US613538A

US613538A - Device for handling general-delivery letters

Info

Publication number: US613538A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1915-11-01

Description

No. 6I3,538. Patented Nov. I, |898. C. E. VARNEY.

DEVICE FOB HANDLING GENERAL DELIVERY LETTERS.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1897.)

v(No Model.)

Attorney III 'Il IE vation of my improved letter-box.

Nin STATES- PATENT Fricn.

CYNTHIA EDITH VARNEY, OF HEMLOCK, WISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,538, dated November 1, 1898. Application filed February 25 1897. Serial No. 624,914. (No model.)

To au whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CYNTHIA EDITH VAR- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hemlock, in the county of Clark and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices to Provide for the Handling of General-Delivery Letters; 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. This invention relates to letter-boxes; and

the object of the same is to provide a rotatable box for exhibiting letters for the purpose of enabling a person to ascertain whether there is any mail for him without asking the postmaster, the box being so arranged that when the same is revolved the letters may be brought into view, so that it may be ascertained whether there is any mail for a given name without troubling the postmaster.

The invention also consists of certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an ele- Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the saine, showing the device positioned behind a partition. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the springclasps for holding the letters. Y Y

Referring to said drawings, l indicates an Octagon-shaped box, which is adapted to revolve upon a supporting-post 2, extending therethrough. Upon the'bottom of the cylinder is the circular rack 3, which is engaged by the cog-wheel 4, journaled upon the shaft 5, which is supported by the post. Upon the shaft is a crank 6, by ,means of which it is operated and the box rotated.

Upon the sides of the box, at the upper end thereof, are the letters of the alphabet, Af 13, and C being on one side, and'so on through the entire alphabet, each side containing three letters, with the exception of letters ccs, T719 HU, 44V, "V: X739 Y, and Z, which are placedl four upon a side. The letters are positioned beneath the designated letter of the alphabet to which they belong and are secured in position by the spring-clasps 7. These clasps 7 are formed of a single piece of wire doubled and secured at its extremities to the side of the box. The letter is inserted between the surface of the box and the looped portion of the clasp.

In use the box is positioned behind the partition 8 within the postmasters office, the partition being provided with a glass window 9 just in front of the box. The operating-crank extends through the partition Within convenient reach of the public. The letters of persons not owning boxes in which to put their mail are distributed upon the sides of the box according to the letter of the alphabet to which they belong. When any one desires to ascertain Whether there is any mail for him, he revolves the box by means of the crank until the side of the same containing the designating-letter of the alphabet to which his name belongs is brought before the glass window. In this position he can glance along down the row of letters under the indicatingletter to which his name belongs, and if there is a letter all that is necessary is to4 call the attention of the postmaster to the same and receive it. Thus the postmaster is not troubled by persons Wishing to ascertain Whether there is any mail bearing their name.

This invention is designed more especially for small post-offices, although it could of course be used in the larger offices.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a box upon which letters may be secured to be brought into view by persons desiring to ascertain if there is any mail in the office in their name, thus rendering the duties of the postmaster less irksome by the repeated answering of inquiries regarding the mail of individuals not renting boxes.

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

The combination with a partition having a transparent plate therein, of a support positioned on one side of said. partition, a drum rotatable upon said support, a rack carried by said drum, a shaft journaled at fone end in the support and projecting at its opposite IOO end through the partition, @pinion upon said In testimony whereof I have signed this shaft and adapted to engage the rack, a Crank specification in the presence of two subscribupon the projected end of the shaft for 10- ing' Witnesses.

tating the saine, the sides of said drum being CYNTHIA EDITH VARNEY. 5 lettered to Correspond to the letters of the itnessesz alphabet, and spring-clasps secured on the H. H. HARTSON,

surface of the drum. J oHN STEWART.