US1195060A - menow - Google Patents

Description

WMM/wonen l. G. MENOW & H. MEYER.

MAIL BOX ALARM.

APPLICATION man mme. 1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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J. G. MENOW 6L H. MEYER.

MAIL BOX ALARM.

APPLICATION man APR.26,1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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JAMES G. MENOW AND HARRY MEYER, 0F SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO NATIONAL ELECTRIC MAIL BOX ALARM COMPANY, OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA,

A CORPORATION.

MAIL-BOX ALARM.

Application led April 2G, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JAMES G. MENOW and Hanni MEYER, citizens of the United States, residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Box Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to mail box alarms, and more particularly to the class of electromechanical nested mail box alarms.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of this cliaiacter wherein on the deposit of mail matter, irrespective of the weight thereof, in any one of the nested mail boxes, a signal will be given, thus indicating such fact to the users of the particular boxes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of this character wherein the construction thereof is novel in form or the automatic signaling on the deposit of mail matter within a mail box or like depository, the alarm being especially useful with mail boxes in apartment houses, tenements, or other dwelling places.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of this character wherein the mail matter when deposited within each box gravitates tothe lowermost point within the box for actuating a gravity contact to close an electric circuit so that either a visible or audible signal will be given indicative of the deposit of the mail matter within the box.

A still further object of the invention is the provision or' an alarm of this character which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efcient in its'purpose, unique, positive in action, and inexpensive in manufacture.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings F igure 1 is a fr agmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through nested mail boxes showing diagrammatically the alarm circuit with the signals arranged therein. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the gravity contacts for one of the mail boxes. Fig. 3 is a sectional View Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Serial No. 24,018.

on the une 3-3 0f Eig. a Eig. i is a Sectional view on the line he of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate coi'- respondiiig parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates the body of the nested mail boxes, preferably made from metal, and has arranged therein a plurality of partitions B which are inclined, together with the top and bottoni walls of the said body A so as to form chute-like compartments C, which form the respective depositories for mail matter, which is introduced into each through a slot l) formed in a front door E of the ordinary well-known construction.

Cut and formed from the top wall of the body A and the respective partitions B at or near the rear edge thereof are pintle sleeves of eyes 5 for receiving pintles 6 which are also passed through pintle sleeves or eyes 7 formed on swinging gates or doors S serving to close the rear ends of the compartments C, each gate or door 8 being formed at its free longer edge with an inturned right-angular flange 9 serving as a stop to prevent the mail matter from passing the said gate or door 8 when gravitating to the lowermost point within the compartment.

Mounted within the body A rearwardly of the doors or gates 8, are horizontally disposed bridge plates or bars 10, in each of which is adj ustably mounted an electric contact 11, the same being insulated at 12 from the plate or bar 10, and to these respective contacts 11 are connected the terminals 13 of electric circuit wires 14, the electric circuit of which includes the battery 15, ground wire 16, which is tapped at 17 to the body A, and the audible signals 1S, although visible signals may be substituted therefor. The signals 18 are located in the respective apartments, rooms or other places of abode of the users of the particular mail boxes, so that when the electric circuit, which is normally open, closes by the deposit of mail matter within the compartments C, will actuate'the signals 18, indicating the fact of such deposit of the mail matter.

l hen mail matter has been deposited in any one of the compartments of the nested mail boxes the same will gravitate to the lowermost point of the said compartment to engage with the gravity gate or door 8,

vvhich is moved into engagement with the Contact ll, thereby closing,` the electric circuit for actuating the signal or alarm 1S, and thus enabling a person to know that mail matter has been deposited within the mail box and in the particular compartment C used by such' person.

From the :foregoing` description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of operation of the device Will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended eX- planation has been omitted.

That is claimed is 1- In a mail box circuit closer, a. body :formed with an inclined compartment or receiving mail matter, a gravity member providing a hack for said compartment and having a conducting portion adapted for connection in a normally open electric circuit, a contact adapted to be arranged in said circuit and engaged by the conductor part of the member for closing thel circuit when said member is actuated by mail matter deposited in the compartment, and an inturned free edge formed on the member to provide a stop at the lowermost point of said compz'irtment for the mail matter de posited Within the compartment.

ln testimony whereof We aiiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

Janne G. MENOW. [L 5.] HARRY MEYER. [1.. 8.]

lVitnesses M. W. GRINDLE, HENRY SILvERsi-IIELD.

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

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