US43594A - Sidney maltby - Google Patents

Description

NrrnD STATES ATENT Grrrcn.

LETTER-BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Iatenl N0. 13,594, dated July 19, 1854.

T o all 'whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, SIDNEY MALTBY, of Washington, in the county of Vtashington and District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Letter- Boxes, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The chief feature of my invention is a tilting drawer-bottom, shelf, or other support, which may be drawn out to receive the letters or other mail-matter, and which will close automatically and drop the letters beyond the reach ot' a person from the outside. At the same time I have made use ot' a common receiving-box, which may or may not accompany my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lt is a side view of a letter-box and drawer with my improvements attached. Fig. 2 is a view ot' the drawer separate from the box proper.

In these drawings, A represents an ordinary box for receivingletters. This box may have a lid, B, so as to be locked, it' necessary.

In both figures, C represents a portion o1" a door or partition, through which the drawer D works. The bottom E of the drawer is pivoted at l', Fig. 2, so as to drop or tilt down by its down weight when the drawer is shut, as seen in Fig. 2. As the drawer is pulled out, the bottom returns to its proper place, riding on the board or partition (J. The letters being` placed in the drawer, a coiled spring, L, connected to the drawer by a cord, F, pulls the drawerhome, when the tilting shelf or drawerbottom E falls, depositing the letters below, and beyond reach from the outside. Instead of the coiled spring, a weight or other suitable means may be employed to pull the drawer home. One or more stops, c, prevent the draw. er from sliding out or completely through the board or door G. A door-plate may be put on the front ot' the drawer D.

The details of construction may be somewhat varied without departing from my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

- 1. Atiltingdrawer-bottozn, shelf, or support, as above described, the same being so arranged as to rise and receive letters when drawn out and then tilt down. and deposit or drop the letters when pushed or drawn in, substantial ly as set forth.

2. The use ot' the automatically-closing drawer forreceiving and depositing letters, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the box A' with the tilting support, and also with the automatically-closin g drawer, substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

' SIDNEY MALTBY.

Witnesses DAN. RowLAND, J No. G. SINNURD.

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