US1275136A - Mail-box. - Google Patents

Description

F. P. DE NOBIL I.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. \9I8- 1,2754 36. Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

FRANK PIBBIO DE NOBILI, F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.)

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. e, 1918.

Application filed February 11, 1918. Serial No. 216,547.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK PIRRO DE No- BILI, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of the city of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes, and the objectof my invention is to provide a device of this nature which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and in which provision is made to effectually prevent the unauthorized removal therefrom, or the destruction of or tampering :with, letters, parcels, or the like, through the inlet opening, once the same have been deposited therein, and thus obviate the risk of theft or destruction of the mail, a possible occurrence in mail boxes not so provided.

I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a face view of my mail box.

Fig. 2 is a side view.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line ab of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 1s a fragmentary cross section taken on the line ab of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line ccZ of Fig. 1.

tom, with a suitable door, however, (not' shown) for the authorized removal of the contents, the front wall of the casing being provided with an opening 2, to the upper and lower edges of which are secured transversely extending members 13 and 14 substantially channelv shape in section and each of which members is provided with a wing extension portion 15 and 16 respectively through which fastening screws may be passed and screwed into the box, and resting in the lower channel member 142 is the lower edge of a flap 3 which extends across the opening 2 and the ends of which are turned first inwardly, as at in Fig. 5, and then turned again, as at 5 in Fig. 5, to continue at right angles to the inwardly turned portions, terminating at each end just clear of the inner face of the side walls of the casing. This flap mem-' being carried below the top edge of the flap.

3 and disposed adjacent thereto and covering the same.

The flap 6 is doubled over as shown in Figs. 3 and 4t and extended withinthe casing to form another flap 7 having a curved lower end 8, so that, in effect, a double flap member is formed swingably connected to the box at 9, the fiap f which extends extcriorly of the casing and the flap-7 interiorly of the casing, the member 3 being disposed between the two flaps and the curved end 8 of the member 7 extending below the inturned ends 4 and 5 of the member 3.

11 and 12 indicate resilient members extending between the lower end' of the memher 7 and the ends 5 of the flap 3 and forming "connections therebetween:

The operation ofmy device and its utility will be apparent, on reference being had to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1, 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 the mail box is shown closed and it will be noted that the opening 2 is completely covered by the fiaps3 and 6 and that no admission can be had to the interior of the casing unless the flap 6 is pulled outwardly. This has theeffe'ct of bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which it will be seen that the outward movement ,of theflap 6 also swings flap 7 toward the front of the casing, causing it to bear, through the medium of the resilient connec tions 11 and 12, on the ends 5 of the flap 3 and thereby inclining the flap outwardly to form a chute, as it were, the lower end of which is closed, however, by the curved end 8 of the flap 7. Mail matter may now be deposited in the chute so formed and the fl ap 6 released, whereupon it,;the flap 6, and the flap 7 will swing inwardly, the movement being accomplished by the resilient connections 11 and 12, thus moving the curved end 8 clear of the lower end of the flap 3 and allowing the mail matter to drop into the boX.

From the foregoingit will be apparent that the mail cannot now be withdrawn back through the opening 2, as any action taken to do so through the'operation of the flap 6 will swing the curved end 8 under the lower end of the chute then formed by the inclining outwardly of the flap 3, thus ef fectually closing the only inlet opening into the interior of the box.

It will be seen, therefore, that I have devised a simple inexpensive mail box out of which the unauthorized removal of mail, or its destruction, is prevented in a practical and efficient manner.

I do not, however, limit myself to the complete mail box construction shown, in so far as individual boxes are concerned, as the essential elements of my invention, that is, the flaps 3, 6 and 7, may be applied with equal facility to suitable openings in doors, drawers, lockers, or any other receptacle provided for the deposit therein of mail or other matter.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a mail box, the combination with a receptacle having a mail inlet, of a flap swingably connected to the lower edge of the inlet and partially closing the same, a flap swingably connected to the upper edge of the inlet and completing the closure of. the same, and means connecting the flaps whereby outward movement of the upper flap swings said lower flap outwardly to form a mail chute for the receptacle.

2. In a mail box, the combination with a receptacle having a mail inlet, of a flap swingably connected to the lower edge of the inlet and partially closing the same, a flap swing'ably connected to the upper edge of the inlet and completing the closure of the same, and means connecting said flaps whereby manual operation of the upper one outwardly swings the lower one also outwardly to form a mail chute for the receptacle, said means being adapted to return said flaps to their normal positions when the upper flap is released.

3. In a mail box, the combination with a receptacle having a mail inlet, of a flap swingably connected to the lower edge of the inlet and partially closing the same, the ends of said flap beinr turned to extend into the receptacle and then turned sidewise, an exterior flap swingably connected to the upper edge of the inlet and completing the closure of the same, said flap being doubled over at its upper end to form an interior flap extending within the receptacle the lower end of which is curved, and resilient connecting means whereby outward movement of the upper flap swings the lower flap outwardly to form a mail receiving chute and carries the curved end of the interior flap under the lower end of said chute to close the same.

i. In a mail box, the combination with a receptacle having a mail inlet, of channel shaped members secured to the upper and lower edges of the said inlet, a flap swingably dis osed as to its lower edge in the lower channel member and partially closinthe inlet, a flap swingably disposed as to its upper edge, in the upper channel member completing the closure of the inlet and doubled over so as to form an interior flap the lower end of which is curved and extended below the lower ede'e of the lower flap, and resilient connectine means between the said lower flap and the said interior flap.

5. In a mail box, the combination with a receptacle having a mail inlet, of a flap swingably connected to the lower edge of the inlet and partially closing the same, a flap swingably connected to the upper edge of the inlet and completing the closure of the same, an interior flap 7 resilient connecting means whereby outward movement of said upper flap swings said lower flap 3. outwardly to form a mail receiving chute, and means cooperating with the upper flap for then closing the lower end of said chute.

Dated at Vancouver, B. (1, this 30th day of January, 1918.

FRANK PIRRO DE NOBILI.

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

Images