US464928A

US464928A - white

Info

Publication number: US464928A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1908-12-08

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0- 8. WHITE 81; J. P. LEWIS. HOUSE-LETTER BOX.

Patented Dec.'8 1891-.

(No Mo deI.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' 0. S WHITE & J. P. LEWIS.

HOUSE LETTER BOX No. 464,928. Patented Dec. 8,1891.

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9 F W I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORMOND S. \VI-IITE AND JAMES P. LElVIS, OF WVILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA;

SAID LEVIS ASSIGNOR TO SAID lVHITE.

HOUSE LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,928, dated December 8, 1891.

Application filed April 16, 1891.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,1()RMOND S. WHITE and JAMES P. LEWIS, citizens of the United States, residing at \Vilkes-Barr, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and we 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.

This invention relates to letter-boxes, and

7 more particularly to a box designed to be employed for individual or house use.

The object of the invention is to provide a box which can be conveniently located for the reception of mail-matter and constructed with a compartment. to receive letters, and also with means adapted to receive and retain papers and similar objects; further, to provide means for locking and securing the box-door, and in connection therewith means for opening it only from the inside of the house; also, to provide means for opening and maintaining in an open position the flap covering the opening through which the letters are dropped into the box.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in theclaims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1' represents a perspective view of our improved box secured to a house-door; Fig. 2, a plan View on the line 00 x of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view on the line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a view of the bottom of the box, looking from below upward; Fig.5, a detail view showing the means for locking and opening the letter drop-door; Fig. 6, a view on the line 2 z of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts in each of the figures.

The letter A represents the box, the body of which may be made in any form desirable and of any suitable material, preferably of wood, and provided with a top covering B. The floor or bottom piece F projects in front of the box, forming a ledge or shelf for the Serial No. 389,150- (No model.)

reception of papers or similar objects, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The box is to be secured to the house-door A by any suitable means, preferably by screws a. In the front wall of the box is cut an opening, through which the letters are to be inserted. This opening is covered by a hinged door D.

Projecting downwardly and toward the back of the box from the upper front edge is a wall or partition plate 0. Below this plate and below the opening in the box is formed a projecting ledge P, which, with the said plate, are so placed as to admit of the ready insertion of letters, but effectually prevents their withdrawal through the opening.

Attached to the under face of the ledge P and extending through a small opening 0 in the front of the box is a spring-catch 17, adapted to hold the door D in a closed position. The end is bent down to form a convenient handle a.

Secured to the inner side of the front wall of the box and extended upwardly into the drop-opening is a spring Q, the upper end of which is shown as formed with a loop Q, and which presses against the door D. On pulling the handle of the spring-catch 1) downwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, the door D is released and thrown open by the pressure of the spring Q to the position shown in Fig. 3. The catch 1) and spring Q are placed at one side of the box, so that they will not interfere with the insertion of the letters.

The letter C represents the door by which access is had to the'interior of the box for removal of deposited matter. It is placed on one side of the box and hinged so as to open freely.

Attached to the inner side of the door and, as shown, near the lower front edge is a catch 0, adapted to co-operate with the springj to lock the door. The spring j is secured to the inner side of the front wall of the box and its free end is bent so as to form a projection Z, adapted to be taken by the catch 0.

The letter 1) denotes a rod or wire attached at one end to the spring j, and which extends IOO through an opening 71 in the box and an opening in the box-supporting frame or door A, and has attached to its other end a suitable handle I, by means of which it can be operated. As thewire or 1 0d 11 thus extends into the interior of the house when the door 0 is closed, it is impossible for anyone to open it from the exterior, as the spring j securely holds the catch 6 against any movement. When it is desired to open the door 0, a pull on the wire 1', and consequently the spring j, moving the latter to the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2, releases the catch e and the door can then be opened.

To insure the positive opening of the door we provide a spring cl, which is secured at one end to the side edge of thebottom of the box, the edge being out out a short distance, as shown at d, for this purpose, so as not to interfere with the tight closing of the door. WVhen the catch 6 is released, the spring dby its tension pressing against the door 0 throws it wide open, as shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2.

m is a stop fixed in the bottom of the box to prevent the springj from being drawn back any further than is necessary to release the catch e.

As above stated, the bottom of the box extends forward, forming a shelf F, adapted for the reception of papers or packages. A slot f is cut in the shelf and extends from the box to the front edge.

On the under side of the bottom of the box is a rod G moving freely in suitable supports, bent, as shown at G, to form a handle for operating it and one end G, extending upward through the slot f, forming a-post for the purpose to be presently described.

The letter N denotes a coiled spring, fastened at one end to the bottom of the box and at the other to the handle G, so as to keep the post G normally pressed against the box A.

The letter H denotes a spring-rod fastened to the bottom of the box and bent, as shown at H, so as to form a shoulder extending across the slot f and in the path of travel of the post G. This rod has a suitable handle H, by which it can be operated. A pull on the handle G moves the post G along the slot and against the shoulder H, displacing the spring H until when the post G passes beyond the shoulder the latter falls back to its normal position across the slot, holding the post at the front of the shelf, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A plate g at the front edge of the shelf and across the slot prevents the post from being pulled all the way out. A lateral pull on the handle I-I releases the post and the latteris drawn back against the box by the spring N.

The letter E denotes a glass window, enabling one to observe whether or not any mail has been deposited.

It will thus be seen that our device is of simple construction, made secure against all outside interference for the abstraction of letters, and easily operated, all the manipulations necessary in the depositing of mail being possible to be done with one hand. When letters are to be deposited, a slight pull on the handle a of the spring-catch?) releases the flap-door D, which is then thrown out and held open by means of the spring Q, enabling the carrier to insert the letter without having to hold the flap open. If papers or other packages are to be deposited, a pull on the handle G brings the post G to the front of the shelf, where it is held by the springrod H, and then when the papers or package is placed on. the shelf a lateral pull on the handle 11 releases the post G, which is drawn against and securely holds the papers or package by means of the spring N, as shown in Fig. 3. To withdraw the letters from the box,-

a pull on the handle I and rod 2' draws back the springj, thus releasing the catch 6, when the door 0 will be thrown open by means of spring d.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A mail-box and its supporting-wall, the box-door having a catch attached thereto, a spring locking device secured to the wall of the box and adapted to engage with said catch, and an adjustable rod attached to said locking device and extended through the supporting-Wall and adjacent wall of the box, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

2. A mail-box having a shelf extended from its lower portion, said shelf having a slot formed therein, in combination with a rod movably secured to the bottom of the box and extended up through said slot, and a spring secured at one end to the bottom of the box and at the other to said rod, substan tially as and for the purpose described.

3. A mail-box having a shelf extended from its lower portion, said shelf having a slot formed therein, in combination therewith a rod movabl y secured to the bottom of the box and extended up through said slot, means for locking said rod in its forward position, and a-spring secured at one end to the bottom of the box and at the other to said rod, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A mail-box having a shelf extended from its lower portion, said shelf having a slot formed therein, in combination with a rod movably secured to the bottom of the box and extended up through said slot, a spring secured to the bottom of the box and extended across the slot and adapted to lock the said rod in its forward position, and a second spring secured at one end to the bottom of the box and at the other to said rod, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ORMOND S. WHITE. JAMES P. LEWIS. I/Vitnesses:

LORD BUTLER HILLARD, G. W. Moon.