An Improved Postal Wagon.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Postal Wagon.
We BENJAMIN ARNOLD, of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Manufacturer,
HENRY HOWARD, of Phenix, Rhode Island, Manufacturer, and CHARLES
TAYLOR HOWARD of Phenix, Rhode Island, Treasurer, all in United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, to be as follows :—
This invention relates to vehicles for use in extending and facilitating the
service of distributing the postal matter of both metropolitan and rural districts,
by providing the conveniences required to accomplish for the lesser centres of
distribution of mail matter, that which the railway postal car has done for the
larger centres, in the way of handling the mails of places on railway routes, to the
end that places not contiguous to such routes may have more direct communication
with each other, and much carrying forward and backward of the same matter,
may be avoided, that is now made necessary in sending to a distant distributing
point, letters and packages to be returned to a neighbouring office, by establishing
a more direct communication between such offices.
The invention has also for its purpose to facilitate the collection and delivery of
mails in cities, by making use of the means that private individuals employ in
express and other commercial affairs, to save time and manual labour, and to keep
the postal service in its methods and means of performance, in line with private
enterprise.
The wagon is designed to be a light, strong vehicle, calculated to run quickly
over rough roads as well as smooth, and properly mounted on springs, as much for
a guard against the effects of jolts on a vehicle coming over rough ground, as for
the comfort and convenience of the occupant, who may be sorting over mail matters
inside.
The upper part of the wagon, is made preferably of light panel work, which is
stiffened by the cross divisions inside, in like manner as a house is by its partitions.
The lower part of the body is carried in under at the sides, after the style of some
passenger conveyances, for the purpose, mainly in this case, of putting the wheels
inside of the line of the upper part of the wagon, to enable persons to put letters in
the openings made in the sides for that purpose, without running so much danger
from the wheels.
In addition to the usual driver's entrance and seat in front, there is a back
entrance reached by a step, and suitable railings, on each side, to enable a carrier
to catch on and mount to a seat when the wagon is in motion. Two seats, one on
each side of the back entrance, are provided to accommodate two carriers, when
the wagon is used on routes where the team would stop at a cross street, and one
carrier could go down a cross street to the right, and the other, down the street to
the left, and make their deliveries and collections at the same time.
A section of the wagon just back of the driver's seat, is reserved to form a
receptacle to receive letters that may be deposited therein, either through the
apertures that open into it through the sides, or from the inside.
To facilitate the removal of the letters with the least amount of handling, the
bottom of this receptacle is made of two chutes, hung on a rod held at the bottom
ou a bar, running along the under side of the wagon. These chutes, extend up at
an angle to the projecting corner of the body, to allow more space for the forward
wheels to pass under when the wagon is turned around. The sides of the chute.
are made of sheet metal for lightness, and to save room. The two chutes, are
independent of each other in action, and when one chute is let down, its bottom

page_text: will be in line with the other chute so that all the mail matter in the receptacle
will slide down as in a trough, out into a basket placed under the outer end of the
chute to receive it, and any letters put in the opening, on the other side, at this
time will pass out with the rest of the.contents..
A door, hinged on one side to open laterally, is placed over the chute on each
side of the wagon. The lower edges of the doors being made with projecting
cleats to shut under the outer ends of the chutes, so that when the doors are shut
and locked, the chutes cannot be let down. The chutes are also provided_with
hooks, to hold them up when the doors are open, for the principal use of the doors
is to enable a collector to deposit packages of letters in the receptacle, that would
not go through the openings.
The space between one of the back seats, and the driver's seat, is appropriated
to boxes or pigeon holes, for different places on the route, and the like space on the
opposite side is utilized for a table on which letters can be sorted and stamped, by
a person standing in the centre between. A drawer, is placed under this table, and
may be. made to draw out towards the centre of the wagon, or out over the seat,
to be used to hold stamps, envelopes, cards, and money received for them on the
route. The space, on each side of the driver's seat may be used for packages and
the like.
A lantern is put in through the roof at the rear end, so as to illuminate a
transparent plate in the back end, with suitable lettering on it. A curtain is hung
at the top of the back entrance, that can be drawn down to close the rear end and
protect the occupants in bad weather. The wagon is properly lighted in the day
time, by two windows on each side. Both sides of the wagon are alike, and
appropriate lettering may be put on each side, to indicate the purpose it is intended
to carry out.
Dated his 11th 1
T
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Postal Wagon.
We, BENJAMIN ARNOLD, of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Manufacturer,
HENRY HOWARD, of Phenix, Rhode Island, Manufacturer, and CHARLES
TAYLOR HOWARD, of Phenix, Rhode Island, Treasurer, all in the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to vehicles for use in extending and facilitating the
service of distributing the postal matter of both metropolitan and rural districts,
by providing the conveniences required to accomplish for the lesser centres of
distribution of mail matter, that which the railway postal car has done for the
larger centres, in the way of handling the mails of places on railway routes, to the
end that places not contiguous to such routes may have more direct communication
with each other, and much carrying forward and back of the same matter, may
be avoided, that is now made necessary in sending to a distant distributing point,
letters and packages to be returned to a neighbouring office, by establishing a
more direct communication between such offices.
It is also for the purpose of facilitating the collection and delivery of mails in
cities, by making use of the means that private individuals employ in express and
other commercial affairs, to save time and manual labour, and to keep the postal
service in its methods and means of performance, up in line with private
enterprise.

page_text: Fig. 1, shows a perspective view of the wagon, taken partly from the rear.
Fig. 2, is a rear view.
Fig. 3, represents a vertical cross section of the wagon, on line x, x, Fig. 4.
Fig. 4, shows a horizontal section taken on line 2, 2, Fig. 3.
The wagon is designed to be a light, strong vehicle, calculated to run quickly
over rough roads as well as smooth, and properly mounted on springs, as much for
a guard against the effect of jolts on a vehicle coming over rough ground, as for
the comfort and convenience of the occupant, who may be sorting over mail
matters inside.
The upper part A, of the wagon, is made preferably of light panel work, which
is stiffened by the cross divisions inside, in like manner as a house is by its.
partitions. The lower part of the body is carried in under at the sides, after the
style of some passenger conveyances, for the purpose, mainly in this case, of
putting the wheels inside of the line of the upper part of the wagon, to enable
persons to put letters in the openings made in the sides for that purpose, without
running so much danger from the wheels.
In addition to the usual driver's entrance and seat t, in front, there is a back
entrance reached by a step b, and suitable railings i, i, on each side, to enable a
carrier to catch on and mount to a seat when the wagon is in motion. Two-
seats a, a, one on each side of the back entrance, are provided to accommodate
two carriers, when the wagon is used on routes where the team would stop at a
cross street, and one carrier could go down a cross street to the right, and the
other, down the street to the left, and make their deliveries and collections at the
same time.
A section of the wagon just back of the driver's seat t, is reserved to form a
receptacle r, to receive letters that may be deposited therein, either through the-
apertures c, that open into it through the sides, or from the inside.
The
To facilitate the removal of the letters with the least amount of handling, the
bottom of this receptacle is made of two chutes s, s, hung on a rod d, held at the
bottom on a bar k, running along the under side of the wagon. These chutes s,.
extend up at an angle to the projecting corner of the body, to allow more space
for the forward wheels to pass under when the wagon is turned around.
sides e, e, of the chute, are made of sheet metal for lightness, and to save room.
The two chutes s, s, are independent of each other in action, and when one chute-
is let down, as in Fig. 1, its bottom will be in line with the other chute (see
dotted lines in Fig. 3) so that all the mail matter in the receptacle will slide down
as in a trough, out into a basket placed under the outer end of the chute to receive
it, and any letters put in the opening c, on the other side, at this time will pass out
with the rest of the contents.
A door, hinged on one side to open laterally, is placed over the chute on each
side of the wagon. The lower edges of the doors being made with projecting
cleats to shut under the outer ends of the chutes, so that when the doors are shut
and locked, the chutes cannot be let down. The chutes are also provided with
hooks to hold them up when the doors are open, for the principal use of the
doors is to enable a collector to deposit packages of letters in the receptacle, that
would not go through the openings c.
The space between one of the back seats a, and the driver's seat t, is appropriated
to boxes or pigeon holes j, for different places on the route, and the like space on
the opposite side y, is utilized for a table on which letters can be sorted and
stamped, by a person standing in the centre between. A drawer v, is placed
under this table y, and may be made to draw out towards the centre of the wagon,
or out over the seat a, to be used to hold stamps, envelopes, cards, and money
received for them on the route. The space n, on each side of the driver's seat
may be used for packages, &c.
A lantern, is put in through the roof at the rear end, so as to illuminate a
transparent plate in the back end, with suitable lettering on it. A curtain h, is

page_text: hung at the top of the back entrance, that can be drawn down to close the rear
end and protect the occupants in had weather. The wagon is properly lighted
in the day time, by two windows on each side. Both sides of the wagon are
alike, and appropriate lettering may be put on each side, as in Fig. 1, to indicate
the purpose it is intended to carry out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. A postal wagon provided with a front entrance and a seat for a driver, a
rear entrance with steps and suitable railings, and a seat or seats for carriers, and
a receptacle with openings on one or both sides of the wagon to receive letters, &c.,
substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a postal wagon, a receptacle for mail matter, consisting of one or more
chutes hinged at the inner end or centre and arranged to be let down to discharge
the contents, substantially as specified.
3rd. In a postal wagon arranged substantially as described, a receptacle to
receive mail matter, consisting of one or more chutes hinged at the inner end, and
arranged to be let down to discharge their contents, in combination with a door
placed above the outer end of the chute, substantially as described.
4th. Means for facilitating the collecting and distributing of mail matter, such
as a letter depository, pigeon holes, shelves, receptacle for stamps, postal cards,
and envelopes, adapted to and combined with a wagon suitable for use on common
roads, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of April 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.