Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Mail Bags to and from Trains in Motion.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Cominunicated from abroad by ABRAHAM KIMBER, of the City of Indianapolis,
Marion County, Indiana, United States of America, Inventor.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Mail Bags to and from
Trains in Motion.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore the devices in common use for catching mail pouches or bags from
and delivering them to postal carriages in motion, consisted in general, of arms and
hooks mounted across the door way of the said carriages and on cranes arranged
alongside the track over which the cars pass, from which arins the pouches were
suspended to be caught by hooks arranged to engage therewith. Such mechanism
has been used in a variety of forms, but has been found defective in that the
pouches in order to be securely suspended have necessarily been held to the
supporting arms by some sort of retaining device, mechanisia or formation in the arm,
from which considerable force has been required to release them. The sudden
force or jerk with which the said pouches have therefore been torn from the said
supporting arms operates not only to wrench and soon get the apparatus out of
order, but also rapidly destroys and frequently tears the pouches, thus rendering
the expense of keeping them in repair considerable.
The object of my said invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for catching
mail pouches or bags from and delivering them to postal carriages while in motion
whereby these difficulties will be overcome, and it consists in devices located on the
car and alongside the track which operate together, as the car passes, to throw one
or more mail pouches loosely contained in a receptacle on the car, and another or
others loosely contained in a receptacle alongside the track, from said respective
receptacles, one discharging into an open receptacle attached to the car and another
discharging into an open receptacle arranged alongside the track, which receptacles
receive said pouches in the same loose and free condition in which they were
contained by the first receptacle. And it further consists in so equipping the car
with the device that it will not be necessary to open the outer door of the car
unless desired, and so that no outdoor work will be required in the use of the
apparatus, thus also obviating a disadvantage of the old apparatus in necessitating
the exposure of the postal clerk in cold and stormy weather. This advantage is
one of great importance inasmuch as the work of said clerks is such as requires
considerable exertion and rapidity of movement causing them to become heated and
to work lightly clothed, in which condition the several moments exposure in severe
weather while fixing cach pouch to be delivered and taking in the one received is
very dangerous to their health, the requirements of the work not permitting the
use of time for properly clothing themselves for such work and the removal of such
additional clothing when returning to the inside work of sorting and distributing
the mail.
The postal carriage is in itself of any usual or desired construction. Extending
longitudinally of the car beneath its floor and for a considerable portion of its
length, is arranged a receptacle for receiving the pouches. The front of said
receptacle is open, its lower edge being preferably provided with a rail extending
up a short distance from the bottom. Said bottom and the rear sides of the
receptacle are preferably formed of some flexible or springy material, such as
woven wire cloth, which will be found very suitable being open to perinit dirt and
cinders to drop through and at the same time possessing sufficient elasticity for the

page_text: purpose. Any other flexible material may be substituted, however, if preferred, or
if desired a solid board construction may be used. The flexible material, however,
allows the pouch to settle into it when received, and avoids any danger of its
rebounding, as might be the case with a board bottom. A trap-door is provided
in the floor of the car through which access is had to said receptacle for taking the
pouches therefrom. A receptacle hung upon an upright is also mounted beneath
the floor of the car, the said upright extending up through the floor and being
hinged on a pivot or shaft which extends through said upright just above the floor
and has its ends journalled in suitable bearings secured thereto. The said upright
is preferably located at one of the front corners of said receptacle and may be an
extension of one of its side pieces. A spring is connected to the rear side of said
receptacle and to the under side of the car a short distance behind it, which thus
operates to hold said receptacle normally in an upright position. The top end of
said upright is provided with a horizontal arın which extends out through a slot
in the side of the car and is formed with a rounded under face which is adapted to
strike and ride over the operating cam on the top of the post, and be operated
thereby, as will be presently described. The said arm is preferably hinged to the
part, being held rigidly therewith when in use By means of a block inserted against
its rear face behind a clip secured to the said part. By this arrangement when the
apparatus is not in use, and it is desired to do so, said block may be withdrawn and
the horizontal arm swung up and back into a nearly horizontal position thus
substantially or entirely if preferred withdrawing the projecting point from the
outside of the carriage. An opening is also formed in the floor of the car above
this receptacle, through which mail pouches to be delivered to a station are
deposited therein. As will be readily understood, said opening may also be
provided with a trap-door if desired. Near the opposite end of the car is secured
a double cam-faced strip having two cam projections, one at each end, and being
hollowed out between the said projections.
The post is set and braced suitably in the proper position alongside the track.
It is preferably formed in two parts the top portion of which is hinged thereto by
a hinge on its rear side, which thus permits said top portion to be tipped back out
of the way when not in use. A hasp or other suitable means, is provided for
locking the said hinged top in an upright position when in use. The top of the
said post is formed with a cam surface being high in its centre and tapered each
way therefrom. Receptacles are arranged on each side of the post extending out a
short distance therefrom, the open side thereof being adjacent to said post, and
formed tapered from its rear side forward in a direction away from said post, thus
forming a wider opening to more readily receive the pouches. The said receptacles
also preferably converge from the opening towards their outer ends the back and
front sides being tapered or curved towards each other. Thus as the pouch is
caught therein its speed and force is gradually overcome as it slides into the
narrowing receptacle, and it is also guided into and retained within said receptacle,
with greater certainty. Near the top of the upper portion is formed a transverse
notch in which is mounted a horizontal arm on a vertical pivot which arm extends
out each way therefrom and has a pocket or receptacle secured to one end and a
cam formed on its other end, the cam-faced end being normally held forward at all
times by means of a spring interposed between its rear edge and the back of said
notch. Said pocket or receptacle is of a form to receive the mail pouch to be
thrown onto the postal car, its front being open and its rear side closed.
As will be readily understood the openings into the car, such as the slot through
which the arm extends might be closed with flexible material, and many other
obvious modifications in the form or arrangement of parts might be made without
departing from my invention.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows.
Suppose the carriage to be going in the direction to the left at a considerable
rate of speed. The horizontal arm being fastened rigidly in a horizontal position

page_text: being in said receptacle, as the point of said arm passes the post which is of just
the required height, its point strikes and rides over the cam-shaped top part which
throws the said arm upward slightly, which by reason of the speed of the train, is a
quick and sudden movement, and operates to throw the receptacle forward slightly
but suddenly and with sufficient force to throw the pouch therefrom into the
receptacle on the side of the post in the direction which the car is travelling.
Then the first cam on the strip strikes the cam throwing that end of the pivoted
arm back and the opposite end carrying the receptacle forward with a sudden
motion. The mail pouch being in the said receptacle is by the said motion quickly
tossed or thrown therefrom into the receptacle under the floor of the car, when the
car is going in the opposite direction. The car proceeding, the projecting end of
the arm will strike the side of the cam-faced top of the post and be thrown upward,
which will operate to throw the receptacle outward on its pivot by a sudden
movement and toss the pouch therein into the receptacle on the opposite side of the
post. The train having passed, the top of the post carrying the pivoted arm may
be turned back, as before described, to be entirely out of the way of any other
passing trains.
By the use of this device all obstructions to the car door are obviated and also all
necessity of suspending pouches in an exposed position, as all receptacles herein are
so formed as to protect said pouches from wind, and stormy weather, thus materially
preserving them.
It will be understood that if preferred, the device on the post may be arranged
to throw directly into the car door, but I prefer the receptacle as described for the
reason that the car door can then be kept closed, as before stated.
It will also be understood that in use the car will preferably be equipped with
the apparatus on both of its sides, to accommodate stations located on either side of
the track.
י.
1
1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Mail Bags to and from
Trains in Motion.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., l'atent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
Heretofore the devices in common use for catching mail pouches or bags from
and delivering them to postal carriages in motion consisted in general, of arms and
hooks mounted across the door way of the said carriages and on cranes arranged
alongside the track over which the cars pass, from which arms the pouches were
suspended to be caught by hooks arranged to engage therewith. Such mechanism
has been used in a variety of forms, but has been found defective in that the
pouches in order to be securely suspended have necessarily been held to the
supporting arms by some sort of retaining device, mechanism or formation in
the arin, from which considerable force has been required to release them. The
sudden force or jerk with which the said pouches have therefore been torn from
the said supporting arms operates not only to wrench and soon get the apparatus
out of order, but also rapidly destroys and frequently tears the pouches, thus
rendering the expense of keeping them in repair considerable.
The object of my said invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for catching
mail pouches or bags from and delivering them to postal carriages while in motion
whereby these difficulties will be overcome and it consists in devices located on the

page_text: car and alongside the back when operate together, as the car passes, to throw one
or more mail pouches loosely contained in a receptacle on the car, and another or
others loosely contained in a receptacle alongside the track, from said respective
receptacles, one discharging into an open receptacle attached to the car and another
discharging into an open receptacle arranged alongside the track, which receptacles
receive said pouches in the same loose and free condition in which they were con-
tained by the first receptacle. And it further consists in so equipping the car with
the device that it will not be necessary to open the outer door of the car unless
desired, and so that no outdoor work will be required in the use of the apparatus
thus also obviating a disadvantage of the old apparatus in necessitating the exposure
of the postal clerk in cold and stormy weather. This advantage is one of great
importance inasmuch as the work of said clerks is such as requires considerable
exertion and rapidity of movement causing them to become heated and to work
lightly clothed, in which condition the several moments exposure in severe weather
while fixing each pouch to be delivered and taking in the one received is very
dangerous to their health, the requirements of the work not permitting the use of
time for properly clothing themselves for such work and the removal of such
additional clothing when returning to the inside work of sorting and distributing
the mail.
Keferring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on
which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one side of a railway postal car equipped with
the portion of my apparatus belonging thereto, the other portion thereof being
also shown in perspective alongside the track in proper position for use therewith;
Figure 2a horizontal sectional view through the postal car, showing the apparatus
alongside the track in top plan;
Figure 3 a detail transverse section through said car looking in the direction
indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 3.3. in Figure 2:
Figure 4 a detail vertical section through the upper portion of the post to which
the mechanism alongside the track is attached, looking in the direction indicated
by the arrows from the dotted line 4. 4. in Figure 2;
Figure 5 a horizontal section looking in the direction indicated by the arrows
from the dotted line 5. 5. in Figure 4, and
Figure 6 a detail transverse section through the top of the post looking in the
direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 6. 6. in Figure 4.
In said drawings the portions marked A represent the postal car, and B the post
supporting the portion of the apparatus alongside the track.
The postal carriage is in itself of any usual or desired construction. Extending
longitudinally cf the car beneath its floor and for a considerable portion of its
length, is arranged a receptacle A¹ for receiving the pouches. The front of said
receptacle is open, its lower edge being preferably provided with a rail extending
up a short distance from the bottom. Said bottom and the rear sides of the
receptacle are preferably formed of some flexible or springy material, such as
woven, wire cloth, as shown which will be found very suitable being open to permit
dirt and cinders to drop through and at the same time possessing sufficient elasticity
for the purpose. Any other flexible material may be substituted, however, if
preferred, or if desired a solid board construction may be used. The flexible
material, however, allows the pouch to settle into it when received, and avoids any
danger of its rebounding, as might be the case with a board bottom. A trap-door a
is provided in. the floor of the car through which access is had to said receptacle
for taking the pouches therefrom. A receptacle A hung upon an upright a' is
also mounted beneath the floor of the car, the said upright extending up through
the floor and being hinged on a pivot or shaft a2 which extends through said upright
just above the floor and has its ends journalled in suitable bearings secured thereto.
The said upright a is preferably located at one of the front corners of said
receptacle and may be an extension of one of its side pieces. A. spring is con-
nected to the rear side of said receptacle and to the underside of the car a short

page_text: distance behind it, which thus operates to hold said receptacle normally in an
upright position. The top end of said upright, a is provided with a horizontal
arm at which extends out through a slot in the side of the car and is formed with
a rounded under face which is adapted to strike and ride over the operating cam
on the top of the post, and be operated thereby, as will be presently described.
The said arm a is preferably hinged to the part a' being held rigidly therewith
when in use by means of a block a inserted against its rear face behind a clip
secured to the said part a' as shown. By this arrangement when the apparatus is
not in use, and it is desired to do so, said block as may be withdrawn and the
horizontal arm a swung up and back into the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 3, thus substantially or entirely if preferred withdrawing the projecting
point from the outside of the carriage. An opening is also formed in the floor of
the car above this receptacle, as shown in Figure 2, through which mail pouches to
be delivered to a station are deposited therein. As will be readily understood, said
opening may also be provided with a trap-door similar to the trap-door a, if desired.
Such a door is indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. Near the opposite end of the
car is secured a double-cam-faced strip A³ having two cam projections, one at each
end, and being hollowed out between the said projections.
The post B is set and braced suitably in the proper position alongside the track.
It is preferably formed in two parts the top portion B' of which is hinged thereto
by a hinge on its rear side, which thus permits said top portion to be tipped back
out of the way when not in use as indicated in the dotted lines in Figure 4. A
hasp or other suitable means, is provided for locking the said hinged top in an
upright position when in use. The top of the said post is formed with a cam surface
being high in its centre and tapered each way therefrom. Receptacles B² and B³
are arranged on each side of the post B extending out a short distance therefrom,
the open side thereof being adjacent to said post, and formed tapered from its rear
side forward in a direction away from said post, thus forming a wider opening to
more readily receive the pouches. The said receptacles also preferably converge
from the opening towards their outer ends, the back and front sides being tapered
or curved towards each other. Thus as the pouch is caught therein, its speed and
force is gradually overcome as it slides into the narrowing receptacle, and it is also
guided into and retained within a said receptacle with greater certainty. Near the
top of the upper portion B is formed a transverse notch in which is mounted a
horizontal arm B on a vertical pivot 2 which arm extends out each way therefrom
and has a pocket or receptacle 3 secured to one end and a cam formed on its
other end, the cam-faced end being normally held forward at all times by means
of a spring interposed between its rear edge and the back of said notch. Said
pocket or receptacle is of a form to receive the mail pouch to be thrown oute the
postal car, its front being open and its rear side closed.
As will be readily understood, the openings into the car, such as the slot through
which the arm a extends might be closed with flexible material, and many other
obvious modifications in the form or arrangement of parts might be made without
departing from my invention.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose the carriage shown in Figure 1 to be going in the direction to the left
of the figure at a considerable rate of speed-The horizontal arm being fastened
rigidly in a horizontal position on the top of the upright a' on which the receptacle A'
is suspended, and the mail pouch being in said receptacle, as the point of said arm a
passes the post B which is of just the required height, its point strikes and rides
over the cain-shaped top part 13' which throws the said arm upward slightly, which,
by reason of the speed of the train, is a quick and sudden movement, and operates
to throw the receptacle A forward slightly but suddenly and with sufficient force
to throw the pouch therefrom into the receptacle B on the side of the post in
the direction which the car is travelling. Then the first cam on the strip A³
strikes the cam 6 throwing that end of the pivoted arm B back and the opposite
end carrying the receptacle forward with a sudden motion. The mail pouch

page_text: being in the said receptacle 13, is by the said motion quickly tossed or thrown
therefrom into the receptacle A' under the floor of the car. When the car is
going in the opposite direction, Figure 1 illustrates the position of the parts just
after the cam A³ has operated the pivoted arm B and thrown the pouch from the
receptacle thereon into the receptacle A' on the postal car. The car proceeding,
the projecting end of the arm a will strike the side of the cam-faced top of the
post and be thrown upward, which will operate to throw the receptacle A' out-
ward on its pivot by a sudden movement and toss the pouch therein into the
receptacle B on the opposite side of the post. The train having passed, the top
of the post carrying the pivoted arm B4 may be turned back, as before described,
to be entirely out of the way of any other passing trains.
By the use of this device all obstructions to the car door are obviated, and also
all necessity of suspending pouches in an exposed position, as all receptacles herein
are so formed as to protect said pouches from wind, and stormy weather, thus
materially preserving them.
It will be understood that, if preferred the device on the post may be arranged
to throw directly into the car door, but I prefer the receptacle A' as shown, for
the reason that the car door can then be kept closed, as before stated.
It will also be understood that in use the car will preferably be equipped with
the apparatus on both of its sides, to accommodate stations located on either side of
the track.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this 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 :-
First. A mail pouch catching and delivering apparatus consisting of a pivoted
receptacle attached to the postal car provided with an upright, a transverse arm to
said upright extending out through the side of the car, a cam arranged alongside
the track on a suitable support in position to strike said projecting arm as it passes
and operate it, substantially as set forth.
Second. In a mail pouch catching and delivering apparatus, the combination
with the postal car, of a receptacle hinged thereto and provided with an upright
at its front, a spring for holding said receptacle in an upright position an outwardly
projecting arm on the top of said upright, a post arranged alongside the track in
position to strike the arm as it passes, the top of said post being formed with a cam
surface, and suitable receptacles alongside said post for receiving the pouches from
the car, substantially as set forth.
Third. In a mail pouch catcher and deliverer, the combination of a receptacle
supported by an upright at one of its front corners which upright is pivoted or
hinged to the car, the top of said upright being provided with a horizontal arm
connected thereto by a hinge, means substantially as described for holding said
hinged part rigidly therewith when desired, and a post supporting a cam arranged
alongside said track in position to strike and operate said arm substantially as set
forth.
Fourth. In a mail pouch catching and delivering apparatus, the combination of
the car, the receptacle A, mounted beneath its floor, a door or opening thereto
through said floor, a hinged receptacle A' mounted as described and provided with
an outwardly projecting arm, a cam mounted alongside the track for operating said
arm, receptacles also arranged alongside said track for receiving pouches from
said hinged receptacle A, a pivoted arm having a receptacle mounted upon one end
and a cam formed upon the other also arranged alongside said track, and a cam on
the side of said car in position to strike the cam on the end of said pivoted arm
operate it, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. In a mail pouch catching and delivering apparatus, the combination of a
postal car formed with an opening to receive the pouch, a post arranged alongside
the track on which the car is mounted, a pivoted arm supported by said post one
end of which carries a receptacle and the other end of which is formed with a cam

page_text: face, and a cam secured to the side of said car in a position to strike said cam face
of the end of said pivoted arm and operate it, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In a mail pouch catcher and deliverer, the combination with. a postal car
provided with a receptacle beneath its floor to receive the pouch, an entrance to
said receptacle, a post arranged alongside the car, a horizontal arm mounted on a
vertical pivot in said post, one end of said arm being provided with a receptacle or
pocket and the other end being formed with a cam face, a spring arranged to hold
said cam-faced end forward, and a cam mounted on the side of the car in position
to strike the cam-faced end of said pivoted arm and operate it, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh. A mail pouch catcher and deliverer consisting of the postal car having
the hinged receptacle A with a projecting arm, a post arranged alongside the track
formed with cain-shaped top in position to strike said arm, receptacles arranged on
cach side of said post to receive pouches from the car, a horizontal arm provided
with a receptacle on one end and a cam face on its other pivoted in said post with
its cam-faced ends normally held forward and a cam on the car for operating said
arm, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. A mail pouch catcher and deliverer consisting of the postal car provided
with the hinged receptacle substantially as described, and the post alongside the
track carrying a portion of the mechanism for throwing the pouch to the car, the
top of said post being hinged, whereby it may be turned back out of the way when
not in use, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. A mail pouch catcher and deliverer consisting of the postal card provided
with a receptacle A¹ for receiving pouches, a pivoted receptacle A2 for discharging
pouches formed with the outwardly projecting arm at and the cam A secured on
the side of the car for operating the mechanism for throwing pouches to the car,
and a post arranged alongside the track carrying the pivoted arm 13 provided with
a receptacle upon one of its ends and a cam face upon its other, a spring for holding
the said cam-faced end forward, and the receptacles B and B arranged alongside
said post to receive said pouches from the car, all substantially as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of April 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.