US1629679A - Letter-box construction - Google Patents

Description

C. c. COLBY LETTER BOX CONSTRUCTION May 24, 1927. 1,629,679

Filed. Dec. 5. 1923 Fig.2

' lnvenTor.

.' =2 Clarence (L'Colby v by j t i I .7 z Af f-ya Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES CLARENCE C. COLBY, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed December 5, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in letter box construction particularly adapted for apartment houses having a plurality of tenants and the object thereof is to provide a construction in which aplurality of letter boxes may be provided for the various tenants all of which may be rendered accessible to the postman by the unlocking of a single lock and which when .0 closed by the postman will be independently accessible only to the respective tenants.

A further object of the invention is to provide a letter box unit so constructed that it may be associated with one or more juxtaposed units in such a manner that a bank of letter boxes may be provided all of which may be opened by a single postmans key and the units otherwise only accessible by the persons having a key to the particular unit.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a letter box unit having an upper oor accessible to the postman and a lower door accessible to the occupant of the apartment, in which the upper door is provided with a closure between the sides of the door and the door opening when the door is opened to guide the mail into the letter box and prevent itfrom dropping from the side of the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a letter box unit having an upper and a lower door in which the doors are hinged near the adjacent ends of the doors so that the upper door may "be opened by the postman for the purpose of depositing the mail in the box and the lower door opened by the occupant to permit access to the lower end of the box in order that small articles, such as, cards can be readily removed from the box.

A further object of theiinvention is to provide a novel construction for connecting the doors of adjacent units which connection is so constructed as to provide means for limiting the opening swinging movement of the doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a letter box construction of the character described with a speaking tube attachment by means of which the postman may notify the occupants when the mail is deposited in the box.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a letter box with a novel form of nameplate adapted to display the number Serial No. 678,563.

of the apartment and the name of the occupant.

Other objects and features of'the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a letter box construction embodying the invention showing three juxtaposed letter box units;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 2-2 Fig. 1 viewed from the left toward the right;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 Fig. 1. showing in dotted lines the doors in open position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing preferred means for fastening together the doors of adjacent units;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view longitudinally of one of the nameplates shown in Fig. 1 and the door to which it is secured; and,

' Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View on line 66 Fig. 5.

The letter box construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a series of letter box units three of which are shown in juxtaposed position, each of the units being provided with two doors, one series of doors being controllable by a single postmans lock and the other doors provided with locks accessible only by the occupant to whom the particular letter box is assigned. Various other units may be similarly juxtaposed and connected as will be readily understood, one series of doors being controlled by a single postmans look, while each of the doors of the other series is controlled by an individual lock.

The letter box units may be and preferably are of identical construction and as illustrated herein comprise a central receptacle 1 and juxtaposed receptacles 2 and 3 located upon opposite sides of the central receptacle 1 and preferably s aced aparttherefrom a short distance. ach receptacle is provided with a suitable closure, such as, a metal plate 4 to which the flanged ends 5 and 6 of the receptacle are secured in any suitable manner as by spot welding. soldering, or otherwise, the closure having a plurality of doors to permit access to the receptacle.

In the particular embodiment of the in- 'vention shown the metal plate 4 has a lower recess 7 and an upper recess 8 with a web 9 which preferably is integral with the plate separating the openings 7 and 8. The edges of the web 9 desirably are formed with one or more downwardly and upwardly extending tongues 10 and 11 which are bent into cylindrical form to receive pintles 12 and 13 respectively of hinges for the lower and upper doors.

The lower metal plate door 14, preferably of the same thickness as the plate 4, fits closely within the opening 7 and is provided at its upper end with one or more tongues 15 bent to cylindrical form to embrace the pintle 12 and form a hinge for the lower door.- Preferably the plate 4 is provided with an integral offset flange 16 to provide a recess to receive the lower end of the lower door when closed and hold it in alinement with the face of the plate 4 and also to provide means for engaging the bolt of a lock 17 A similar metallic up or door 18 is also provided of the same thic ness as the plate 4 and has at its lower end tongues 19 bent to cylindrical form to enga e the pintle 13 and thereby form a hinge or the door.

The upper door is provided at its side edges with flanges 20 which extend in a direction perpendicular. to the rear face of the door and preferably are of triangular form the apex of the triangle being located adjacent the hinge of the door with the base of the triangle of arcuate form and of a width substantially equal to the depth of the receptacle. The rear edges 21 of the triangular fianges preferably are curved to present a surface which will force downwardly an .parcel which may be engaged by such e go when the door is being closed and also are beveled toward the side wall of the receptacle to enable the flanges to crowd in more readily between the edge of {he parcel and the side wall of the letter Means are provided for rigidl securing the upper doors of the series 0 units together in such a manner that they may be controlled by a single lock, such as, the usual ostmans lock in which a key is inserted and the bolt withdrawn to permit the opening of the door, the key being held in the lock until the door is closed and relocked. preferred construction for accomplisht is purpose is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing which comprises means rigidly connected to the adjacent flanges upon the doors of juxtaposed units, the connecting means extending through slots 22 in the side walls of the receptacles, the slots 22 preferably being of arcuate form with walls having curves concentric with the pintles 13 upon which the upper door is hinged. Such slots, however, may be of any desired form lng which will not interfere with the swinging movement of the means connecting the adjacent flanges of the doors.

While any convenient means, such as, a bolt having shoulders to engage the adjacent faces of the flanges to be connected with reduced-screw threaded end portions passing through the flanges and provided with nuts, ma be employed a preferred construction is lllustrated in Fig. 4 which comprises a sleeve 23 abutting at its ends against the adjacent faces 24 and 25 respectively of the adjacent flanges 20 of the doors of two juxtaposed units, means being connected to the sleeve to provide a rigid connection to the bolt.

In Fig. 4 different preferred means are illustrated, one comprising screw 26 engaging complementary screw threads in the inner wall of the sleeve 23 and having a head engaging the outer wall of the flange, the other comprising a stud 27 having a head to engage the outer face of the flange 20 and provided with a slotted end portion 28 which may be expanded to a diameter slightly larger than the interior diameter of the sleeve in any suitable manner. Preferably the stud 27 is rovided with an axial aperture having an lnwardly tapered wall at the split end portion and the split end portion is expanded by a pin'29 which is forced in through the head of the stud. Obviously a sleeve of this character can be constructed to receive either the screw or the pin or both as is illustrated herein.

Inasmuch as the means connecting the adjacent flanges extends through the slots 22 in the walls of the receptacle the slots 22 can be made of sufficient extent to determine the limits of swinging movement of the door as the end wall of the slot may be so located as to determine the maximum openin of the ostmans door and the opposite end wall of the slot positioned to prevent the door from passing beyond the proper alinement with the face of the plate 4.

In order to insure that the upper door 18 may not be forced beyond the plane of the closure plate 4. the plate 4 may be provided with an offset flange 30 like the flange 16 to engage the upper edge of the door when closed, this flange being cut away at its ends to permit the free movement of the flanges 20. It will be observed that the flanges 20 are so constructed as to form a closure between the door and the sides of the door opening so that the door when open will present a chute for directing the mail into the box and also to revent the mail from spilling out of the sides of the open door. By reason of this construction, therefore, the upper doors of all the units may be connected together and controlled by a look upon one of the upper doors, preferably the central door of the upper series, while each of the units is provided with an independent lower door controlled by the occupants key.

The receptacles may be made of any size to conform to the requirements of the Post Olfice Department and of sutn'cient length to receive magazines and other long parcels which can be readily introduced obliquely into the box and correspondingly removed obliquely from the box.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a speaking tube attachment by means of which the postman can notify the occupants of the various apartments that the mail has been deposited in thebox. This can be accomplished by securing a speaking tube 31 to the upper port-ion of the front plate 4 of the box with the mouth piece 32 of the tube projecting outwardly from the front face. The tube 31 can be carried through the wall or upwardly along the Wall as may be required to reach the particular apartment.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a novel nameplate for the box. Such a nameplate 33 is illustrated in elevation in Fig. 1 and comprises a preferably rectangular plate which is secured, by screws or other fastenings near its corners, in a suitable position upon one of the doors. This plate desirably is stamped to'provide an opening 34 to receive a plate containing the apartment number and an opening 35 to display the name of the occupant, and in the process of stamping may be provided with a raised central portion presenting longitudinally extending flanges 36 and 37 and a transverse web 38 in the plane of the flanges 36 and 37. An apartment number plate 39, having downwardly and outwardly extending flanges, may be provided to fit beneath the end flange 40 and the web 38 and lie with its face flush with these flanges. while the card hearing the name of the occupant may be inserted beneath an upwardly raised central portion 41 of the plate which lies in the same plane with the flanges. Thus the apartment number plate can be inserted when the plate is applied to the door 18, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the occupants card readily inserted and replaced with a celluloid or other transparent covering over it.

\Vhile the preferred form of letter box above described is provided with two doors hinged in the central portion of the letter box in such a manner that the upper door will swing downwardly to open and the lower door will swing upwardly to open. it is obvious that the lower door may be hinged to swing about a side edge. It is also obvious that the postmans door might be made to swing about a hinge at the lower end of the unit and that the occupants door may be carried by the postmans door and hinged in an suitable manner either to swing upwar ly or laterally as may be desired.

It will, therefore, be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes may be made in form, construction and arrangement of parts within the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A metal box construction comprising a plurality of juxtaposed unit receptacles each provided with a stationary front plate havlng upper and lower independently operable doors hin ed thereto and means rigidly connecting ad acent upper doors to render them operable in unison and a single postmans lock for one of said upper doors operable to control all of the upper doors of said juxtaposed units and a different look for each of the lower doors.

2. A metal box construction comprising a plurality of juxtaposed unit receptacles each having a stationary front plate provided with an u per door and a lower door, hinges for said oors located in proximity to the adjacent ends of said doors to cause the upper door to swing downwardly and the lower door to swing upwardly, means connecting adjacent upper doors to render them operable in unison, a single postmans lock .for one of said upper doors operable to control all of the upper doors of said juxtaposed units and a different lock for each of the lower doors.

i 3. A letter box unit comprising a receptacle with a front plate having two independently operable doors hinged thereto, one of said doors being provided with means located at a distance from its hinge enabling it to be rigidly connected to a like door of a similar juxtaposed unit whereby a plurality of like connected doors will be caused to swing in unison and may be controlled by a single lock,

4. A letter box unit comprising a rectangular receptacle having a front plate, a lower door hinged adjacent its upper end to said front plate and provided with a lock, an upper door hinged adjacent its lower end to said front plate and provided with side flanges extending closely adjacent to the inner faces of the side walls of said receptacle and means extending laterally from a flange adapted to engage a similar flange upon the upper door of a juxtaposed unit.

5. A letter box unit comprising a rectangular receptacle having a front plate, a door hinged at its lower end to said front plate and provided with side flanges extending closely adjacent to the inner faces of the side walls of the receptacle, a side wall of lit) the receptacle havin an opening and means connected to the adjacent door flange extendin through said opening adaptedv to be rigi ly connected to a similar flange of a like door of a juxtaposed letter box unit, whereby a plurality of doors of juxtaposed units may be controlled by a' single postmans lock and independent front doors, provided with separate locks, communicating with the respective receptacles.

6. A letter box unit comprising a rectangular receptacle having a front plate and provided with a lower door having a lock and an upper door hinged adjacent its lower end to said front late and provided with side flanges extending closely adjacent to the inner faces of the sidewalls of said receptacle, means connected to a flange acting to limit the opening swinging movement of said door and also to provide a rigid connection to a similar flange of the upper door of a juxtaposed letter box unit whereby a plurality of upper doors of juxtaposed units may be simultaneously controlled by a single ockm means.

7. A letter ox unit comprising a rectangular receptacle with a closure having a lower door provided with a lock and an up er door hinged adjacent its lowcr'end an provided with side flanges extending closely adjacent to the inner faces of the side walls of said receptacle, a side wall of said recs tacle having an opening concentric withghe axis of the hinge of said upper door and means connected to the adjacent door flangeextending through such opening ada ted vto be rigidly connected to a similar ange of the upper door of a juxtaposed letter box unit whereby a plurality of up er doors of juxtaposed units may be contro led by a single lock.

8. A letter box unit comprising a rectangular receptacle with a closure having a lower door pivotally mounted adjacent its upper end and extending adjacent to the bottom of said receptacle whereby the bottom of the receptacle is rendered easily accessible and means for locking said door,

an upper door pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end having side flanges of general trian ular form extending closely adjacent the side walls of the receptacle with the apices of said flanges lying in proximity to said pivotal connection and the base of said flange having a greater width than the arc of movement of the free end of the door,

means projecting outwardly from the rear base ortion of the flange through a slot in the side wall of the receptacle acting to limit the swinging movement of the door and adapted to be rigidly connected to a similar flange of the upper door of a juxtaposed unit whereby a plurality of upper doors of juxtaposed units may be controlled by a single lock.

9. A mail box comprising a compartment and a front plate and adapted to be joined to similar boxes to form a bank of boxes, said front plate having mail de osit and collection openings, an individual y locked door closing said mail collection opening, an outwardly opening door'for said deposit opening and means secured to said latter door and adapted to be rigidly connected to like doors of adjoining units, to form a master door for the bank of boxes.

10. A device for holding mail comprising a plurality of compartments, said compartments each having a pair of openings one above the other, a plurality of doors adapted to close the upper set of openings in said compartments, said doors being pivotally mounted. and means connecting said doors to each other for causing simultaneous movement thereof, a lock for holding said doors in closed position, another set of doors for closing the lower set of openings in said compartments independent of each other and independent locks for these latter doors adapted to permit each of said latter door, to beopened independently of the others.

11.. A device for holding mail comprising a plurality of compartments, a wall-member adapted to form the front face of said compartments having a pair of openings one above the other for each compartment, a plurality of doors adapted to close the upper set of openings in said wall-member, said doors being pivotally ,mounted and rigidly connected to each other, a lock for holding said doors in operative relation to the wall-member, another set of pivotally mounted doors for the lower set of openings of said wall-member, independent of each other and independent locks for these latter doors adapted to permit each of said latter doors to be opened independently of the others.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CLARENCE C. COLBY.

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