Improvements in Cash and Parcel Carrying Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1893—Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash and Parcel Carrying Apparatus.
A communication by JAMES FRANCIS BARTLETT, of 94, La Salle Street, Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Man-
chester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
:-
This invention relates to that class of cash and parcel carriers designed mainly
for store service, in which a wheeled carrier, provided with a detachable box or
receptacle, is arranged to travel to and fro on a sustaining wire.
The invention has in view the simplification of the apparatus; the stoppage of
the carriage at the end of its movement with certainty and in a noiseless manner,
and the propulsion of the carriage by a manual device operating without the
assistance of springs, catches or other complicated devices.
With these ends in view, a buffer is provided, at each end of the wire way, con-
sisting of a collapsible sack or chamber provided with a shoulder or its equivalent
to interlock with the incoming car.
The car is constructed with a frame, the ends of which encircle the sustaining
wire, and which are adapted to automatically engage with the shoulder of the
buffer as the car reaches the terminal station.
For the purpose of propelling the car, a handle or hand-piece is used, consisting
simply of an arm having one end adapted to loosely encircle the wire so that it may
be suspended freely thereon when not in use, and carried forward against the car
with a sweeping motion to impel the car over the line as hereinafter more fully
explained.
In carrying the invention into effect, the wire or cord is extended under suitable
tension between the counter and the cashier's desk, or other terminal stations,
securing the same at its ends by turn buckles, or equivalent devices, to a supporting
wall or standard.
On this wire, the travelling car or carriage is mounted permanently, provided
with two sustaining wheels arranged to ride upon the wire, so that the car may
move with ease and freedom.
To the car, a detachable cup or receptacle is connected, designed to receive the
change or other articles to be transported. This cup may be attached to the car
in any suitable manner. The cup is provided at the upper edge with projecting
studs or pins arranged to enter L-shaped slots in a circular flange on the bottom
of the car after the manner of a bayonet joint.
At each end of the line, a buffer is provided, in the form of a collapsible chamber
of rubber, or other elastic material. These buffers are preferably mounted upon
and around the wire, in order that it may serve as a support therefor. At their
rear sides, these chambers are preferably fixed upon the wire, but, at the forward
side, or side toward the car, they are each formed with a projecting neck or
shoulder arranged to slide freely around the wire and adapted to serve as a buffer
or cushion against which the end of the incoming car may impinge. To the neck
of the buffer is attached an outwardly extending tube sliding freely around the
wire, and terminating at its outer end in a conical head, having an aunular shoulder
at its inner end.
The frame of the carriage is adapted to encircle the wire at its two ends, and is

page_text: provided at the end with openings of sufficient size to permit the conical head to
pass therethrough.
As the car approaches the terminal point, the end of its frame rides over and
around the neck and against the neck of the buffer, which, yielding by reason of
its elasticity, and, by reason of the leakage of air through the neck, serves to
arrest the momentum of the car in an easy and noiseless manner. The end of the
car, after passing over the neck, falls behind its shoulder, whereby the car is
prevented from rebounding and returning along the line.
Each end of the car frame is extended upward and outward in the form of an
ear, by means of which the end of the frame may be lifted so as to disengage the
same from the shoulder, that the car may be driven forward on its return course.
This unlocking of the car and its impulsion over the line may be effected by hand
or by mechanism of any suitable character, but the employment of an impelling
device is recommended, consisting of a bent rod or wire provided with a suitable
handle at the lower end, and having its upper end bent into the form of a ring,
preferably with an opening on one side that it may be conveniently hooked upon,
or removed from, the wire way. This device is engaged around the wire at or near
the buffer, between the buffer and the carriage.
*
When the carriage is to be driven forward, the handle of the impelling device
is grasped, and its upper end engaged beneath the lip of the carriage, so as to lift
the latter over the neck, thus leaving the carriage free. As a continuation of the
same action, and with a sweeping or swinging motion, the upper end of the arm is
carried forward against the rear end of the carriage, which is thereby caused to
advance over the line with sufficient velocity to reach the station at the opposite
end.
It will be observed that the conical neck is in effect simply a detent or catch to
hold the car from reacting after contact with the buffer, and it is apparent that
it may be modified in form within the range of mechanical skill, provided it is
adapted to operate with essentially the effect described, the only essential
requirement being that the car and the detent shall be adapted to unlock
automatically.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash and Parcel Carrying Apparatus.
A communication by JAMES FRANCIS BARTLETT, of 94, La Salle Street,
Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of
America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 that class of cash and parcel carriers designed mainly
for store service, in which a wheeled carrier, provided with a detachable box or
receptacle, is arranged to travel to and fro on a sustaining-wire.
The invention has in view the. simplification of the apparatus; the stoppage of
the carriage at the end of its movement with certainty, and in a noiseless manner,
and the propulsion of the carriage by a manual device operating without the
assistance of springs, catches, or other complicated' devices.
With these ends in view, a buffer is provided, at each end of the wire-way, con-
sisting of a collapsible sack or chamber provided with a shoulder or its equivalent
to interlock with the incoming car.

page_text: The car is constructed with a frame, the ends of which encircle the sustaining wire,
and which are adapted to automatically engage with the shoulder of the buffer as
the car reaches the terminal station.
For the purpose of propelling the car, a handle or hand-piece is used consisting
simply of an arm having one end adapted to loosely encircle the wire so that it
may be suspended freely thereon when not in use, and carried forward against the
car with a sweeping motion to impel the car over the line as hereinafter more fully
explained.
In the accompanying drawings,-
Figure 1 represents in side elevation the car, one end of the sustaining wire, the
buffer and its connections ;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the car;
Figure 3 a longitudinal central vertical section through the parts represented in
Figure 1 ;
Figure 4 a perspective view of the propelling device; and
Figure 5 a cross-section on the line 5-5, Figures 1 and 2.
In carrying the invention into effect, the wire or cord A is extended under suitable
tension between the counter and the cashier's desk, or other terminal stations, the
same being secured at its ends, by turn buckles A¹ or equivalent devices, to a
supporting wall or standard.
On this wire the travelling car or carriage B is mounted permanently, provided
with two sustaining wheels B2 arranged to ride upon the wire, so that the car may
move with ease and freedom.
To the car, a detachable cup or receptacle B₁ is connected, designed to receive
the change or other articles to be transported. This cup may be attached to
the car in any suitable manner. As represented in the drawing, the cup is
provided at the upper edge with projecting studs or pins arranged to enter L-shaped
slots in a circular flange on the bottom of the car after the manner of a bayonet
joint.
At each end of the line, a buffer D is provided in the form of a collapsible chamber
of rubber, or other elastic material. These buffers are preferably mounted upon and
around the wire A as shown in the drawing, in order that may serve as a support
therefor.
At their rear sides these chambers are preferably fixed upon the wire, but at the
forward side or side toward the car, they are each formed with a projecting neck or
shoulder d'arranged to slide freely around the wire and adapted to serve as a
buffer or cushion against which the end of the incoming car may impinge. To the
neck of the buffer is attached an outwardly extending tube sliding freely around
the wire and terminating at its outer end in a conical head C having an annular
shoulder c at its inner end.
The frame of the carriage is adapted to encircle the wire at its two ends, and is
provided at the end with openings a of sufficient size to permit the conical head C
to pass therethrough.
As the car approaches the terminal point, the end of its frame rides over and
around the neck c and against the neck of the buffer, which, yielding by reason
of its elasticity, and by reason of the leakage of air through the neck, serves to
arrest the momentum of the car in an easy and noiseless manner. The end of
the car, after passing over the neck, falls behind its shoulder c¹ in the manner
indicated in Figure 3, whereby the car is prevented from rebounding and returning
along the line.
Each end of the car frame is extended' upward and outward in the form of an
ear a¹, by means of which the end of the frame may be lifted so as to disengage
the same from the shoulder c that the car may be driven forward on its return
course. This unlocking of the car, and its impulsion over the line, may be effected
by hand or by mechanism of any suitable character, but the employment of an
impelling device is recommended substantially such as shown in Figure 4 consisting
of a bent rod or wire provided with a suitable handle at the lower end, and having

page_text: its upper end bent into the form of a ring, preferably with an opening on one side
that it may be conveniently hooked upon, or removed from, the wire-way. This
device is commonly engaged around the wire at or near the buffer D between the
buffer and the carriage.
When the carriage is to be driven forward, the handle of the impelling device is
grasped, and its upper end engaged, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, beneath
the lip a¹ of the carriage, so as to lift the latter over the neck c, thus leaving the
carriage free. As a continuation of the same action, and with a sweeping or swinging
motion, the upper end of the arm is carried forward against the rear end of the
carriage, which is thereby caused to advance over the line with sufficient velocity to
reach the station at the opposite end.
It will be observed that the conical neck is in effect simply a detent or catch to
hold the car from reacting after contact with the buffer, and it is apparent that it
may be modified in form within the range of mechanical skill, provided it is adapted
to operate with essentially the effect described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a cash carrier, the combination of a way, a car arranged to travel thereover,
a collapsible elastic sack in the path of the car to arrest its motion, and a detent
adapted to engage the car and prevent the same from rebounding.
2. In a cash carrier, the combination of a way, a wheeled car movable thereover,
a collapsible sack at the end of the line to arrest the advancing car, and a detent
connected to the sack and adapted to engage the car and prevent its rebound.
3. In a cash carrier, the combination of the wire, the car mounted thereon, the
collapsible chamber or buffer, and the shouldered neck attached to the sack and
adapted to engage and hold the car.
4. In a cash carrier, the combination of the wire way, a car mov: 'le thereon, a
collapsible elastic sack mounted on and sustained by the wire to check e movement
of the advancing car, and the shouldered neck connected to the sack and adapted
to enter an opening in the car and interlock therewith.
5. In a cash carrier, and in combination with a wire way, and a detent or clutch
at its end, a wheeled carriage movable over the way, having its frame adapted to
override the detent and engage the same by gravity.
6. In a cash carrier, the combination of the wire way, the shouldered neck or
detent, and the car provided with the opening to admit the detent, and the lip by
which to lift it out of engagement.
-
7. In a cash carrier, the wire way, and the car thereon in combination with the
collapsible chamber, having the tubular neck and the conical head or detent adapted
to slide loosely upon the wire.
8. In a cash carrier, a wire way, and a car movable thereover, in combination with
a car-impelling arm or handle loosely suspended upon the wire.
9. In a cash carrier and in combination with a way and a car movable there-
over, a detent C, adapted to engage the car, and a loose handle or impelling
device E adapted to lift the car out of engagement and also to impel the same
along the line.
.10. In a cash carrier, the combination of a way, a car movable along the same,
and an arm or handle adapted to be sustained and operated wholly by hand to drive
the car forward.
11. In a cash carrier, and in combination with a way and a car thereon, a buffer
consisting of an elastic sack provided with a vent to permit the escape of air under
the impact of the car.