MENTS IN CASH AND PARCEL CARRIERS FOR USE IN Suors, STORES AND OTHER STRUCTURES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JAMES BURNS, of 4 Clayton Square, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Clerk in Holy Orders do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CASH AND PARCEL CARRIERS FOR USE IN Suors, STORES AND OTHER
STRUCTURES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being made
to the accompanying Drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a sido elevation of the device put up in a store room ready for use
illustrating the construction and general plan of operation.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a flat wire track showing how its two conveying
branches may unite in a single main track and showing the means for permitting
the wheels of the carrier to pass from the branch track on the main track without
being thrown from the track.
Fig. 3 a plan view on the top of the same.
Fig. 4 a perspective view of a section of said track showing the construction of
the switches on line 2 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 a side elevation of a pair of the arresting and delivering slides that
arrest and descend with cash and parcel carrier to the counter.
Fig. 6 a side view of one of the elevating slides by means of which the cash and
parcel carrier is placed on the wire track above to be sent to the cash desk.
Fig. 7 a front view of the catch basket for catching the cash and parcel carrier
as they reach the cash desk.
Fig. 8 a side, elevation of one of the cash and parcel carriers.
Fig. 9 a ceutral vertical cross section view of the same and
Fig. 10 a perspective view of one of the windlasses for holding the track wiro
taut.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in cash and parcel carriers for
use in shops and stores which are fully set forth in the following Specification
and claims.
Referring to the Drawings especially to Fig. 1 a room of a store is represented
having a pair of track wires ww stretched taut from ono side or end of the room
to the other the upper wire w descending towards the cash desk K to deliver the
cash and parcel carrier a to the cash desk and the lower wire w¹ descending from
the cash desk K to return the cash and parcel carrier a to the sender. These wires
are intended to run in a line parallel with and directly over the counter H below.

page_text: The Figure represents two stations one for each clerk cach station being provided
with a pair of vertical guide wires x¹¹ for guiding the elevating slides S and a
pair of vertical guide wires x, x, for guiding the delivery slides F and one or more
cash and parcel carriers a. These wires xx and x¹¹ are attached to the ceiling
above and to the counter H below and are intended to be taut. The slides S are 5
elevated by means of a cord m attached to its upper end and passing over a
pully 2 above while the delivery slide F is elevated by means of a cord n that
passes over the pully z above and is counter balanced by a weight 211 attached to
the end of said cord.
The cash and parcel carrier a is delivered to and placed on the track wire w by 10
means of the slides S in the following manner. Each carrier a is provided with a
book C¹ on its side opposite the grooved wheel e as is shown more clearly in Fig. 6
and 9. This hook is hooked over the cross bar g of the slide S as shown in Figs. 1
and 6.
The slide S is then elevated by means of the cord m until the wheel e is placed 1
on the wire was shown in Fig. 6. The fingers S¹ S₁ attached to the slide S serve
to bring the wire w under the said wheel as shown in said Figure after which the
slide is lowered and the carrier a starts down the truck wire w to the cash desk K
when it arrives at the end of the track an enlargement E on the wire w causes the
-wheels.e.to leave the track and the carrier a falls into the catch basket B which 2
-descends-with it to the cash desk-below.
This catch basket B is shown more clearly in Fig. 7-which-is-a_front_view
looking at it in the direction from which the carrier approaches it, it-is-suspended
by a bail which passes through holes in the cross bar suspended by the rods d.
The basket B is counterbalanced by means of the weight d³ and cord connecting 2
said-basket-and-weight suspended from the pulleys when the carrier a falls
into the basket. B. it will add sufficient weight-to-overbalance the weight d³.so it
will descend to the cash desk K. The carrier a may then be removed-for-the-
-change to be made and the basket B will immediately ascend to its normal position
ready to catch the next incoming carrier. The carrier u may be furnished with 3
a hook h or some other means for securing to it a parcel-P.-The_basket B is
slotted at the bottom as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 so that the carrier may enter the
basket while the parcel may hang below from the hook that runs into said slot.
After the change is made and the parcel inspected tho carrier a is then placed upon
the return track w¹ to return it to the person who sent it at its proper station. 3
In order to cause the carrier to stop at its proper station the delivering and
arresting slides F are provided at their upper end with an extending arm D that
points toward the approaching carrier a so that the hook C¹ of the carrier a will
slide up on said arm D and lift the wheels e of the carrier off the track when the
slide F will descend to the counter with the carrier hooked on said arm. The weight 4
of the carrier added to that of the slide will overbalance the weight 2 so that the
carrier and slide may descend. When the carrier is removed the weight 21 will
return the slide to its normal position to catch the next approaching.carrier
intended for that station. The hooks c on the carrier are placed at different
distances from the upper end as shown in Fig. 9 by the dotted lines.-
The arm D on the slides F are placed at corresponding distances above the
wire w so that a carrier will not be caught by any other arm D-than the one
intended because of its proper position to catch the hook c¹ intended for it. The
height of the hooks c¹ and arins D above the wire w determine the station at
which the carrier shall stop so that it is not possible for a carrier to stop at any
other station than the one for which it was sent. The carrier having the highest
hook c' above the wire w' should travel to the extreme end of the track to the last
station as its hook would be high enough to pass over all the other arms D along
the line. The carrier having the lowest hook c' would of course be caught by the
first arm D from the cash desk K. The vertical wires or rods x x and x¹³ are
provided with cross bars D" permanently fixed thereat for the purpose of arresting.
the slide F and holding it at the proper place. Should the weight of the carrier.
.
5
5

page_text: deflect the wire w² to such degree as to cause the hook c¹ to miss the arm D at
its proper station means for connecting said wire to slides F may be used so as
to maintain said arm at the proper distance from said wire to always catch
said hook. The carrier a is constructed as shown in Fig. 8 and 9 more clearly.
The lower end is the cash box and is closed by the cover a hinged or pivoted
at a³ and held closed by the spring catch a². The upper end is provided with a
grooved wheel or wheels e to run on the tracks. One or more wheels may be used
if desired to prevent swinging of the carrier on the track. When desired the
hooks c¹ may be omitted from the carrier and the wheels be derailed by means of a
switch DS attached to the slide F¹ as shown in Fig. 5. This switch D³ is placed
ngainst the wire wol so that the wheel will run off the wire w' onto said switch and
the carrier be caught between it and arm D and descend with the slide F as in
the other case. In such case the slide F is held down on the counter by means of
a hook or catch F1 so as to not catch a carrier intended for some other station.
When only one station is used the carrier may be derailed by means of the
enlargement E¹ on the wire shown in said Fig. and be caught by its hook c¹ on the
arm D and descend with the slide F to the cushion F³. The return track may be.
made of flat wire w" as shown in Fig. 2 which is necessary where there are curves
to be made and when several branch wires unite into a single main track wire.
When a carrier comes along down a branch wire w³ or w it would be derailed at
the X were it not for the yielding switchs w³, w which yield or spring apart as
shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 to permit the flanges of the wheels to pass.
These switches ww are pivoted at their rear ends to the top of the branch wires
or tracks w³w in the manner shown in Fig. 4.
Looking at Fig. 3 if a carrier were coming down branch w its wheels would
crowd over switch was shown by the dotted lines, or that branch w and main
wire w would form a continuous uninterrupted track for the wheel of the carrier
and so if the carrier were coming down branch w³. The switches are caused to
return after the wheel passes, either by means of the coil spring wor by means of
their own gravity through the medium of the inclino L. Fig. 4 against the sidos
of which the switch impinges. Any suitable means may be used to open and close
these switches to permit the wheels of the carrier to pass as stated.
The windlass for producing and retaining tention on the track wires w, w¹ is
shown in perspective in Fig. 10, and consists of the frame R that may be attached
in any manner to the side wall of the room, a roller shaft R¹ passes loosely through
said frame as shown in said Fig. upon which the track wire is wound. The roller
shaft R' is rotated to wind up the wire w by means of the levers R' which pass
loosely through said shaft R¹ or they may be rigidly fixed therein, movable bars R³
pass-through said frame for the purpose of arresting the backward turn of said
roller shaft by means of sliding said bars R³ behind said levers R³ thus forming a
very secure fastening for preventing the unwinding of the windlass and for winding
up the track wire as much or little as may be desired.
The cross bars D" may be dispensed with if desired and the slide F may be
provided with an extended arm tas shown at Fig. 5 for proventing the said slide
from passing above the wire. The carrier a may be arrested when it runs on to
arm D as shown in Fig. 1 by coming in contact with the stop D¹ of the slide. The
slides S may be provided with a series of cross bars g to accommodate various kinds
of carriers having hooks c¹ at different heights to facilitate placing the carriers on
the track wire. The slides F shown in Fig. 1, are provided with a wire bail n' to
connect it with the cord n above to prevent side motion and binding of the slide on
the guide wires α, x.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of the track wires w, w¹ and means for giving them proper
tension, elevating slide S having the fingers S' S¹ guide wires ³ ³ cord m
and pulley & carrier a having a cash receptacle wheels and hooks ci arresting and
C

page_text: delivering slide F having the arm D, cord n weight 2" and pulley z all adapted to
operate as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
:
2. In the cash and parcel carrier described the combination of the track wire w¹
slide F having the arm D guide wires xx, cord n, weight and carrier a having
the wheels e and hook c¹ all adapted to operate as and for the purpose hereinbefore 5
set forth.
3. In the cash and parcel carrier described the combination of the wire w slides S
having the fingers S¹ S¹ guide wires xxl cord m and carrier a having the grooved
wheels e and hook c¹ all adapted to operate as and for the purpose berein before set
forth.
³ and
4. In the cash and parcel carrier described the combination of the track wire w
having the enlargement E carrier a having the parcel hook h catch basket B having
the slotted bottom B¹ bail d³ guide bars d, d cross bar cord d pulleys
weight d³ all adapted to operate as.and for the purpose herein before set forth.
5. In the cash and parcel carrier described the combination of the track wires
w¹ roller shaft R' levers R frame and sliding bars R³ all adapted to operate as
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
1
AD, 1
6. In the cash and parcel carrier described the combination of the track_wire_w
arresting and delivering slide F having the switch arm Ds and arm D guido
-wires. cord n weight and cross bar D" all adapted to operate as and for the 2
-purpose herein before set forth.
7. In the cash and parcel carrier-described the flat track-wire-having_the_
branches wand w' and switches was and for the purpose herein before-set.
forth.
8. In the cash and parcel carrier described the basket B having the slot B¹ as and 2
-for-the-purpose herein before.set forth.