Year: 1885

page_text: I DENNIS PETER BROPHY Postmaster of Nokomis in the County of Montgomery
and State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature.of
this Invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mail bag lock
and a mail bag, adapted to said lock, which mail bag and lock are simple in con-
struction, strong and durable, safe and reliable and which can be opened easily
and rapidly.
The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts and details
as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter.
The lock casing is provided with two longitudinal partitions which project from
the bottom of the said casing and each of the said partitions is provided with a
recess in its bottom edge at the centre and the said partitions are also provided
with slots which extend from the upper edges of the said partitions to the said
recesses.
Each partition is also provided at each side of its slot with a slot for receiving
locking lugs which project from the locking bars which are interposed between
the two partitions and the side pieces of the casing and are pressed towards the
said partitions by bow springs secured to the inner surfaces of the sides of the
casing and having their free ends rested against the outer sides of the said locking
bars.
The locking lugs project alternately from the adjacent faces of the locking bars.
There are preferably two locking lugs on each locking bar but only one, or more
than two may be provided, according to size of the lock.
Each docking bar is provided with a flat lug at the bottom, the said lugs pro-
jecting towards each other and having each a V shaped recess in the outer edge.
The said lugs have such thickness that they can be passed through the recesses
in the bottom edges of the partitions.
A pin projects from the inner surface of the back or bottom of the casing mid-
way between the two partitions which pin serves as a guide and pivot for the key
which is provided with two opposite bits.

page_text: The separate front plate of the lock' is provided with a longitudinal central rib,
on its under or inner side which rib is of such thickness that it can be passed in
between the two partitions of the casing. This rib. is provided with a series of
say four apertures or slots which are so located that the locking lugs on the locking
bars can pass into them and the said rib is also provided with a recess in its bottom
edge at the middle and with a slot which extends to the key hole or slot in the
face of the front plate through which slots the bit end of the key can be passed
on the guide pin or pivot.
On the face of the front plate two undercut parallel ribs are formed equidistant
from the longitudinal central line of the said plate and between the said grooved
ribs a ticket or card of pasteboard sheet metal, or other material can be inserted
until its end rests against a cross rib uniting the ends of the said ribs.
On said ticket the name of the station from which the bag was sent or any
other suitable information is printed or produced in any other suitable manner.
A sliding plate having one end rabbeted, to hold one end of the ticket is
provided on its underside with a dovetailed projection or lug which slides in a
dovetailed recess or groove in the outer face of the front plate thus adapting the
said sliding plate to slide on the face of the front plate.
The sliding plate is provided with a finger recess or notch in its outer surface,
for receiving the finger for shifting the sliding plate.
The latter also serves as a cover for the key hole, and prevents dirt, dust, and
moisture, passing into the same.
The mail pouch or bag is provided with two end or mouth flaps of which one
is longer than the other and can be folded over it.
The back or bottom plate of the lock casing is riveted on the inner face of the
shorter flap and the casing passes through a slot in the said flap and projects from
the outer surface of the said shorter flap and the front plate is rivetted on the
outer surface of the longer flap and the rib of said plate projects from the inner
surface of the flap said flap having a recess for receiving the projecting part of
the casing. On the outer surface of the shorter flap and on the inner surface of
the longer flap spring strips are secured and are held by clips riveted on said flaps.
The ends of the said spring strips are secured to the metal end pieces or plates
rivetted on the flaps and which are provided at their adjacent ends with flanges
on which buttons are mounted to turn, and on said buttons eyes are formed, which
are connected with the flanges.
Lugs or wings formed on the end pieces or plates on the longer flap project from
the outer surface of the said flap and are used to swing the said flap over the
shorter flap.
The outer ends of the spring strips are bent in such a manner that when the
bag is open the outer ends of the springs are inclined towards each other and hold
the bag open and when the longer flap is swung over the shorter flap the springs
hold it in place.
The said spring strips must necessarily have the requisite sliding action to permit
of such swinging action of the flaps.
The pouch or bag may be made of leather, canvas or other suitable material.
The ends of the locking lugs and the bottom or inner edge of the rib on the
front plate are to be beveled or rounded slightly, so that when said rib is forced in
between the partitions of the lock casing the beveled edge of the rib strikes the
beveled ends of the lugs and can force the lugs apart.
The operation is as follows:-
The longer flap is swung over the shorter flap and is held in place by the action
of the spring strips and the front plate is rested on the lock casing its rib being
between the two partitions in the casing.
The free edge of the rib striking the ends of the locking lugs forces the locking
bars from each other and compresses their springs and when the rib has passed
fully into the space between the said partitions the locking lugs are snapped into

page_text: the slots in the rib and the two parts of the lock that is the casing and the front
plate are held together and the flap is locked on the other flap.
The ticket is inserted in place the sliding plate pushed over the key hole and
the end of the said plate holds the ticket in place.
To open the bag the sliding plate is withdrawn and the key is inserted in the
keyhole and is given a quarter turn causing the bits of the key to press the locking
bars from each other whereby the locking lugs are withdrawn from the slots in
the rib and then the one flap can be swung from the other and the bag is held
open by the spring strips in the manner set forth above.
Dated this 20th day of November 1885.

page_text: ✓ shaped recess H' in the meeting edge. The said lugs H have such thicknesses
that they can be passed through the recesses C in the bottom edges of the
partitions B. A pin K projects from the inner surface of the back or bottom of
the casing A midway between the two partitions B, which pin serves as a guide
and pivot for the key I which is provided with the two opposite bits J as shown
in figure 4. The separate front plate N of the lock attached to the bag flap b is
provided with the longitudinal central rib 0 on its under or inner side, which
rib O is of such thickness that it can be passed in between the two partitions B of
the casing A. This rib O is provided with a series of, in this case four, apertures
or slots P which are so located that the locking lugs on the locking bars D can
pass into them, and the said rib is also provided with the recess Q in its bottom
edge at the middle, and with the slot M which extends to the key hole or slot R
in the face of the plate N through which slots M and R. the bit-end of the key I
can be passed on the pin K. On the face of the plate N (see figures 3 and 5) two
undercut parallel ribs S are formed equidistant from the longitudinal central line
of the said plate and between the said grooved ribs a ticket or card T of paste-
board, sheet metal, or other material can be inserted until its end rests against a
cross rib uniting the ends of the said ribs S as shown in Figures 3. and 5. On
said ticket the name of the station from which the bag was sent, or any other
suitable information, is printed, or produced in any other suitable manner.
sliding plate U having one end rabbeted to hold one end of the ticket T, as shown
in Figure 5 is provided on its underside with the dovetailed projection or lug V
which slides in a dovetailed recess or groove W in the outer face of the plate N
thus adapting the said plate U to slide on the face of the plate N. The plate U is
provided with a finger recess or notch U¹ in its outer surface for receiving the
finger for shifting the plate U. The plate U also serves as a cover for the key
hole and prevents dirt, dust, and moisture passing into the same.
A
The mail pouch, or bag, a is provided with two end or mouth flaps b and c made
of canvas or other material of which the former is longer than the latter and can
be folded over it as shown in Figure 6. The back or bottom plate of the casing A
is rivetted on the inner face of the flap c and the casing passes through a slot in
the said flap and projects from the outer surface of the said shorter flap c and the
lock plate N is rivetted on the outer surface of the longer flap b, and the rib O of
said plate projects from the inner surface of the flap b as shown in figures 5 and 6,
said flap b having a recess for receiving the projecting part of the casing A as
shown in Figure 6. On the outer surface of the flap c and on the inner surface of
the flap b the spring strips d are secured and are loosely held by clips d' rivetted
on said flaps (see figures 1 and 2). The ends of the said spring strips are
secured to the metal end pieces or plates of rivetted on the flaps and said pieces f
are provided at their adjacent ends with inwardly bent flanges, and the plates f of
the one flap b are connected to those of the other flap c by universal, or swivel,
joints (shown in two views at figures 7 and 8) each formed by a pin turning in the
flange g of the plate of the flap c (said pin having collars h fast upon it which
embrace said flange g between them) the upper end of said pin being fashioned
into an eye k which is inserted between a pair of knuckles m formed by the
inwardly turned end of the plate f of the flap b a pin being passed through the
knuckles m and eye k to form a binge joint. The spring strips d are normally
bent to the desired curvature of the opening of the bag, so that when the flap b is
raised the strips d being then curved toward each other, the mouth of the bag is held
wide open.
In order to turn down the flap b, the strips would have to be pressed
together to render the rotation on the universal joints possible, so that the elasticity
of the bent strips tends to hold the flap b up. When the flap b is folded down
over the flap c the spring strips lying almost parallel with each other, their normal
curvature, then being in the same direction, tends to bow out the top of the bag.
But this tendency is greatly overcome on account of the strips, though universally
jointed to each other, being held from any lengthwise, movement upon each other
by such joints, and as they are held slightly apart by the meeting clips d¹ the

page_text: strips cannot bend together without the one being expanded and the other con-
tracted or buckled, this tendency being increased by their being held apart so that
truss-like they mutually brace each other and keep the top of the bag approxi-
mately straight. The thick fold in the flap b acts in a similar manner, it having
much greater stiffness than the single thickness of flap. The ends of the locking
lugs F and the bottom or inner edge of the rib O. on the locking plate N are
beveled or rounded slightly, so that when said rib is forced in between the
partitions B the beveled edge of the rib strikes the beveled ends of the lugs, and
can force the lugs apart.
The pouch or bag may be made of leather, canvas, or other suitable material.
The operation is as follows;-The flap b is swung over the flap c and is held in
place by the action of the springs.d, and the plate N is pressed towards the lock
casing A the rib O being between the two partitions B in the casing. The bevelled
edge o of the rib O, strikes the bevelled ends of the locking lugs F, as set forth,
forces the locking bars D from each other and compresses the springs E, and when
the rib O has passed fully into the space. between the said partitions the lugs F
are snapped into the slots P. in the rib O. and the two parts of the lock, that is,
the casing A and the plate N. are held together, and the flap bis locked to the
flap c. The ticket T is inserted between the ribs S, the plate U is pushed over
the key-hole, and the end of the said plate U holds the ticket T in place. To open
the bag, the sliding plate U is withdrawn, and the key I is inserted in the keyhole,
and is given a quarter turn causing the bits of the key to press the locking bars D
from each other acting on the lugs H whereby the lugs F are withdrawn from the
slots P in the rib O and then the flap b can be swung from the flap c and the bag
is held open by the spring strips d in the manner set forth above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention; and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In a mail bag lock, the combination with a casing having slotted longitudinal
partitions of locking bars having lugs which can pass through the slots in the
partitions, springs acting on the said locking bars, and of a top plate having a
slotted rib on the inner side which rib fits between the partitions in the casing,
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a mail bag lock, the combination with the casing A, having the slotted
partitions B, of the bars D, having the lugs F, and the flat middle lugs H, of the
springs E, and the top plate N, provided with the slotted rib O, substantially as
herein shown and described.
3. In a mail bag lock, the combination with the lock casing and locking
mechanism, of the top plate N, having the recess W, and of the sliding plate U,
having a lug V, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a mail bag lock, the combination with the lock casing and locking
mechanism, of the top plate N, having undercut ribs S, and the recess W, and the
sliding plate U, having a lug V, substantially as herein shown and described.
5. In a mail bag lock, the combination with the plate N, having a key-hole slot,
and a ticket-receptacle, at one side or end of the key-hole slot, of a sliding plate
mounted in ribs or ways on the plate N, in line with the open end of the ticket
receptacle, adapted to slide over the keyhole slot and to close the open end of the
ticket receptacle, substantially as herein shown and described.
6. In a mail bag lock, the combination with the plate N, having a key hole slot
and a ticket receptacle at one end of the said plate, consisting of undercut ribs
closed at their outer ends, and open at their inner ends, of the plate U, guided on the
face of the plate N, and having its end, adjacent to the open ends of the undercut
ribs, rabbetted, substantially as herein shown and described.
7. The combination with a mail bag, having a flap adapted to close over the
mouth, of spring strips secured on the flaps at the mouth of the bag, substantially
as herein shown and described.

page_text: 8. The combination with a mail bag, having a flap at the mouth, of springs
secured to the said flap and also to the front portion of the bag at or near said
mouth, and a lock plate and casing secured to the said flaps, substantially as herein
shown and described.
9. The combination with a mail bag having the flaps b and c at its mouth, of the
lock-plate N, on the flap b, the spring strips d on the said flaps, the end pieces f,
secured near the ends of the flaps b and c, and hinged to each other, substantially
as herein shown and described.
10. The combination with a mail bag, having the flaps b and c, of the end
pieces f, near the ends of the flaps, and the flanges on the ends of the said end
pieces inside the bag, the said end pieces being hinged together, substantially as
herein shown and described.
11. The combination with a mail bag, having the flaps b and c, at the mouth,
of the spring strips d on said flaps, end pieces f on the ends of the flaps to which
end pieces the ends of the spring strips d are secured, and of flanges on the said
end pieces, and of a pin connecting the flanges of the end pieces of one flap, to the
flanges of the end pieces on the other flap, substantially as hereiu shown and
described. .