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DISTRIBUTING TABLE.

GEORGE WHITAKER, OF LEWISTOWN, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. -59,883, dated November 20, 1866.SPECIFICATION.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, George Whitaker, of Lewistown, in. the county of Fulton,, and State of Illinois; have invented a new and improved Distributing Table; and I do hereby declare that the following is'a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.

The present invention relates to a new and useful table, especially designed for the distribution and assortment of mail matter, although it can be applied to other and various similar purposes; and it consists in constructing the table of a box form, and with a series of boxes or spouts along its sides or edges, whether one or more, made of a hopper shape at their upper ends, and at their other or lower ends provided with hooks or other suitable means for hanging upon them a bag or sack or othei’ receptacle to receive and hold the mail or other matter which may be thrown into them; these boxes or spouts each being marked in any suitable manner to indicate such portions of the mail or other matter which is to be placed in them.

In accompanying plate of drawings my improved distributing table is illustrated.

Figure 1 being a plan view of the under side of the same; and

Figure 2 a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line x x, fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents, the table, which -is made of a box form, and is to be supported at its four corners upon legs, B B, or any other suitable supports. Along the back or rear side, C, and the two ends, D, of this table A, a series of similar spouts or boxes, E, are secured and arranged at short distances apart, which boxes or. spouts project at their upper ends, F, a little above the table, and are made of a' hopper shape, as plainly shown in fig. 2, at G, and extend down a short distance below the bottom of the table, at which end they are provided around their side with a series of hooks, a, suitable for hanging to them the mouth of a bag or sack or other receptacle adapted to receive and hold mail or other matter, one of these bags being represented in red, in fig. 2. Near the lower end of each of the table-spouts or boxes, E, a cover, H, is arranged upon the under-side of the bottom of the table, one to each spout, and each in suitable position for being slid across the spout to which it belongs for the purpose of closing the same when not desired to use it, or in case the number of bags or sacks at hand should be less in number than that of the boxes which are being used. Each of the boxes or spouts, E, at their upper or hopper ends, it is intended·.to mark in any suitable manner,.to indicate what portion of the mail or other matter is to be placed in them; and in order to render each of them susceptible of being used for various places at different times; I have arranged a frame or rack, I, to receive the cards indicating the place, which frame is of suitable construction to contain one or more cards, and to allow the front or exposed card to be changed and another inserted in its place. J, a table-leaf secured to the front side, which in the present instance -is shown as fixed, but may be attached to the table in such a manner as to be susceptible of bein°· swung up and there supported when desired to be used, or swung down and out of the way when not used; this lid being provided for the reception of the cancelling stamp and other appurtenances necessary for use in the cancelling of the stamps of mail matter more especially; the said stamp and other appurtenances, when not in use, being placed in the box, L, of the table provided for their reception and storage, to which box a swinging lid or cover, M, is hung or attached. By forming the table of a box form, it is adapted to the reception of the mail or other matter which is to be assorted.

From the above description of my improved distributing table, it is plain to be seen that it is not only exceedingly simple in construction, but quite convenient for use, and, especially in the assortment of mail matter, of great importance and utility.·