US641003A - Routing table and case for post-offices. - Google Patents

Description

No. 64l,003. Patentad Jan. 9, I900.

M. S. FIELD.

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1899.) Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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N0. 64|,003. Patented Jan. 9, I900. M. S. FIELD;

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

(Application filed. Oct. 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITFI 55555:. 4/ 5.

UNETFD STATES PATENT Fric MAROELLUSS. FIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHN THOMAS WARD AND JAMES T. A. LEWIS, OF SAME PLACE.

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,003, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed October 20, 1899. Serial No. 734,210. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARCELLUS S. FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Arranging, Filing, or Routing Table and Case for Post-Offices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an article of furniture common in postoffices and usually termed a routing-case. It comprises a table with one or more cases mounted on it, such cases having numerous pigeonholes or compartments and usually a plurality of shelves. Mail-matter is dumped upon the table, and an employee of the post-office, usually a carrier, distributes this mail and files the different letters or packages temporarily in the compartments on the shelves in the routing-case, said compartments havinginscribed beneath them words or characters denoting the different points on the route of the carrier at which mail is to be delivered. After the mail-mat for has been assorted and filed inthe case, so

that it is in the order in which it is to be de-' livered on the route, the carrier removes the mail from the compartments in the case in the proper order and takes it out on his route for delivery. Hence the piece of furniture utilized as above has come to be known as a routing table and case.

Perhaps the greatest need in city post-offices is additional space. A portion of the surface of a routing-table as at present constructed is occupied permanently by the two cases, which set back to back thereon. Hence when after the first-class matter has been filed in the routing-case if it should be desired, for instance, as is very commonly the case, to dump a lot of second or third class mail on the table the only available space is that in front of the case, the rest of the space being occupied by the case itself.

It is the principal object of this invention to construct a routing table and case or cases in which the entire surface of the table can be made available and such surface utilized to any reasonable height. This is accomplished by means of the construction fully described in detail below, in which the rout ing-cases are adapted to be moved vertically away from the surface of the table to a considerable height and to be retained at any de-- sired height, thereby leaving the entire surface of the table available for use, whether the compartments in the cases are full or empty.

The nature of my invention is fully described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an arranging, filing, or routing table and cases embodying the improvements, a portion being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sec= tion of the same, portions of the legs having been broken off and one of the routing-cases being represented as in position for use and the other raised. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cases removed from the table and from its frame and with its shelves taken out. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the frames in which the case slides, a portion of the other being indicated by dotted lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings I have illustrated a table provided with two cases back to back, each having its frame, as it is customary in large post-offices to provide two routing-cases for a table. I do not, however, confine myself to the use of two cases, as, the cases are practically duplicates, and either one, inconnection with the rest of the contrivance, embodies my invention.

A represents a flat-topped table provided with suitable legs a. Set on this table is a frame consisting of a back portion and two ends. necting-bar B and the gauze or wire mesh B. The ends 0 are preferably provided with extensions 0 next the table, and the inner surfaces of the end walls are formed with vertical grooves D, two being preferably formed in each end wall. Between these grooves is a third groove E, provided at its upper end with a pulley e. Backing against the frame 13 O is another pair of end walls 0, corresponding in size and shape to those above described and fitting against them and the con- The back portion consists of the con- H, and partitions K. The shelves are supported in grooves H, which are formed on downward inclines from the front to the rear of the case, so that a letter lying on one of v the shelves has a tendency to slide inward rather than to fall out of the case. The partitions K are preferably made of wire loops, but may be formed of any other material or in any other style, there being no novelty in wire loops as partitions nor, in fact, in the gauze partition -wall B. The end walls F are formed on their outer surfaces with tongues L, which extend into the grooves D in the walls 0. Grooves P are formed in the Walls F between the tongues L, which coincide with the grooves E in the walls C. lVeights S are secured to cords S, which extend over the pulleys e and within the grooves E and P, and are secured at the ends to the cases in the manner common in window-frames. Suitable slideways T (not new in this invention) are secured to the shelves H and are adapted to bear inscriptions or characters corresponding with the mailing-points on the route.

The practical operation of this contrivance is as follows: A post-office employee or carrier Wishing to route his mail-that is, arrange or file it in proper order to be taken out on his route-draws one of the routing-cases into the position indicated in Fig. 1, such position corresponding with the lower of the two positions indicated in Fig. 2. This position may be termed the normal position of the routing-case. It is advisable that there should be some lock which will serve to prevent any possible vertical sliding of the case, and hence I have shown in the drawings a cam U, which is pivoted to the case and can be swung by its handle and jammed against the upright side or wall 0. Any other locking contrivance, however, may be employed. The routing-case being in this lowered position, the entire surface of the table is available for mailmatter, even that portion which is under the case. The carrier routes or arranges his mail in the compartments formed by the partitions K, the letters lying on the inclined shelves H without danger of falling out, as any vertical movement or jar of the case or table tends to slip the letters back against the wire B rather than forward. After the table has been cleared in this manner it can be used for any other purpose, such as piling second and third class mailmatter upon it to any desired height, by simply sliding up the case into the position indicated by the right-hand case in Fig. 2. The rear bar F prevents the case from sliding too high by striking against the bar B. Thus the entire surface of the table may be made available at any time to any practicable height. the necessity for the use of another table for routing or filing papers or other bulky mailmatter, thereby gaining space and concentrating the work of the carrier.

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

1. In an arranging, filing or routing table and case for post-offices, a table or base; a frame supported by said table or base; and an arranging, filing or routing case adapted to slide substantially vertically in said frame and over the table, whereby that portion of the surface of the table which is below the case is rendered available for mail-matter, substantially as set forth.

2. In an arranging, filing or routing table and case for post-offices, a table or base; a frame supported by said table or base; an arranging, filing or routing case adapted to slide substantially vertically in said frame and over the table; and means for locking said case at different heights above the surface of the table, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described improved arranging, filing or routing table and case for postoffices, comprising a table or base; a frame comprising the end walls 0 and a suitable rear connecting-Wall B, B, said end walls being formed with vertical slideways, and the routing-case comprising top, bottom, ends, shelves and compartments, said ends F being formed to engage with and slide in the said slideways, whereby the routing-case may be moved verticall y with relation to the frame and render the entire surface of the table available for m ail-matter, substantially as set forth.

MAROELLUS S. FIELD.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BONNEY.

In practice this obviates

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