US583954A - Machine for canceling and registering letters - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. W. THAYER. MACHINE FOB, GANGELING AND REGISTERING LETTERS.

No. 583,954. Patented June 8,1897.

lFNlIT CALLED FOR INTER MY! RETURN TO DRYTONJ. 3.

INVENTDR wwwzssaa:

% 9/4? W K 37 r ATTORNEY:

I UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

- FRANCIS w. .THAYER, or DAYTON, 01n

- MACHiNE FOR-CANCELlNGAND asci'sTsnme LETTERS.

- SPECIFICATION forming part/of Letters Patent No. 583,954, dated June 8, 1897. Application filed September 4, 1896. Serial N0. 6Q4,907. (No model.)

. ton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'lllachines for Canceling and Registering Letters; and I do 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, reference being the accompanying drawings, and to form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in letter or mail boxes. I I

The invention has for its object to; provide a mailing-box having means for simultaneously canceling the stamp and stamping upon the envelop the name of the mailing-point, the date of mailing,'and the time of collection, the entire operation being performed when the letter is delivered to the box, as will hereinafter be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which- 'Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations, respectively, of the box. Figs. 3 and i reference-characters a The former is are front and side elevations, respectively, of

the recording and timing mechanism removed i from the box. Fig. 5 is a top view of the impressi'orrlever detached. Figs. 6 and '7 are front and side elevations, respectively, of the cancelling plate. Fig. 8 is a lower end-view of the canceling and. printing plates assembled. Fig. 9is a sideelevation of the printing-plates. Fig. 10 is a view of the device for indicating the time of opening the box by the collector. l igQll is the front of a letter as itappears after takenout of the box by the collector. I

Referringin detail to the inven t-ion, similar indicate corresponding parts in the several views. I 1 designates the box or inclosing case,-l1avin g an end door 2 and mailing- slots 3 and 4. for the reception of letters exclusively, and adjacent to it is located the mechanism for canceling and stamping the letters asthey are placed in the box. This the journals of a roller 6 and the journals of an upper roller 7. Thelatter roller has springs 7 above its journals that apply pressure thereto. The space between these rollers is sufi'icient to permit a letter to pass, and said gj" space, when the rollers are in position,.is in line with the slot3.

B is a gear-wheel on anendof'roller 6, and

9 is a second gear that meshes therewith and drives roller 6. The gear 9 is driven in any suitable Way, preferably by clock mechanism located in a convenient position, as per 10.

11 designates a cancelirig-plate, the lower portion of which comes in contact with the stamp and cancels it. The portion 12 of said can ccling-plate has an excess of weight to return the plates back to-an operative position after the passage of each letter-that is to say, when the plates are pushed in on their pivots by of the part 12 will return said plates toth'eir former position with the type again-inposition to imprint.

13 is an integral or attached bar projecting at aright angle from the opposite end of the plate 11.

14,14, and 14* designate,respectively,typebearing plates for imprinting the name of the mailing-place, the date of mailing, and the time of collection. These plates occupy the ceiling-plate and the bar 13. The type are placed in an opening in the plates and are maintained in an operative position by springs 15, that press them tightly together. 16 designates an ink-ribbon that is passed over the face of the plates and is secured in notches 17 in the edges of the plates. The

, canceling and type plates are mounted on the endof an arbor 18, which is journaled in the supporting plate or frame 5. The openings for the journals are somewhatlarger than said journals in order that the arbor may slightly yield against the passage of a letter the weight the pressure of springs 19,that' space between the inner edge 11 of the canpress downwardly against said journals and are mounted in the journal-openings.

2O designates a wire guide secured to a side of theframe 5 and projecting downwardly and terminating parallel with the rollers. The horizontal part of this guide lis just above the opening between the rollers, and its function is to direct downwardly the smaller tlldesignates an angular wire that is pit oted on the inside of the front of the box. One end 92 of this wirelics in'thc path of a lug 33 on the lower end of the type-plate 14, and the other end 24: is pointed and projects at a right angle in contact with the time-dial of the clock, constructed of any material. susceptible of an impression, such as pastcboard, and a new one ispla'ced on the clock on each collection of the mail. The movement otthe type-pla tes caused by the insertion of aletter will actuate the wire 21 and cause the end time that a letter has been passed into the box. In Figs. 1 and 10 there is shown a device for indicating when the box has been opened by the collector and consisting of a lever 25, having its fulcrum at 26 on a convenient part. The outer end 27 of this lever rests on a pin 28 on the interior of the door 2, While the inner end :29 is inclose proximity to the face of the time-dial. As said door is opened theniovc ncnt of the pin 2 raises said lever on its fulcruni and causes the end, '2'.) to impact with the dial and make an indentation thereon The closing'of the door will return said lever to its normal position. The type indicating the" place wherethe letters are mailed are permanent. Those indicatingthe dateand time'arc changed at the proper times by the collector-the former once a day, the

latter after each collection is made.

' In Fig. 3, 3O designates a letter passing below the plates and as having moved to a position where the type-plates-arc making an impression as shown in Fig. 3. The dial is it to make. a sliortindentation on the'dial, showing each,

The plates have moved from the position in dotted lines. When the, letter shall have passed entirely through and is deposited in the box, the plates will resume their former positions with the canceling portion of the plate over the roller 6. The weight of said canceling portion of the plate is sutti- 'cient to cause the plates to return until the said portion reaches the center of gravity, whiclris above the roller (3.

Having described lily-invention, I claim- 1. Ina mail-box, the combination of rollers mounted on the interior of said box adjacent to the slot through which the letters are inserted, a cancelingrplate and a series of typeplates mounted above said rollers with their impression ends occupying the same plane or approximately the same plane asthe opening: between the r0llers,'and means for rotating one of said rollers to feed the letter between it and the said canceling and type plates, substantially as shown and described. I 2. In a riiail-box, the combination with a sup porting-f rain'e located on the interior of the mail-box, of rollers mounted in said frame, a canceling-plate, and a series of type-bearing plates mounted above one end of one of said rollers, a looselyanountbd arbor parallel with said rollers upon which eaid plates are mounted, a guide attached; to said frame to direct the letters to the rollers, and clock mechanism for rotating oneof said rollers, substantially as shownand described.

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

' FRANcIsw. rnA 'Ea.

\Vitnessesi R. J. McGA rY, A. J. FIonINI.

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