronged clasp for holding a mail bag in a suspended position at the rail road station. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a metal box or casting which supports the catchhook in position on the cross bar extending across a car door. Y

A represents a portion of a postal car having the double pronged catch hook B attached thereto.

C is the double pronged clasp supported in position by a horizontal bar or beam D held 'in position usually by an upright post E having its lower end planted in the ground in close proximity to a rail road track.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide an arm l, of the catch hook, preferably formed of steel, with a handle 2. on its inner end. and two parallel prongs 3. 4. formed on the outer 'part of said arm, projecting at or near a right angle thereto extending forward longitudinally with the postal car on which it is attached, said prongs having a suitable space between their inner side surfaces to receive a mail bag therein, and near the outer pointed ends 5 6 of said prongs I provide the inward projections 7 by kinks or bends or otherwise forming said projections upon the inner sides of a sufficient depth as to rest against each other; from which point the outer part of said prongs are bent apart forming'a V shaped open space of the desired size between the inclined sides of said prongs as shown at drawings Fig. l, the functions of which will be hereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of attaching the catch hook to a postal car, I provide a suitable shaped casting 8, having holes 9, 10 passing through it in planes at right angle with each other. Through the hole 9. the rear part ll. of the catch hook arm is journaled, and through the other hole 10 a bar of metal 12. is passed having its two ends rmly attached to the walls 13 of the car by bolts or clamp boxes and extending across its side door a suitable distance above the floor thereof, rendering said catch hook and its supporting casting capable of being moved back and forth and revolved around said bar as required in the operation of the device.

For the purpose of holding the prongs 3. 4 of the catch hookB to stand lirmly in a hori- IOC zontal plane I provide a suitable projecting lug 14 on the arm 1, and also form 4a projecting lip 15 on the box or casting S. The upper face of said lip being on a line with the lower side of said arm and its projecting lug, upon which the lug 14. rests, holding the prongs 3. 4 horizontally when standing in one direction. Thence by the use of the handle 2. the prongs 3. 4 may be turned over one half of a revolution and supported thereby in the opposite direction.

It is also important to provide an eective means for holding the arm portion 1 and its projecting prongs to stand in a horizontal position transversely in relation to the car on which it is attached. This may be accom.- plished in several ways. The cross bar 12 may be made round at its middle portion with the end portions thereof made square, and providing a square hole through the casting S to engage with the squared portions of said bar. The bars 12 may also be made round, and V shaped notches 16 formed in the two opposite ends of the casting 8, en gaging alternatively with suitable stops or pins 17 located at or near the outer ends of said cross bar 12. Vhen the casting 8 is moved longitudinally thereon, one of the stop pins will engage a notch and hold the catch hook rigidly in ahorizontal position as shown in drawings Fig. 1 when the car is moving in the direction to the right hand. When moving in the opposite direction the catch hook is reversed by turning it over to stanti in a corresponding direction with the moving train, and is moved back along the cross bar 12 until the other stop pin engages with the other notch in the opposite end of said casting.

For the purpose of securely holding a mail bag in a suspended position as shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, I provide a double pronged clasp C having suitable space between the prongs 18, and provided with short kinks or bends 19 coming together on their inner sides a short distance back from their outer ends thence ared outwardly standing apart forming a V shaped open mouth the same as the prongs of the catch hook before described. The prongs 1S, forming the suspension clasp, C. may be secured either to the upper or lower side of the outer end of a projecting beam D, and clamped thereto between two suitable plates 20, having a clamping screw bolt passing up through said beam and plate and between the prongs of said clasp, holding them firmly to stand pointing in a line of travel with a rail road track and prongs of the catch hook attached to a postal car. Also suitable means may be employed for holding the prongs together at a proper tension at their outer pointed ends or'inward projections 19. to hold a mail bag therein and yet allow it to be taken therefrom by the catcher Without injury to the bag or its contents. For this purpose one or more set screws 21 may be used passing through side projections of the plates, with the ends of the set screws resting against the side and central portion of said prongs 18. The mail bag is then passed in between said prongs which will close together near their outer ends, and rmly hold said bag in asuspended position as shown without any liability of it getting blown from its place, as before mentioned.

Ordinarily the fastenings loops and straps attached to the upper end of a mail bag renders it suficiently large as to prevent any liability of slipping through between ,the prongs referred to. If necessary the contents of the bag may be divided and a portion thereof placed above the prongs of sald clasp C. Y Y

When the train` is moving in the direction to the right hand, the pronged catch hook is set in position as shown at drawings Fig. 1, and the mail bag being held in readiness between the prongs of the suspension clasp C that are forward, or beyond the supporting beam D, the open mouth of the catch hookwill pass over the mail bag causing the two arms thereof to spring apart and receive said bag back into the space between said prongs which will close together, and at the same instant carrying it out of the suspension clasp C.

A good and effective means for holding the catch hook rigidly in a horizontal position while in the act of receiving the mail bag 1s especially important and is not dependent upon the judgment of the operator to hold 1t level as is the case where the old style single prong catch hook is used, which often misses or drops the mail bag therefrom.

In reference to the prongs 3,4, of the catch hook which I prefer to make of spring steel, the rear ends thereof are preferably formed IOO integral with the arm portion 1, and made of a suitable size to render them flexible. Yet I do not restrict myself to forming both of said prongs integral, as one of them may have its rear end suitably hinged to the adjoining one or to the arm portion l and a suitable spring used to hold the two prongs together at a proper tension.

In reference to the inward projections ,7 and 19 on the prongs of the catch hook Band suspension clasp C herein before described I reserve the right to dispense with said projections if found expedient to do so.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I'claim as new and useful,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The within described mail bag catcher comprising a bar rigidly secured to a car and extending across the side door thereof, a metal box or casting slidably secured thereon, and suitable means near the end of the bar for engaging with said box or casting, and a two pronged catch hook having the inner portion thereof journaled in said metal box or casting substantially as specified.

2. A mail bag catcher comprising a crossbar rigidly secured to the car, a metal box or casting slidably secured to said cross-bar, said box or casting having notches to engage with IIO bends forming inward projections 7, the ends of said prongs diverging outwardly therefrom and adapted to receive and close upon a mail In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. B. LAMKIN.

Witnesses:

A. D. NEIGHBoRs, R. H. EWART.

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