US1008546A - Mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. N. ISENBERGER. MAIL me cucame AND DELIVERING APPARATUS. 1,008,546.

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Jacob N.

gBSSES I 2W4 J. N. ISENBERGER. MAIL BAG CATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS. APPLICATION rILI-m 11m. 10, 1911.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

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WITNESSES Uacoyb Iienberq g CQLUIIIA WWII 00., WAQNING'I'ON, n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB N. ISENBERGER, OF LANCASTER, PENNfiYLVANIA, ASSIGI OR TO UNIVERSAL MAIL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANI I, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG CA'IOHING AND DELIVERING APPARA'NU'S.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB N. Isnnnnnonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catching and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a mail bag catcher and deliverer for use in connection with moving trains, and more particularly to that class which is rotatably mounted on a standard situated beside the track and hav ing a spring controlled rotation thereon to compensate for the shock caused by the impact of the bag; and to a combined deliverer and car fork mounted in the doorway of the car and adapted to operate in conjunction therewith.

One object of my invention is to provide a catcher wherein the bag is received from a moving train without undue jar, and the rectilinear motion of the bag transformed into a circular motion about the axis of the standard of the catcher.

Another object is to provide means whereby the bag becomes looked upon the catcher immediately upon its reception, so that no rebound will throw it out of the catcher, until released by the attendant.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this class, in which means are provided for both catching and delivering one or more bags at the same time and without requiring change or separate adjustment in the apparatus.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain construction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fully described and claimed in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a art of this application, and in which like gures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the views; but it is fully understood that while I have here described my device as herewith shown, that I do not confine myself to the exact design as shown, as slight changes may be made in the construction and combination of the several parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the deliver- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 10, 1911.

Pateni ed Nov. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 613,492.

ing and catching devic a. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 4:, is a detail sectionalv view 0 i the impact cushion device as used under he table. Fig. 5, is a bottom view of the table. Fig. 6, is a top plan view of the ca fork in an extended position. Fig. 7, is i plan view of the catcher and deliverer, in position to cooperate with the car for r, and also shows its position after receivil g the bags as indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 8, is a top plan view of the car doorwa 7, showing the arm of the car fork when lovx ered after catching a bag. Fig. 9, is a side view of the car fork, showing the bag retair ing arms.

Referring to the di awings, that part of the apparatus known 15 the car fork, comprises the bar 1, which is formed midway its ends, with the enlarge rnent 2, which is provided with the transv arse orifice 3, and the angular spring cham hers 4:, in the body thereof, for the reception of the impact springs 5; while pivoned by the pin 6, and extending through the orifice 3, is the arm 7, which is formed with 1 he oppositely disposed studs 8, to engage tie impact springs 5, which tend to always keep said arm 7, in a Eight angular positior with reference to the The forward extending portion of the arm 7 is provided with a Jag supporting arm 9, extending above and Lt night-angles to said arm 7 and provided v 'ith one or more hooks 10, for suspending the bags by the rin s in the end thereof; and t prevent the bag from swinging, I have alsc secured tothe end of the arm 7, a pair of iurved spring arms 11, between which the bag ban and which slightly grips the bag by a side 12, which is mounted on said a ms 11, and is adapted to be slid downward thereon bringing said arms together upon ihe bag and holding it from swinging until .t is pulled out.'

Upon the catching side of the arm 7 is secured a catching zrm 13, which extends at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the car and is form :d with the bag catch- .ing crank 14:; said (atching arm 13, being provided with a bag ocking means comprising an arm 15, in the shape of a bell crank,

and which is pivoted by the stud 16, to said catching arm 13; the inner end of said arm 15, being straight at d adapted to be hit by the incoming bag, and swinging around the curved end of the arm 15, which engages a catch 17, on the crank 14, thus kicking-said arm 15, and preventing the rebound of the bag. The ends of the arms 7, and 13, are braced apartby the brace 18'.

The ends of the bar 1, are rotatably mounted in the bearing brackets 19, and. 20, which are secured to the sides of the doorway 21, of the car by suitable securing means 22. The bearing 19, being a thrust bearing and coinprising a socket 23, within which is a spiral spring 24, surrounding said bar 1, and bearing against said spring 24, is a rubber cushion 25, held in place by an adjustable collar 26, which is held by the pin 27. This thrust bearing is so constructed that a light impact of a bag upon the arm. 7, will compress the spring 24, and a heavy impact will not only compress the spring 24, but also the rubber cushion 25, thus making a compensating thrust cushion. The bearing 20, is formed with a lug 28, which coacts with :1 lug 29, formed upon the end of the bar 1, to lock the same in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the arm 7, extended; the impact of the bag causing said bar 1, to unlock, and the weight of the arm 7, and the bag causing the same to swing into the car, the swing being limited by the same lugs 28, and 29, again coming into contact upon their opposite sides; the ends of said lugs being beveled to facilitate the raising of the arm.

To dismount the bar 1, for removal to an other doorway, the pin 27, is removed and the bar 1, slid through the collar 26, and bearing 19, until the other end of said bar 1, is released from the bearing 20, when the Whole bar 1, may be removed.

The catching and delivering apparatus comprises a standard or crane 30, which is mounted upon the ground in proper relation to the track, and a horizontal arm 31, integral therewith and upon which is rotatably mounted a circular table 32, which is provided with a depending bearing stud 33, engaged by a socket 34, in said arm 31; while from the center of said table 32, extends upward a shaft 35, which rotates within a bearing 36, formed in an upper parallel horizontal arm 37, of said crane 30. Surrounding the upper portion of said shaft, with its upper end secured to said arm 37, and its lower end secured to a collar 38, forming the lower end of a casing 39, se cured to the arm 37, is a spring 41, which is designed to wind upon the shaft 35, and create a resistance to the revolving of the shaft 35, in the bearing 36. Upon the lower.

surface of the table 32, is formed a pair of depending stops 42, which, when the table is revolved in either direction, abut against a double ended cushion stop 43, which is of a similar construction to the thrust cushion used on the bar 1, and which is mounted in the arm 31.. The table 32, and the shaft 35, are normally retained with. the spring 41, under compression, as shown. in Fig. 1., by the action of a double ended hooked nosedog 45, which is pivoted upon the arm 31; said dog engaging a catch 47, secured upon the under surface of the table 32, in such a manner that when. the table 32, is slightly revolved in a direction to further eon'lpress the spring, the dog will. release the table, and the table will turn in the opposite di.rec tion as actuated by said. springs, and the dog will catch the other catch 47, and hold the table from a backward swing.

To the upper end of the shaft-35, above the arm 37, is keyed or otherwise secured, a bag-catching arm 49, which is provided with the bag-catching fingers 50, and 51; while above and parallel to said arm 49, is supported a (lelii 'ering arm or crane 53, by a bracket 54; said crane 53, being provided with the bag-hanging resilient hook 55; for suspending a bag by the ring in its end: while the lower end of the bag is retained by an arm 44, which is hinged to the arm 49, and is provided with the weight 56, and the bag-engaging hooks 57; said weighted arm 44, retaining the bags at a proper tension for catching.

The bag-catching fingers 50, and 51, are provided. with a bag-locking means comprising a pivoted arm 58, similar to the arm 15, coacting with a catch and steps 59, and 60.

The operation of the device as a whole is as follows :A bag or bags having been suspended from the hook 55, the crane is set with the arms 49, and 53, at right angles to the track and retained in that position against the tension of the spring 41, by the dog 45. A bag or bags having been placed on the hook 10, and in the spring arms 11, on the car fork, and the fork being held in a horizontal position by the catch and the train moving in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 6) and the crane being in the position shown in Fig. 7, the arm of the car fork will pass between the arms 49, and 53, and the bags will be caught out of the arms 9, by the fingers 50, and 51, and the catching arm 13, will catch and tear the other bag or bags from the arm 53, and thus both operations will be done at the same time. As the arm. 49, receives the impact of the bags, it is driven slightly back against the tension of the spring 41, which will allow the dog to release the table, and allow the arms to swing back into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, where they may be secured in said position by the dog. The

impact of the car fork caused by catching the bags is sustained by the springs 5, which allows the arm a slight motion to prevent its beino bent.

As the arm 49, assumes the position shown in Fig. 7, the bags are retained in place by the locking arm 58.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a suitable car fork secured to the car and a bag-receiving device mounted upon the ground to cooperate with said car fork, and comprising a standard, a rotatable shaft mounted in said standard, a table carried by said shaft, and a bagcatching arm secured upon said shaft and ada ted to be swung by the revolution of sai shaft, of bag-catching fingers projecting from said arm and adapted to be placed in the pathway of the bag as carried by the car fork, and a locking device carried by said fingers and adapted to hold the bag and prevent its rebound from said fingers.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a bagreceiving means mounted upon the ground in proper relation to the car, of a car-fork mounted upon the car and comprising a bag-holding arm pivoted to the car and capable of a vertical swing, and means for holding said arm in a horizontal position until automatically released by the impact of a bag, a bag-holding device mounted upon the end of said arm and com rising a bag-suspending hook, and a pair resilient arms to engage the sides of the bag and prevent swinging movement of the same, a bag-catching arm projecting from the ba -hold1ng arm at an angle thereto, a bag-ho ding crook formed on said arm, and a bag-locking catch mounted uponsaid arm and adapted to be looked upon the bag as the same is received. I

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car-fork- :nounted upon the car, of a bag-catchin and delivering apparatus mounted upon tie grc und in proper relation to the car, and comp] ising a standard, a bag-holding crane rotai ably mounted on said standard and provit ed with bagholding hooks, a bag-catching means mounted upon said crane and comprising bagcatching fingers or jaws ada ted to receive the bag from the car-fork, locking means attached to said fingers for preventing the rebound of the bag, means inounted upon said standard limiting the wing of said crane, means for cushioning t is stoppage of said swing, and means for holding said crane upon either end of its s vings until released by the impact of the b: g.

4. In a device of the class described, a standard, a vertical shaft mounted in said standard, a bag-catching a rm extendin from said shaft, means or revolving sai shaft, means for limiting thi revolution of said shaft, means for norn ally retaining said shaft at one limit of its swing,'means for temporarily holding said shaft at either limit of its swing, and means for cushioning the limiting impact of said sv ing,bag-catching fingers mounted on said catching arm, an automatic bag-locking let er mounted on said fingers, and a ba -ho1din; crane mounted on and above sai catching arm.

In testimony whereof I afli I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB N. ISE NBERGER.

Witnesses:

JoHN J. THoMPsoN, WM. J. COULTER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G.

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