US1617170A - Mail-delivery apparatus - Google Patents

Description

K mrmvrrA Fel 8' 1927 R. SEVERINO A MAIL DELIVE'RY APPARAV'IUS v Filed- May 14. 1923 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7/ e l l I ff -Ll :lfm

f g-zz IN VEN TOR:

' l Wal/M 'Scwruzb A 16177-170" Feb 8 1927 R. sEvEmNo f MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed May 14, 192:5 2 sheets-snaai a 25a Val' Y 55 chains 19 with, a

YPatented Feb.l 8, y

UNIP- En srr j v RALPH SEVERINO, or AUSTIN-PENNSYLVANIA.

Marti-DELIVERY' APPAmiJiuUs Application meer May 14.1923; 'serial No. 638,743. 'j l This'invention relates to a mail-delivery apparatus adapted to beinstalled in banks,

olice buildings, or apartment houses, to eninto a number ofgcompartmentsinto which the mail may be placed bythe mail carrier andwhich will be moved by a suitable conveyor vmember-to the different ofiices or apartments. l For further comprehension of the invention, and ofthe objects andv advantages thereof, reference will 4be had to the follow-.

ing description and accompanying dra-wings,

and ,to the `appended claims in which the' various novel features of the invention are more particularly setY forth.

j Fig. 1 of the drawings isfa diagrammatic elevation showing my improvedA mail delivery apparatus. f

-F ig. 2 is a detail elevational view shoW.- ing the means for driving theconveyor- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the delivery box. Fig. 4 is an endviewther'eof, indicating the conveyor chain in transverse section. ,Fig' isa face vview thereof. Y

6 fs a fragmentary rear view. Y Fig. 7 is afragmentary .horizontal sectional view .indicatin the'arrangement of `the guide-pipes Vfort e cords that operate the contact-controllingcams. i

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have indicated L `in diagrammatic lines a building such as an oilice building, the lines 10. indicating the lwall partitions. In one wallof each com- -10 partment vis an opening 12 through which the mail is received by the occupantof the compartment, while adjacent the `entrance .to

the building isan opening 13 through which the mail carrier inserts the .mail into I the delivery box. In constructing myimproved apparatus I provide a pair of sprocket chains 15 which are looped over suitable sprocket wheels 16V arranged in pairs, the respective wheels of each pair being mounted on separate," axially alined, stub shafts to leave the space `between the two wheels free for the passage of the delivery .or carrier box. rlhe chains may be driven by an electric motor 17 whose shaft 18 is connected bysprocket pair of the stubfshafts supporting the sprocket wheels. Itv will .be

gage one link of each chain.` Means are procompartmentl is closed Vafter 'the mail has yof the box adjacent the free edges lof the ,thebail 31 and is provided with an inclined understood of course that a suitable chute indicated diagrammatically at C in Fig. 4, is providedy in the building for the apparatus, the various sprocket wheels being suitably supported in this chute Von the side walls` l thereof.

' Thev mail lcarrier is in the form of an oblong rectangular box 2O which is divided into` a numberfof vcompartments closed yon one side by separate hinged doors 22. This boxiis :lixed to yand between/the chains 15, Y having fixed projectingr studs23 which envided whereby, whenthe box. comes opposite anv aperture 12 in the wall ofan oiice or YCompartment the circuitV through the' motor 17 isopened, while this circuit is again man-- u ally closed when the door of the 'proper been removed therefrom. i y ,f

To open the `circuit to thev motor I provide adjacent each opening 12 a cam member'25 `which engages a cam projection 26von`one', 27 of a pair of contact members carried by the box 20 and lifts it from the, other one,v 28.. Mounted on the box 20 and hinged to lugs 30.there0n, is a-bail-like rod 31 whose intermediate portion extends along the side door 22. One of the legs of this bail Yhas an 'extension 31 which carries the contactQS. Hinged to the free jedge of eachdoor is an arm 33 which normally projects up behind upper end indicated onv the drawingsat 33 which is adapted t-o engage the bail V31 to -b move the contact 28 when the door 22;;is closed, the latch riding freely under the bail when the doorV opens, a spring 34 returning 95 it to normal position when' the bail has been cleared. Each arm 33 is provided with va downwardly projecting tail-piece 33 which kengages the door and-holds the arm against outward movement from its normal position. Adjacent the opening 13 I provide a cam disk 25a which is pivoted further offy centre than. the disks25 and'has fixed co-axiallythereto a projecting knob 25h-whereby `it may' be' rotated. rlhis cam element isso :positioned 105 -as to engage 'the cam on the Contact 27 and movethe latter away'from thecontact 2'8 ,when the box 2O is in registry with theopening 13. When the mail box istraveling past the cams 25, or 25a, in an inverted position, 110 as it doesv in twostories shown on the draw,-` ing, care must be taken-in correctly position- 26 upwards, and therefore it is necessary to Ving these cams, sincefthe weight of the bail 3l forces the contact 28, and hence the spring make adjusting corrections so that the cams will be effective in breakingk the circuit. The cam element 25 before referred tois in the form of anl eccentricallyrpivoted disk suitably mounted on the outer wall, indicated at C, of the conduit or chute through which the box moves and having an arm extension to whichl are connected a pair ofv oppositely leading cords .36 and 37. These cords 26 and 37 may lead through suitable' pipes such as those indicated at 50 f in Figs; 7 andV S of .the drawing, these pipes extending along the chute to the desiredpoints.v One of these cords leads to a point adjacent the receiving opening 13 while the other leads to a point adj acentthe discharge opening l2. vr`lt will be understood ofcourse that there will'bea number of cord ends adjacent the receivingopening corresponding tothe number of ldischarge: openings alongthe route of theV box. rifhe contacts 27,`l 28 are connected'by suitable wires respectively ,toV a pair of'spring `contacts l0 and 4l mounted on the box-20 and .adapted to engage insulated rails 42, i3 extending along the chute G and suitably connected to the motor'l? and the source of current.

The manner of operation is as follows: Assuming the box'20 to be opposite the receiving opening 13; The mail carrier opens the proper door 22 and inserts in the com*- partments in the box the mail for the different oiiices or apartments. After he has closed the doorshe turns knob 251 moves the cam 25a to a position allowing the contacts 27, 28'to engage one another. He also pulls the proper cords 36, according to the placesat which the mail is to go, and thus sets the camsv25 to operative position. The

motor then rstarts and after the box has moved slightly the mail carrier returns'cam 25EL to its original position. As the box comesadjacentlthe opening 12 the cam 26 on the contact 27 rides under the cam 25 nearr the saidY opening and opens the motor circuit. VThe cam l26 is indicated on the drawing in the form of a point, but the cams 25 Aare so positioned that the point contacts with the cam through a suflicient arc of the cam, so thatthe circuit is not momentarily broken, but remains broken a suflicient length of time to allow'the inertia of the box, and'motor to be overcome, thereby bringing the box to a stop. rlhe box then stops and the person in the oflice or apart- Vment opens the proper door 22, (each door being provided if desired with a separatev key actuated lock) and removes the mail. When the door swings open the arm 33 thereon rides under the bail 3l without lifting -thelatter, the spring 3ft yielding to allow the arm to rock on its pivot. When the door 22 is againclo'sed the ybail 31 is engaged by the latch 33 andthe contact 28 ycarried thereby is moved into engagement with the contact 27. The motor then Ystarts and when the box advances and the cam'26 ridesfrom `under the cam 25 the spring contact 27 moves the contact 28 (and with it the bail 3l) toits original position while still retaining its engagement therewith, it

being understood that'the bail has adegree of frictional engagement with'its pivots suficient both to preventit moving when 'the doors 22 are opened land to ensure of the contacts remaining engaged when the cam onthe former is freed. It Visivery obvious that even if the box is inthe inverted posi-V Y tion, the operation will be the. same, provided of course that'the'cams are correctly positioned as before explained. The person receiving the mailv then" pulls the cord 57 tov reset thev cam in inoperative position:

The box finallyv comesV to a position adjacent the receiving opening 13 and the'camj26 engages the cam 25a and opens the circuit.

By reason Vof the increased degree of eccentricity of thiscam it moves contact V2'? 'an yincreased distance sol thatclosing of the doors 22 does not cause contact 28v to engage it. l may if desired provide a bell in each office or apartment whichI is energized when the box comes 'to rest at the mail delivery opening of the apartment. L

VHaving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United vStates lis as follows: i

1. Thecombination in a device of the dass described, of d mailbox divided into a number of compartments closed on one side by separate hinged doors, having at their free edges pivoted arms which normally project upbehind a bail extending along the side of the box on the top thereof, and pivotally mounted thereto, rand having an extension which `carries one of a pair of contacts, the Vother being carried by a triangular cam element also mounted von the i said doors arev closednormally project up behind a bail extending along the side of the box on the top thereof, and pivotallyk mounted thereto, and having an f extension which carries one of a pair of contacts, the other being carried by a triangular cam element also mounted on the top of saidbox,

saidrpivoted arms having extensions allowing motion in one direction only, and normal ,position springs holding said arms against the said"bail,whereby When a door is opened the arm pivoted thereto bends to;VV

*having an vextension Which carries one of a pair of contacts, the other of said contacts being carried by a triangular cam element also mounted on the top of thev said mail box.

4L. The combination ina device of the class described, of a mail box, a bail on the top thereof, pvotally mounted thereto, and having an extension which lcarries one of a'pair vof-oontacts, the other'of'said contacts beingV Y carried by `a triangularv'cam element falso' mounted onthe'top of the said mail box; v

5. They combination inv a mail `delivery apparatusnhaving an endless conveyor, and a mail box carried therebyof a bail extend ing along the side of the box on thev top thereof, pivotally mountedthereto, and having an extension which carries one of a lpair of contacts, the other of said contacts being carried by aY triangular ,A cam element also mounted on the top of lthe said Vmail box. n n *v f In testimony whereof I have aiixed my signature.

RALPH'sEv-ERINO.

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