US476657A - Letter-box - Google Patents

Description

A. N. KLEIN.

(No Model.)

LETTER BOX.

No. 476,657. Patented June '7, 1892.

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ANTHONY KLEIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,657, dated June 7, 1892.

Application filed September 15, 1891. Serial No. 405,755. (No model.)

To (oZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ANTHONY N. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Box Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in attachments for mail-boxes; and it consists in the arrangement of parts and details of construction, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings and described and pointed out in the specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a letter-drop attachment for mail-boxes which will obviate or overcome the necessity of the user employing both hands for the purpose of mailing a letter, as is now in vogue-that is to say, with one hand he is enabled to open the letter-drop and deposit the letter within the mail-box, while by the employment of the boxes now in use it is necessary that one hand be employed for the purpose of opening the drop while the other deposits the letter therein, which, in case the depositor has the arm filled with bundles or the like, it becomes necessary to first lay the same aside in order to open the drop and mail the letterand at the same time provide against admission of dust, rain, snow, or the like, thereby maintaining the box free from dampness; and my invention further consists in providing an attachment which shall be simpler in its construction, easier of operation, more durable, and less expensive than any of a similar nature heretofore known to me.

Referring to the drawings forminga part of this specification, wherein similar letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, in elevation, showing my attachment applied to the top of an ordinary mail-box; Fig. 2, a crosssectional view of the letter-drop attachment, and Fig. 3 a front view in elevation thereof.

The letter A is used to represent an ordinary mail-box, to the top A of which is secured the letter-drop attachment B, which attachment may or may not be formed integral with the mail-box proper, thereby permitting of the same being readily secured to the boxes now in use, consequently overcoming the necessity of making an entire new box for the purpose of connecting thereto my attachment.

By preference I construct the letter-drop portion B of one piece and provide the same with the overlapping hood or protector b, which provides against indriving rain, snow, or the like. Between the forwardly-extending ears I) is pivotally secured the gravitydrop C, which swings inwardly within the letter-drop attachment. The lower end or bottom 0 of the gravity-drop is formed at an incline or beveled and is provided with the forwardly-extending portion d, which is adapted to form a seat wherein rests the edge (2 of the upwardly-extending wall D of the letterdrop attachment, which edge is made at an incline oppositely to that of the letter-drop bottom.

As will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2, the gravity-drop swings at an incline. Consequently any water or snow which may beat thereagainstwill run therefrom to the beveled edge d of the wall D and fall thereoff, thus effectually providing against admission of water.

As will be not-iced by reference to Figs. 1 and 3, the gravity-drop swings between the forwardly-side-extending ears b, thus preventing dust or other matter from being blown therein.

By merely pressing the letter or other package against the gravity-drop from the outside the same is forced to swing inwardly and allows of the letter dropping within the mailreceptacle, after the admission of which the letter-drop falls by gravity and reseats itself upon the edge d of the upwardly-extending wall D.

IVhile I have shown my attachment as applied to the top of the mail-box, it is obvious that the same may be secured to the ends thereof or in any other desired position, and that the same may be cast integral with the box proper or formed separately therefrom and bolted or otherwise secured thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with a mail-box, of the hollow letter drop attachment suitably secured thereto, said attachment provided with forwardly-side-extending ears, and the forwardly-overlapping hood or protector, and the gravity-drop movably secured between the forwardly-side-exten ding ears and adapted by pressure to be moved inwardly, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a letter-box, of the letter-drop attachment consisting of the hollow frame B, provided with a forwardlyoverlapping hood, f0rwardly-sideextending ears forming dust-protectors, gravity-operating drop inovably secured between the ears within hollow frame and adapted by pressure to be swung inwardly, the lower end or bottom of said drop being inclined or beveled and provided with a forwardly-extending seat adapted when closed to contact with the beveled end of the upwardly-extending wall D, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a mail-box for letters or the like, the combination of the inwardly-moving gravitydrop movablysecured between forwardly-sideextending ears and the overlapping flange or protector for securing against admission of rain, snow, or the like, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a letter-drop attachment having an overlapping hood F), the forwardly-extending side ears Z), and the wall D, having a beveled upper edge, of a gravitydrop having its upper edge pivoted in the overlapping hood in rear of the ears l) and its lower edge provided with a seat adapted to engage the upper end of the wall D, the upper end of the drop being in advance of its lower end.

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

ANTHONY N. KLEIN.

\Vitnesses:

N. A. AoKER, J. W. KEYS.

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