US565550A - Locking device for mail-bags - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A. LOYD 85 J. H. .FORRESTER. LOUKING DEVICE FOR MAIL BAGS.

, Patented A5 11, 1896.

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER LOYD AND JAMES H.

PATENT OFFICE.

FORRESTER OF JACKSBOROUGH,

TENNESSEE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 565,550, dated August 11, 1896 Application filed. April 20,1396.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER LoYn and JAMES HOLLINGSWORTH FORRESTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Jacksborough, in the county of Campbell and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices for Mail-Pouches; and we 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 that class of mail bags or pouches in which the mouth at the top of the bag isclosed by a flap-cover carrying upon its inner face a series of lockingstaples that are adapted topass through the usual apertures provided in the upper part of the bag; and our invention consists, primarily, in the combination, with such a type of mail-pouch, of a novel sliding locking-strap that is provided with a series of lockingtongues arranged in alinement over a like numberof apertures formed in the top part of the bag, and which are adapted to move synchronously into and out of engagement with locking-staples that project through said apertures, by means of a longitudinal thrust mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings the construction of our improved locking-strap and the manner of its application are fully illustrated.

Figure l is a front elevation of the outer end of a mail-pouch, showing the pouch in a closed position with the improved lockingstrap thrown endwise out of locking engagement with the staples. Fig. 2 is a like View of the same, showing the locking strap brought into engagement with the lookingstaples. Fig. 3 represents the mouth of the bag in open position with the flap-cover elevated. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of an end portion of the bag, on line XX, showing the retaining and locking devices.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

In the drawings, Arepresents a mail-pouch of ordinary construction, having a mouth at the top that is closed by a flap-cover B, secured to said pouch at the upper edge in a Serial No. 588,241. (No model.)

suitable manner. To the outer side of the flap B-is secured a flat strip of metal 0, com posed, preferably, of hinged sections 0 c, which strip is provided at each end with curved lips 5 5 c c, that are adapted to partly inclose the ends of the pouch thereat when the flap is in a closed position. The inner face of the flap is provided with a series of locking-staples D D D, that project therefrom, and that are retained thereon by riveting to the strap 0. Both sides of the mouth of the bag are provided with a series of apertures a a a, each of which is adapted to register with like apertures on the opposite side of the bag when the mouth is closed, and they are so located that when the flap is folded over the mouth of the bag the staples projecting therefrom can be readily passed through the coinciding apertures on both sides of the bag to afford a means for locking the bag. The apertures are shown as being reinforced with metal face-pieces a a a, which are properly secured to the bag and which serve to maintain the integrity and shape of the apertures. 7 5 E represents a flat metal strap composed of hinged pieces E E E, that are provided with apertures coinciding with those formed in the bag and face-pieces above referred to. This strap forms a fiexiblestrap the width of the bag, and provides a framework at the mouth of said bag that permits the mouth to be ex panded and maintained thus extended when desired. F represents a locking-strap made, preferably, of wire rods shaped so as to form a plurality of connecting-links Z Z Z, that are hinged so as to lie flatwise against the bag and break joints with the strap-pieces E E E, located on the interior face thereof. These links are formed, preferably, of brass or steel wire material, and are so constructed each of a continuous strand folded in such a manner as to present rectangular-shaped pieces of suitable length. Each link member comprises parallel side pieces with terminating eyes that are formed, respectively, by doubling a strand back upon itself at each end of a length of wire to a determinate point and in such a manner as to form a continuous loop connecmo tion between the side pieces thus formed. This loop is made into a tie-bar by being folded into a pair of return-bends that lie in the same plane, while the adjacent wire sections thereof are pressed closely together in parallelism to provide locking-tongues 2' '6 2', that extend in right-angular relation to the folds f f, that form a part of the tie-bar. When connected together, these links form a skeleton strap that is light, strong, and flexible. The strap is then fastened to the bag by staples g g g, that are riveted to the facepieces a a a, and which prevent the movement of said strap except in a longitudinal direction.

H indicates a hinged lever, which serves as a handle for shifting the sliding lock-strap in either direction, and that provides a means for locking the strap against longitudinal displacement when the tongues i i i have been thrown into engagement with the lockingstaples D D. This lever consists of a flat rectangular bar having elongated opening 0 near one end thereof, while its other end is shaped to form a hook or yoke of a size adapted to fit and clamp one side end of the closed pouch when the lever is swung into a locking position. The lever is attached to the bag so as to fulcrum at to freely allow the yoke extremity thereof to swing into and out of engagement with the side edge of the bag when looking or unlocking the pouch, as well as to allow the flat portion of the lever carrying the elongated opening to be swung into lockin g position with the fastening means 011 the lock on the other side of the bag. The locking-strap is secured to the lever II by a hooked connecting-link that is also adapted to fit and clamp about the edge of the pouch when the lever is swung into a locking position. Said connecting-link is secured to the lever at N. This flat portion of the lever is also adapted to carry the labelholder m. The opposite end of the strap is provided with a hook J, that is formed of the free ends of the link thereat, and which is adapted to fit the side edge of the bag as a clamp. I

Having described our invention, what we desire to claim as new and useful is 1. In a mail bag or pouch the combination with the mouth of the bag provided with transversely-alining apertures, and a flapcover carrying projecting locking-staples that are adapted to pass through said apertures, of a flexible locking-strap slidingly mounted on the locking-face of said bag said strap comprising a series of link-pieces having tongues extending in a general direction, and terminating hooked links adapted to clamp about the respective edges of said pouch, and means for synchronously throwing the straptongues into and out of engagement with the projecting staples and the hooked links into and out of engagement with the edges of the pouch, substantially as described.

2. In a mail bag or pouch, the combination with the mouth of the bag provided with transversely-alining apertures, and a flapcover carrying projectinglocking-staples that are adapted to pass through said apertures, of a flexible strap slidingly mounted on one side of said bag and comprising a plurality of links hinged together, which are provided with locking-tongues ranged in alinement over said apertures, and an end link that is provided with a hook adapted to embrace the adjacent side edge of the bag; and a lever means for throwing said tongues and hook into and out of engagement with the projecting staples and side edge, respectively, substantially as described.

3. In a mail bag or pouch, the combination with the mouth of the bag provided with transverselyalining apertures, and a flapcover carrying proj ecting locking-staples that are adapted to pass through said apertures, of a flexible strap slidingly mounted 011 one side of said bag and comprising a plurality of links hinged together, which are provided with lockingtongues ranged in alinement over said apertures, and which terminate at either end of the strap in hooked projections that are adapted to close about the edges of the pouch; and a lever means for synchronously throwing said tongues in to engagement with the projecting staples, and the hooked projections into clamping engagement with the edges of the bag, said lever being so shaped and fulcrumed at one end as to be adapted to swing into engagement with fastening means on the opposite side of the bag, thereby forminga protecting side-edge clamp over the connecting hook projection of the lock-strap secured thereto, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER LOYD. JAMES H. FORRESTER.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN JENNINGS, A. D. RUTHERFORD.

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