US415746A

US415746A - Letter-box

Info

Publication number: US415746A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1906-11-26

Description

2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. OLTAYLOR' LETTER BOX.

N0. 415,746. Patented NOV. 26, 1889.:

N, PETERS F'llowlflhographar. Washingtnn. D: C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. O. TAYLOR.

LETTER BOX.

No. 415,746. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'ILLIAM O. TAYLOR, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,746, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed November 3, 1888- Serial No. 289,861- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TILLIAM O. TAYLOR, of Maiden, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvementin Mail-Boxes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has for its object to construct a cheap yet durable mail-box for use in hallways and other places.

In accordance with this invention the box or case is made of metal castings secured together. The dooris pivoted to the box or case near its lower end, to be turned or dropped down to expose the contents of the box. Means are provided for ascertaining whether or not there are any letters or other matter in the box without necessitating the employment ofa glass face. Means are also provided to assist in presenting the contents of the box to the person opening the box. The box is provided with an opening through which the mail-matter is passed and also with suitable spring-clips for retaining newspapers and the like. The box is also provided with an opening, back of which may be placed suitable cards or indicators to make known different wants or to give information concerning the owner of the box.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a mailbox embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the mail-box shown in Fig. l on the dotted line 00 00; Fig. 3, a detail showing the plate 0; and Fig. t a, vertical section of the mail-box, showing the door open.

The box is composed of a metallic frame comprising the side walls a, bottom plate a, top plate a and a back plate a secured in position and made of any suitable material. The doorb comprises, substantially, the entire front plate of the box,it being pivoted at b to the side Walls. The door is provided with a suitable lock b and when unlocked may be turned down or away from-the box on the pivots h. Arectangular frame 0, (shown separately in Fig. 3,) curved upwardly at one end, as at c, and having at each side lugs 0?, is placed in the box with the said lugs resting on hooked ears formed on the rear side of the door Z), at its lower end. The frame 0 is provided with a handle 0 by which it may be turned on its pivots from the full into the dotted line position in Fig. 2. Aflat plate or bar cl is secured to the rear side of the door b,it having at its lower end a shoulder or projeetion d, which occupies a position just above the hooked cars 0 so as to prevent the lugs c of the frame 0 from displacement.

When a card, letter, or other mail-matter is dropped into the box through the opening ein the top plate, it strikes upon the frame 0, and when the box-door is turned down to expose the interior of the box the frame 0 will fall by gravity upon the mail-matter and hold it down upon the rear side of the door, which, it will be understood,is at that time in horizontal position, thereby assisting in delivering the matter and holding it in place to prevent it from being blown-away.

To ascertain. Whether or not there is any matter in the box, the handle 0 is depressed, and if the frame 0 strikes the metallic face of the door or the metallic plate d it will be at once understood from the sound that there 7 5 is nothing in the box, and if there is anything in the box the plate c will strike the contents and there will be little or no sound.

The frame 0 herein constitutes a feeler for the contents of the box; yet the feeler may be differently formed or constructed and the same result obtained.

To prevent the mail-matter from passing down the rear side of the plate 0, l have provided a plate f, secured to the back plate of the box, which has a beveled acting-face, so that as the cards or letters are dropped into the box and strike thereon they are thrown forward by such inclined face. The plate f, with the project-ion as shown, also assists in turning the frame 0 over upon the door as the door is turned down on its pivots. The door is provided with an opening covered by a piece of glass or other transparent material 9, back of which is arranged a frame composed of the projection g and sideprojections, as 9 and the upper or free end (1 of the spring-acting plate d, and in this frame back of the opening any suitable card may be placed to indicate any information desired to I00 be given by the owner of the box, such as the time of his return or the cause of his ab-. sence, &c. v

A metallic strip '6 passes around the rear side of the box and terminating in suitable outwardly-turned ends at each side, as at i, the said ends 1" forming spring-clips for holding newspapers or other desired articles.

It will be seen that the boxherein described fulfills many wants and requirements, is strong and durable, and is provided with means whereby it-may be made known, as by pressing the handle 0 whether or not there is any matter in the box, and when there is matter in the box the frame 0 assists in delivering it to the one opening the box.

' I claim-- 1 The mail-box herein described, comprising the side walls, top plate, and bottom plate, the door pivoted at b and having an opening therein, the frame, substantially as described, at the rear side of the door to hold cards or indicators back of the opening in the door, and the pivoted frame 0 and means for moving it, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

T 2. The mail-box herein described, comprising the side walls, bottom plate, the door I), pivoted at b and having hooked ears a the frame 0, having lugs 0 held in place by the hooked ears, and the handle 0, all substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

3. Themail-box herein described,comprising the side walls, bottom plate, top plate, the

door I), pivoted at b, the curved frame 0, having lugs 0?, held by hooked ears 0 on the door I), the handle 0 projecting through the door, and the plate d, having the shoulder d, by which displacement of the lugs is prevented, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The mail-box herein described, comprising the side walls, bottom plate, top plate, the pivoted door Z), the pivoted frame 0, curved at o and having the handle 0 and the platef, having a projection, each side of which is inclined, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In amail-box, an indicator oomprisinga feeler within the box and an operating member or part exposed at the outside of the box, by which the feeler is operated to determine whether or not the box is empty, substantially as described.

6. In a mail-box, the door pivoted to be moved from a vertical to a horizontal position, combined with a frame pivoted at the lower end of the door, serving as a holder for the matter dropped into the box,'substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM O. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

BERNICE J. Novns, FREDERICK L. EMERY.