US863326A - Mail-bag catcher. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

T.B.SHBFFBY.

MAIL BAG GATGHBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1907.

L Md M m a w z 6 a m T W/ TNE SSE 8 A fro/m5 rs- 1H: NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTON, 0. c4

THOMAS EDWARD SHEFFEY, OF DECATUR, ALABAMA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed May 21, 1907. Serial No. 374,948.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS EDWARD SHEFFEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Decatur, in the county of Morgan and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Mail-Bag Catcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to mail bag catchers, and more particularly to that class of devices adapted to be secured at the doors of mail cars to engage a mail bag located adjacent to the track and to hold the same when a train is in motion, whereby the mail can be taken aboard the mail car without stopping the train.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable mail bag catcher, having a movable laterally extending fork rod for engaging the mail bag, and means for securing the fork rod in different positions. I I

A fm'ther object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described, having a slidable bar adapted to be arranged across the door-opening of a mail car, and carrying a bracket having a pivoted fork rod and means for holding the fork rod in a plurality of positions at an angle with respect to the door-bar.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Views, and in which Figure 1 shows a portion of the door of a mail car showing my invention applied thereto, with a part broken away; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mail bag catcher in an operative position for engaging a mail bag; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. 7

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be understood that it is customary on railroads to suspend mail bags upon suitable supports adjacent to the track, to be seized by proper apparatus carried by the mail cars of trains, so that the mail bags can be taken aboard trains without bringing the latter to a stop, in order to save time and to facilitate the transportation ofthe mail. For this purpose it is necessary to arrange an apparatus at the door of the mail car, having a laterally-extending rod.

The airangementis such that the rod passes through a suitable ring or eye secured to the mail bag and pulls the latter loose from the support, the mail bag remaining upon the rod until removed by the mail clerk or another person in the mail car. The mail bag catchers are so constructed that when not in'use they are arranged at the side of the car in an inoperative position and are swung into a position extending from the side of the car, by the operator, when a mail bag is to be taken aboard. The projecting rod extends from the mail-bag-catching apparatus in the direction of the movement of the train, as otherwise it would be impossible for the apparatus to hold the mail bag. If the train moves in the opposite direction the apparatus must be shifted around before it can be used; this is often a matter of difficulty, as the apparatus is heavy, and entails considerable waste of time. To avoid these disadvantages I provide a bar slidably arranged across the door, and having a pivoted bracket to which is secured a movable pivoted fork rod for seizing the mail bag. As the fork rod is pivoted, it can be swung about from one position to the opposite position with great ease and in an exceedingly short space of time, thus adapting it for use when the train is moving in either direction. Means are provided for securely holding the fork rod in the different positions. A

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a part of the side wall of a mail car, having a door-frame 2 and a door-opening 3. Secured at opposite sides ofthe door-frame are sleeve brackets 4 having alined sleeves 5. A door-bar 6 is arranged to slide in the sleeves 5 of the bearings 4 and has spaced integral collars 7. Arranged upon the bar 6 between the collars 7, is a rod bracket 8 having a sleeve 9 movable upon the bar 6. of the bracket longitudinally of the bar, though the bracket is free to move rotatably upon the bar. The bracket 8 has opposite arms 10 at equal angles with the bar 6. The arms 10 have a communicating recess 11 at the side remote from the bar. The bracket has a handle 12 by means of which it may be pivotally swung about the bar 6 by the operator.

A fork rod 13 of the usual type in apparatus of this character, is pivotally mounted within the recess 11 of the bracket arms near the center of the same, by means of'the eye portion 14 at the end of the fork rod, and a pivot pin 15 arranged in suitable openings in the eye portion and the bracket. The arrangement is such that the fork rod is pivoted at a point substantially intermediate of the two arms and is adapted to swing into engagement with the bottom of the recess of either arm. As the arms extend in opposite directions and at equal angles with the door-bar 6, the fork rod 13 can be ar ranged in opposite directions and at equal angles with the door-bar to adapt the device for use when the car is moving in either direction.

Near the end of each of the arms 10 is an opening 16 through the side thereof; surrounding the opening is an integral laterally-extending barrel 17. A locking member having a tongue 18 and a shank 19 is arranged with the barrel 17, the tongue 18 extending through into the recess. The locking member has a shoulder 20 engaging the side of the arm within the barrel to limit the projection of the tongue-into the recess. A

'lhecollars 7 prevent the movement cap 21 having a threaded part 22 removably arranged at the correspondingly threaded end of the barrel 17, has an opening through which the shank 19 projects. The projecting end of the shank 19 has a ring 23 by means of which it may be manually operated. A helical spring 24 is arranged upon the shank 19 between the shoulder 20 and the cap 21, normally to project the tongue 18 into the recess. Towards the back of the recess the tongue 18 presents a flat side; the opposite side 25 towards the opening of the recess is beveled. When the fork rod 13 is swung from one arm to the other, it is released by withdrawing the tongue 18 by means of the ring 23, to permit the rod to pass. In moving into the recess of the other arm, the rod 13 displaces the tongue by engaging the beveled edge of the tongue. The tongue of each arm securely holds the bar in position.

The arrangement is such, that when the device is not in use the weight of the bracket and the rod causes it to hang in a downward position adjacent to the plane of the side of the car as is shown most clearly in Fig. 1. When it is desired to use the device, the operator seizes the handle 12 and swings the bracket pivotally about the bar 6 into the position shown in Fig. 2. In use the bracket is arranged at the rear side of the car. When the rod 13 is shifted to adapt the device for use when the train is moving in the opposite direction, the bar 6 is moved transversely of the door in the sleeves 5 to arrange the bracket adjacent to the opposite edge of the bar, which then becomes the rear with respect to the movement of the train.

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

1. In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable bar, a bracket pivoted thereupon and having a substantially straight fork rod pivoted thereto at one end of said fork rod, means for holding said rod in a plurality of positions of equal angularity with respect to said bar and extending in opposite directions therefrom, and means for preventing the movement of said bracket longitudinally of said bar.

2. In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable bar, a bracket pivoted thereupon and having a plurality of arms, a fork rod pivoted to said bracket, and means for holding said rod in engagement with each of said arms respectively.

3. In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable bar, a bracket pivoted thereupon and having oppositely ex tending arms, a fork rod pivoted to said bracket, and means for removably holding said rod in engagement with each of said arms, respectively.

4. In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable doorbar, a bracket pivoted thereupon and having arms presenting recesses, a fork rod pivoted between said arms and adapted to be located in said recesses, and means for removably holding said rod in each of said recesses.

In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable doorbar adapted to be arranged across the door of a mail car, a bracket pivoted upon said door-bar and having oppositely extending arms presenting a recess extending from one of said arms to the other of said arms, a fork rod pivoted in said recess between said arms, and adapted to be arranged within said recess at each of said arms, and a locking member carried by each of said arms for holding said rod in position,

6. In a mail bag catcher, in combination, a slidable doorbar adapted to be arranged across the door of a mail car, and having rigid collars, a bracket pivoted upon said doorbar between said collars, said bracket having oppositely extending arms presenting at the side remote from said door-bar a recess extending from one of said arms to the other of said arms, a fork rod pivoted in said recess between said arms and adapted to be arranged in said recess at each of said arms, and a locking member carried by each of said arms and having a tongue extending into the recess thereof for holding said rod in position.

7. In a mailbag catcher, in combination, a slidable doorbar adapted to be arranged across the door of a mail car and having rigid collars, a bracket pivoted irpon said doorbar between said collars, said bracket having oppositely extending arms at the side remote from said door-bar, and a recess extending from one of said arms to the other of said arms, a fork rod pivoted in said recess between said arms and adapted to be arranged in said recess at each of said arms, each of said arms having a barrel communieating with said recess, a locking member arranged in each of said barrels and having a tongue extending into said recess for engaging said rod to hold the same in position, and a spring in said barrel for normally projecting said tongue, said tongue having a beveled edge at the end adjacent to said recess.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS EDIVARD SHEFFEY.

Witnesses I. .T. EDWARDS, WM. Mosnnnx.

Images