US528897A - Charles e - Google Patents

Description

LETTER BOX.

No. 528,897. Patented'lov. 6 1894.

VYN: woning Mormrmn.. WASHINGTON D c UNrrnD STATES CHARLES E. ABBOTT, OF BOSTON, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO SOLON BANOROFT, OF READING, MASSAOHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 528,897, dated November 6, 1894.

Application led February 16, 1891. Serial No. 381,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, CHARLES E. ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter 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.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure lis a perspective view of my invention in one of the new style letter boxes. Fig. .2 shows it applied to a newspaper or parcel mail box. Fig. 3 shows it as applied to the old style of letter box. Figs. 4. and are details showing modification of means for raising the lid.

This invention is designed to afford means for easily opening the lids covering the deposit apertures in mail boxes attached to lamp posts, or otherwise, and used for the reception of mail matter to be gathered by the mail carrier.

It has been found so difficult for a person having a cane, umbrella, parasol or parcel in one hand, or for a one-armed person to lift or move the lid covering the usual slot which forms the opening into such mailboxes to deposit letters, or other mail matter, thatI have devised the means, substantially as hereinafter described to move the lid covering the opening into the mail box by means of the foot.

I haveillustrated generally in the accompanying drawings how this invention may be practically put into effect.

In the drawings is shown the mail box at A, and a is the lid that covers the usual slot opening into it through which the mail matter is deposited into the box. This lid is pivoted or hinged in any desired way to the box. In the present illustration this is done by means of the journals a3 one at each end which pass through ears a4, on the box. To this lid in any convenientway and manner is attached a wire or cord B, which extends down to the treadle or` foot piece C. This treadle is so near the floor or ground that it can be easily reached by the foot. In general the way in which I designlto make this connection isby attaching the wire or other connection to the projection or knob a on the lid, andthence extending it straight down to the treadle C, as in Fig. l. This projection is preferably integral with the lid, and located at any desired point along its front edge so as to project outwardly. In this instance the wire or connection had best pass through agnide or staple a2 on the box, lamp post or wall, or other place, to which the mail box is attached, direct to the treadle. The downward pressure of the foot on the treadle at once causes the lid a t0 be opened, and on removal of the pressure on this treadle the lid automatically returns tol place, or this action can be aided by making the hinge c at the treadle of coiled spring wire.

In Fig. 2 which is a parcel or newspaper mail box, the connection may bea small rope, chain passing over a staple or pulley d on the lamp post D and thence to the treadle C, under the box; its front end extending outI beyond the face of the box and easy to be reached by the foot.

In Fig. 3 the projection a on the lid is preferably put at one side and the connection B is let inside the box through a hole so made under the cornice of the box that no Water or moisture will get into the box. Thence close to the wall inside of the box the connection passes out of the bottom of it and extends down to the treadle C. The hinge c of this treadle may also, as above stated, be a coiledspring, that will automatically return the treadle to place and thus allow the easy return of the lidfto its normalposition.

In carrying out my invention I may use a wire alone for connection between the-lid and treadle, or a combined wire and chain, or wire and links, or a chain alone, or any like or equivalent means; and I propose to pass said connection through any suitable guides, or

over pulleys or other equivalent means by IOO them and cause them to act upon and lift the cover or lid of the box, is the treadle and connection as above described. Now when in the use of this invention a person having a parcel, cane or anything in one hand, or a onearmed person, approaches the `mail box and has letters or mail matter in the other to deposit in said box it is only necessary to place his foot on the treadle C, and this being depressed throws the lid a away from the opening into the box, and the mail matter being deposited and the foot removed from the treadle the cover substantially returns to its place.

I am aware that it is not new to hinge a cover at one edge of the top of a box, which cover is adapted to be raised by means of a treadle connected by a Wire to the upper side `and near the center of the cover7 and which cover will fail by its gravity when the treadle zo is released, and such a structure and invention I do not therefore claim.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- In combination with the mail box, as described,'and its hinged cover a over the mail

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