US461209A

US461209A - Street letter-box

Info

Publication number: US461209A
Authority: US
Current assignee: All Season Toys Inc
Publication date: 1891-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1908-10-13

Description

(N0 Model.)

` H. G. GLDS. STREET LETTERBOX. 110,461,209. Patented Oct. 13,1891.

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:w ii iv 11 I; 'l l| :l A A i e wf' rvNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

'HENRY c. oLDs, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

STREET vLETTER-BOX.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,209, dated'October 13, 1891.

n Application filed May 25, 1891. Serial No. 393,946. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY G. OLDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fort lVayne, county of Allen, and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

- My invention has for its object to provide a convenient letter-box which shall be both exceedingly simple and cheapin its construction and at the same time completely protect the contents of the box from dirt and rain, while it will be impossible to remove mailmatter once deposited therein Without unlocking or breaking the box g and my improvements consist in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front perspective view of my improved box; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section of the same with the lid or cover raised to display the opening'for the mail-matter.

A represents the box proper, preferably made of thin cast-iron or other suitable material and preferably of the shape shown in the drawings, being broader at the top than at the bottom and having an inclined front side h.

B is the lid or cover of the box, the edges of which extend out in front and on the sides over the top of the box, so as to effectually prevent the entrance of dirt and rain, while the rear edge d of this cover B is bent down -to form a curved liange over the rear side of the box for the same purpose, the back edge of the box being cut away at ct to allow for the movement of this ange CZ as the cover is raised, as hereinafter described.

To form a more effectual safeguard from rain and dirt, if desired, the edges of the cover B could be turned down on all sides to form side ianges, which in some cases would be the preferable construction. Side pieces C C are secured to the under side of the cover B and extend down just within the sides of the box, while a front piece b is likewise secured to the cover between these side pieces C C.

A rear plate D is rigidly secured to the under side of the cover, which, when the cover is down, extends along the rear wall of the box. The cover is hinged or pivoted by pins c c at the back of the box, and the length of the front piece b and the back piece D of the cover are so adjusted that upon raising the cover B the back piece D will swing over u-ntil it touches the inclined front Wall hof the box at the same time that the front piece b is raised above the edge of the box to allow 'space for the insertion of mail-matter, the side pieces C C being of such length as to completely close the side openings at all times. Vhen the cover B is thus raised, an upper compartment is formed to receive the Inailmatter by the rear piece D of the cover; but as soon as the cover B is released and falls back by its own gravity to place the .rear piece D, swingingback withit, allows the mailmatter to drop into the Abottom of the box. Thus the raising of the box to deposit a letter or package closes the mail-depository at the bottom, so that no mail-matter can be withdrawn through the deposit-opening after it has once fallen to the bottom without breaking the box or unlocking it. A

The mail-compartment is entered by the door E, secured by lockG infront of the box, and in order to enable the mail-carrier to ascertainwhether there is any mail-matter in the of narrow slots e e in the door E, covering the same by a plate of glass f, which is secured to the door by the rim F, so that the contents of the box will be visible, but nothing can be withdrawn through the slots in the door. l l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure bylLetters Patent,

l. In a letter-box, the combination, with the bottom, back, and sides thereof, of a front having an outwardly-inclined upper portion, a cover hinged to the rear of the box, with side and end pieces secured to the under surface ot' the. cover and extending within the box, whereby upon the liftingof the cover the rear piece will be brought against the inclined front of the box to separate the box into two compartments, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a letter-box, the combination, with ICO hinged at the back thereof and having side l and front extensions to protect; the contents of the box and a curved rear ange to cover the hinge-joint, together with side pieces attached to the under surface of the Cover to close the side openings. when the @over is the front, sides, and rear of the boX,of acover raised, and pins passing through these side pieces, upon which the Cover is hinged, substantially as sh'own and described.

` HENRY G. OLDS.

Ttnesses:

J. A. SHEPARD, GEO. D. CRANE.