US852304A - Letter-case. - Google Patents

Description

No. 852,304. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907. W. A. TILLEY.

LETTER CASE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1906.

3 SHBET8-SHEET 1. 1T .1. 1.2

PATENTBD APR. 30, 1907.

w. A. TILLEY. LETTER CASE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

W. A. TILLEY.

LETTER CASE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, '1900.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WWI/ 1. $1 z) Wmssea,

?. '73 FQZC WILLIAM A. TILLEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LETTER-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April- 30, 19

Application filed November 5, 1906. Serial No. 342,059.

.T0 at? whom, zit may concern/' Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. TILLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, and temporarily residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter- Cases, of Whichthe following is a specification.

g This invention relates to the subject of letter c ases, being more particularly, although not exclusively, adapted for postal cars of that type in which the mail is distributed en route, and has reference more particularly to improvements in the lettercases-in which the mail is distributed for subsequent delivery at various points along the line and beyond, or on connecting lines.

- The "modern trend in railway practice toward a replacement of the present wooden cars for steel-cars, in passenger and mail service, as well as in freight service, 1s accompanled by a tendency also to substitute metal parts for wooden in the furnishings of the cars in so far as possible, with a view to "rendering the entire equipment practically fireproof, and by the substitution of metal [for wooden parts and furnishings minimize. 3

the damage from ordinary wear and tear,

thus adding to the'life of the car and lessening its cost in the long run.

My present invention is of the latter type;

and consists partly of anew and improved 3 5 construction wherein thin sheet metal ver tical partitions are employed in combination with label-holders of a construction designed to stiffen and brace said partitions, and partly in a novel construction wherein the rear supporting strips for the horizontal partitions are designed to be secured to the wall of the car,'thus performing the additional function of securing the letter-case to such wall.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, broken out between its ends, of a letter-case emis a vertical cross-sectional view through one of the letterboxes; Flg'. 3 1s a horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an interior view of a portion of one side of a postal car, illustrating the sectional arrangement of the letter-case and omitting, for the sake of clearness, the other usual accessories; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a section of the label-holder; Fig.

'6 is a cross sectional view on the line 6-6" of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 isan end view of the spindle on which the label-holders are mounted; Fig. 8 is a plan or face view of a label detached; Fig. 9 illustrates a slight inodilication adapted to beemployed in such cases as do not permanently engage a side or other wall of the car; and Fig. 10 is side view of an angle-bar used in one form of the device.

I preferably construct my improved lettercase in a plurality of individual duplicate sections disposed along the side walls and across the corners and ends of the car, for convenience in replacing injured or damaged parts of the case when necessary. Referring, then, to an individual section, 10 and 11 may represent, respectively, front and rear upright metal strips or corner posts that are connected at their upper ends by a metal top plate or cover 12, and near their lower ends by front and rear cross-strips 13, thus forming a skeleton frame marking the outlines or boundaries of the case section.

'4 designates each of a series ofvertical Sht at metal partitions that extend from front to rear of the case, said partitions preferably at their upper ends fitting into narrow grooves or mortises. inthe upper and lower cross-members 12 and 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The front edges of said partitions are preferably enlarged and rounded, as by fitting a rounded bead 15 thereon (Fig. 3), which construction stitl'ens the partitions, but has for its principal purpose or function to prevent possible injury to the hand of the operator in tossing the letters into or removing them from the boxes.

The bottoms of the boxes, which are preferably downwardly inclined rearwardly slightly, in accordance with presentpractice, to prevent danger of accidental displacement of mail matter therefrom tln'ough lateral vi- .bration of the sides of the car, are made of crossed wires, as follows. 16 designates each of a series of round rods or bars that extend between the opposite side walls ol the case ,passing through apertures in the partitions 14 and supported at their ends in the posts 10. 17 (Figs. 2 and 10) designates each of a series of angle-strips that are secured horizontally to the side wall of the car, as by the screws 18, the projecting flanges of such angle strips having at intervals transverse kerfs 17 to receive and stiffen the rear vertical edges of the partitions 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; and said projecting flanges 1 S 7 a series of longitudinal wires the wires 19 below the level of the rod 16. The ends of.

also have formed therein at intervals apertures 17 The rod-16 is provided at corresponding intervals with holes 16, through which are passed wires 19, the lower and rear ends of which are inserted into the aperture 17 a of the angle-strips 17 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2, and secured therein by a drop of solder, or otherwise. The upper and forward ends of the Wires 19 may be similarly secured'in the holes 16 so as to prevent the wires from pulling I through said holes and' at the'sametime present a smooth exterior surface.on the rod 16L Overlying the wires 19 at right angles thereto anti passingthrough apertures in the partitions 14 are and 20 hus providing a reticulated form of bottom for the individual boxes of the case.

The wires 19 may either underlie or overlie the wires 20; but the relative arrangement shown is preferred for the reason that the operator in distributing letters is apt to throw. them upwardly against the top wall of the box, and by striking the wires 19 which extend in the direction in which the latter is in-{ serted, no obstruction or impediment is'of-' fered to the latter. Referring now to the improvement-in label-holders, which in combination with the thin metal partitions 14 constitutes the leading'and most important feature of my invention, 21 designates an integral or one-piecespindle having a longitudinal groove 21*, which spindle is rotatably journaled in and between the front corner posts 10 and intermediate partitions 14 in front of and slightly the'spindle are journaled in round holes in the cornerposts, and are adapted to be engaged by set-screws 22 to hold the spindle.

and label-holders non-rotatable at any desired angle. Slidably mounted on the spindle between adjacent side walls or partitions 14 of the boxes are the label-holders proper, these latter comprising suitable lengths of longitudinally bored square metal'bars 23 Y The bore .of each bar is provided with an internal feather or spline 23 adapted to slidingly engage the groove 21 of the spindle and thus prevent relative rotation between saidparts. Slideways are formed on the four outer sides 'or faces of the bar 23 to accommodate and support the label 24, which slidewaysmay be conveniently formed'by' integral double flanges 25 formed on the'four corners of the bar, the adjacent flanges on 1 two adjacent corners together providing with the underlying face of the bar a slidewayin which the label-strip 24 is readily inserted. It will be observed that the flanges 25 at one end terminate somewhat short of the adj acent end of the label-holder, which facilitates the insertion and withdrawal of the labels.

v of the four series of labels, as required by the route and direction of movement of the car and the destination of the mail being distributed,

the turning up of the set-screw securing the label-holders rigidly in any fixed position against possible accidental turning or dis, placement under vibration of the car or contact with the heavy mail matter or the hand of the distributer. For example, when the mail for one State has been distributed, and

removed from the case and disposed of in the mail pouches, the labels are turned which brings into view the case correctly labeled for the distribution of letters'for another State, and so onf The printed slides will preferably be printed on both sides; then if need be the case can be used for eight different distributions by the simple operation of drawing aout the printed slides from labs holders, reversing them and sliding 1am back in the, holders. The universal angailar adjustability of "the label-holders affords an advantage in that the higher and lower rows can be turned so as to render the distributers line of vision substantially normal thereto. It will be observed that the squared ends of the label-holders abut against and thus act as lateral braces or supports to. the

thinmetal partition sheets to keep them from bending or warping.

' Vhere the letter-cases are disposed permanently against the side walls of the car, the described construction involving the angle-strips 17 is highly desirable, since said strips not only afford the support for the rear ends of thebottoms of the letter-boxes, but also in effect secure the casein position against the Wall; Where the cases-are not thus adapted to be secured to the wall of the car, as in the. instance of cases disposed across the corners or in front of door-ways, the angle-strips 17 are substituted, in respect to their function of supportingthe bottoms of the boxes, by rear rods 16 (Fig. 9) similar to the front rods 16. This construction makes the bottom of the boxes wholly self-contained within the case.

The letter-case along each side wall of the car is preferably erected-in a plurality ofsections which correspond in construction to thesection hereinabove described. This arrangement is clearly shown in F ig 4, wherein A may designate the floor, B the side wall of the car, and O, D, E, F andG, individual sections ofa letter-case disposed side by side. It will be evident that in case of injury to the car resulting in injury or destruction to one or more sections of the lettercase, such section or sections can be readily removed and replaced by new or repaired sections without involving the removal of such sections'as ar'e'uninjnred.

' From the foregoing it will be observed that my invention provides a very compact letter-case, principaily by reason of the fast The passing of the wires and steel rods orming the bottoms of the boxes through said artitions and the use of the angle-strips as escribed, andthe passin ofthe steel spindle throu h all the metals eets witha metal label-holder mounted thereon between each sheet, the ends of the holders abutting on the sheets, keeps them absolutely true and rigid, and produces a construction wherein the bot toms and side walls mutually reinforce and stifl'en each other. The entire structure is thoroughly braced and tied together largely by reason of the fact that the longitudinally extending parts are carried through the vertical transverse walls and partitions, thus enabling material .of comparatively light weight and thinness to be employed consist-' ently with a high degree of rigidity and strength in the structure as a whole.

The invention is designed primarily for I the steel spindle on which the holders are mounted, thus bringing to view a ditlerent set of printed labels. Also, when changes are made, the old label can be quickly withdrawn and a new one slipped in, or, when the labels from constant use become dirty or indistinct, they can be replaced with fresh ones by simply sliding out the old ones and sliding in the new, an operation which requires but a second. The above points are particularly applicable to the railway postal cars because changes in the letter-ease are con-' stantly going on, and, owingto the smoke and dirt in mail cars, fresh labels are frequently in demand to replace those that have become worn and indistinct.

I claim:

" 1. In a letter-case, the combination with upright sheet-metal partitions forming the side walls of the boxes, of a transversely apertured front bar passed through said partitions, a transversely disposed rear anglestrip parallel therewith provided with means whereby it may be secured to the wall against which the case is placed, said anglestr'ip also having holes registering with the apertures of said front bar and cross kerfs adapted to receive the rear edges of said partitions, wires disposed between and parallel with said front bar and rear strip and passed througlrsaid partitions, and other wires crossing said first-named wires and at one end secured in the apertures of said front bar and at the other end secured in the holes of said rear angle-strip, substantially as described.

2. In a letter case for postal cars, the combination with upright sheet-metal partitions formingthe side walls of the boxes, of a spindle rotatably mounted in said partitions substantially in the plane of the front openings of the boxes}; and a series of label-holders non-re tatably secured on said spindle, the ends of said label-holders abutting squarely against said iartitions and serving to stitl'en and brace the latter, substantially as described.

3. In aletter case for postal cars, the combination with upright sheet-metal partitions forming the side walls of the boxes, of a spindle rotatably mounted in said partitions substantially in the plane of the front open ings of the boxes, and a series of label-holders polygonal in cross-section non-rctatably secured on said spindle and at their ends squarely abutting against, said partitions, each of said label-holdors having flanges on its corners forming slideways for the labels, said flanges terminating short of one end of the label-holder to facilitate the insertior. and withdrawal of the labels, substantially as described.

4. In a lettercaso, the combination with a plurality (if vertical partitions forming the side walls of the boxes, of a plurality of horizontal angle-strips adapted to be secured to the wall against which the case is placed, said angle-strips having transverse kcrfs receiving the rear edges of said vertical partitions, substantially as described. i

5. In a letter-case, the combination with vertical sheet metal partitions forming the side walls of the boxes, and wires disposed longitudinally of the boxes and forming elements of the top and bottom walls thereof, of

a series of horizontal angle-strips adapted to be secured to the wall against.- \\'l1l("ll the case is placed, said angle-strips having transverse

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