IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING & SECURING MAIL BAGS & OTHER PACKAGES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING & SECURING MAIL BAGS
& OTHER PACKAGES."-A communication from abroad by Jean Rémy
Boubilla, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Post Office Employé.
Sealed the 28th March 1862, and dated the 16th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
October 1861.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING & SECURING MAIL
BAGS & OTHER PACKAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved fastening without key applicable for
all kinds of packages, cases sealed, mail bags, & more particularly for the
dispatch bags employed in the postal service. This improved fastening
consists of a solid piece of copper, which may be of any suitable dimensions,
the surface of which is hollowed out in a conical form, in which is lodged a
knot made at the end of the cord; the other end of this cord is prepared as
herein-after described, and passes through a channel in the piece of copper

page_text: opening into the cavity above mentioned. The knot on the cord is fixed in
the cavity by means of a wax seal, having the mark of the sender of the
dispatch or other articles, it being of sufficient depth for the wax seal, which
is retained in a groove made in the circumference of the cavity, as also by its
contact at bottom with the knot of the hempen cord to be countersunk below
the surface of the copper plate, to prevent the seal from being broken or
injured by falling or otherwise. The plate is provided with two channels,
one of which, as above mentioned, runs from the bottom of the hollow part to
the exterior, and the other, forming an angle at its commencement, traverses
the apparatus longitudinally, and serves to receive the free end of the cord,
and which, when introduced into the second channel, is pulled sufficiently to
close the mouth of the sack, thus producing a ready and sure closure, while
the cord in the second channel cannot be withdrawn, it being held therein by
an arrangement herein-after described. This cord is passed through the first
channel and the knot sunk in the hollow plate, and covered with sealing wax,
all of which may be previously effected in readiness for use at a future time.
This method of fastening may be applied to those mail bags having metal
eyelets at present in use, by passing the cord through the eyelets brought close
together, or to ordinary sacks, by surrounding the necks of said sacks with a
cord, & connecting them to the copper plate, passing the cord through the
second channel which traverses it, care being taken to strongly pull the free
end of the cord to fasten securely either the eyelets or the mouth of the sacks,
according to the kind of sack employed. The free end of the cord is then cut
to within 2 inches of the plate. 3rdly, this method of fastening may be
further applied in connection with sacks having eyelets. For this purpose, a
cavity is made in the back of the piece of copper, and a bolt of forged iron
applied, to be herein-after described, which is attached to the sack by means
of a string. This cord is first passed through the first channel, & the seal
applied on the knot of said cord, as above mentioned; the bolt is then passed
through all the eyelets of the sack, which are brought close to each other for
that purpose, and caused to penetrate into cavity made in the back of said
copper piece. The end of the bolt entering into the copper plate is provided
with a hole through which the cord passes after having been introduced into
the second channel, and pulled as tightly as possible; the cord will thus be
held at front & back of the cavity, thereby preventing the bolt from being
withdrawn, except the cord has been previously cut. An opening is obtained
by cutting the cord at its point of exit from the first channel. In order to
facilitate an opening in the third application, before described, a groove is made
for this purpose between the point of exit of the first channel and the entrance

page_text: of the second; it is further necessary, in this arrangement, to pull the free
end of the cord for the purpose of disengaging the bolt. In order to make'
the piece of copper serve for another fastening, the seal is broken and the
knot of cord removed by means of a pointed instrument flattened at its
extremity, having a cutting edge on both sides, which is forced into the seal'
by using it as a lever.
It should here be observed that, in the two first arrangements herein
described, the piece of copper has no cavity in the back, & that the first'
channel in said piece, viz., that passing from the bottom of the hollow part to
the outside, is on the same side as the exit orifice of the second channel, while,
in the third arrangement, the first channel is on the same side as the inlet
orifice of the second channel. The cords serving to close the sacks are also
of a peculiar character, being not only soft and of an exact size to fit the'
channels, but one end of each cord is worked and pointed, and is further made
rigid for a length of about six inches by stiffening about 4 inches of the end
with glue and about two inches with paste. These cords may be of different
colors if it is wished to assign a particular color to each postal service, so that
at a glance the nature of the contents of a bag may be known without referring
to the seal.
This improved fastening is represented in the annexed Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 shows an end view of the copper plate for effecting the closure or self-
acting fastening; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, an end view; Fig. 4, a vertical
section; Fig. 5 shows details of two arrangements of locking bolts of forged
iron; Fig. 6 shows an elevation, plan, & section of the copper tube or part
furnished with teeth, forming the self-acting fastening; Fig. 7 shows a plan &
section of a copper part forming the fastening of the bolt or sack, the cord
passing through the eyelets; in the latter case the cavity in the back of the
copper plate, before mentioned, is dispensed with. Fig. 8 shows a cord which
may be variously colored & prepared, as above mentioned.
Fig. 9 shows a view of a dispatch bag or sack extended, having metal eyelets
as now employed in the postal service, with the addition of a bolt attached to
the sack by a string (although I have represented a sack in the Drawing, it
forms no part of the present Invention, with the exception of the application
of a bolt thereto, it being only introduced for the better explanation of the
method of fastening, forming the object of the present Invention.
Fig. 10 shows a dispatch bag closed by means of a bolt passed through the
eyelets, & attached to the piece of copper by means of a cord; Fig. 11 shows a
dispatch bag, which is closed without a bolt by means of a cord passed through
eyelets closed connected together, & then, introduced into the channel of the

page_text: part, which, in this application of the Invention, does not require a cavity in
the back, there being only a space sufficient to hold a movable label indicating
the number of the dispatch, which space is made larger at bottom, so as to
retain the label. It is introduced by slightly doubling it; then pressed on in
order to cause it to assume its proper position.
Fig. 12 shows a pointer of peculiar form for breaking the seal & removing
the knot from the cavity in the copper plate; Fig. 13 represents an ordinary
sack closed by means of the apparatus herein described, the cord forming the
neck of the sack. In all these Figures the same letters of reference indicate
like parts where they recur, seen in different positions.
A dispatch bag a, furnished with metal eyelets b,, either of leather or of
ordinary sacking ', as ordinarily used, which is shown in order to better
exemplify this improved method of fastening; c, bolts of different forms passing
through the eyelets 6 placed in close connection with each other; d, metal
tube furnished with flexible teeth e, serving as a stop to the cord passing.
through said tube; f, copper plate furnished with two channels, the one g
abutting in cavity h, which receives the knot made in the unpasted end of the
cord, as also the wax, which is retained in a groove i; the other channel j,
furnished with tube d, receives the other extremity of cord k, which is attached.
to the bolt, while the teeth e prevent its being withdrawn; 1, cavity made in
the back of part f, for receiving the end of the bolt, which is attached to the
sacking by a cord; m, groove between the exit orifice of the one channel &
the inlet of the second channel, serving as a guide for cutting the cord when it
is wished to open the dispatch; n, instrument for breaking the seal, &
removing the knot from the cord.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
April 1862.
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 Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, 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

page_text: 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
THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SECURING MAIL BAGS AND OTHER
PACKAGES," a communication from abroad by Mr. Jean Rémy Boubilla, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Post Office Employé, 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 bands 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 an improved fastening without key, applicable for
all kinds of packages, cases, sealed mail bags, and more particularly for the
dispatch bags employed in the postal service. This improved fastening con-
sists of a solid piece of copper, which may be of any suitable dimensions, the
surface of which is hollowed out in a conical form, in which is lodged a knot
made at the end of a cord; the other end of this cord is prepared as herein-
after described, and passes through a channel in the piece of copper opening
into the cavity above mentioned. The knot on the cord is fixed in the cavity
by means of a wax seal, bearing the mark of the sender of the dispatch or other
articles, it being of sufficient depth for the wax seal, which is retained in a
groove made in the circumference of the cavity, as also by its contact at
bottom with the knct of the hempen cord to be sunk below the surface of the
copper plate, to prevent the seal from being broken or injured by falling or
otherwise. The plate is provided with two channels, one of which, as above
mentioned, runs from the bottom of the hollow part to the exterior, and the
other forming an angle at its commencement, traverses the apparatus longitu-
dinally and serves to receive the free end of the cord, and which, when intro-
duced into the second channel, is pulled sufficiently to close the mouth of
the sack, thus producing a ready and sure closure, while the cord in the second
channel cannot be withdrawn, it being held therein by an arrangement herein-

page_text: after described. The cord being passed through the first channel and the knot
sunk in the hollow of the plate, and covered with sealing wax, the whole may
be effected in readiness for use at a future time. This method of fastening may
be applied to those mail bags having metal eyelets at present in use, by passing
the cord through the eyelets brought close together, or to ordinary sacks by sur-
rounding the necks of said sacks with a cord and connecting them to the copper
plate, passing the cord through the second channel which traverses it, care
being taken to strongly pull the free end of the cord, & so fasten securely either
the eyelets or the mouth of the sack, according to the kind of sack employed.
The free end of the cord is then cut to within two inches of the plate.
Thirdly, this method of fastening may be further applied in connection with
sacks having eyelets. For this purpose a cavity is made in the back of the
piece of copper, and a bolt of forged iron applied, to be herein-after described,
which is attached to the sacks by means of a string. The cord is first passed
through the first channel, and the seal applied on the knot of said cord as
above mentioned; the bolt is then passed through all the eyelets of the sack,
which are brought close to each other for that purpose, and caused to penetrate
into cavity made in the back of said copper piece. The end of the bolt
entering into the copper plate is provided with a hole, through which the cord
passes after having been introduced into the second channel, and pulled as
tightly as possible; the cord will thus be held at front and back of the cavity,
thereby preventing the bolt from being withdrawn, except the cord has been
previously cut. An opening is obtained by cutting the cord at its point of exit
from the first channel. In order to facilitate an opening in the third application
before described, a groove is made for this purpose between the point of exit of
the first channel and the entrance of the second; it is further necessary in this
arrangement to pull the free end, for the purpose of disengaging the bolt. In
.order to make the piece of copper serve for another fastening, the seal is
broken and the knot of cord removed by means of a pointed instrument flat-
tened at its extremity, having a cutting edge on both sides, which is forced
into the seal by using it as a lever. It should be here observed that in the
two first arrangements herein described, the piece of copper has no cavity in
the back, and that the first channel in said piece (that passing from the bottom
of the hollow part of the outside) is on the same side as the exit orifice of the
second channel, while in the third arrangement the first channel is on the same
side as the inlet orifice of the second channel. The cords serving to close the
sacks are also of a peculiar character, being not only soft but of an exact size
to fit the channels; one end also of each cord is worked and pointed, and is
further made rigid for a length of about six inches, by stiffening it, viz., about

page_text: four inches of the end with glue and about two inches with paste. These cords
may be of different colors, if it is wished to assign a particular color to each
postal service, so that at a glance the nature of the contents of the bag may be
known, without referring to the seal.
This improved fastening is represented in the annexed Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 shows an exterior view of the mouth of a sack, closed by one of the im-
proved fastenings; Fig. 2 shows a plan of the fastening, and Fig. 3, an end
view of the same; Fig. 4 shows a second end view; Fig. 5, a vertical section
of the fastening; Figs. 6, 7, & 8, show in detail the piece forming the auto-
matic stop; while Fig. 9 shows the mouth of the dispatch bag opened and
furnished with eyelets; Fig. 10 shows the same folded and closed by means of
this improved fastening; Fig. 11 shows a horizontal section of the fastening
for closing the sack with the eyelets; Fig. 12 shows a plan, and Fig. 13, a
transverse section of the same; Figs. 14 & 15 show in elevation the bolt
entering the eyelets, serving with the fastening to close the dispatch bag;
Figs. 16 and 17 shows elevations of another bolt for the same purpose, which
may also replace that represented at Figs. 14 & 15; Fig. 18 shows the mouth
of a dispatch bag furnished with eyelets, closed by means of the fastening
represented at Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, without the aid of bolts, Figs. 14,
15, 16, & 17.
Fig. 19 shows a slight modification of a label for a dispatch bag. The name
of the receiving office is engraved on a small label, and when sent back with
a fresh dispatch, a small ticket, Fig. 20, is inserted therein, which can only be
used once for indicating the new destination. Fig. 21 shows a front view of a
fastening for cash boxes; Fig. 22 shows a vertical section, and Fig. 23, a
transverse section of the same; Fig. 24 shows another form of fastening with-
out a pin; Fig. 25 shows a vertical section of this fastening; Fig. 26 shows
the knife for cutting the projecting end of the cord; Fig. 27 shows a pointer
of peculiar form for breaking the seal and disengaging the knot of the cord
from the cavity; Fig. 28 shows a cord the end of which is stiffened &
pointed for about three inches with glue and two inches with paste, the 'other
part being untouched. The cords may be of different colors if it is wished to
assign a special color to each service. In the different Figures the same letters
of reference indicate the same parts seen in different positions.
a, leathern dispatch bag furnished with a neck b, or eyelet c; the sack is
similar to those at present in use in the postal service, and is only shown to
explain the application of this improved system of fastening. d, plate of copper
or other metal of any suitable form; e, prepared cord, represented in detail,
Fig. 28; f, hollow space or cavity in the interior of plate d; g, first hollow

page_text: channel in the interior of plate d; this channel opens into a cavity which
receives the knot at the unprepared end of the cord e, as also the wax which
is retained in the interior of the groove by the channel or groove h; i, second
channel receiving the other end of the cord e; this channel is furnished with a
tubej, which forms the self-acting stop. This tube j is pierced with openings k,
in which the flexible teeth 7 pass, which only permits of the cord moving in
one direction. m, screw plug, preventing the disconnection of the tubej; n,
groove placed between the exit opening of the first channel and the inlet of
the second, intended to serve as a guide for cutting the cord when about to
open the dispatch; o, cavity for receiving a label indicating the number of the
train; this cavity is made larger inside than out, so as to retain the label when
introduced. P, bolt traversing the metal eyelets e, which are placed close
together; 7, pin or bolt replacing the bolt p, Figs. 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25;
, cash box; s, cavity made in the block or fastening for the passage of the
.bolt q or p; t, knife for cutting the cord; u, pointer for breaking the wax.
To make use of those fastenings a knot is generally made at the unprepared
end of the cord, the prepared end is then introduced into the first channel, and
the cord is pulled in such way that the knot lodges in the cavity, which is then
filled with wax, on which the seal is applied. When using an ordinary sack,
as in Fig. 1, it is closed by means of this fastening by passing the cord e
through the second channel, as represented at Fig. 2, the mouth of the sack
being drawn up and closed on the loop or cord e; the cord thence passes into
groover, when it retains the self-acting stop in the interior of channel, hence
the sack can only be opened by breaking the wax or cutting cord e. Sacks
with eyelets are closed in an analogous manner; thus the bolt p is passed
through the eyelets c, which are drawn together so as to close the sack, and
the extremity of the bolt which carries a mortise is introduced into the cavity s
made in plate d, so that the cord in passing through the channel i holds fast
the bolt p, which can only be removed as above described by cutting the cord
or damaging the wax; in this manner the sack is perfectly closed and fastened.
It will be understood that for cash or other boxes secured by means of the
fastenings represented at Figs. 21, 22, 23, 24, & 25, the method is entirely
the same as for closing the eyelet bags, except that the bolt p is replaced by
the pin q.
These improved method of fastening presents the following advantages:-
1st, it may be opened without a key, by simply cutting the cord.
2ndly, the capability of sealing up the bag some time previously to dis-
patching it, which is of advantage when time is valuable and the least delay
may be productive of great loss.

page_text: 3rdly, the fastening is of great strength, being composed of copper.
4thly, the preservation of the seal of the sending office intact after the open-
ing of the dispatch, so as to be able in case of an article being missed which
should be in the dispatch, and the production of the plate of copper with the
seal of the sending office when a robbery has been committed, as evidence in
the case.
5thly, being disposed so that the seal is protected from any violent shock, it
being retained in a hollow channel throughout, as also by its contact with the
knot of the cord, and also being secured from the outside by its sunken
position.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be pro-
tected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved.
fastening above described, as also the manufacture of cords to be used with
the above-mentioned fastenings, which are applicable to packages, cash boxes,
sealed mails, and and more particularly to dispatch bags employed in the postal
service.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
W. CLARK. (v.D.)