US1038237A - Mail-box. - Google Patents

Description

. T. H. TUMEY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.7, 1911.

1,038,237, I Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. Eml- COLUMBIA PLANDGEAPH CO" WASHINGTON, U- Cr T. H. TUMEY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 0017, 1911.

1,038,237. Patented Sept. 10,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2X)Wmom TH w y, I

CDLUMIIA PLANOCIIAFH CO. WASHINGTON, D, C.

THOMAS HOUSE TUMEY, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

Application filed October 7, 1911. Serial No. 653,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Housn TU- MIEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, referones being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

This invention relates to mail boxes and more particularly to that style of mail boxes that are used for private parties in the rural districts.

The main object of this invention is to provide means for readily indicating when the mail box is open or closed, and means for automatically handing out the mail when the box is opened.

A further object is to arrange such means so that it will make the condition of the box apparent to those at a comparatively long distance away.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as it is more fully set forth.

The invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts hereinafter described and claimed.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a mail box embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is an interior view of the mail box. Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4: of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a mail box which is provided at one end with a door or cover 2 hinged at the bottom as best indicated in Fig. 2, and designed to be held in closed position by a catch 3. A pin at is secured to one side of the box on the interior wall thereof, and a link 5 is pivotally mounted at one end on said pin to 0 swing about the pin as a horizontal axis.

The link 5 is formed intermediate of its ends with a longitudinal slot 6 in which one end of a bar '7 is slidingly mounted, the other end of the bar 7 being pivotally connected, by an eye 8, to the inner wall of the door 2. As best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3,

the link 5 is extended at its upper end beyond the slotted portion 6 and is formed at its free end with a pair of spring members 5 which have their extremities 6" curved outwardly in order to permit the ready insertion of letters and the like, whereby, when the door is opened, and the link 5 swung forwardly and outwardly from the open end of the box, the letters carried by the spring members 5 will be conveniently presented to the letter carrier or householder and thus readily extracted from the box. The spring construction of the members 5 enable them to adjust themselves to the number of letters to be held thereby. The connecting bar? is arranged to support the door 2 in an open, substantially horizontal position, as is manifest. Journal members 9 project laterally from one side of the box 1 in vertical spaced relation to each other, said members being apertured as shown, and through said members there freely passes a flag staff 10 which carries a flag 11 or other indicating device at its upper end and which is provided near its lower end with a washer as best illustrated in Fig. 4 to limit the upward movement of the flag staff in the journal members 9. A vertically disposed spindle 12 is supported by the journal members 9, and a horizontally swinging signal holding member 13 is mounted to swing on said spindle, the signal holding member 13 being formed at its normally outwardly projecting end with an inwardly projecting arm 14 adapted to limit the movement of the door in one direction by abutting against the adjacent side of the box 1. The member 13 is also formed with a normally inwardly projecting finger 15 which passes through a longitudinal slot slot 16 formed in the adjoining side of the box. Preferably the signal holding member 13 is formed with a shallow depression 17 in its upper face in which the lower end of the flag staff 10 is adapted to rest, whereby the flag staff will be held in raised position projecting in through the slot 16 and over the upper side of the link 5, the flag staff being supported in this raised position by having its lower end resting in the recess 17 of the member 18. It will thus be understood that when the door 2 is swung forwardly and downwardly to open position, the consequent forward swinging of the link 5 will cause said link to engage the finger 15 and thereby swing the member 13 so as to disengage theshallow recess 17 of the member 13 from the lower extremity of the flag stafi 10, thereby permitting the staff to drop in between the main portion of the member 13 and the stop arm 14: thereof. In this position of the parts the staff engages a lateral lug 18 formed on one side edge of the supporting member 13. The lowering of the flag or other signaling device will thus indicate to persons at a distance that the box has been opened. To again reset the parts, the flag staif 10 is raised, the door is closed so as to swing the link 5 back past the signal supporting member 13 and the latter is then swung inwardly until its stop arm 14: contacts with the adjacent side of the box 1, at which time the recess 17 will come underneath the lower end of the staif 10 and the staff may thus be easily held in elevated position ready for a subsequent opening of the door and the automatic actuation of the signal devices.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is A mail box provided with a swinging door, a link pivotally mounted at one end within the box, said link being formed with a slotted intermediate portion and with a ;spring forked, free end, and a bar pivotally connected to the door at one end and formed tially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS HOUSE TUMEY.

Witnesses W., H. MURRAY, EMILIE LIMBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

Images