US864282A - Rural-delivery mail-pouch. - Google Patents

Description

fl vitweooeo @331 No; 864,282. I PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907.

J. W. 'ALTMYER. RURAL DELIVERY MAIL POUCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1906. RENEWED JULY 9, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. 2'7 1907;

J.,W. ALTMYER. RURAL DELIVERY MAIL POUCH. APPLIOATION IILEDjBBJs, 190a. xmmwnn JULY 9. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. ALTMYER, OF CENTRAL CITY, IOWA.

RURAL-DELIVERY MAIL-POUCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

Application filed February 23, 1906, Serial No. 302,548. Renewed July 9, 1907. Serial No. 382,930-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that JOHN W. ALTMYEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Central City, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, has invented a new and useful Rural-Delivery Mail-Pouch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for holding mail for its more convenient delivery by the carrier to the patrons.

The principal object is to provide a novel pouch of a simple nature that may be made with a large number of pockets to separately confine the mail of the different patrons, so that it cannot become mixed or overlooked, said pouch being adapted for ready mounting on a vehicle in convenient relation to the carrier, being so arranged that it may be placed in the office and there filled, and furthermore being completely collapsible and eXpansible to accommodate itself to the varying amount of mail placed therein.

A. further object is to provide a structure wherein the contents can be protected from the weather, and also to provide means therein to receive and hold stamps, the mail collected, and the like.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, showing the same supported on vehicle. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, the front and rear walls being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view. Fig. .5 is a vertical cross sectional view of a slightly modified form of structure. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same, the covers being illustrated in section. i

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed in the first four figures, front and rear outer walls 7 and 8 are employed, these outer walls being preferably composed of reinforcing plates or sheets 9 of comparatively stiff material covered by casings 10 of canvas, leather or the like. Between the front and rear walls is a plurality of flexible intermediate walls 11 arranged parallel to the front and rear walls, said intermediate walls being connected to one another and to the outer walls by collapsible end walls 12, having bellows folds. Partitions 13 connect the walls, and bridge the spaces between them. A plurality of these partitions connect each set of adjacent walls so as to form a plurality of pockets 14 between each of said sets. The partitions 13 are preferably formed of separate strips sewed or otherwise secured to the walls and having bellows folds. Only two of the partitions are located between the front wall 7 and the first intermediate wall, thereby forming three comparatively large pockets, one of which as 15 may be em ployed for holding the mail collected, another as 16, for large parcels and the like, while the intermediate pocket 17 is designed to hold the usual collectors book.

A bottom 18, formed of bellows folds is secured to the lower edge of each of the intermediate walls, and to the front and rear walls. One of the bellows folds of the bottom is located between each set of walls, and said bottom is entirely separate from the partitions. A cover 19 is carried by the rear wall 8, and is arranged to be passed entirely over the open upper ends of the various pockets. The front pockets are, however, provided with independent covers in the form of flaps, 20, each fiap covering one of the pockets, as will be evident by reference to Fig. 1. It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 4, that in this embodiment of the invention, the

/ lower edges of the front and rear walls are disposed in the same horizontal plane, but that each of the intermediate walls is successively disposed higher than the one preceding it. By this arrangement, the open up per ends of the pockets are exposed one behind the other, as shown in Fig. 3, and on said exposed ends, the names of the patrons may be printed. At the same time, by having the lower edges of the front and rear walls disposed in the same horizontal plane, the pouch may be set upon a table or on a vehicle, and will maintam its upright position.

For the purpose of holding the pouch in place on a vehicle, a pair of spaced overhanging and downwardly extending hooks 21 are employed, which are carried by the rear. wall 8, and are arranged to be engaged over the dash of the vehicle. For the purpose of preventing the lateral sliding movement of the pouch, a dashembracing strap 22 may be employed, which is also carried by the rear wall, and is located below the hooks 21. Handles 23 are provided for conveniently carrying the pouch between the station and the vehicle.

In using the device, it is first placed in the station, the cover is turned back, and the front and rear walls are moved away from each other so as to fully expand the pockets. In this connection it will be observed that because of the particular structure, the lower portions of said pocketswill expand coextensively with the upper portions. The carrier then distributes the mail to be delivered into the various pockets, and afterwards places the pouch in position upon the vehicle. He thus has all the mail before him, and as he drives over his route, each patrons matter can be con veniently delivered from its particular pocket. Moreover, the pockets being comparatively capacious, the hand may be readily inserted to the bottom thereof, and no small articles overlooked. One of the front pockets may if desired be employed for larger parcels, and the mail collected can be placed in another, while the intermediate front pocket constitutes a convenient holder for the carriers book. As the mail is delivered from the pouch, the same can be collapsed, and thus placed more and more out of the way.

As an indication of how the structure may be modified, attention is invited to Figs. 5 and 6, wherein front is believed to be necessary.

and rear stiffened walls '7 and 8* are employed, together with intermediate parallel walls 9 of flexible material. End walls 10" connect the ends of the various walls 7, 8 and 9. Said end walls in this particular embodiment, are composed of sections, the intermediate walls 9 having extensions or offset marmargins, as shown at'15, and havingstrip's 16* secured thereto, which strips'are in turn sewed or otherwise fastened to the adjacent walls, thus the bottom is providedwith bellows folds, one of said bellows foldsbeing disposed between each s'et'of walls. It will be observed that the bottom in this structure is disposed horizontally, and that the inclined arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4 is not provided. A cover 17 is employed for the open upper end ofthe pouch, and independent flaps 18 are provided for the front larger pockets. Dash-engaging hooks 19 are provided, the

same as in the first described embodiment, and'a dashembracing strap 20' may also be employed. Handles 21 are furthermore secured to the front and rear walls for the purp'ose of conveniently carrying the device. It will be apparent that this structure has practically the same advantages as those already set forth for the former embodiment, and no further description thereof From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the limits of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: Y I I 1. In a pouch of the character described, t he coinbiria tion with a plurality of walls movable toward andfrom each other, of a collapsible bottom connecting the lower ends of the walls, and a plurality of partitions located between and secured to adjacent walls, forming a plurality of collapsible pockets, said partitions being independent of "the bottom to'permit the lower-portions of the walls to separate substantially co-extensively with the upper portions.

2. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with a plurality of walls movable toward and from each other, of a plurality of collapsible partitions between the adjacent walls conne'cted'thereto'and'having bellows folds, and a collapsible bottom connecting the lower ends of the walls and also having bellows folds, said partitions being independent of the folds of the collapsible bottom, and permitting the free expansion and contraction of said folds and the consequent coextensive separation'of the lower and upper portions of the walls.

3. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with reinforced and stiff outer walls having their lower and upper portions movable toward and from each other, of collapsible end walls connecting the ends of the outer and intermediate walls, a collapsible bottom secured to the outer and intermediate walls, and c'ollapsible partitions connecting each set of adjacent walls and forming a row of pockets therebetween, said partitions having their lower ends free from the'bottom, thereby permitting the free opening and closing of the bottom and the coextensive separation of the lower and upper portions of the walls.

4. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with reinforced stifi outer walls, of flexible intermediate walls. having a plurality of connections between each adjacent set to fol-ma plurality of pockets between each set, a collapsible bottom, and an extensible and contractible dash-embracing strap secured at its ends to one of the outer reinforced walls.

5. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with a plurality of walls having a plurality of connections between them to form a plurality of rows of pockets, a collapsible bottom connecting the walls, a cover for all the pockets, and a plurality of independent covers for one of the rows of pockets. 7

6. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with stiff rear and front walls having lower edges disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane, of a plurality of intermediate flexible walls disposed successively one higher than the other and having connections between them forming a plurality of rows of pockets, a collapsible bottom connecting the walls and located at an inclination,'a cover carried by the rear wall and arranged to extend over the various pockets, a plurality of flaps for independently covering the front row of pockets, and

means carried by the rear wall for securing the structure to a vehicle dash.

7. In a pouch of the character described, the combination with a plurality of walls, of means securing adjacent walls together at their ends and bottoms, forming bellows folds and permitting the walls to-move toward and from each other, and a plurality of collapsible partitions between the adjacent walls connected thereto and having bellows folds forming a plurality of collapsible pockets movable toward and from each other, said partitions having their lower ends spaced and free from the bottom, pen mitting the coextensive separation of all parts of the adjacent walls.

8. In a pouch, the combination with a plurality of walls having offset end and bottom margins, of strips secured to the end and bottom portions of the walls and secured to the offset end and bottom margins of the adjacent walls, forming collapsible connections between the walls.

9. In a pouch, the combination with a plurality of walls having offset end and bottom margins, of strips secured to the end and bottom portions of the walls inside said margins, said strips being secured to the offset end and bottom margins of the adjacent walls, forming bellows folds between the walls, and a plurality of collapsible partitions secured to and between intermediate portions of said adjacent walls.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. ALTMYER.

Witnesses A. L. SMITH, J. H. WHIT'IAKER.

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