Improvements in Mail Bags.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept.. 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
Improvements in Mail Bags.
I, THOMAS HUGH GORDON of Number 1 Third Street, in the Village of
Liverpool, County of Onondaga, and State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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 improvements in mail bags, and has for its object, the
production of a device, which is particularly light, simple in construction, effective
in operation, and durable in use; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the
construction and arrangement of the component parts of the bag, all as hereinafter
fully described and pointed out in the claims. In describing this invention, reference
is had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this Specification, in which,
like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a perspective of the upper portion of this improved mail bag.
Figure 2 is a perspective of the mail bag having its outer flap folded downwardly,
and its hinge sections or leaves detached.
Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections, taken, respectively, on lines 3-3, and 4-4,
Figure 1; and
Figure 5 is a vertical section, taken on line 3-3, Figure 1, the outer and inner
flaps being folded backwardly for opening the mail bag and a greater portion of the
body of the bag being illustrated.
A represents the body of the mail bag, which is usually composed of leather, and
is provided with an opening a, preferably arranged in its top for the entrance and
removal of the mail, and a perforation al for receiving a locking member, presently
described. As said bag may be of any desirable form and size, it has been deemed
necessary to illustrate only its upper end. B, is a band usually composed of leather,
which encircles the upper portion of the body, and is secured thereto by suitable
fastening means as b. The side of the band B adjacent to the perforation a¹ of the
body A is provided with a flap projecting from one side of the opening a and
lapping upon the opposite side of said opening and band for closing the opening,
and is also provided with a perforation aligned with the perforation a', and a
slot for permitting inspection of a label, presently described. The opposite side
of the band B is provided with a projecting outer flap lapping upon the flap b',
and the band B, Figure 3, and formed with a slot aligned with the slot 6³.
flap is here illustrated as secured to the remaining portion of the band B, by
suitable fastening means 6, but it is obvious that the flaps may be either
formed integral with or separable from the band B, and that, if desired, the
band B may be dispensed with, and the flaps formed upon or secured to the
body A.
The
This improved mail bag is preferably provided with a suitable label holder,
which may be secured to any desired portion thereof, and preferably consists of a
pocket secured to the inner face of the flap b' and arranged within the outer face
of the mail bag. The pocket 67 is aligned with the slots 63, and is provided with
an aperture 8 in its side wall for the entrance of a label 6, which can be readily
inspected through the slots 6. A stiffening plate 60 aligned with the slot b

page_text: may be secured to the outer face of the flap 6 for preventing undue bending of the
edges of said slot 6 This label holder is particularly suitable for use with this
improved mail bag, as it is arranged entirely within its outer face, and is not liable
to become detached therefrom. Moreover, the label is securely held from removal
when the outer flap bis locked in its closed position, as presently described. It is
obvious, however, that label holders of any other suitable construction.may be used
with this mail bag.
The flaps bare preferably provided with suitable connecting means usually
consisting of hinge divisions or leaves C C¹ extending transversely across said flaps
and having their engaging ends cc detachably interlocked with each other.
Interlocking hinge divisions or leaves are preferably used at each end of the
flaps 6, but it is obvious that any desired number thereof may be used. The
divisions or leaves C are arranged upon the outer face of the Hap b¹ with their
engaging ends in proximity to its free edge and their opposite extremities are
secured to said flap by suitable fastening means c. The divisions or leaves C¹ are
arranged upon the inner face of the flap and their ends nearest its free edge
are secured by suitable fastening means c³.
The engaging ends c' of the hinge divisions or leaves C are here shown 'as loops,
and the adjacent ends of the divisions or leaves C as hooks for entering said loops,
but the loops and hooks may be reversely arranged, and said ends may be suitably
constructed for permitting detachable interlocking thereof. If desired, the adjacent
ends of the divisions or leaves C C' may be permanently hinged together and one
of said divisions or leaves may be detachably secured to the corresponding flap.
The hinge divisions or leaves C C¹ connect together the flaps bib, and prevent
upward movement of the inner flap when the outer flap is secured in its closed
position, as presently described, and they also act as transverse stiffening bars for
preventing the bending of the flaps necessary to separate the interlocking ends
of the hinge sections or leaves CC, and permit upward movement of the flap bl.
In order to more positively prevent undue movement of the flap 61 when the nail
bag is closed, additional stiffening pieces are used, as bars D and braces D', secured
by suitable fastening means d; the bars D extending transversely across one of
the flaps as b', and the braces D' extending diagonally across the band B. Con-
sequently, when the flap 64 is locked in its closed position, the inner and outer flaps
are securely connected together and the necessary bending of said flaps and the
band B for disconnecting the flaps is entirely prevented. In some constructions of
mail bags the connecting hinge divisions or leaves C C' are dispensed with, and, in
that event, a sufficient number of stiffening bars or braces D D' are used to prevent
the necessary bending of the flaps b¹b and the band B to permit of upward
movement of the flap b¹.
The flap 6 is held in its closed position by a suitable lock E, which is preferably
interposed between the body A, and the adjacent portion of the hand B, from
which the flap b¹ projects. The lock E is formed with a suitable perforation e
aligned with the perforations a¹ 62, previously described, and the free end of the
flap is provided with a locking member 11, here shown as a loop movable through
the perforations be a¹. The lock E is provided with a locking member e', here
illustrated as a bolt for engaging the loop 6". It is obvious, however, that the
locking members be may be of any desirable form, size, and construction for
permitting of their ready engagement. The lock E may also be of any desirable
form, size, and construction, and consequently it is unnecessary to further illustrate
or describe the same. Indeed, if desired, the free end of the flap may be formed
with a perforation for receiving a fixed staple or loop projecting from the adjacent
face of the band B, and a suitable padlock may be engaged with the outer end of
the fixed staple or loop.
In the practical use of this improved bag, the mail is inserted when the flaps b
are folded backwardly as illustrated at Figure 5, the flap 6 is then lapped over the
opening a, the flap 6 is moved upwardly for permitting engagement of the hinge

page_text: livisions or leaves C C¹, and the movement of the flap bis continued until it is
apped upon the flap band the band B, and is engaged with the lock E. In
removing the mail, the lock E is operated in the usual manner to release the locking
member 6, the flap b' is folded backwardly for permitting disengagement of the
hinge divisions or leaves C C' and the flap b' is moved backwardly, whereupon the
mail may be readily removed through the opening a.
The operation of this improved mail bag will be readily perceived upon reference
to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, and it will be
particularly noted that it contains but a minimum number of parts, which are
readily assembled, is light in weight, economical in manufacture, quickly opened
and closed, prevents tampering with the mail when locked, and is so constructed
that the connecting meinbers for its flaps and the lock for the outer flap are
arranged within the outer surfaces of the bag, and are not liable to become injured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is-
1. A mail bag comprising a body A having an opening a therein, an inner flap b
projecting from one side of the opening and lapping upon its opposite side for
closing the opening, an outer flap projecting from the opposite side of the
opening and lapping upon the former flap, a hinge division or leaf C extending
transversely across the outer face of the inner flap band having one extremity
secured thereto and its opposite extremity formed with an engaging end arranged
in proximity to the outer edge of said flap, and a hinge division or leaf C¹ extending
transversely across the inner face of the outer flap and having its extremity
arranged nearest the outer edge thereof secured to the flap and its opposite extremity
provided with an engaging end for detachably interlocking with the adjacent end
of the former division or leaf, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. A mail bag comprising a body A having an opening a therein, an inner flap b
projecting from one side of the opening and lapping upon its opposite side for
closing the opening, an outer flap projecting from the opposite side of the
opening and lapping upon the former flap, a hinge division or leaf C extending
transversely across the outer face of the inner flap and having one extremity
secured thereto and its opposite extremity formed with an engaging end arranged in
proximity to the outer edge of said flap, a hinge division or leaf C¹ extending
transversely across the inner face of the outer Hap band having its extremity
arranged nearest the outer edge thereof secured to the flap a and its opposite
extremity provided with an engaging end for detachably interlocking with the
adjacent end of the former division or leaf, and diagonally arranged braces for
preventing undue disengagement of the hinge divisions or leaves, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
3. A mail bag comprising a body A having an opening a therein, an inner flap b¹
projecting from one side of the opening and lapping upon its opposite side for
closing the opening, an outer flap projecting from the opposite side of the
opening and lapping upon the former flap, a hinge division or leaf C extending
transversely across the outer face of the inner flap band having one extremity
secured thereto and its opposite extremity formed with an engaging end arranged in
proximity to the outer edge of said flap, a hinge division or leaf C¹ extending
transversely across the inner face of the outer flap & and having its extremity arranged
nearest the outer edge thereof secured to the flap and its opposite extremity
O provided with an engaging end for detachably interlocking with the adjacent end
of the former division or leaf, and a lock for holding the outer flap in its closed
position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. A mail bag comprising a body A having its top provided with separate pieces
normally lapped upon each other, one of said pieces being provided with a slot
5 extending therethrough; of a label pocket b' aligned with the slot and secured

page_text: to the inner face of said piece for permitting inspection of the label through the
slot, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 14th day of September 1895.
THOMAS HUGH GORDON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.