US53360A - Improvement in baggage-checks - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE@ G. O. THOMAS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAGGAGE-CHECKS.

To all/whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gr. C. THOMAS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Baggage-Check; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a baggage check made by preparing one or more metallic disks furnished with openings and suitable inscriptions, which, together with the strap with which said check is secured to the trunk or other article, enable me to indicate clearly and distinctly either the place to which the baggage should go or the place from which it comes, or both. I am also enabled, by the peculiar construction of the check, to use it as a return-check between any two stations or places which may be indicated by the inscriptions on its faces; and in' the case ot' one of the forms of my improved check it may be so used between any two of ninety-nine stations, or, by a slight modification easily made and hereinafter described, of one hundred and ninety-nine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a,front elevation of a through-check made according to my improved plan. Fig. 2 is a side or edge View of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the check which is given to the owner ot' the trunk or other article to which the part shown in Figs. land 2 is attached. Fig. 4 is a back view of a modification of my check, intended to be used as a way-check. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the corresponding check for the passenger. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another modiiication of my check. Fig. S is a back elevation ofthe same. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the corresponding check for the passenger. Fig. 10 is afront elevation of the plate shown in Fig. 4.

The check represented in Figs. l, 2, and 3 is intended to be used as a through-check, and may be so used between any two of the places contained on the disk. It consists of three plates or disks, A, B, and C, strap D, and rivet E. rIhe plates are secured to each other by the rivet E in such a manner that they may move independently of each around the common axis. The rivet E furnishes a means of securing the strapD to the check. rIhe plates A and C have upon their faces the names of places, as seen at the left in Fig. 3, and the openings in the plates A Iand B are so placed that but one naine at a time can be seen on. either plate when openings at a for the strap coincide.

By withdrawing the strap from the openings at c, the plate B may be moved on the face ofthe plate A, thus bringing either ofthe names on the face 0f the plate A in sightfor example, Chicago to,77 as seen in Fig. l. This indicates that the baggage comes from Chicago. Now move the plate C without changing the relative positions of A and B until the name of the place to which the baggage is going appears in the opening in the plate A, as New York,77 for example. When this is done put the strap D through the opening a, and secure it to the trunk or other article, and give the check shown in Fig. 3 to the owner. The number on this check (3,952) corresponds with that on the face of the check Fig. l, and

enables the owner of the baggage to reclaim it. The other checks shown in the drawings are merely modifications of the above and are intended to be used as Way-checks Where the various stations on a single road are designated by numbers, as is the practice at present.

Fig. 5 represents a check consisting of two disks, G and H, 011e of which, G, contains openings,as seen, the initials of the road, and number of the check, while the other, H, is made with a greater number of openings, as seen in Figs. 4 and l0, and the numbers of the stations, one side containing the numbers from l to 10, inclusive, and the other those from l1 to 20, inclusive.

The number of the station being placed opposite the opening at b-as l2, for examplethe strap D is put through the opening in the center of the check, and then back through the opening at d, which secures the disks in their proper relative positions.

Fig. 7 represents another modification of my check, in which I employ three disks, the larger one being in the middle and numbered on its margin from 0 to 9,inclusive, said numbers representing units, and the other two disks being numbered in a similar manner, said numbers representing tens.

To operate this check the strap D is withdrawn from the openings, and the plate L is revolved about the common axis until the station required is indicated by the gures 56, for example, which we will suppose is the station the baggage starts from. Now turn the check over and revolve the plate K about the common axis until the numberof the station to which the baggage should go is indicated- 48, for example-then put the strap D through the opening above 56 on the back and below 48 on the front of the check, when the check is ready to be fastened to the baggage.

By this check I am enabled to indicate from whence baggage comes, and to what station it should go, up to ninety-nine stations. By still further modification I make the plate K reversible, the same as the plate H, and furnish one side of it with numbers from 10 to 19, inclusive, said numbers representing tens and hundreds. In this case but two plates should be used; but with these two any station from one to one hundred and ninety-nine may be indicated as that to which the baggage should go.

The advantages which I claim for my check over those in common use are: a great saving in the iirst cost of supplying a road with checks, as but few comparatively would be required; a great saving of time and trouble, as my check could be used at any point of the road, and it would not be necessary to send each check to some particular station before it could be again used, and greater certainty, since the check itself indicates the place to which the baggage should go, and we do not then have to depend on chalk-marks, which are liable to be rubbed out.

Having thus fully described my invention and the manner in which it may be usefully employed, I claim- The baggage-check described, consisting of two or more disks furnished with suitable openings and ii'lscriptions, which, together with the strap D, indicates either the place from which the baggage comes and to which it should go, or only the place to which it should go, in the manner hereinabove set forth, or in any manner substantially the same.

G. C. THOMAS.

NVitnesses:

G. F. THOMAS, H. JAMEs WESTON.

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