Improvements in Mail Bag Oatchers and Deliverers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1885
COMPLETE SPECIFICATIOUN.
Improvements in Mail Bag Oatchers and Deliverers.
I, CHARLES FRANK SLIGER, Locomotive Engineer, of 532 Wyoming Street
San Antonio, in the County of Bexar and State of Texas, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manuer the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to a device capable of catching or transferring mail bags
from a mail bag hanger to the mail car while the car is in motion, the device also
acting to deliver a mail bag at the same station, if necessary, one operation in no
manner interforing with the other. Another object of the invention is to provide a
device of the character above set forth, which may be used at either side of a door
opening in a car, and which will be exceedingly simple, durable and economic in
its construction and entirely automatic in its operation.
The invention consists in the novel construction aud combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the device attached to a car, the device being shown in
positive lines in position to deliver a sack and to receive one, and in dotted lines the
device is illustrated in the position it assumes when delivering the sack caught from
the hanger, to the doorway of a car;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the device in operative position;
Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof, in the position shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a transverse section taken essentially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the catcher arin and body portion of the
device;
Figure 6 is a plan view of the device with the delivery arm in tripped or horizontal
position;
Figure 7 is a transverse section, taken essentially on the line 7-7 of Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a detail view of the delivery arm, the hook being in open position and
the arm proper, horizontally located;
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, the arm being shown in operative position
and the hook closed; and
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the invention applied to a car and in the
act of delivering one bag and catching another.
The invention may be said to consist primarily of a base A, a catcher arm B, a
delivery arm C and a retaining arm D. The base A is usually made rectangular in
cross section, and is provided with an interior chamber opon at the front and at one
or both ends, the back of the base being made more or less dove-tailed, in order that
it may fit in correspondingly-shaped sockets A', four of which sockets or receivers
are fixed upon a car, one at each side of each car door, since the device is intended
to be shifted as occasion may demaud.
The catcher arm B, is preferably U-shaped in cross section, comprising a front
wall and a top and bottom wall, the rear portion being substantially open, as shown in
Figure 3. The catcher arm is preferably made in two sections, a body section. b
nud an extension section b', the two sections being connected by a latch 11 of any
ŋi hint of making the untaher arm in two sections.is

page_text: order that the said delivery arm may be made to work in direction of either end of
the car.
The inner end of the body of the catcher arm is enlarged, and is pivoted
in the base A by a pivot pin 10. This pivot pin is loosely passed through the
catcher arm mounted to turn loosely in the base.
The retaining arm D is provided with a circular enlarged inner end, formed
substantially of two disks 12, and this arm is pivoted in the catcher arm by passing
a pivot pin 13 loosely through the catcher arm and through the disk end of the
retaining arm.
A spring 14, is coiled around the pivot of the catcher arm between its members,
the spring being secured at one end to said pivot and at its opposite end to the
outer face of the said arm, as illustrated best in Figure 5, the tendency of the said
spring being to throw the catcher arm parallel with the base, as shown in dotted
lines in Figure 1, or across the door opening. A similar spring 15, is made to
control the retaining arm, being secured at one end to the pivot 13 of said arm,
between the disks 12, and the opposite end of the spring is attached to a pin 16
connecting the two disks near their peripheries, as is likewise shown in Figure 5.
The lower disk 12 of the retaining arm is provided with a recess 17, and in front
of this recessed portion of the disk n block 18 is located in the catchor arın,
carrying a spring-controlled bolt 19, the spring of the bolt serving to normally
force said bolt to an engagement with the periphery of the said lower disk of the
retaining arm, in order that when the arm is at a right angle to the catcher arm the
bolt will enter the recess 17 and preserve such position.
The bolt 19 is operated by a finger 20, adapted to draw it out from the recess 17,
which finger is attached to a rock shaft 21, transversely journaled in the catcher
arm at its rear, and provided with a finger 22, extending ontwardly and longi-
tudinally of the catcher arm, terminating at its outer end in a head 23, extending
within the catcher arm transversely thereof, as shown in Figure 7.
The longer finger 22 extends over and into the extension of the catcher arm,
and in this extension upon its forward surface, a series of bearings 25 is arranged,
proferably in pairs, three pairs being illustrated. A cam 26, shown best in
Figure 7 and of substantially a heart or elliptical shape, is located between each
outer and inner pair of the bearings and secured upon a shaft 24, held to turn in
said bearings and extending through all of them.
The delivery arin is shaped substantially in cross-section like the catcher arm,
the forward face of the delivery arm being, however, open, as shown at 27, and the
said delivery arm is secured upon the shaft 24 between the bearings of the inter-
mediate set, and springs 28 are coiled around the shaft between the outer set of
bearings and the intermediate bearings and the inner set of bearings and inter-
mediate bearings, one end of each spring being attached in any approved manner
to the sides of the delivery arm; and the tendency of these springs is to throw the
delivery arm inward at a right angle to the catcher arm, as shown in Figure 6.
A latch 29, which is in the nature of a plate, is located in the framing of the
delivery arm longitudinally thereof, the lower end of the latch being provided with
a recess 30 adapted for engagement with the upper forward corner of the catcher
arm, acting when in such contact to maintain the delivery arm in a vertical position
at right angles to the catcher arm, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The upper
end of the latch 29 is provided with opposing studs 31, which limit the upward
movement of the latch in the delivery arm by contact with a pin 31", located at its
open side; and the lower inner end of the intch is pivoted within the framing of
the delivery arm by a pin 32, as shown in Figure 4, and the latch is normally held
in an outer position by a spring 33, shown in dotted lines in the same figure. A
keeper 34, is secured to one side of the delivery arm, extending beyond its rear or
closed face, and at the outer or upper end of the said delivery arm, near its closed
face, a shaft 35, is located, and at one end of this shaft a link 36 is secured, having
pivotally connected with it a hook 37, adapted when the arm is in a vertical position
to engage with the keeper 34, being held in position for engagement by a spring 38,
whereby the hook may be removed from the keeper independent of its automatic
I.

page_text: closing mechanism, thus permitting a bag to be inserted or removed if desired,
since the bag E' to be delivered is to be carried by the hook when it is in engagement
with the keeper.
The automatic operating mechanism of the hook consists of a link 39, attached
to the opposite end of the shaft 35, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the said link
being pivotally connected with a longer link 40, having its opposite end pivoted
upon the upper surface of the catcher arm.
A lever 42 is fulcrumed upon preferably the lower member of the inner end of
the catcher arm, as shown in Figure 5, the said lover being provided with a
cylindrical surface engaging with the stud 16 on the retaining arm; and the lower
member of the catcher arm at its inner end is made circular or cylindrical, and is
provided with a recess 44, adapted to receive a spring 43 attached to the base, the
spring being adapted for engagement with the rear edge of the lever 42. The
spring upon the pinion 10 may be wound up, if desired, by means of a wrench or
koy applied to its upper end which is squared, the said upper end being likewise
provided with a ratchet wheel 45, engaged by a pawl 46 located upon the base;
and the spring of the retaining arm may be wound in like mauner by applying a
suitable implement to its upper end, and the pivot 13 of this arm is provided with
a ratchet wheel 47, engaged by a pawl 48, pivoted upon the catcher arm.
In the operation of this device, before the car approaches a station at which a
mail bag is to be delivered and where a mail bag hauger E is located, supporting
the mail bag E to be gathered, the catcher arm is carried to the position shown
in positive lines in Figure 1, namely, at a right angle to the side of the car, and
when the arm is carried to this position the spring latch 43 will have entered the
recess 44 in the catcher arm, maintaining it in such position. The retaining arm
is carried at a right angle to the catcher arm, as is also shown in positive lines in
Figure 1, and the bolt 19 will enter tho recess 17 in the retaining arm, maintaining
it in the position in which it has been placed, and the delivery arm is carried to a
vertical position, whereupon its latch 29, will engage with the catcher arm and
hold it in such position.
When carrying the delivery arm to its upper position, the links 39 and 40 will
act to automatically close the hook 37 down upon the keeper 34 and passing through
the ring of the mail bag E' to be left at the next station if a mail bag is to be
delivered there. When the car approaches the mail bag hanger E, the latch 29
will strike the upper horizontal arm of the hanger, and will be disengaged from
the catcher arm, at which time the springs 28 will act to throw the delivery arm
rearward to a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 6, and the hook will be
carried out from the keeper and the bag relieved from connection with the
delivery arm.
The action of the springs 28 will servo also to turn the shaft 24 in the catcher
arm and revolve the cam 26 sufficiently to cause the arm 22 of the rock shaft 21
contacting with the cam to be carried rearward, thus drawing the bolt 19 from
engagement with the retaining arm D. At this time the mail bag upon the
hanger E will be engaged by the catcher arm, and the retaining arin being freed
from the bolt 19 will be forced to the parallel position with the catcher arm by its
spring 15, the retaining arm will therefore clamp the bag in engagement with the
catcher arm, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, and the movement of the
retaining arm to accomplish this holding position with relation to the mail bag,
will cause the stud 16 of the retaining arm to force rearward the levor 42, causing
the said lever to carry the spring latch 43 from engagement with the catcher arm,
whereupon the spring 14 of the latter arm will act and carry it across the door
opening, as likewise shown in Figure 1, enabling an attendant to readily remove
the bag and set the device for operation at the next gathering or delivering
station.
Two cams 26 are provided in the drawings in order that the extension b' of the
catcher arm may be reversed and cause the delivery arm to operate from either
Bide of the door.

page_text: 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. A mail bag catcher comprising a base, a catcher arm pivoted at its inner end
thereon, a spring for throwing the catchor arm inwardly, a latch for locking the
said arm in its outermost position, a retaining arm pivoted at its inner end to the
catcher arm, a spring to throw the retaining arm towards the catcher arm,
a releasing mochanism actuated from the inner end of the retaining arm to release
the said latch and permit the catcher arm to be thrown by its spring towards the
car, a locking device mounted on the catcher arm and engaging the retaining arm
when swung away from the catcher arm, and a releasing mechanism mounted on
the catcher arm to release the latch of said retaining arm, substantially as shown
and described.
2. In a mail bag catcher, a base, a catcher arm pivoted in the base, having
spring-controlled movement, a latch having locking engagement with the inner
end of the catcher arm, a spring-controlled retaining arm pivoted in the catcher
arm, a releasing device mounted on the catcher arm operated by the inner ond of
the retaining arm and operating upon the latch of the catcher arm, a locking
device engaging with the retaining arm, and a releasing mechanism carried by tho
catcher arm and operating upon the said locking device, substantially as nod for
the purpose set forth.
3. In a mail bag catcher and deliverer, a spring-controlled catcher arm,
a retaining arm carried by the catcher arm, a locking mechanism for the catcher
arm, controlled by the retaining arm, a delivery arm fulcrumed upon the catcher
arm, a locking device engaging with the retaining arm, a trip connection between
the locking device and the delivery arm, a carrier located upon the delivery armi,
and a trip whereby the carrier is thrown in open position, substantially as shown
and described.
4. In a mail bag catcher and deliverer, the combination, with a catcher arm,
spring-controlled and provided with a locking device, a retaining arm likewise
spring-controlled and provided with a locking device, and a releasing connection
between the locking device of the catcher arm and the retaining arm, of a delivery
arm pivoted upon the catcher arm, provided with a latch adapted to hold it in
a predetermined position, a latch likewise serving as a trip, springs acting to carry
the delivery arm from a delivery position to a position of rest, carriers adapted to
hold a mail bag, operated by the movement of the delivery arm, and a releasing
connection, substantially as shown and described, between the delivery arm and
a locking device of the retaining arm, as aud for the purpose set forth.
.
5. In a mail bag catcher and deliverer, the combination, with a catcher armı,
spring-controlled and provided with a locking device, a retaining arm likewise
spring-controlled and provided with a locking device, and a releasing connection
between the locking device of the catcher arm and the retaining armn, of a delivery
arm pivoted upon the catcher arm and provided with a keeper, a hook for engage-
mont with the keeper, and a shifting connection between the hook and the catcher
arm, a shaft upon which the delivery arm is mounted, the said shaft being spring-
controlled, a latch carried by the delivery arm and adapted for engagement with
the catcher arm, holding the former in position for delivering, a cam carried by
the said shaft, and a releasing device operated by the cam and operating upon the
locking device of the retaining arm, as and for the purpose set forth.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.