US646016A - Letter or order box. - Google Patents

Description

No. 646,0!6. Patented Man 27, I900.

P.- A. BRADFORD.

LETTER 0R ORDER BOX.

(Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES ATENT LETTER OF? ORDER BOX.

SPECIFICATION formingpart'o f Letters Patent No. 646,016, dated Mareh 27, 1900. Application filed September 5,1895% Serial No. 729,543. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, PARK A. BRADFORD, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter or Order Boxes; 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 had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to order-boxes or message-cabinets, and particularly to a device adapted to receive and retain an autographic order or message.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction of pressure-shoe to cooperate with the feed-roll for moving the strip of paper over the tablet and into the cabinet.

A further object of theinvention is to construct an improved form of cabinet or desk to support, protect, and return the autographic strip and to simplify the construction of all the parts, thus economizing the cost of their construction and preventing breakage or disarrangement of the parts.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists in the novel construction, arrangement and adaptation of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form part of this application, like letters of reference indicating the same parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the feed-roll and pressure-shoe, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of said shoe.

In the drawings the letter A designates a cabinet or desk of any desired configuration, which may be provided with an upper compartment A to receive the autographic strip B, and'a lower compartment A for the receptionjof mail. This cabinet is supported in any suitable mannerfor instance, by hinges A applied to a back board A. The cabinet may thus be swung open to obtain access to its contents and can be locked when closed by any suitable device. The inclined bottoms A permit the loose articles thereon to slide into the hand of a person when the cabinet is opened, and the back board A maybe secured to any support. 4

The autographic strip 13 is carried upon a roll B, pivoted in the walls of the compartment A, and passes thence through an aperture B in the top or tablet B over said tablet and downward through an aperture 13 in which a friction-roller B is journaled. The strip then passes between a feed-roll O, journaled in the walls of the cabinet, and a pressure-shoe D of peculiar construction. The feed-roll may, if found desirable, be provided with an elastic face 0 of rubber;

The pressure-shoe D is formed of spring or other suitable metal, and has a concave contact-face I) to bear on the roll, and at one end is slit to provide a spring-paw1D adapted to cooperate with ratchet-teeth C on the roll 0 at one end thereof. This shoe is also provided with a tearing edge D to separate used portions from the strip and with a securinglug D for holding the shoe rigidly in contact with a wall of the cabinet.

The roll 0 maybe rotated in one direction by the crank C and is held against reverse movement by the pawl D so that when the written message is once drawn into the cabinet it cannot be withdrawn. A protectingcover E is also pivoted to the tablet B as at E, and serves to cover the autographic strip B when not in use. If desired, a door F may be provided at one side for access to the two compartments.

In operation the message is Written upon the strip over the tablet and then drawn by the feed-roll in to the cabinet through the frictional contact of the shoe. The roll is held against reverse movement by the ratchet and the written portion of the strip can be separated by tearing along the edge D of the shoe after the cabinet has been opened. The structure of shoe provides in a single part the pressure-shoe, pawl, and tearing edge, while the protecting cover prevents injury to the unwritten portion upon the tablet. The pivoting of the cabinet to the back board permits the same to be swung open and convenient access had to both compartments and all the parts.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is- 1. In a message-cabinet,a feed-roll,a springpressed friction-shoe in engagement therewith, a paper strip between said roll and shoe, and a pawl carried by said shoe to engage a ratchet upon said roll, substantially as specified.

2. In a message-cabinet, a feed-roll and means to revolve the same, a pressure-shoe to engage said roll and formed of spring metal with a slitted portion to comprise a pawl, a ratchet on said roll, and a paper strip between said roll and shoe, substantially as specified.

3. In a message-cabinet, a desk pivoted at one side to a back board and provided with independent compartments therein, an autographic strip carried by a stock-roll and passed over the upper surface of said desk, an elastic feed-roll for said strip, a pressure-shoe formed of spring material to engage said feed-roll and having a slitted portion to provide a pawl, and ratchet-teeth on said roll adapted to be engaged by said pawl, substantially as specified.

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

PARK A. BRADFORD.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES J. KERWIN, W. H. WILsoN.

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