US535317A

US535317A - Half to ary metzelaar

Info

Publication number: US535317A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1912-03-05

Description

(No Model.)

E. S. BUTLER.

LETTER BOX- PatentedMar. 5, 1895.

Inventor.

MWWI M 6W Ex Attorney.

Witnesses: JQ (5% %;/4,,

IJNTTED STATES PATENT Trice.

EDWARD S. BUTLER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO ARY METZELAAR, OF SAME PLACE.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,317, dated March 5, 1895.

Application filed December 10, 1894. Serial No. 531,394:- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, EDWARD S. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in letter boxes to attach at dwellings for delivery purposes, and its objects are: first, to provide a cheap and convenient letter box that may be attached, either to the door direct, or to the door j amb, as desired; and, second, to provide an improved appliance with which to attach it to the door jamb. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a sectional elevation of the end of my box. Fig. 2. is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3. is a section showing the manner of applying my new appliance for fastening the box to the door jamb. Fig. 4. is a sectional plan of the box; and Fig. 5. is a side view of the door that is placed upon the bottom of the box for use when the box is attached to the door.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body Aof my box is made, preferably, of tin folded to form the two sides and the front of the box with the back, above the portion at, open so that when the box is attached to the door jamb with the back against the door, the opening of the door will open the box and the contents may be readily removed.

In the top of the .box I place a triangular door, pivoted upon the pins 1), to the sides of the box, as at B, in Fig. 1, in such a position that the introduction of mail matter will nocessitate turning it over, and after the mail has dropped into the box the door will close as illustrated by the lines, solid and dotted, in Fig. 1. The box may, also, be provided with a curved guard, as I), placed in such position that the mail matter M cannot be conveniently reached from the ingress opening or door, after it has been placed in the box. The door B is covered by a door A that is pivoted to the top of the box, as at a in position to form a perfect protection against rain, &c.

For the purpose of securing this box disupport 0, designed to be secured to the jamb with nails or screws, 0, and has an arm, as a bent at right angles to the body and standing in position to enter slots 0' in the side of the box, when the ends are bent down, as indicated by the dotted lines, and the box there by held to place.

When the box is secured directly to the door so that the opening of the door will not open the box, Iprovide for removing the mail by means of a detached bottom D, pivoted, or hinged, to the side by means of bent wires 01, passing through the side, as indicatedin Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, so that the bottom door may swing freely down to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, or may be easily removed and placed on the opposite end of the box. This bottom door is secured to place, when closed, by a spring catch, as D pivoted to the end opposite the pivot wires (1, as at d and projecting upward along the side of the box, and provided with an inwardly projecting pin d that passes through a hole d in the side of the box. Both sides of the box are provided with holes for the reception of all the pins, (1 and at, so that the bottom door can be attached to swing open from either side to correspond with the swing of the house door to which it is attached, the object being to attach the box to the door jamb close to the stile, and to have the catch D on the side of the box next to the door so that when the door is shut the catch will be held to place by the door in such a manner that it will be impossible to open the box until the door is opened, thus providing a perfectly secu re lock with no additional expense. The support 0 may, also, be attached to either side of the box, as the position of the house door may require.

The openings E are simply to look through. to ascertain if there is any mail in the box.

In Fig. 4; the dotted lines F are designed to represent the house door jamb, and F to represent the door, for the purpose of illustrating the mode of fastening the catch D" as hereinbefore described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a letter box, a box inclosed on three sides, a triangular door in the top of the box, and a cover hinged to the top of the box, to close over said triangular door, in combination with a guard projecting from the upper front edge of the box diagonally toward the center, and under the triangular door so that mail matter placed in the box will drop back of it out of reach, and a detachable door provided at one end with hooks arranged to engage with apertures in the side of the box to form a pivot or hinge for the door, an arm projecting up' at right angles from the opposite end of said door and provided with a catch to engage with an aperture in the side of the box to secure the door, substantially as shown.

2. A letter box having a cover pivoted to open and close, and a triangular rotative door pivoted into the top of said box; in combination with a detachable bottom having hooks at one end to engage with apertures in the box to form hinges, and an arm projecting up at right angles from the other end and provided with a hook to engage with an aperture in the box to secure the bottom when closed said arm in position to be between the house door, when closed, and the side of the box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 26th day of November, 1894.

EDWARD S. BUTLER.

In presence of- ITHIEL J. CILLEY, GEO. E. SHAFER.