Improvements in Mail-bag Fastenings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1889-Accepted, 27th May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mail-bag Fastenings.
We, HOMER LE ROY BOYLE, manufacturer, of the City of Grand Rapids, in the
county of Kent, and State of Michigan, United States of America, and ABRAHAM
MAY, merchant, of the City of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent, and State of
Michigan, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIL BAG FASTENINGS and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our invention relates to an improved device for fastening the mouth of mail hags
pouches and similar receptacles closed by a flap overlaping the mouth of the same
and the object of our invention is to provide a simple and durable device for securely
and quickly fastening said flap over the mouth of such bag.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of a mail bag embodying our invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line -x of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail of the clamping bars D-D.
Figure 4 is a detail of the pivot plate H.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the flap on the line y-y of Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several
figures.
A is a bag having a flap B overlaping the mouth of the same.
C, C, buttons attached to the front side of the bag for securing the flap.
To the inner face of the flap is secured the lining B¹ forming a pocket into which
sets the frame F, being secured in position by rivets passing through lining, frame,
and flap as shown in Figure 1, thus forming a chamber in which are the clamping
bars D, D, arranged to approach and recede from each other for the purpose of
engaging the shanks of the buttons when the flap is closed.
In the lining are openings P, P, through which pass the heads of the buttons into
the chamber and the bars D, may be provided with notches E, E, for embracing the
shanks of the buttons if desired. The lining B¹ and the frame F may be of leather or
other suitable material and the clamping bars D of steel or other suitable flexible
metal. G is a hasp which is pivoted to the flap by the pin N.
The pivot plate H. is fastened to the flap underneath the head of the hasp and has
the curved slots L. L. through which pass the pins O. O. rigidly attached to the head
of the hasp and loosely secured in the holes 01 0¹ of the bars D. so as to permit them
to rotate therein when the hasp is turned.
This arrangement of parts it will be observed operates as follows viz.: when the
flap is closed the buttons C. projecting into the chamber formed by the lining the
frame and the flap, their shanks are exposed to the jaws of the clamping bars D. D.
turning the hasp to the right opens the jaws, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. and
turning it to the left closes the same, and the shanks of the buttons being seized
between the jaws of the clamping boss are securely held thus securely fastening
down the flap when it may be locked by the staple I and padlock K. as shown in
Fig. 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In combination with a bag having a flap overlapping the mouth, said flap being

page_text: provided with a lining and with a frame inserted between said lining and flap forming
a chamber substantially as described and having buttons attached to said bag for
securing said flap adapted to pass through openings in said lining into said chamber
substantially as described and clamping bars arranged in said chamber adapted to
embrace the shanks of said buttons substantially as described, a hasp pivoted to said
flap and connected with the clamping bars and adapted to open and close said bars,
substantially as described.
2. In combination with a bag having buttons attached and having a flap provided
with a lining having button holes adapted to said buttons, clamping bars arranged
between the lining and flap adapted to embrace the buttons and opened and closed by
a pivoted hasp attached to said flap and connected with said bars substantially as
described.
3. In combination with a bag having buttons attached and a flap having a lining
provided with holes adapted to said buttons overlapping the mouth and having a
frame inserted between said lining and flap clamping bars attached to a pivoted hasp
adapted to open and close said bars for embracing the buttons and arranged inside of
said frame substantially as described.
4. In a bag provided with buttons arranged near the mouth and having a flap
provided with a lining having holes adapted to receive the heads of the buttons over-
laping its mouth, the combination of a frame arranged between said lining and flap,
clamping bars arranged between the lining and flap and enclosed by said frame and
a pivoted hasp attached to said flap connected with said bars and adapted to cause the
same to approach and recede from each other substantially as described.
5. The combination with a bag having buttons and a flap having holes adapted to
said buttons overlapping its mouth for closing the same of a pair of parallel clamping
bars arranged connectedly to said flap and a hasp pivoted to said flap connected
with said bars and adapted to open and close said bars for embracing said buttons
substantially as described.
6. In combination with a bag having buttons arranged near its mouth and a flap
having a lining having holes adapted to said buttons overlapping its mouth, a frame
arranged between said lining and flap and a pair of parallel clamping bars, arranged
connectedly to said flap, a hasp pivoted to said flap connected to said bars and adapted
to open and close the same substantially as described.
7. The combination with a bag having a flap and provided with buttons adapted
to secure the same, substantially as described of a pivoted hasp attached to said flap
and having a plate provided with curved slots arranged underneath the head thereof
and pins attached to clamping bars arranged secured to said flap and adapted to
close said bars substantially as described.
8. In a mail bag having a flap and buttons for securing said flap arranged sub-
stantially as described, the combination with a pair of clamping bars having notched
edges adapted for closing upon either side of the shanks of said buttons for locking
the same substantially as described of a hasp pivoted to said flap and provided with
pins connecting with said bars for opening and closing the same and a plate having
curved slots adapted to said pins arranged underneath the head of said hasp
substantially as described and for the purposes herein set forth.
9. In a mail bag substantially such as described having a flap overlapping its
mouth for closing the same, and buttons for securing said flap, the combination of a
lining provided with holes, secured to the under side of said flap a frame arranged
between said lining and flap a pair of clamping bars provided with notched edges
adapted for enclosing the shanks of said buttons arranged in said frame, a hasp having
a plate provided with curved slots arranged underneath the head thereof pivoted to
said flap and provided with pins adapted to said curved slots connected to said bars
for opening and closing the same substantially as described.
10. In a mail bag having a flap having a lining overlapping its mouth and buttons
for securing the same substantially as described, the combination of a frame arranged

page_text: secured between said lining and flap, clamping bars having notched edges adapted
to the shanks of said buttons arranged in said frame, a hasp pivoted to said flap and
having a plate having curved slots secured underneath the same and pins connecting
said bars and hasp substantially as described and a staple secured to said bag and
adapted to said hasp for locking said bag substantially as described.
Dated this First day of Man AD 1000
HOMER LE ROY BOYLE.
ABRAHAM MAY.