US441063A - William l - Google Patents

Description

(No, Model I FREY.

LETTER BOX,

N0. 441,063. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

x01 tweooeo atiozmaw/o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM L. GODFREY, OF BROOKLYN,.NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEIVIS B. MCGREGOR AND RODERICK B. MITCHELL, JR.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,063, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filed June 17, 1890- Serial No. 355,771. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. GODFREY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in mailboxes; and it consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one form in whichlhave contemplated embodying my invention, and the same is fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same.

My invention relates especially to that class of mail-boxes which are attached to the supporting means on one side of the same, while the face-plate, through which the letters are dropped, is located on the other side. Letterboxes of this description are usually secured to a door, gate, or partition; and my invention has for its object to provide an adj ustable construction, by means of which the box can be secured to supports of varying thicknesses, and the matter deposited in the box guided in its passage from the face-plate into the box to prevent it from going amiss.

In the drawings 1 have shown my improved mail-box secured to two adjacent bars of an iron gate,-fence, or other support; but I do not wish to limit the use of my invention to this particular connection, as it may be used with wooden doors and other supports, as will be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A represents the body of a mail-box of any usual or preferred construction having the usual door a for the extraction of the matter deposited therein and having an aperture a adjacent to its upper end on the side opposite the door for the admission of such matter.

B represents an adjustable chute having the guiding portion adapted to engage the aperture 0, and provided on its outer edges with the flange b. This flange b is slightly wider than the body of the box A, as shown in Fig. 2, and is provided with an aperture adjacent to each side of the same adapted to register with similar apertures in cars a a cast with or secured to the box A.

C is the ornamental face-plate, provided with the slit, through which the matter to be deposited is inserted, which is shown in this instance as provided with the swinging closingplate 0 in a well-known way. This face-plate O is provided with two bolts 0' 0, preferably having their heads cast integrally with the face-plate and adapted to engage the aperture of the chute and ears (1. a

D D represent two upright bars of an iron gate, fence, or other partition to which the mail-box is to be secured. In order to attach the herein-described parts, the box is placed in engagement with the rear face of the bars or rods D D at the desired height and the chute passed between said bars and into the aperture a of the box until the flange b of the chute engages the saw-bars D on the outside of the same. The face-plate C is then placed in position, the two bolts 0 c engaging the apertures in flange b and the ears a a of the box A. Nuts 0 c are then placed on the screw-threaded ends of bolts 0' c and tightened so as to clamp the bars D D firmly between the face of the box A and the flange b of the chute, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thus securing the box in the desired position.

The guiding portion of the chute Bis made of sufficient length to enable the parts to be secured to bars D of any thickness, thus forming an adjustable chute, which will extend from the outside to within the box A, whether the bars to which the box is to be attached are of one thickness or another.

If it is desired to secure the box to a door of ordinary construction, an opening is cut in the door of sufficient size to accommodate the guiding portion of chute B, and the bolts 0 0 will extend through suitable apertures in the door at either side of such opening.

By means of the adjustable features before described the parts can be applied and secured to doors of difierent thicknesses without any alteration, the adjustable chute and nuts 0 compensating for the varying thicknesses of different doors.

It will be seen that a box made according to my invention may be applied to any door, gate, or other support to which it is desired' to secure it without any change or alteration by means of the adjustable parts above described.

In the drawings I have shown the faceplate 0 provided with the pivoted closingplate 0, held in its closed position by a spring b'-. I prefer to provide the front portion of chute B with an offset b in which is located the spring I), one arm of which is mounted on a rod b said spring extending over upon the rear face of the closing-plate. This construction is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The swinging closing-plate is provided with trunnions which rest in suitable bearings in the face-plate O in the usual manner.

In order to provide a box which not only is adapted to be secured to a support of any thickness, but which also may be used on either side of the said support, I provide the supplemental slot E on the upper face of said box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or in the rear face, as shown in Fig. 3, which slot may be provided with a spring-actuatingclosing-plate e, if desired. WVhen it is desired to attach the box on the outer side of the door, gate, or other support, the chute B may be dispensed with or pushed into the box until the flange b rests against the face of the same, as desired. The face-plate C will then be made to engage the inner face of the door, the bolts 0 cpassing through the door and engaging the ears a. a of the box, which are securely held to the door by means of nuts, as before described. When used in this manner, the face-plate C will serve only as a means for holding the box in place, the mail-matter being deposited in the box through the supplemental slot and withdrawn through the door a, which is provided with a suitable lock.

The device is thus rendered a combinationbox, which may be placed on the outside or inside of a door, gate, or other support and also possesses the adjustable features described.

Instead of having the bolts 0' 0' pass through ears at the sides of the box A, said bolts might extend through the wall of said box, and the nuts 0 0 could be applied within the box, or said bolts could pass entirely through said box, if preferred; but the construction first described is my preferred form.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a mail-box, of the adjustable chute for engaging an aperture in said box, and adjustable securing means for holding said parts together and clamping a support between them, whereby said parts may be secured to supports of different thicknesses, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a mail-box of the adjustable chute for engaging an aperture in said box, the face-plate having screw-bolts cast integrally therewith for holding said box, chute, and face-plate together and clamping a support, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the mail-box, of the adjustable receiving-chute for engaging an aperture in said box, and adjustable means for holding said parts together and clamping a support between them, said box being provided with a supplemental receiving-aperture, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a mail-box, of the adjustable chute adapted to engage an aperture in said box, a face-plate having a pivoted closing-plate, and means for securing said parts together, said chute being provided with a spring for engaging said ,closing-plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. GODFREY.

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