Improvements in Mail Bag Fasteners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mail Bag Fasteners.
I, MILES STAPLES CODY, residing at 233 North California Street, Stockton,
California, U.S.A., Draughtsman, 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:-
My invention relates to mail bag fasteners, and will be fully understood from
the following description and claims when taken together with the drawing in
which:
:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bag equipped with my
improvements.
Figures 2 and 3 are detail sections.
Figure 4 comprises elevations of some of the links which make up the flexible
bar.
Figure 5 is a section on line x, x, of Fig. 2.
Referring to the drawing by letter:
A indicates a mail bag, B the closure flap thereof, and C lock casings which are
connected to the wall a of the bag at intervals in its width, preferably by rivets b.
Said casings C have tubular extensions c which project through apertures d in the
walle of the bag to receive the male members or bolts D of the locks which are
connected to the flap B and have projections f
E indicates pivoted keepers in the lock casings, which have one arm to engage
the projections, of the male members D and another arm against which springs g,
impinge. The casings C also have springs h, which are adapted, when the keepers
are disengaged from the members D, to throw said members outwardly so as to
enable the operator to raise the flap B.
F indicates key sections which are jourualed in the casings C and have
projections i, so that, when they are rotated or partially rotated, they will
disengage the keepers E, from the members D.
The key sections F, and links G, form a flexible bar H. In the preferred
construction of said har, the sections F are bifurcated and some of the links G,
are provided with reduced portions at both ends and others with a reduced portion
at one end and a bifurcation at their opposite ends, with slots or elongated
apertures in the reduced portions through which the connecting pins pass. This
flexible connection of the sections F, and links G, permits of a little longitudinal
play between the same and consequently permits of the bag being bent, rolled or
folded up without affecting the efficiency of the fastener.
To prevent unauthorized rotation of the bar H, I prefer to employ a lock I,
which is preferably connected to the wall a, of the bag. This lock I, has the
usual rotary portion j, to be turned by a key J, and such rotary portion is provided
with a projection k to which one link of bar H is connected so that the bar may
be turned with a particular key in the direction indicated by arrow to unlock and
open the bag.
.
To lock the bag the extensions c, of casings C, are passed through the apertures d,
of the wall e, and the members D, are pressed into said extensions until their
projections pass the keepers E.
K, indicates layers of leather which are connected to the wall a, and are designed.
with the lock I, to held the front wall e, at the proper distance from the rear
wall a.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The combination with a mail bag; of a fastener for the mouth thereof
comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the
opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers adapted to engage said male members, and a
flexible rod, free from threads or gears, and adapted to strike said keepers so as to
disengage the keepers from the male members when turned in its bearings and to
allow the keepers to return to their normal position while the rod has been turned
in the position which disengaged the keepers and 'male members, substantially as
specified.
2. The combination with a mail bag;. of a fastener for the mouth thereof
comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the
opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers, and a rod composed of a plurality of
flexibly connected sections having both endwise and transverse play at the joints
and adapted when turned or partially turned in one direction to disengage the
keepers from the male sections and allow the keepers to return to their normal
positions without further movement of the rod, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a mail bag; of a fastener for the mouth thereof
comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the
opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers, and a rotatable or partially rotatable bar or
rod for manipulating the keepers, said rod being composed of key sections (such
as F) to engage the keepers, and links (as G) flexibly connected to the key sections,
substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a mail bag; of a fastening for the mouth thereof
comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the
opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers adapted to engage the male members, springs
backing said keepers, springs contacting with the male members, and a flexible
rod adapted to disengage the keepers from the male members, substantially as
specified.
5. The combination with a mail bag having apertures in one wall and also
having a closure flap, of female lock members secured to one of the inner walls of
the bag and having projections to enter said apertures, male lock members secured
to the closure flap, springs to engage the male members, spring-backed pivoted
keepers, and a flexible rod having key sections to engage the keepers, substantially
as specified.
6. A bag fastener having the bar or rod H, journaled in bearings and composed
of the key sections F, and the links G, said rod having a lock at one end adapted
to co-operate with suitable means on the walls of the bag to secure the mouth
thereof, substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of December 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.