US1585698A - Railway-mail-exchange device - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1926. 1,585,698

H. E. SMTH RAILWAY MAIL EXCHANGE DEVICE Filed Sept. 1, 1923 sition.

Patented May 25,

HERBERT E. SMITH, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO SPOKANE MAIL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF SEOKANE, W'ASEING-TUN.

RAILW AY-MAIL-EXQHAIFGE DEVICE.

Application filed September 1, 1923. Serial No. 660,618.

the-mail car the exchange device is normally carried ahead of the car door and held in inoperative position exteriorly oi. and-parallel with'the side oi the car.

v the utilization of my invention compactly arranged means preferably located above the doorway of the car and manually operated from the interior of the car are provided for sw-mgmg thecrane from its inoperative position to-catch position, and manually operated .means-accessible from the interior of the car are also utilized as .an emergency means forreturning the crane to loading position from its operative position. In carrying out my invention I employ a spring device whereby the crane is retained in either inoperative or loading positions; a

retaining device for holding the crane in operative or projected position; a spring device for retracting the crane after operation to the inoperative position; and means for absorbing the shock of impact inthe. performance of the required functions of the crane.

In the drawings I have illustrated the exchange equipment on a railwayinail car in which two similarly operating devices are employed and adapted. for. selective use depending upon the direction ottravel of the car, and in which the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my. invention.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional .view through the doorway at one side of a railway mail ear showing the equipment of the.

invention with thecrane in projected or operative position for supporting. a mail bag for exchange or delivery or tor-receiving a ma lbag,

Figure 21s atop-planviewot a portion Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a bracket for supporting and guiding one of the manually operated pull cables.

In Figure 2 two; of the devices are indicated one as A and the other as B, the former being shown in operative position while the car is traveling in the direction of the arrow. said devicebeing located in front of the doorway of the car. The de vice B is shown in retracted or inoperative position. Inasmuch asboth devices are 01 similar construction and operated in the same manner, adescription ofthe device A will sufiice for setting'forththe invention.

In carrying out my invention I utilize a rotary crane comprising. an. upright shaft 1 journaled in bearings 2 at the exterior of the ear and adjacent the doorway. The shaft is provided with anupper horizontal arm 3. having attaching. devices at its free end for the suspension of a mail bag or 3OUCl1, and at the lower end ofthe shaft a second arm 4- is provided with means for retaining the bag in upright position.

F or receiving a bag of mail from the station or trackside device the lower arm is provided with a fork 5 which as shown in Figure 2 is extent ed, horizontally from the arm 4t, but when the crane is in inoperative position this fork may be turned down to vertical position and out of the way. For this purpose the arm 4 may be turned in its socket member 4 carried by the shaft 1, am the arm fixed with the socket member by use of a pin passed through openings 5 in the socket member and arm.

At the upper end of the shaft is loosely supported a, clutch sleeve 6 and below this sleeve isa clutchdevice 7 operated through the, motion oi a lever 8 to disengageand uncouplethesleeve from the shaft. A spring 9 forming part of the clutch holds the clutch in engagement to retain the crane ,with its arms parailel withlthe. sides of the car either in inoperative position or in loading position across the doorway of the car. When the loaded crane is to beswung in itsbearings 2 theclutch is. first" disengaged. to uncouple ,tlie saeeve from thee-heft, and ."wlienthe end off a .ijetrac'ting'. spring 12 is connected sald pr1ng; be11ig' anchored .to a:

bracket 13 tired to the car root, and designed to return the crane to inoperative position with the bag supporting arms pointing in the direction of travel of the car.

For cushioning and absorbing the shock of impact. when the crane is performing its functions. an air cylinder let is pivotally suspeinled between the bracket 13 and the arm 10, the stem 15 of the piston not shown within the cylinder being pivoted at 16 to the arm 10 as shown.

The crane when in operative position is positively held stationary through the co action of an extension 17 of the arm 10, said extension having journaled at its free end a roller 18 which is designed to engage and be held by a retaining device 19 attached to the roof of the car and specifically set forth in my co-pcnding application for Patent Ser. No. 660,617, filed September 1, 1923.

For swinging the crane to projected opcrative position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 for the purpose of receiving a mail bag in the fork 5, I employ means operable from the interior of the car and comprising a pull cable attached to an arm or fork 20 of the main angular arm 10. A cable or other flexible member 21, having at its free end a handle 22, is attached to'the free end of the fork 2t). and a bracket: .43, which is attach-ed to the roof and clerestory frame of the car, is provided with a swiveled guide pul ey Qt over which the cable passes. The pulley is swiveled in a lug 25 of the bracket, and the cable passes from the pulley down through a perforation or slot 26 at the base of the bracket and thence through the car roof as seen. in Figure 1. An eyelet or guide thimble 27 is also provided in the ceiling of the ear for guiding the movement of the cable. These guide devices 26 and 27 as well as the swiveled pulley 24 are designed to reduce to a minimum the friction and consequent: wear on the cable as it is manipulated.

The bracket casting around the opening 26 for the cable is provided with a raised portion 26, as seen in Figure 3, which faces to the front of the car or in the direction of travel of the car, in order that dust, Cinders, or rain striking at this point will be passed upward and outward away from the opening 26, causing a slight vacuum behind the upraised lip 26' and creating a current of air to carry the cinders away from the opening 26. By a pull on the handle 22 it will be apparent that the crane with its fork may be swung against the tension of the spring 12 into the position of Figures 1 and 2 in order that the fork 5 may receive a bag or mail pouch. In this position the crane is retained by co-action of the roller 18 and retaining device 19. As the crane is swung to the rear by impact of the received bag, its rotary n otionis absorbed by the action of the pneumatic device, and the spring 12 holds the crane in position for unloading. After unloading, the clutch may be released, and the crane pushed outwardly in order that the retracting spring by contraction may pull the crane around to inoperative position.

hleans are also provided for pulling the projected crane back across the doorway, as in loading position, and for this purpose a retracting cable or flexible member 28, having a handle 29 within the car, is passed through a thimble 30 in the ceiling of the car and a con'iplementary thimble 31 in the root of the car, and the outer end of the cable is attached to the arm 11 by means of a link as While the cable 21 in Figure at the right is pulled to its limit within the car, it will be apparent that the cable 28 may be pulled within the car to draw or swing the crane from its projected position back across the doorway for any purpose desired or required.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1; A railway exchange device including a rotary crane, means for absorbing the shock of impact and means for moving said crane to inoperative position, manually operable means for swinging said crane to operative position, and means including members detachable under impact on the crane for retaining said crane in stationary operative position.

2. A rotary crane supported exterior of a car, a spring device for holding said crane in inoperative position, means operable from the interior of the car for swinging said crane to operative position, means including members detachable under impact on the crane for temporarily retaining the crane in operative position, and means for absorb ing the shock of impact from a received mail bag.

A rotary crane exterior of a car, resilient means for retaining said crane in inoperative position, a lever arm on the crane and a flexible cable operable from the interior of the car for swinging the crane to receiving position, means for temporarily retainin the crane in receiving position, and means for absorbing the shock of impact.

4. A rotary crane exterior of the car, a retracting spring, a lever arm on the crane and a flexible pull member operable from the interior of the car for swinging the crane to receiving position, means for temporarily retaining the crane in receiving position, and a pneumatic shock absorbing device.

5 A rotary crane exterior of a car, a re tracting spring, a forked lever arm on the crane, flexible pull members operable from the interior of the car and connected with said forked lever arm for selectively swin mg said crane to receiving position. or 10a.

ing position, means for temporarily retaining the crane in receiving position, and meansfor absorbing the shock of impact.

6. The combination with a rotary crane having a lever arm and supported exterior of a car, of a pull cable attached to said arm and operable from the interior of the car, a supporting bracket having a swiveled pulley for said cable, and said bracket having a cable-opening with a raised wall to perform the function of a cinder-shield.

7. The combination in a railway mail exchanging device including a rotary crane having lever arms rotatable therewith, of means for swinging the crane to operative position, a pneumatic shock absorbing device-connected to one lever arm, means releasable under impact for retaining the crane in operative position, and a retracting spring operatively connected to the other lever arm, said spring tending to resistaccidental displacement of the crane from operative position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERBERT E. SMITH.

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