IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING UP AND DELIVERING MAILS AND OTHER PARCELS IN RAILWAY TRAINS WHILE IN MOTION
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING UP AND DELIVERING MAILS AND
OTHER PARCELS IN RAILWAY TRAINS WHILE IN MOTION."-A communication
from abroad by Julien Eugène Cuvier, Gentleman, of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 4th July 1865, and dated the 20th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
January 1865.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING UP AND DELIVERING
MALLS AND OTHER PARCELS IN RAILWAY TRAINS WHILE IN MOTION," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a method of taking in mails or despatches at rail-
way stations without stopping a train, the apparatus being the same in
arrangement both at the station and on the train. Supposing, in the first
place, it is desired to take up the mails at a station by a train passing at express
speed (seo Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawing), the attendant having first firmly
corded the parcel of dispatches X; in this cord is introduced a split ring A of
steel, opening and closing at will. On the platform alongside the line is placed
a post P carrying a bent rod C, having a double slide through which the ring
passes freely. The attendant now places the ring carrying the mails in the

page_text: slide, at the upper part of which is a double spring R opening to allow the
ring to pass and again closing, so as to retain the latter in suspension. The
carriage which is to take up the parcel of dispatches is furnished on its lateral
surface with a bent arm G, the end H of which at the moment the train
passes engages in ring A. The spring R is then caused to open by the
shock, the dispatches falling on to arm G of the carriage, which is curved
in such manner as to allow the parcel to pass into the carriage through the
aperture F.
In order to deliver dispatches at a station the attendant in the train suspends
the parcel in a ring A, Fig. 2, which is then slid on a bent rod C mounted
on the side of the carriage. On the post P fixed at the station is placed a
bent arm G, the end H of which engages at the moment the train passes in
the ring carried by the carriage, and so releases the dispatches, which
remain suspended on the post. The apparatus is very simple in its action,
the two operations of discharge and delivery being simultaneously effected, it
being only necessary previous to the train passing a station for each of the
attendants to suspend their parcel of dispatches. The apparatus being fixed
with mathematical precision, it is almost impossible for the operation to fail.
The ring carrying the parcel is split in order to facilitate its connection with the
cord, so as to obviate the necessity of untying for the purpose of suspending it.
Fig. 3 shows the position of the two apparatus at the moment of taking in
and delivering the two parcels or dispatches. Two methods may be adopted
for taking in the dispatches suspended on the post at the station, which may
pass either through the rear window of the postal carriage or through the one
at the side, also serving for the travelling attendant to hook on the ring
carrying the parcel to be left at the station. This Figure also shows the
apparatus C for suspending the dispatches on the station platform, and the
arm G¹ for receiving them from the carriage as mounted on the same iron
pillar P; the parcel X suspended from apparatus C is taken up by the car-
riage by means of arm G, and the parcel X' suspended from apparatus C¹ is
delivered on the pillar at the station by means of arm G¹. Fig. 4 represents
details of the suspending apparatus. The ring A is carried by spring R, seen
also in cross section at Fig. 5, and is received in a groove V made in stem C,
with a view to prevent oscillation, being further kept in contact with said stem
by means of a spring S. By this method of fitting the ring it not only serves
to support the weight of the parcel, but also offers very slight resistance, and
readily adapts itself to the action of the arm on the passing of the train.
It will be.readily understood that both the apparatus on the carriage and at
the station are arranged so as not to touch each other on the train passing.

page_text: The suspender fixed to the pillar and projecting towards the line, although it
may be at a distance of from 20 inches to two feet (which may be still further
increased with advantage), might even at that distance be found inconvenient
if a fixture, as, for example, a carriage door might come in contact therewith.
I obviate this by mounting the suspender so as to turn on its axis, the pro-
jecting part will then be in the opposite direction, and the stem be in a line
with its supporting pillar about a yard from the line of rails. The arm G also
fixed to the pillar may remain fixed, the nearest point projecting towards the
carriages being out of reach of the doors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for IIerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR TAKING UP AND DELIVERING MAILS AND OTHER PARCELS IN RAIL-
WAY TRAINS WHILE IN MOTION," a communication to me from abroad by
Julien Eugène Cuvier, Gentleman, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to a method of taking in the mails or dispatches at
railway stations without stopping a train, the apparatus being the same in
arrangement both at the station and on the carriage.
Supposing, in the first place, it is desired to deliver the mails at a station to
a train passing at express speed (see Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawing), the
attendant having first firmly corded the parcel of dispatches X; in this cord is
introduced a split ring of steel A opening and closing at will. On the platform
alongside the line is placed a post P carrying a bent rod C, having a double
slide through which the ring passes freely. The attendant now places the ring
carrying the mails in the slide at the upper part of which is a double spring R
opening to allow the ring to pass, and again closing so as to retain the latter
in suspension. The carriage which is to take up the parcel of dispatches is
furnished on its lateral surface with a bent arm G, the end H of which at the
moment the train passes engages in ring A. The spring R is then caused to
open by the shock, the dispatches falling on to arm G of the carriage, which
is curved in such manner as to cause the parcel to pass into the carriage through
the aperture F.
According to another and simpler arrangement for taking up mails by trains
in motion, instead of the bent arm G before mentioned for delivering the mails
into a window at the end of the postal carriage, I place this arm G in the
position shown at Fig. 3, its point I projecting through an aperture F in the
side of said carriage. In this manner the mails after being lifted off post P
in the mauner before described are by means of the bent arm G deposited in
the travelling carriage, the attendant, if seated, having only to turn round and
receive them without any assistance or exertion on his part.
In order to deliver dispatches at a station, the attendant in the carriage
suspends the parcel on a ring A, Fig. 2, which shows the apparatus arranged
for depositing parcels, and the attendant having attached the ring to the
parcel, it is then slid on a bent rod C mounted on the side of the carriage. On
the post P fixed at the station is placed a bent arm G, the end H of which
engages at the moment the train passes in the ring carried the carriage,
and so releases the dispatches, which remain suspended on the post. The
apparatus is very simple in its action, the two operations of delivery and
discharge being simultaneously effected, as it is only necessary previous to the

page_text: train passing a station for each of the attendants to suspend his parcel of dis-
patches. The apparatus being fixed with mathematical precision, it is almost
impossible for the operation to fail. The ring carrying the parcel is split in
order to facilitate its connection with the cord so as to obviate the necessity of
re-tying for the purpose of suspending it. Fig. 3 shows the position of the two
apparatus at the moment of taking in and delivering the two parcels or dis-
patches as before described. Two methods may be adopted for taking in the
dispatches suspended on the post at the station, which may pass either through
the rear window of the postal carriage or through the one at the side, also
serving for the travelling attendant to hook on the ring carrying the parcel to
be left at the station. This Figure also shows the apparatus C for suspending
the dispatches on the station platform, and the arm G' for receiving them from
the carriage as mounted on the same iron pillar P, the parcel X suspended
from apparatus C is taken up by the carriage by means of arm G, and the
parcel X' suspended from apparatus C¹ is delivered on the pillar at the station
by means of arm G¹.
Fig. 4 represents details of the suspending apparatus. The ring A is carried
by spring R, seen also in cross section at Fig. 5, and is received in a groove
V made in stem C with a view to prevent oscillation, being further kept in
contact with said stem by means of a spring S. By this method of fitting the
ring it not only serves to support the weight of the parcel, but also offers very
slight resistance and readily adapts itself to the action of the arm on the
passage of the train.
Supposing the parcel suspended on the carriage to be heavy enough to slip
off the retaining springs through the vibration caused by the motion of the
train, I obviate this by the application of a sheet-iron plate of sufficient width
under the parcel and fixed to a rack, as seen at Fig. 2, so as to be raised or
lowered at will and held in a suitable position by means of a spring taking
into the teeth of the rack. This spring is actuated by means of a small
button head fitted at the upper part of the interior of the carriage
which is pulled inwards, the small rack sliding up and down by its own
weight.
It will be readily understood that both the apparatus on the carriage and at
the station are arranged so as not to touch each other on the train passing.
The suspender C fixed to the pillar and projecting towards the line, although
it may be at a distance of from twenty inches to two feet (which may be still
further increased with advantage) might even at that distance be found incon-
venient if a fixture, as for example a carriage door might come in contact
therewith. I obviate this by mounting the suspender so as to turn on its axis.

page_text: The projecting part will then be in the opposite direction, and the stem be in
line with its supporting pillar, about a yard from the line of rails. The arm
G¹, also fixed to the pillar, may remain fixed, the nearest point projecting
towards the carriages being out of reach above the doors.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of perform-
ing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-the improved apparatus
herein described and represented for taking up and delivering mails and
other parcels at stations by passing trains, the chief features consisting
of the combination of the suspending ring and arms, all as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)