US147445A - Improvement in letter-boxes - Google Patents

Description

l. D. STEWART.

rLetter-Boxes.

N0 147,445. Patented Feb. 10.1874.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. STIDVABT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN LETTER-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,445, dated February `l0, 1874; application filed January' 2, 1874.

To all Iwhom it muy concern Be it known that I, JonN D. STEWART, of Baltimore city, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter- Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to letter-boxes having an interior 'rocking-plate operated bythe raising of the lid or cover for the aperture through which the'letters are admitted; and the nature of my invention 'consists in the construction of said lid or cover with a projection on each side for pivoting the same within the letter-box, and with an arm at each side to opcrate the rocking-plate, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure l represents a vertical section, showing an end view of the tilting platform and lid or cover; and F1' g. 2 is a reduced front elevation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appcrtains to make and l use the sa1ne,I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, which represents a transverse vertical section of aletter-box embodying my invention.

Arepresents a letter-box of any suitable construct-ion, provided on one side with an aperture, a, through which the letters or other mail matter is to be admitted. Within the box A, opposite to the aperture a, is a stationary inclined board, B, extending entirely across the box from the top downward for a suitable distance. (l represents the rocking plate, which also extends entirely across the box, and is hung between the aperture a and the board B in such a manner that when the lid or cover for said aperture is raised to admit letters, the plate will extend from below the aperture to the lower end of the board B, and thereby eifectually prevent any instrument from being inserted to abstract any mail matter from the box.

Rockin g plates having been used before for curved arm, b, extends inward and downward from the same. The upper edge of this arm forms, with the exterior surface of the curved A part of the lid, nearly a true semicircle, and an ear or projection, d, extends vdownward from the same.

The main part of the lid or cover D is passed through a slot or aperture, w, above the letteraperture a, from the inside of the box outward, and the lid is then pivoted to the inside of the box through the ends of the ears or projections dd, the pivot-point being the center of the semicircle above described. The arms b b form stops for the upward movement of the front end ofthe plate C, the rear edge of said plate being the heaviest, so as to throw the front end upward.

Now, when the lid D is raised, it passes partially into the interior of the box, and the arms b b force the rocking plate (l into the position shown by the dotted line in the drawing. Letters may now be admitted through the opening a., between the arms b b, onto the plate C, and as soon as the lid D is lowered the plate AC turns and deposits the letters on the bottom of the box A.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The lid or cover D, constructed as. described, with an arm, 1),-and an ear or projection, d, at each side, and pivoted within the box A, the main part of thelid passing through an aperture, x, in the manner substantially as herein set forth.

2. Thecombination of the box Awith openings a w, rocking plate (l, and the lid D, provided with arm b and projection d at each end, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: JNO. D. STEWART.

T. H. ALEXANDER, I. C. DrErnIon.

Images