US887355A - Mail-bag catcher and deliverer. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

S. B. STOVER. MAIL BAG GA-TCHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SETH B. STOVER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG NOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT W.

MCPHERSON, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH B. STOVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improved Mail-Bag Catcher and Deliverer, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to mail-bag catchers and deliverers to be used to take mail from a moving train, in which there is a means for holding the bag and a trap for catching the same; both operating automatically and depending one upon the other, the objects being to provide, first a sure method of operation. Second a good and substantial mechanism. Third to provide a method that will not be rough on the mail bag. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the catcher and a back elevation of the deliverer with mail bag attached and the same fastened to a car door. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the catcher and deliverer ready for operation. Fig. 3 a side elevation of the catcher only.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The circular plate 1 attached to the annular casting 2, which casting is set in annular grooved casting 3, which is attached to the foundation, as below described, together constitute the frame work of the catcher.

Directly over and running parallel with sills 6 are sills 5 and bolted to sills 6 with bolts 8, said sills 5 having grooves on the inner side to admit the tongues of sliding sills 4. Between the sliding sills 4 are three cross pieces 9 10 and 11 respectively, which are set into sills 4. On the top of sills4 and cross pieces 9 10 and 11 is centrally bolted casting 3 which has an annular opening in its center to admit annular casting 2 and adapted to hold casting 2 down onto beams 4, 9, 10 and 11. Onto beams 5 at each end are fitted cross beams 7 and bolted with bolts 8. Inside of beams 7 and attached thereto are six springs, three at each end, said springs are adapted to fasten to beams 7 and beams 4, 9 and 11 and act in both tension and compression thereby relieving the catcher of the full force of the blow of the mail bag. On the top of casting 2 is a lug adapted to the plate 1 and riveted thereto.

To each edge of plate 1 are riveted lugs 12,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 9, 1907.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Serial No. 387,874.

two on each side adapted to receive the shafts 13 having arm 13. The arms being provided with rods 14 pivoted at one end to arms 13, the other end being set against an abutment 15 when the catcher is ready for operation. On the lower portion of shafts 13 and between lugs 12 are torsional springs fastened at one end to lugs 12 and at the other end to shafts 13, said spring adapted to throw arms 13 inward when released by the thrusts of the mail bag against rod 14 throwing the end of rod 14 off of the abut ment 15, the rod 14 passing through plate 1 through an opening provided therefor, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 2. At the extreme lower end of shafts 13 are levers 26 for turning the shafts 13 and arms 13 outward thereby releasing the mail bag and setting the catcher for the next mail bag.

On each edge of plate 1 is pivoted a lever 16, the two uniting at the opposite ends and forming a' U, which is placed over a lug 18 and a pin 17 inserted. By removing the pin 17 and raising the U end of the lever the catcher can be reversed and faced in the opposite direction, then lever 16 is placed over lug 19 and the pin 17 inserted.

The catcher is made with only one arm where there is a double track railway.

In the rear frame of the car door opening are two bolts 20, close to the top and bottom of the opening. They extend forward and have collars as heads adapted to fit shaft 21 and with slots in the front side adapted to receive lug 22 in shaft 21 when the arms 23 are pulled forward ready to attach the bag as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The arms 23 are fastened to shaft 21 by means of set screws 24. On the lower end of shaft 21 is torsion spring 25 sufficiently strong to hold the arms with the bag against the wind and allow the arms to pass the catcher after being relieved of the bag.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a mailbag catcher and deliverer for cars the combination with a frame provided with an inner sliding frame adapted to move forward and backward, of an annular shaped frame adapted to rotate in said sliding frame, of a vertical plate mounted on said annular shaped frame adapted to hold a spring shaft and arms, means for attaching said shaft to said plate and means carried by the train for with an inner sliding frame adapted thereto, springs connectlng said frame, an annular shaped frame adapted to rotate in said sliding frame, a vertical plate mounted on said annular shaped frame, means for bracing said plate, means for rotating said plate, spring shaft arms connected to said plate, spring means for causing said arms to close inward, when released, said arms to be set in the path of the mail bag, close to the railway track, means for releasing said mail bag, and means carried by the train for releasing said spring arms, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a catcher with a vertical shaft, adjacent to back of car door opening, means for fastening to said car, arms mounted on said shaft at right angles to said shaft, said arms adjustable along said shaft, a torsional spring mounted on said shaft tending to actuate said arm forward, means for locking said arms forward, and bends in said arms at their outer ends, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mailbag catcher and deliverer for cars, the combination with a frame, provided with an inner sliding frame adapted thereto, springs connecting said frames, an annular shaped frame adapted to rotate in said sliding frame, a vertical plate mounted on said annular shaped frame, me ans for bracing said plate, means for rotating said plate, spring shaft and arms connected to said plate, means for causing said arms to close inward, means for holding said arms outward ready for the mailbag, a vertical shaft adjacent to back of car door opening, means for fastening said shaft to car, arms mounted on said shaft at right angles to said shaft, said arms adjustable along said shaft, said arms adapted to hold a mailbag in position to connect with a trip on said catcher arm, means for releasing said catcher arms, and means on the catcher for releasing mailbag, all substantially as set forth. I

Signed at San Diego, in the county of San Diego, and State of California.

SETH B. STOVER.

l/Vitnesses:

J. W. MAGILL, EDMUND JoYoE.

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