US678278A

US678278A - Mail-bag catcher.

Info

Publication number: US678278A
Application number: US4890501A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edson Potter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-02-26
Filing date: 1901-02-26
Publication date: 1901-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1918-07-09

Description

No. 678,278. Patented luly` 9, |901.

E. POTTER.

HAIL BAG GATGHER.

:(Applicaton 51nd Feb. 26, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 678,278. Patented luly 9, |901.

' E. POTTER. f

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

(Application led Feb. 28, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

me Naam reveals co.. mom-uma.. wAsnmoou. o. c.

UNITED STAT/Es' PATENT` OFFICE.

EDSON, POTTER, OF GREENSBRG, INDIANA.

MAIL-BAG QATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent Ne.' 678,278, dated July 9; 1901. Applicatie; fuea February 26,1991. "serai No. n.905. (No man.) j

T0 all whoml t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDSON POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensburg, in the county of Decatur and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mailb'ag catchers or receivers, and more particularly to that class adapted to be used upon mail-cars.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character adapted to receive the mail-bag from a crane while the car is in motion and to so clamp the same as to prevent its removal until brought to the proper position within the car. Y

With this and other objects in view the inl vention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, showingthe same in position upon a mail-car. Fig. 2 is a section through ythe catcher, showing the same in position to receive a mail-bag. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the eccentrics upon the supporting-rod and ofthe locking-yoke of the device. Fig. 4 is a section through the Afork of the catcher, showing the same locked in closed position. Fig. 5 is a det-ail view of the locking-yoke, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the eccentrics upon the supporting-rod.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a casting adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to one side of a cardoor and having a bolt 2 revolubly mounted therein. The upper end 3 of this bolt is enlarged, so as to bear upon the casting, and a rod 4 is secured thereto and extends laterally therefrom. This rod is adapted to extend across the door, and the free end thereof normally rests between ears 5, extending from a plate 6, secured to the side of the door farthest removed from the casting 1. A pin 7 is adapted to be inserted into perforations formed within the ears and serves to prevent the rod 4 from swinging outward upon its pivot.

The frod 4 is cutaway at a point preferably adjacent to the middle thereof, as shown at 8, forming an eccentric for the purpose here? inafter more fully described, and eccentric collars 9 are arranged at opposite sides of the eccentric 8. These eccentrics are inclosed by and revoluble within a pipe-cross 10, which is screwed upon threaded collars 11, arranged upon the rod4 at opposite sides Aof the eccenl tries 9. Pins, as 12, may be employed for preventing the cross from revolving upon the threaded collars after once being placed into engagement therewith.

Extending from one of the remaining arms of the cross 10 is a short tube 13, within which is revolubly mounted a hollow stein 14, having an annular groove 15 therearonnd, which is adapted to receive a key which serves to prevent the removal ofthe stem. This stem is arranged 'at one side of a curved plate 16, forming the yoke of the catcher proper, and an arm. or tine 17 extends from one end of the plate, while a second arm or tine 18 is hinged to the remainingend. A curved plate 19, preferably L-shaped in cross-section, is secured to this arm 18 andlies within and normally overlaps one edge of the curved plate or yoke 16. This inner plate 19 is provided at its free end with a recess 20, formed within Y the inner face of said plate, and a spring-strip 21 is suitably secured therein and is adapted to engage a shoulder 22, formed within the adjacent face of the yoke 16. The shoulder 22 is arranged adjacent to the passage through the stem 14, and slidably mounted vwithin this stem is a pin 23 having laterally-extending guide-studs 24, which are slidably mounted Within slots formed within the stern 14 at the inner end thereof. The inner end of the pin 23 is adapted to contact with the intermediate eccentric 8, and it will therefore be nnderstoodthat when the cross 10 and the collars 11'are revolved upon the rod 4 this pin will be forced longitudinally within the stem.

The inner end of the stem 14 is attened upon opposite sides, as at 25, so as to be engaged by the ends of a yoke 26, which ex- IOO tends over the rod 4 and lies between the eccentric collars 9. Shoulders 27 are formed at the inner end of the yoke 26, and these are adapted to ride upon the eccentrics 9 and release the yoke from engagement with the end of the stem 14. A stem 28 is arranged at the inner end of the yoke 26, and' this is slidably mounted within a tube 29, which extends from the remaining arm of the pipecross 10. A coil-spring 30 incloses the stem 28 and bears at opposite ends upon the tube 29 and the shoulders 27, respectively, and this spring serves to hold the shoulders in contact with the eccentrics 9 at all times.

The tube 29 may be provided at its outer end witha suitable handle 31, of wood or other material,whereby the apparatus may be readily manipulated.

lNhen it is desired to use the catcherherein described, the same is swung into a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, by bearing down upon the handle 31. The tines or arms are opened out, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and the device is then in condition for use. The tines are held in a plane with the rod at by the yoke 26, which engages the end of the stem 14C, the eccentrics being so-"constructed as to permit the yoke to engage said stem when horizontal. At the same time the pin 23 lies at a point removedfromtheshoulder22. Thepositions of the parts as above described are illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As soon as the tines are brought into contact with the mailbag, which has been placed in position upon a crane of any suitable construction, the head of the bag will swing the curved plate 19 backward, thereby swinging the tines together and iirmly grasping the bag. Then as the tines reach the limit of the inward movement the spring-strip 21 will drop into engagement with the shoulder 22 and lock the tines together. At the same time the weight of the bag will cause the cross-pipe 10 and the parts connected thereto to revolve upon the rod 4, thereby swinging the yoke 16 downward and inward, and during this movement the eccentrics 9 will force the yoke 26 away from the stem l-l and permit the tines to swing into the car, their stem 14 serving as a pivot. As soon as the inward movement of the tines occurs the intermediate eccentric S will contact with the pin 23 and force the same against the spring-strip 21, pressing said strip out of the path of the shoulder 22 and permitting the lower tine 18 to swing open. The bag can then be removed and the operation above described repeated.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but Ido not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention,

what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting-rod; of a tine suspended from and adapted to swing upon, said rod, a second tine hinged to the irst-mentioned tine, a catch for locking the tines in closed position, and means operated by the supporting-rod, for automatically. releasing said catch.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting-rod; of a yoke suspended from, and adapt-ed to swing upon, said rod, a tine extending from the yoke, a plate hinged to the yoke and adapted to swing thereinto, a tine extending from the plate, a catch upon the plate adapted to engage the yoke and lock the tines in closed position, and means operated by the supportingrod, for releasing the catch from the yoke.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting-rod having an eccentric thereon; of asleeve revoluble upon the rod and inclosing the eccentric, a stem revoluble within the sleeve, a pin slidably mounted within the stem and adapted to be operated by the eccentric, a yoke to the stem, a plate hinged to the yoke and adapted to swing thereinto, tines extending from the plate and yoke, and a catch upon the plate adapted to engage the yoke, said catch being adapted to be released by the pin.

4. In a device of the character described,- the combination with a supporting-rod, of an eccentric thereon, a sleeve revoluble upon the rod and inclosing the eccentric, a stem revoluble within the sleeve, tines extending therefrom, a yoke slidably mounted within the sleeve and adapted to engage the stem, shoulders to the yoke, means for holding the shoulders normally in contact with the eccentric, said eccentric being adapted to automatically release the yoke from the stem of the tines.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting-rod having an intermediate eccentric and an oppositely-arranged eccentric at each side thereof; of a sleeve revoluble upon the supporting-rod and inclosing the eccentrics, a tubular stem swiveled within the sleeve, a yoke secured thereto and having a shoulder formed therewith, a plate hinged to the yoke, a springstrip secured thereto and adapted to automatically engage the shoulder, tines extending from the yoke and plate, a pin slidably mounted within the stem and adapted to be operated by the intermediate eccentric and to release the spring-strip from the shoulder, and guides for said pin.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDSON POTTER.

Witnesses:

F. M. FLEMING, DAVID E. FLEMING.

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