US660541A - Portable and collapsible assorting-case. - Google Patents

Description

I Patented Oct. 23, I900. m. s. FIELD:

No. 660,54l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAROELLUS S. FIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- TI-IIRD TO JAMES T. A. LEIVIS, OF SAME PLACE.

PORTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE ASSORTING=CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 60.541. dated October 23. 1900 Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 27,844. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAROELLUS S. FIELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Assorting- Cases, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to what I shall term a portable and collapsible assorting-case, which is adapted to have placed therein letters, cards, or other similar articles that have been assorted; and it comprises an expansible case having the bottom and one side in the nature of a bellows, the top and the other side being open for the ready insertion of the articles into or their removal from the case, the said case having a series of partitions which are arranged parallel with the end pieces and which form a series of compart- ,ments into which the assorted articles are ity to hold the case in its upright position,

but which are preferably of some material, such as leatheroid, which is impervious to moisture, the two adjacent sides of one piece being connected to the corresponding sides of the other end piece by a flexible member 17, which is preferably folded in the nature of a bellows, said flexible connecting member forming an expansible bottom and back for the case, the top and the front of the case being left open in order to admit of the ready insertion of the articlesinto and their removal from the case, as shown in the drawings. Secured to the bottom and back at suitable intervals are partitions c, which are preferably of some comparatively stiif material which is also impervious to moisture, these partitions being preferably parallel with the end pieces, as illustrated, and forming a series of compartments, each of which has a closed bottom and back side. As illustrated in the drawings, one end piece c is rectangular, While the other end piece (1. and the partitions are cut away at one corner, as shown at d. The end piece Ct has rigidly attached to it one end of a tying-strap J", said strap being of such a length as to admit of its passing completely around the case when filled with the assorted articles and collapsed as much as possible and being provided on its fast end with any suitable clamping means, such as the spring- 'clip 6, whereby the free end of the tyingstrap after it has been passed around the case can be secured underneath the clip to hold the case folded and to prevent the contents from falling out.

My'inveution, it will be seen, comprises an expansible case having the bottom and its back made of flexible material, its two ends being made of some inflexible material, and having its top and front open, the said case being suitably divided into compartments by partitions.

My invention is capable of various uses; but it is of special value to letter-carriers in assorting and distributing the mail.

As is Well known, the letter-carriers assort their mail before starting out on their delivery trip, and in doing so the letters and other mail-matter are deposited in suitable compartments in a desk, which compartments are arranged according to the various places in the letter-carriers route. When the mail is thus assorted, it is withdrawn from the compartments and tied up into a bundle for delivery.

In the use of my invention above specified a case such as shown is used by each lettercarrier during the assorting of the mail, and the letters and other mail are when assorted placed in the various compartments of the case in an order corresponding to the various points of delivery on the carriers route. In Fig. l of the drawings, 6 represents a letter in one of the compartments. When the mail has been thus assorted, the carrier takes the case, with its contents, and folds the same tothe letter from the case.

described, the end piece a will be preferably about the size of an ordinary envelop, sothat when letters or postal cards are placed in the compartments one end thereof will project outwardly beyond the cut-away portion (Z of the partitions, whereby such projecting end may be readily grasped in order to withdraw In order to provide a means for readily ascertaining at a glance the street address on the letter next to be deli'vered, I may cut out that portion of the end piece at and each partition 0 which normally covers the address, so that the address of the letter which is nearest to the end piece a may be always plainly visible whether the letter is in the left-hand compartment in Fig. 1 or in any other. In Fig. 1 this cut-out portion is in the form of an aperture h, and the aperture in the end piece a and all the partitions will be in alinement, with the result that the address of the envelop nearest the end piece a will be plainly visible through the aperture or series of apertures. It will thus be unnecessary for the letter-carrier to partially withdraw the letter next to be delivered in order to see its address.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated another way of shaping the end piece a and partitions, they in this instance having the square cut d in the front upper corner, such cut afiordi'ng a means for readily observing the street address of the letter next to be delivered without withdrawing the same from the case, as Wellas providing means whereby the letter may be readily grasped when it is to be delivered.

By the use of my invention desks of simpler nature may be used in assorting the mail, and during its delivery the mail is held tightly in the various compartments, thereby being prevented from being soiled or lost.

It will be evident that my invention is not limited to the use above specified, but may be used in various other ways, and the structure thereof may also be modified in details within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent, is

1. An assorting-case having abellows bottom and back, inflexible end pieces connected thereto, and partitions parallel with the end pieces, the top and front of the case being open.

2. An assorting-case, having a bellows bottom and back, end pieces connected thereto, partitions parallel with said end pieces and connected to the bottom and back, the top and front of the case being open, and a tyingstrap rigidly fastened to one end piece and adapted to be folded around the case when collapsed and means for detachably fastening the free end of the strap to said end piece.

3. An assorting-case, having abellows bottom and back, inflexible end pieces connected thereto,partitions parallel with the end pieces, and one end piece and the partitions being cut away at the upper front corner, the top and front of the case being open.

4. An assorting-case having a' bellows bottom and back, inflexible end pieces connected thereto, the top and front of the case being open, partitions parallel with the end pieces, one end piece and the partitions being cut away on the front corner, a tying-strap rigidly fastened at one end to one end piece and adapted to be folded around the case when collapsed, and means for detachably securing the free end of the strap to the said end piece.

5. A portable assorting-case for letter-carriers having a bellows bottom and back, end pieces connected thereto and partitions parallel with the end pieces and connected to the bottom and back, one end piece and all the partitions having a portion thereof removed whereby the address of the letter next to be delivered may be seen without withdrawing it from the case.

6. A portable asserting-case for letter-carriers, having a bellows bottom and back, end pieces connected thereto, and partitions parallel with the end pieces and connected to the bottom and back, one end piece and the partitions being cut away at the upper front corner, and having a portion thereof removed whereby the address of the letter next to be delivered may be plainly visible, the top and front of the case being open.

7. A portable and collapsible assertingcase for letter-carriers, having a bellows bottom and back, the top and front being open,

IIO

end pieces connected to said bottom and back,

and partitions parallel with the end pieces, one of said end pieces and all the partitions having an aperture therein through which the address of the letter next to be delivered may be seen.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAROELLUS S. FIELD.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, LoUIs 0. SMITH.

Images