US1178082A - Mail-bag-receiving apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. K. LEEDY. MAlL BAG RECEIVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLEDHAY 9, I914.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

MAIL-BAG-RECEIVING APPARATUS. V

Patented Apr. 4., 1916.

Application filed May 9, 1914 Serial No. 837,528.

To all whom it may concern Beit known, that I, JosnrH K; Leroy, a citizen of the United 'States, residing at Highspire, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVIail-Bag-Receiving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for transferring mail from a moving train to a stationary support or vice versa. 7

As its primary object, the invention contemplates. an improved and simplified receiving apparatus, such in its nature as to be tripped or operated by contact of the mail matter acted upon therewith. The inventionas a further object aims to provide a yieldable contact plate or abutment, so supported and mounted as to positively yet releasably retain the mail matter after transfer. r

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application. 1

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the receiving apparatus illustrating the manner in which the mail matter acted upon is moved into engagement therewith, and F ig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionalview of the trip mechanism. 3

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 desi nates a mail car and 2 the door thereof, the latter having the support means for the mail matter acted upon arranged therein. Said support means, as illustrated herein, comprises a vertical rod or shaft 3, journaled at its respective ends within the door frame, the support proper, designated as an entirety. by the numeral 5 being vertically adjustable upon the said rcd, such adjustment being controlled through manipulation of a suitable thumb screw. 6. The said support proper 5 includes a handle 7, a shank 8 and arms 9, the latter carrying resilient retaining fingers 10 between which ringsll at each end of the mail bag or pouch designated 12, are arranged, such arrangement as is obvious upon reference to the porting the mail bag in a manner whereby the same may be forcibly released by contact with the receiving apparatus'positioned in its path. Fastening elements 13 may be provided to lock the mail bag support inoperative when not in use. i i i The receiving apparatus, as is apparent drawings, effectually sup g upon. reference to Fig. 1 is positioned directly in the path of movement of the mail matter acted upon, said apparatus, in its preferred embodiment comprising a supportingstructure 1-1 to which is attached as at 15-an arm 16, the .latter'being curved at. its free end as indicated at 17, turn supporting a contact plate 18', also curved, which contact is normallymaintained in spaced relation to the said arm 19 interposed therebetween. To limit movement of the. said contact plate and to guide thesame during a transfer operation, I provide'retaining pins or bolts 20, thesame being rigid at. one end with the the curved end in r .17 through-the medium of springs contact plate and passing through openings of the arm 17, the springs 19 embracing the pin in a manner obvious upon reference to Fig. 1 ofthe drawings. Centrally of the curved portionl? .of the arm, trip mechanism designated as an entirety by the numeral 21. is arranged, said mechanism including a hollow. casing 22 through the bore of which a trip pin 23 extends, the said trip being enlarged at one end asat 24, the enlargement being normally held projected or in the path of the mail bag 12 bv of a spring 25 within the casing, said spring abutting at one end the casing wall and atthe o posite end an annular flange 26 of the pin.

The contact plate 18 is rigid with the casing arm 29 at the pivot point 28 and at its oppo-.

site end to an extension 30 of the arm 16.

Said arm 29 being fulcrumed intermediate 1,

means its ends as at 31 to the arm 16, it is apparent that the same, when released by disengagement of the trigger 27 with the casing 22, will move in the path of a circle from its fulcrum point 31 toward the contact 18, and,

' as the mail bag acted upon is in engigement 7 with the accompanying drawings it will be noted that the action of the mail bag upon the trippin 23 will force trigger 27 out of engagement with casing 22, permit spring 29 to move arm 29 from its fulcrum point 31 to in this manner grasp and retain the mail bag between the said arm and the contact 18; that the tension of spring 25 will return trip pin 23, the moment the pressure upon enlargementQ t is relieved, to its normal extended position, and, as the said trigger 27 is previously disengaged from the said casing, it is apparent that movement of arm 29 is unrestricted; and that by the provision of the springs 19 interposed between the contact 18 and the arm 16, the stress and strain incident to the contact of the mail bag with the plate is to a certain extent relieved.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device'will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction,

proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

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

1. A mail bag receiving apparatus inan approximate rightangle to the rigidarm ,60'

and the spring expanded, as and for the purpose set forth. 7

2. A mail bag receiving apparatus including a suitable support, an arm rigid with said support, a contact plate disposedin the path of the mail matter acted upon,rmeans carried by said arm and engageable with said contact plate to support the latter in spaced relation thereto, trip mechanism rigid with said contact plate and carried by said arm, a casing, a trip pin projecting forwardly of said contact plate, said pin being engageable with the mail matter acted upon, spring means within said casing and engaging said trip pin to normally maintain the same extended, av movable arm fulcrumed intermediate its ends to said rigid arm, and a trigger pivoted to said movable arm, said trigger. being engageable with said tripv mechanism, said trigger being automatically r 1 released by engagement of the 'mail matter. with said trip pin, and spring means connected to said support and to said movable arm to swing the latter when released into engagement with the mail matter for holding the same against said contact plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

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

F N B. Erma,

AARON D. KLUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ZPatenta, Washington, D. O.

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