US118057A - Improvement in letter-boxes - Google Patents

Description

1. KEY A POST BOX .y 1 1 8 0 5 '7 Fig 1 BATENTEB AUG 151871 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. RYAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN LETTER-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,057, dated August 15, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. RYAN, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Private Post-Box; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box. Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of the same.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

This invention relates to a private letter-box in which to drop letters and other mail matter by the letter-carriers; and the object thereof is not only to receive such mail matter directed to families having one of these boxes in use, but also to advise them that there is some matter in the box by means of an indicator, which, on putting a letter, &c., into the box, is dropped, thereby indicating the fact that the box contains something, and thus save the trouble of going to the box to see if there is anything therein, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, A represents the body of the box, which is of a rectangular form, and covered with a roof or hood, B. In one side of said box is a door, 0, Fig. 3, whereby access is had to the inside. Immediately above said door is a drop or indicator, 1), hinged to the side of the box at the point (I. Said indicator is prevented from falling down by means of a hook, E, Fig. 2, formed on one end of a rod, F, whereas the opposite end of said rod is attached to a drop-door, Gr, hinged at the point I) to the inside of the box, and which covers the letter-hole on the inside, said hole be ing covered on the outside by the drop H, Fig. 1.

This box is placed in front of the house or in any place where it can be seen by the inmates from the window or door, and in such position that the side on which the indicator referred to can be seen from the building.

Now, on raising the fall H, whereby the letterhole is covered, and inserting a letter therein, the drop-door G on the inside of the hole will be pushed back, as indicated by the dotted lines a, which will also carry the rod back and slip the hook from off the edge of the indicator, as shown by the dotted lines (I, Fig. 2, thereby allowing the indicator to drop down to the position indicated by the dotted line 0. The inside, being of a brighter color than the body of the box, can be seen by the inmates of the house, who will learn from this display and position of the indicator that something is in the box. As the indicator falls down partially over the door C it must necessarily be raisedbefore the door can be again closed 5 hence the act of lifting the indicator in order to open or shut the door will cause the hook to again fasten upon its edge and hold it until it is again thrown down by the introduction of other letters or matter, as before. For convenience, the name of the resident is printed upon the drop H, and the number of the house, as shown in the drawing.

WV hat 1 claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The rod F, in combination with the door Gr, hook E, indicator D, constructed and arranged to operate in combination with the box A, substantially in the manner as described and for the purpose set forth. 1

JOHN A. RYAN. WVitnesses W. H. BURRIDGE, SPENCER D. EARL.

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