US877800A

US877800A - Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.

Info

Publication number: US877800A
Application number: US39908407A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1907-10-25
Filing date: 1907-10-25
Publication date: 1908-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1925-01-28

Description

No 877,800. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. B. ROBERTS.

MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED 001'.25.1907.

2 sHEETssHEET 1.

(5 m m m WITNESSES v [MENTOR EDWARD ROBERTS,

mr mamas PETERS ca. wAsmNc'ro/u', n, c.

No. 877,800. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

- E, ROBERTS.

MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION TILED 0OT.25.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f s M "L il +11 UMIIW" i WWI 41W WITNESSES wu- 705 Z/aflmdp G H EDWARD ROBERTS,

m, 4 M v A TTOHNE Y8 EDWARD ROBERTS, OF ISHPEMING. MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BAG GATCHER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed October 25. 1907. Serial No. 399084.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ROBERTS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Ishpeming, in the county of Marquette and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in apparatus for handling mail bags; and consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention as in use. Fig. 2 is a detail face view partly in section of the crane for use on the cars. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on about line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of a portion of the crane. Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view illustrating the reversibility of the double armed bag catcher, and Fig. 7 is a detail view' illustrating said. bag catcher, parts being shown in section.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a crane A for'application to a car, and a catcher to be supported alongside the track. The crane A, of which I may employ two, one at each side of the doorway C, as shown in full and dotted lines Fig. 1, is pivoted at A at one end to the car so it may be turned out to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 for use, or into the dotted line position shown in the same figure when not in use, and when turned out for use the crane rests against the wall of the doorway and may be secured by a turn button D, pivoted to thecar so it may be turned to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 to hold the crane in position for use or may be turned down, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to release the crane and permit the same to be adjustedto the dotted line position shown in the same figure. This crane therefore may be swung between this position for use and the other position and in its other or dotted position will be housed entirely within the car so it will not be a source of danger and when turned to position for use will be securely held in such position by the turn button shown in Fig. 1, before described. Near its outer end the crane A is provided with means for holding and releasing the bag carryingring E. This ring is of sufficient size and strength to support a number of bags and in practice any desired number of bags is attached to the ring, as will be understood from Fig. 1 and the ring is of su'l'licient size to receive and permit the operation within it of the head or abutting portion F of the latch F, which latch operates to hold the retaining portion G in position to secure the ring E in the operation of the invention as presently described.

The crane A forms a support for the ring holding and securing devices and is provided on its rear side with a central pin H on which the ring is suspended and with side pins H which are arranged above the ring and limit the upward and swinging movement thereof. These pins H and H project rearwardly from the crane and the ring is simply slipped over the pin H from the rear so that it will readily drop from the pin H when the retaining device presently described, is released by the freeing of the latch F. This retaining device G is pivoted at G and bears in the position of parts shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 against the upper portion of the ring E and holds said ring on the pin H; If now the plate G be released it may be swung to the position shown in Fig. 4 and thus release the ring with the attached bags so the latter may be held by the catcher. The retaining plate G is provided at its upper end with the forwardly projecting arm or lug G which engages in the position of parts shown in Fig. 3 with the corresponding lug F on the upper end of the latch F. I thus provide the retaining plate and the latch with interengaging parts so that the latch when adjusted to normal position will hold the retaining plate in position to secure the ring in connection with the crane, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. At its lower end below its pivot F the latch has a head F for engagement by the bag catching device, as will be understoodfrom Figs. 1 and 3, so that the bag catching device releases the ring and also catches said ring in order to support the bags carried thereby. It will be noticed, especially from Figs. 1 and 3, that the head F is inclined or deflected rearwardly, the inclined surface affording a glancing blow for the hook I of the catcher and also setting the said head nearer to the ring 0 suspend ed on the pin H, as best shown in Fig.v 3. Manifestly the head F may be of any suitable size and the ring E may be of any suitable size and strength and the parts may be made of any suitable material and may be conveniently supported to operate in the manner and for the pur ose before described.

The ag catching device comprises a double armed yoke I whose arms 1 curve toward their extremities and are provided at such points with upturned hooks I and the yoke I is provided at its middle with a depending shaft I journaled vertically in a tubular upright. J, so it can be turned between the positions shown in full and dotted lines Fig. 6. The shaft I and upright J are provided with coincident openings I and J through which a pin K may be passed to secure the catcher in the position shown in full lines in the same figure. By this means the catcher may be set to receive bags from trains going in one direction or the other as may be necessary in the practical operation of the invention. It will be noticed in this connection that the pin K can be conveniently removed to permit the adjustment of the catching device and then inserted to hold the'same in any desired position.

The upright J may be steadied in position by the strut braces J, see Fig. 1, and is designed in practical use to be supported at stations or depots where it is deslred to deliver the bags.

In operation it will be noticed the bags are secured to the ring E in any suitable manner and any desired number of bags may be so secured and the ring may be applied to the crane when the latter is within the car and the latter is moving rapidly toward the point where it may be desired to deliver the bags. The crane may then be swung to the position shown in Fig. 1 and secured by the latch or fastening D and the head or abutment F Within the ring will be in position to strike the arm I of the catcher nearest the car. As the car approaches the catcher the hook I of the catcher will strike the head F, throw the latch to position shown in Fig. 4, and thus release the retaining plate G so the ring will drop upon the catcher arm I and will be prevented by the hook I from slipping off said arm. Manifestly the arms I may be of any suitable length found necessary or desirable in securing the bags and it will be understood that the invention will be found especially useful in delivering a number of bags from express trains at points where it may be desired to subsequently deliver such bags to accommodation trains to bie dropped at different stations along the roa It will be noticed the construction is simple, and can be inexpensively made and applied to a car now in use as well as those in the course of construction, and it is strong and durable and will efficiently operate for the desired purpose.

I claim 1. The combination in an apparatus for handling mail bags, of a crane pivoted at one end to the car, a latch for securing the crane in position for use, a ring supporting pin at the rear side of the crane, pins on the crane to overlie a ring held on the supporting pin, a swinging retaining plate for securing the ring on the supporting pinthe said plate being provided at its upper end with a forwardly projecting arm or portion, a latch pivoted between its ends to the crane and having at its upper end a rearwardly proj ecting arm engaging with that of the retaining plate and provided at its lower end with a head or abutment portion for engagement by a catcher device whereby said device may operate to free the latch from the retaining plate, and a bag catcher comprising a double armed yoke having its arms provided with upturned hooks and provided at its middle with a depending shaft and an upright in which said shaft is mounted to turn whereby the catcher may be adjusted to receive bags from trains moving in either direction, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an apparatus for handling mail bags, of a car crane having a ring support, a retaining device for holding the ring on said support and a latch for securing the retaining device in position to hold the ring and having a projecting head or abutment portion below the ring support for engagement by the catching device, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus substantially as described a crane, a ring support on one side of the crane, a ring retaining device on the other side of the crane for holding the ring on its support, and a latch on the opposite side of the crane from the retaining device and having means interengaging with the said device for holding the same in position to secure a ring upon its support, said latch having a portion for engagement by a bag catching device, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a car of a swinging crane pivoted thereto and having a ring supporting pin, a retaining plate pivoted to the crane and movable to position to secure a ring upon said pin, and a latch pivoted to the crane and interengaging with the retaining plate whereby it may secure the latter in position to hold the ring on the pin and to free said plate to release the ring, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a crane, of a pin or projection thereon for supporting a ring, and projections on opposite sides of said supporting pin to overlie a ring held thereon whereby to prevent any displacement of the ring, a retaining device for holding the ring on its supporting pin, and a latch for securing and releasing said retaining device, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus substantially as described a double armed bag catcher pivoted vertically at its middle whereby it may be adjusted to set one of its arms toward a track and facing in one direction or its other arm toward such track and facing in the opposite direction to adapt it to receive bags from trains moving in one or the other direction and a bag supporting ring to be received by said arms and movable along the latter, sub

stantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus substantially as described a double armed bag catcher provided between its ends with a depending shaft and a tubular upright receiving said shaft whereby the catcher may be adjusted to set one or the other of its arms to position to receive the bag and a bag supporting ring to be received by said arms and movable along the latter, substantially as set forth.

8. In an. apparatus substantially as described, the combination of a double armed catcher having a central depending shaft, a tubular upright receiving said shaft, the shaft and upright having coincident openings, and a pin fitted to said openings whereby it may operate to secure the catcher in different adjustments, substantially as set forth.

9. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination with a crane provided with a ring supporting pin, of a retaining plate adapted to overlie a ring fitted on said plate, and a latch having means engaging with the retaining plate and provided with a head or abutment portion projecting below the ring supporting pin whereby it may lie opposite the ring supported on said pin, substantially as set forth.

EDVVARD ROBERTS.

l/Vitn esses:

SoLoN C. KEMoN, PERRY B. TURPIN.