US214771A - Peters - Google Patents

Description

J. B. GATHRIGHT 8L S. LnDRABELLE. Mail-Bag.

No. 214,771. 1 Pate nted April 29,1879.

Inventors 7 4774b 1 1 i I Orflfi Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT AND SAMUEIi L. DRABELLE, OF LOUISVILLE, KY.

IMPROVEMENTLIN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,771, dated April 29, 1879; application filed November 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT and SAMUEL L. DRABELLE, of the city of Louisville, county of Jefferson, State of Ken- 1 of an ordinary lockbag, constructed with the.

gussets Gr Graccording to our invention. Fig. 2 shows the back of the bag and the main flap to it at the point shown, a1so strap KK, all to operate as hereinafter described. Fig.3 shows the front side of the bag with the adjunct flap B, the bag being open. Fig. 4 shows an edge view of the bag, and Fig. 5 shows front view of the bag closed.

It will be seen from Figs. 2 and 3 that the two side pieces, 0, Fig. 2, and D, Fig. 3, of the bag are cut with thin edges, beveled in on both sides at the top, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, thus reducing the size of the mouth abo ut one-half; but instead of riveting these sides to each other, as is done below at M W, Fig. 4, a gusset, G, is inserted on each side from W upward, and the beveled edges are riveted to these, as shown by lines of rivets a and b, Fig. 4. The gussets are large enough to restore the mouth of the bagto its full size when it is open, but when closed the gussets are folded inwardly, which reduces the mouth to the size of the beveled side pieces. The gussets Grand G are cut so they will extend above the sides of the bag when open, as seen in Fig. 4, and this upper part is preferably so shaped that when the bag is closed the upper edges of the gussets will be on a line with the mouth of the bag. The lines of rivets a and b stiffen the bag at these points, and, there being no lines of rivets up the middle of the gussets, it is only necessary to fold and crease the gussets along their centers before attaching them to the bag, and when made up they will readily break on these lines and fold inwardly when the bag is being closed. The folds of the gussets serve to obstruct to some extent the mouth of the bag, and also to stiffen it. p

The gussets are provided with slots for the end staples c and e to pass through, and are in this way securely fastened. To cover and fasten this reduced mouth requires flaps only about one-half the usual width, and only half the number of staples heretofore used.

We also construct and arrange the flaps and lfastening's so that there is no need of turning the bag over or around in fastening or unfastening it, as all can be done on one side. For

this purpose we rivet the main flap A to the hack of the bag at a point about two inches (more or less) below the slots N J P, (see-Fig.

2,) as indicated by the line of rivets V. A, which has the staples 0, cl, and 6 attached About the same distance below the line of fastening V' we rivet to this flap the staples o d e, and provide the end of flap with corresponding slots fg h. The adjunct flap B is riveted to the other front side of the bag, as seen in Fig.3, and is provided with the slots R T S.

The effect of this construction and arrangement is now apparent. When the flap A'is turned over the top of the bag the staples c d 6 pass through the top of the bag by the slots N J P,and project on the other front side; The slots f, g, and h in the end of flap A are next put over the staples, and then flap Bis turned up to lap over on A, and the slots R T S also slipped over the staples. The ends of strap K Kare now brought around, one passed through staple c, and one through c, and both lapped upon staple d, which is attached horizontally for this purpose. The ends of the straps are, of course, provided with metallic eyelets. The fastening is now complete and ready for the look, as seen in Fig. 4.

It will be seen that, owing to the widening of the strap K K along its middle portion, the sides of the bag next to the month are completely capped.

We have made the straps continuous to strengthen and stiffen the flap but, of course, the two ends may be separate or attached, as desired.

To prevent the possibility of water being admitted to the mouth of the bag by the gusset when folded, the inverted lip X, Fig. 1, is

riveted on across the gusset, the same being made, if desired, to line or double the holes for the staples through the gussets. The upper edge of this lip is concave and the lower (EOHX'GX. It is riveted to the gusset along the upper edge, the lower edge projecting downward at an angle to the gusset, formin g a barrier against water passing in direction of the mouth of the bag. To cause this lower edge of the lip to turn up well, the upper edges are forced inwardly toward each other to some extent while riveting them on. This strip thus riveted folds and unfolds with the gusset; but the lower edge always stands out from the gusset, and conducts out any water that may get into the gusset. It also serves to stiffen the gussets, and thus cause the bags to stand open for putting in mail.

Label-holders may be applied to this bag in any known or desired way. It is well adapted to be used with the combined lock and labelholder invented and patented by one of the undersigned, and described in Letters Patent N 0. 187,372.

Instead of flap B lapping upon flap A, as shown in Fig. 4., it may be riveted to the bag nearer the mouth, and cut larger to lap over and around the mouth of the bag before the flap A is brought over, thus doubly capping the mouth of the bag.

Of course, there are other methods of riveting a bag so that its edge will break and fold inwardly as the gusset-s do; but we prefer the plan herein described, because it gives us a line of rivets along each exposed edge to protect from wear the folded edges, and affords rigidity to the edges and flexibility at the folding center, which contribute to its automatic action.

Instead of cutting away the corners of the side pieces to form the reduced month, we may rivet the gussets along the beveled lines and leave the uncut corners of the side pieces, 0

and D, projecting as flaps over the gussets.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail-bag provided with gussets G G, said gussets adapted to fold inwardly when the bag is closed, and penetrated and secured by the fastening of the central portion, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a mail-bag provided with gussets G G, the lips XX, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

3. A mail-bag provided with double straps K K, widened to cap the side edges more perfectly, as shown and described.

4. In a mail-bag, the combination of the infolding gussets G G, the flap A, with its slots f g h and staples c d e, and straps K K, all constructed and arranged to operate as herein stated.

JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT. SAMUEL L. DRABELLE. Witnesses:

JOHN J. HARRISON, Gun. 0. MoGRATH.

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