US1450139A - Mail chute - Google Patents

Description

Mar. 27, 1923. 1,450,139

J. J. CUSICK MAIL CHUTE Filed July l2, 1922 Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. 'CUSICIL OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MAIL CHUTE.

Application led July 12, 1922. Sera1.No. 574,421.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Cusick,

a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State oi New York, have invented a new and Improved Mail Chute, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to `mail chutes and particularly to the mail chutes provided in office buildings and apartment houses and having letter drops at the vvarious floors of the building.

In the actual use of the mail chutes referred to, it not infrequently occurs that the chute becomes clogged by the forcing ofmail matter into the drop of a size or characterA that will cause it to become wedged in the chute. For example, bulky letters or packages are doubled or otherwise bent and compressed into a suiiiciently small compass to enter the slot or opening of the letter drop so that deposited matter will expand and wedge itselr" in the chute. A. further objectionable feature of the usual chute is that the clogged matter is not readily accessible.

The general objectbf vmy invention is to provide in association with the letter drop of each floor an auxiliary choke chute which will retain any `matter deposited therein which could possibly clog the mainv chute.

A y:Further object of the invention is to provide means to afford ready access to the choke chute should it become clogged, and to provide means for locking the said first means so that unauthorized persons may not gain access to the auxiliary chute.

The means by whichthe above and vother objects areattained and the advantages of the invention will more clearly appear as the invention proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, it being understoodthat the drawing is merely illustrative of 7two examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail chute embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section'through the top of the auxiliary chute :forming the letter drop; yand In the illustrated example the numeral 10 indicates a mail chute adapted in practice to extend vertically in a building. At each floor oi ythe building l provide in association with the main chute 10 an auxiliary choke chute 11, the front of which for its major portion is parallel with the main chute. The lower portion 12 of `the auxiliary chute extends obliquely ,from the vertical front portion toward the `main chute and merges into the front `wall 13 of the main chute. broken at the inclinedportion 12 so that the main andauxiliarychutes are in communication. The Obliquity of the lower yportion 12 of the auxiliary chute 11V to the plane of the front wall 13 of the main chute results in a choke 14; at the lower end of the auxiliary chute 11. The auxiliary chute 11 yhas parallelvertical walls forits major portion. The front vertical wall is provided with a glass panel 15, the lower end of which sets, in the present instance,y behind a frame element .or transverse cleat 16. The side edges vof the glass panel 15 are slidably fitted. in groove 17 in thev sides of the auxiliary chute 11,so that said glass panel may be lifted andreinoved for affording access to the auxiliary chute should the latterbecome clicked. The auxiliary chute 11 above the choke 14 is of larger cross sectional area than the main chute 10 to thus constitute an expansion chamber vfor folded lor squeezed mail matter.

I provide for locking the removable glass panel 15, Jfor which purpose in the form shown yin Figures 1 to 3, a letter drop is afforded through 'an opening 18 in a top board 19 on the chute 11. Said board 19 at one end` (see Figure 3) is adapted to be entered in a notch 20 in one side wall of the auxiliary chute 11 and the board k has a sufhcient width Vto overlie the top of the glass panel 15, there being a notch 21 in the underside ofthe board 19 to receive the upper edge lof the panel 15. On the board 19 Vat the underside is a lock 22 at k,that end of the boardopposite the notch 20, and the latch bolt 23 of the lock is adapted to be ,operated by a key inserted in a key-hole 24 in the board 19. Itwill Said front wall 13 is be understood that any suitable plate or closure may be employed for the top of the chute 11 andai'lording a letter drop.

By my described arrangement, if a bulky letter or other like package is forced through the drop opening 18 so that it will expand to a size and form that would choke the main chute 10, the said letter will assumev its enlarged form in the parallel portion of the chute 11 with the probability of wedging itself in said parallel portion. At all events the choke 14: willnot pass any mailed letter or other article of a size and form to choke the main chute 10. Should the auxiliary chute 11 `become clogged the vclosure 19 may be readily removed. and this willpermit the removal of the panel 15 for the ready clearing of the chute. The removalof the panel 15 will not automatically dislodge mattei` wedged in the choke 14, or permit its escape through the main chute, the removable panel 15 being above the v choke 14.

In Figure `4 the cover 119 for the top of the auxiliary chute 111 is provided with a lock 122 and withva notch 121 to engage the upper edge of the removable glass panel 115. The cover 119 is hinged at its rear edge as at 120 to be raised or lowered forreleasving or engaging the panel 115. When the panel 115 is disengaged from the cover 119, said panel may be'removed by sliding it vertlcally in the groove 117. In the form of the inventionA illustrated, the panel 115 has y.an opening 118 for use as a letter drop and in order to prevent a person using an in-I strument with a view to force. downwardly anyI matter observed to wedge in the auxiliary chute 111, I provide a guard 124.# at the inner side of the panel 115.

I would state in conclusion that although the illustrated form constitutes a practical embodiment of invention I do not wish to be understood as limiting, myself to the precise details illustrated, since manifestly,

the saine can be considerably` varied with out-departing from the spirit of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mail chute comprising a main chute and an auxiliary chute affording an entrance .formatter ,to be mailed and communicating at' its lower end with ythe main chute,r said.

lower. end ot the auxiliary chute constituting achoke to exclude from the main chute y matter that Ywould clog the latter', said auxiliary chute above said choke being of greater cross sectional `area than the main chuteand having a removable panel above said choke.

2. Amail chutel comprising a main chute and an auxiliary chute affording an entrance for matter to bermailed and communi eating at tits lower end with the main chiite, 1 said lower end of the auxiliary chute conU stituting a choke to exclude from the main chute matter that would clog the latter, said auxiliary chute being of approximately uniform width for its maj or portion above said choke and said majorvv portion being or greater cross sectional area than the main chute to permit greater expansion of mail matter than the main chute.

3. A mail chute including a main kchute and an auxiliary chute affording an opening for entrance of mail and communicating' at -its lower end withthe main chute, the major portion of the auxiliarychute b eing of approximately uniform width, said auxiliary chute having a'` removable vertically slidable panel at said portion of uniform width, andthe auxiliary chutebelovr chute presenting grooves in opposite sides, a

vertically slidable panel fitting said grooves.I

and va movable closurev for the outer end of the auxiliary chute, saidpclosure adapted to be engaged wither to disengage said panel to retain the panel or to permit removal thereof.

5. A mail chute including a main chute,

an auxiliary chute, the lower portion of which forms a choke to exclude matter that would clog the main chute, said auxiliary chute presenting `vertical grooves in opposite sides, a panel slidably fittingsaid grooves,

and a movable'closure for the outer end-of the auxiliary chute, said closure adapted to be engaged with or to disengage said panel to retain the panel or to permit removal thereof; together with meansto lock said closure in position.

6. In mail chute, a main chute, an aux-k iliary chute havinga transparent front wall extending substantially parallel with the walls of` the mainv chute and van inclined wall extending, at an angle to said transparent wall connecting said kwall vwith the front wall of the main chute. f

7. In a mailchute, the combination with -a main chute of an auxiliarychute arranged in the front of the main chuteand provided with a vwall. substantially parallel, with the front wall of the main chute and a lsecond wall extending at an angle to said vparallel walls and connecting the front wall of the auxiliary chute with the front wall of the main chute, the front wall of the main chute being open `adjacent the. upper portion of said second wall. for aifording a 'communication of the auxiliary chute vwith they main f p chute.

8. In combination with kaanainvchuterof an auxiliary chute having sidewalls presenting vertically extending grooves at their inner faces adapted to receive a transparent panel and a key-operated slotted cover provided with an under slotted groove adapted to engage the upper end of said panel.

9. A mail chute including a main chute and an auxiliary chute, the lower portion of the auxiliary chute forminga chokin chamber to exclude matter that would clog the main chute, said auxiliary chute presenting grooves in the inner face-s of its sides, a vertioally-slidable panel fittingY the said grooves and a movable closure formed With a slot at its under face adapted to receive the upper end of said panel to retain the upper end of said panel in position.

JOHN' J. CUSICK.

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