US876835A

US876835A - Mail-bag catcher.

Info

Publication number: US876835A
Application number: US37432207A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest Piland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1907-05-18
Filing date: 1907-05-18
Publication date: 1908-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1925-01-14

Description

No. 876,835. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908;

.E. PILAND.

MAIL BAG GATGHER.

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- PATENTED JAN. 114, 1908. E.'PILAND; MAIL BAG GATGHER. ARPLIGATION FILED MIA-SE18, 1907.

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THE NORRIS PETERS c0., WASHINGTON, o, c.

ERNEST PILAND, OF TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON.

MAIL-BAG CATCI-IER.

Specification of LettersIatent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed May is. 1907. Serial No. 374,322.

- ing and delivering mechanism of that type whereby mail bags can be picked up or deposited from and to a station by a moving train.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of apparatus of this character so as to be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install, thoroughly reliable and satisfactory in service, and readily manipulated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of two combined mail bag supporting and catching devices, one on the mail car of a train and the other on a post or supporting structure at one side of the railroad track, and so related to the first that mail bags can be exchanged without requiring the train to be stopped.

I/Vith these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel fea- .tures of construction and arrangemant of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a mail car, showing the catching and delivering device in the act of picking up a mail bag from and delivering one to the station. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the car showing the catching and delivering apparatus in elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bag catching arm of the station device.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates an ordinary United States mail coach having a side doorway 2 into and out of which the catching and delivering device of the car is adapted to swing. This device, designated generally by 3, comprises a bowshaped frame composed of outwardly curved arms 4 connected with a horizontal shank or body 5. The shank is provided with a vertical eye 6, as shown in Fig. 3, which receives a vertical pintle 7 on which the frame swings into and out of the doorway. In'order to hold the frame in operative position or at right angles to the side of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, a link 8 connects the inner end of the body or lever 5 with a bracket9 on the inside of the car. By detaching the link, the frame of the mail-catching and delivering device can freely swing in and out on the hinge thereof. On the horizontal extremities of the arms 4 are fingers or hooks 10 for engaging the ring 11 on the ends ofthe mail bags 12, the hooks being arranged to extend in the same direction so that the mail bag can be readily detached from the device. The bag catcher comprises an arm 13 riveted to the arms 4- and supported by a brace member 14, the arm 13 being arranged with its free end disposed somewhat in front of a vertical plane passing through the arms 4. On the free end of the arm 13 is a U- shaped catch 15, as-clearly shown in Fig. 3, that is preferably made of a strip of spring metal and bent with outwardly flaring extremities 16 to form a mouth whereby the picking up of the mail bag by the catcher is insured.

At the mailing stations along the railroad are arranged stationary catching and delivering devices. Each stationary device comprises an upright or post 17 planted in the ground or otherwise suitably supported and provided with spaced horizontally extending arms 18 extending toward the railroad track, there being hooks 19 on the extremities of the arms for receiving the ring 11 of a mail bag. Disposed between the arms 18 is a catcher arm 20 having a spring catcher 21 which, as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is similar to the catcher of the mail car device.

In practice, the mailing clerk on the car, when he desires to deposit a bag, hooks the rings of the latter on'the hooks 10 of the bagsupporting arms 3, and then swings the frame outwardly and locks the same by the link 8 in operative position, so that the bag will be in the path of the stationary catches 21' of the station which the train is approaching. The arms 4 serve to hold the mail bag extended and as soon as the catcher 21 takes hold of the bag, the hooks 10 will disengage from the rings 11 thereof. It will be noted that the stationary catcher arm 20 is disposed on the approached side of the bag supporting arms 18. If the postmaster at the station wishes the train to take up the outgoing mail, he

places a bag on the supporting arms 18 so that the catcher of the train device can pick up the bag at the same time the bag of incoming mail is deposited thereby. In this manner, the mails can be interchanged between the mail car and station at any point along the road without requiring the train to be stopped. As soon as the train passes the station, the mail clerk unlocks the device by detaching the link 8 and swings the frame into the car so as to be out of the way of obstructions.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operationwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention,

together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood. that the appara tus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired, as are within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described. the invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of a support, a pair of fixed arms mounted thereon, mail bag holding devices on the arms, a fixed arm disposed between the said pair and at one side of the 2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of arms, bag holding devices thereon, a third arm arranged at one side of the first-mentioned arms, a bag catching device on the third arm, and a common mounting for the arms on which the latter swing.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a car having a doorway, a bag catching device, a bag holding device, and a common means forthe devices forpermitting them to swing into andout of the doorway.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a car having a doorway, a bag catching device, a bag holding device, a common means for the devices for permitting them to swing into and out of the doorway, and means for locking the devices in outstanding position.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a car having a doorway, a frame hingedly mounted to swing in and out of the doorway and provided with apair of spaced arms, bag engaging means on the arms, a member rigidly secured to the frame and extending to a point in front of the arms, and a bag catcher on the front side of the said member. Y

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

ERNEST PILAND.

Witnesses:

OTTA SNELLING, ALLEN S. DAVIS.