IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIL BAGS OR POUCHES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaiah Heylin McDonald, of the City of Washington, in
the District of Columbia, and United States of North America, Patent
Solicitor, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIL BAGS OR POUCHES."
A communication from Charles Joseph Becktel and Frank Marion Horner, of
Muncie, in the County of Delaware and State of Indiana, in the United
States of North America, Manufacturers.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Isaiah Heylin McDonald at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th September 1880.
ISAIAH HEYLIN MCDONALD, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, and United States of North America, Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MAIL BAGS OR POUCHES." A communication from Charles Joseph Becktel and
Frank Marion Horner, of Muncie, in the County of Delaware and State of
Indiana, in the United States of North America, Manufacturers.
My Invention relates to mail bags or pouches, and consists in a bag of suitable
size made of leather, canvas, or other suitable material, and provided with an
opening in the middle of the upper of the bag, so as to leave two folding ears
or projections, one on each side of the opening or cut away portion of the bag.
The ears are provided with eyelets of brass having the inside edges overlapping so
as to prevent the eyelets tearing out of the bag. The details of construction will
be described more fully hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification, and in which,-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the open end of the bag; Figure 2, a rear
elevation of the same; Figure 3, a perspective view of the open end of the bag;
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same; Figure 5 shows the bag partially folded;
Figure 6 shows the mouth of the bag completely closed; Figures 7 and 8 show the
eyelets; and Figure 9, a perspective view of a catch pouch embodying my
improvements. Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several Figures.
Heretofore mail bags have usually been made with flaps for covering the open end,
and were secured by heavy iron bands; straps passing through a series of eyelets
and staples in the top of the bag have also been used. In all such cases there is
an extra weight added to the bag, and a loss of time in opening and closing the
.....

page_text: same, especially on railway postal cars. In order to remove the above noted
objections I have made a mail bag which dispenses with flaps and fastening straps,
and which can be speedily and easily opened and closed, and one in which the
weight is reduced to a minimum.
Referring to the Drawings, A is the bag having the central part a¹ (Figures 1
and 2) cut away so as to leave side projections B, D, which may be reenforced with
leather or other material. Said folds or ears B, D, are provided with eyelet holes
and eyelets C opposite to each other on the front and rear of the bag, and at a
suitable distance from the top or open end. The bag is preferably made with two
front and rear eyelets on each side of said central opening a¹. A staple H is
placed below the center of the opening and is adapted to pass through the eyelets C.
In order to close the bag it is only necessary to fold the sides so that the outside
eyelets will be turned down over each other and over the staple, as shown in
Fig. 5, the bag being creased, as shown in the diagonal dotted lines; this brings the
central eyelets over each other, as shown in Figure 5; these eyelets are then passed
over the staple by pressing down the upper central part of the bag, as shown in
Figure 6. It will thus be seen that when the sides are folded the double eyelet
holes (front and rear) are on a direct line with each other and with the side eyelets
and staple. In this way the front opening of the bag is completely closed by the
folded sides, while the back or central projections when closed down over the
staple completely covers and shields both front and back of the bag, and there is no
way of entering it (when locked) except by cutting it or breaking the lock.
Attached to the back part of the bag is a tag holder M situated immediately below
the back eyelet of the central ear or projection, so that when the bag is closed the
tag holder is brought directly to the front. The eyelets C are made in two
pieces c¹, c², each having a tongue c³, c*. The tongue c of the interior plate c² is
turned out and riveted to the outside plate c', while the tongue c³ of the outside
plate is turned in and riveted to the inside plate, in fact the rivets pass entirely
through the two plates and tongues. This form of construction prevents tearing
out of either plate, and prevents the cloth or leather from coming into and filling
up the eyelet, as is sometimes the case with the ordinary eyelet. Moreover by
making the tongues as described there is a smooth surface presented for the passage
of the staple. A strap J with a ring K (see Fig. 9) may be secured to each
end of the bag so that it can be held in the frame adapted for fast mail trains.
The bottom of the bag may have one or more thicknesses of leather I to prevent
its wearing out. If necessary a strap L can be attached to the center of "catch
pouches" to compress them at the center and give a better striking surface for the
catcher." It will be seen from the foregoing that but six eyelets of light metal
and but a single staple is necessary, hence the weight of metal is reduced to a
minimum and a great saving in cost of transportation obtained. When the bag is
thrown into a postal car or post office and opened the rear ears or folds may be
secured to holding hooks and the side ears turned down to hold the bag open, or
grummets may be worked or inserted at suitable intervals along the front and
back of the pouch for the purpose of inserting holding hooks. When the bag is
closed in the way described it is rendered water tight. I may make travelling
bags in the same manner by simply providing a suitable handle or carrying strap
therefor.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which the same
may be carried into practical effect, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. A mail bag having a central opening and two side projections adapted to
fold and close over each other and secured by a staple passing through such folded
sides, substantially as described.
2nd. A mail bag having the projections as described, the central projections of
which are closed and folded by closing and folding the side projections, substantially
as described.
3rd. A mail bag having two side and two rear fastening ears, the side ears

page_text: being provided with double eyelets passing over a single central staple, and the
rear ears folding over the side ears and passing over the same central staple, as
described and for the purpose set forth.
4th. A mail bag provided with two side and rear projections, and having a
tag holder located between the rear projections in such a manner that when
the projections are folded the tag holder is on the front of the bag, substantially as
described.
5th. The eyelet C made in two pieces or plates c¹, c², having tongues c³, c, adapted
to turn over each opposite plate and be secured thereto and to the mail bag,
substantially as described.
6th. The combination of the side ears B, rear ears D, staple H, and eyelets F, G,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaiah Heylin McDonald, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ISAIAH HEYLIN M'DONALD. (L.S.)