US1058419A - Mail-box. - Google Patents

Description

S. PREDIANI.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED 111111.14, 1912.

1,058,41 9. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

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S. FREDIANI.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIGATIONTILBD 1.116,14, 1912.

1 ,058,4 l 9. Patented Apr. 8, `1913.

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SANTI FREDIANI, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed August 14, 1912. Serial No.,715,045.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SANTI FREDIANI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- BoXes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail receptacles and more particularly to a receptacle designed to contain both packages and mail matter such as letters and the like and my object is to provide a device of this character which may be more readily and quickly operated than any heretofore known.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a receptacle having a bottom formed in sections designed to be disposed to their open position when released from engagement with a particular form of locking means therefor.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is eX- tremely simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eflicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the speciication and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the Adevice applied to use.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough showing in dotted lines the position of the sections of the bottom in their open position and also showing a mail bag engaged therewith. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the locking device for the bottom; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section therethrough as seen on line. 5-5, Fig. 4.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which- 1 indicates a receptacle of rectangular design formed preferably of metal and having a central vertical dividing wall 2 mounted therein. This divides the device into a pair of compartments, one of which is adapted to contain packages and the other light mail matter such as letters and openings 3 are formed in the front wall of the receptacle 1 to permit such mail matter to be deposited in thc respective compartments. The bottom of this receptacle is composed of -a pair of sections 4 and 5, which are each pivoted to one side of the center thereof on a horizontal transverse axis in the front and rear walls, as shown at 6, and the one end of each of said doors or sections 4 and 5 has the fiat weights 7 mounted therein, whereby the doors will have a normal tendency to be disposed in vertical position.

The outer or weighted ends of the sections 4 and 5 are adapted to contactwith the lower edges of the end walls of the receptacle l, while the inner edges of said sections are adapted to rest on a central transverse plate or the like 8 mounted on the lower edge of the central divisionvwall 2 and in order to lock said sections 4 and 5 in horizontal alinement with respect toy one another, to complete the bottom, the inner edges of the same are provided with keepers or the like 9 which are adapted to be engaged by locking lbolts from an improved lock which will be inner opposed faces of these projections 15 are the additional Tshaped projections or guide" members 16 vwhich extend to points in horizontal alinement with the upper and lower edges of the openings 14 in the side walls of the casing and slidably disposed between these guide members 16 and through the openings 14 are the locking bolts 17, the upper faces of which' are beveled inwardly for a portion of their lengths, as shown at 18. Thev inner ends of said locking bolts 17 are provided with the vertically disposed end plates or the like 19 which are adapted to abut the free ends of the projections 15 to limit the outward sliding movement of said bolts and in order to normally retain said bolts in their extended position, so that the beveled faces thereof project beyond the side walls of the casing, the coil springs 2O are provided and engage with the partition wall 12 and the inner faces of the plate 19 at the upper and lower ends of the same.

Formed on the inner faces of the plates 19 are the pairs of ears 20 betweenwhich are pivotally mounted the arms 21, the free ends of which are provided with heads 22 and pivotally mounted centrally of the partition wall 21 is an oscillating arm or bar 23, the ends of which are provided with slots 24 through which said arms 21 are slidably disposed. The pivotal axis of the arm or bar 23 is about mid-way of the ends thereof and also formed at this point is a laterally extending projection 25, which is designed square in cross section.

The front wall of the casing or housing 1 of the device is provided with a key opening 26 which registers with the projection 25, above referred to, and a key 2.7 having` the outer end thereof provided with a square socket 28 is adapted to be inserted through the opening 26 and engaged with said stud or projection 25, whereby a turn of said key clock-wise will obviously retract the locking bolts 17. A covering plate 29 is also pivoti ally carried on the front wall of the housing to normally remain closed over the opening 2G. In conjunction with this receptacle 1, I have also provided a collection bag 30, which is provided with a central division wall 31 to provide a pair o-f compartments therein to correspond with the pair of compartments in the receptacle. The upper edge of the wall 31 is provided with a transverse strip 32 which is adapted vto correspond with the transverse plate 8 in the receptacle, while the upper edges of t-he side walls of the bag are provided with strips 33 adapted to be engaged with laterally extending flanges or the like 34 formed on the lower edge of the side walls of said receptacle. These strips 33, it will be seen, may readily engage with the laterally extending projections 34 on the'side walls so that the compartments of the bag register with the compartments of t-he receptacle, whereby when the bottoms or closures for the latter compartments are open, the contents thereof may be emptied into the bag.

In operation, assuming that the receptacle is in its closed and locked position, should the mail carrier desire to remove the contents thereof, t-he bag 30 is applied lto the bottom of the receptacle so that the side strips 33 engage the laterally extending flanges 34, whereupon the key 27 is inserted in the opening 26 and turned clock-wise. The turning of the key in this direction, will, as stated above, retract the locking bolts 17, whereby the closures 5 will swing on their pivots, in view of the weighted ends thereof to allow the contents of the compartments of the receptacle 1 to be emptied into the respective compartments of the bag. Said bag may then be removed and by drawing upwardly upon the weighted ends of the closures l and 5, so that the same contact with the lower edges of the side walls of the receptacle, said bottoms will be automatically locked at their inner opposed edges under the locking bolts 17. In this connection, it must be stated that the bottoms Ll and 5 are cut-away slightly at their inner opposed edges to receive therethrough the casing 10 and when disposed to their locked positions, the upper faces of the bottoms or closures I and 5 will contact with the under faces of said locking bolts 17. In view of the sliding movement that the arms 21 have with respect to the oscillating rod or bar 23, it will be understood that each section of the bottom will be closed independently of the other without affecting the lock in general. When the mail matter has `been removed from the receptacle 1, and the bottoms or closures il' and 5 again disposed to their locked positions, the bag 30 may be closed and readily carried away by the postman.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved mail receptacle which will admit of both letters and packages being deposited therein and it will further be seen that I have provided an improved receptacle for carrying the packages and letters from the receptacle and retain the same in compartments separate from one another. It will still further be seen thatvI have provided means whereby t-he mail matter may be more quickly and readily removed from the receptacle than is possible through the present means in vogue and thus lthe time ordinarily required to complete a mail route, will be lessened. It will further be seen that the device is one which is extremely simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eiicient and useful in operation.

lVhile I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spiriit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invent-ion, what I claim is A receptacle of the class described comprising a top, side, front and rear walls therefor, a central vertical partition wall disposed therewithin, a strip secured to the lower edge of said partition wall and projecting beyond the side faces thereof, a bottom formed of a pair of sections pivoted centrally to the front and rear walls, the

inner free ends of said pivoted sections being adapted to rest upon the projected portions of said strip, the inner ends of said bottom sections at the edges adjacent the front wall being cut-away, weight means applied to the outer free ends of said bottom sections, the latter ends of said bottom sections being ada ted to contact with the lower edges of t e side walls of the receptacle, and means on the lower end of the central partition wall to automatically lock said bottom sections when the same are disposed to their horizontal positions, said latter means being received in the cut-away portions of said bottom sections when the 1b latter are horizontally disposed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. n SANTI FREDIANI. Witnesses:

GUY BONISTALK, J. A. RosENBLATn Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C.

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