US785714A

US785714A - Rural-delivery mail-box.

Info

Publication number: US785714A
Application number: US21984304A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter Clement
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-08-08
Filing date: 1904-08-08
Publication date: 1905-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1922-03-28

Description

PATENTBD MAR. 28, 1905.

W. CLEMENT.

RURAL DELIVERY MAIL BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 8, 1904.

: iuneutur -4 5 M gunning section thereof.

No. 785,71Q.

Patented Maren 28, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

IVALTER CLEMENT, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

RU HAL-DELIVERY MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,714, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed August 8, 1904. Serial No. 219,843.

To alt w/wm, if; may concern/.-

Be it known that I, l/VALTER CLEMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rural-Delivery Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in a rural-delivery mail-box; and the invention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in perspective of the completed box. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of a blank sheet of metal from which the body of the box is constructed. Fig. 3 is a cross section through the box. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal Fig. 5 is a blank from which the signal device is constructed. Fig. 6 shows the same bent into required form. Fig. 7 shows the signal device in lowered position.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a mail-box of this class of superior and economical construction and to form the body of the box of a single piece of sheetmetal.

My invention also includes the general structure and arrangement of the device.

I carry out my invention as follows:

Referring to Fig. 2, showing the blank from which the body of the box is shaped, the same is formed with a bottom portion a and two side portions 6 Z). Each of the extremities of the blank are slitted, as indicated at (Z, thereby forming end portions 6 e, projecting in the blank from the bottom portion a, and end portionsfg,which project, respectively, in a blank from the extremities of the corresponding side portions 6 b. The projections f g at each end of the blank are cut away at their outer edges on an angle, as indicated at it, leaving outwardly-projecting shoulders at the inner extremities of the lateral end portions.

The lateral edges of the side portions 6 6 thus extend beyond the inner angles of the cut-away portions the width of said shoulders, as shown, such lateral projections being indicated at d and f. In forming the body of the box the portions 6 6, connected with the base, are folded inward, so as to project in a vertical plane along the dotted lines indicated by the numerals 1. The side portions 7) bare bent upward in a vertical plane along dotted lines indicated by the numerals 2 2. The bending upward of the side portions Z) Z; obviously brings the portions f g at the extremities of the portions L i) into vertical planes, the portions f 0 then being bent over the upturned ends a e and secured thereto, as by rivets 7c. hen the various parts have been upturned, as above described, the edges '11 and y' are turned over upon theinside of the box to leave smooth upper side edges of the box, the portions 7; j being bent over along the dotted lines indicated at 3 and at. The portions f g are bent over the portions 6 along the dotted lines indicated at 5 and 6 6.

The cover (indicated at Z) is formed of a single piece of sheet metal bent intermediate its lateral edges to form a ridge, (indicated at 2a,) the cover portions being also struck up to form end flanges, (indicated at n,) and corresponding lateral flanges, (indicated atp.) The cover may be hinged on one side of the box in any suitable manner. As shown, the rear side of the box is provided with loops, (indicated at (1,) the corresponding flange of the cover being slotted, as at 7', to engage said loops. Any suitable means may be employed for locking the device. As shown, one of the flanges p of the cover is formed with an orifice, as indicated at s, and a portion of the inwardly-turned rim j is slitted, as at z, and turned outwardly and downwardly to form a staple, as indicated at t, the same also being formed with an orifice, as indicated at a, the lock passing through the orifices s and u, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. One of the ends of the box may be slotted to form an opening, as indicated at r, for the insertion of letters into the box, an oscillatory indicatorarm falling down, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, to cover said opening, said arm when in upright position serving as an indicator in a well-known manner. This indicator-arm is made, in accordance with my invention. in a novel manner. As shown in the drawings, a blank in Fig. 6 is shown at the numeral 9, formed with a projection indicated by the numeral 10, said projection in the completed arm being bent at essentially right angles to the face of the arm, as indicated at Fig. 6. \V hen the signal is up, as indicated in Fig. 1, the projection or flange 10 forms a stop to limit the upward movement of the arm, sai d flange resting against the lower edge of the adjacent flange of the cover, thereby preventing the signal-arm from going over too far. In Fig. 7 the arm is shown in position to close the orifice w, in which position the projection or flange 10 has its upper edge contacting with the lower edge of the adjacent flange of the cover, whereby the arm is stopped from dropping down too far. By construct- 1ng said arm with a flange or projection 10, bent at essentially right angles to the face of the arm, the signal-arm is thus held in its up per and lower position and prevented from moving too far in either direction in a very simple manner. The signal-arm is pivotally connected with the cover, as indicated by the numeral 11.

To form the cover from a single piece of sheet metal, it is obvious that the extremities of the sheet will need to be slitted intermediate their ends, as at a, and at the outer corners thereof, as at y.

In the construction of my device I contemplate galvanizing the cover after being cut and bent in proper form, the galvanizing of the same lilling all open joints or slits, so that the same are properly closed up and made tight against the weather, no open seams remaining. My invention will now be understood.

\Vhatl claim as my invention is- 1. A mail-box having the body thereof formed of a single piece of sheet metal havmg a base, side, and end portions, said body having its sides upturned to form the sides of the box, and its end portions upturned to form overlapping ends of the box, substantially as shown and described, said end portions formed with slits therebctween, the lateral end portions being cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof.

2. A mail box having the body thereof formed of a single piece of sheet metal havmg a base, side, and end portions, said body having its sides upturned to form the bottom and sides of the box, the extremities of the bottom portion of the box bent upward, and the extremities of the sides of the box bent over the extremities of the bottom portion and forming overlapping ends of the box, and means to secure the overlapping ends of the box together substantially as shown, said end portions formed with slits therebctween, the

I l l lateral end portions being cut away at an angle atthe outer lateral edges thereof.

3. A blank of sheet metal for forming the body of a mail-box, said blank slitted at its ends to form intermediate portions projecting from the central portions of the blank, and to form lateral end portions projecting from the marginal portions of the blank, said lateral end portions cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof, the body of the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the inner angles of said cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upper side edges of the box.

at. A blank of sheet metal for forming a mail-box, said blank slitted at its opposite ends to form intermediate portions projecting from the central portion of the blank, and to form lateral end port-ions projecting from the marginal portions of the blank, said lateral end portions cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof, the body of the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the inner angles of said cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upper side edges of the box.

5. A mail box having the body thereof formed of a single piece of sheet metal having a base, side, and end portions, said body having its sides upturned to form the bottom and sides of the box, the extremities of the bottom portion of the box bent upward, and the extremities of the sides of the box cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof and bent over the extremities of the bottom portion and forming overlapping ends of the box,

and means to secure the overlapping ends of the box together, the body of the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the inner angles of the cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upper side edges of the box.

6. The combination with amail-box having the body thereof formed with an opening to receive the mail, and provided with a flanged cover of an indicator-arm, pivotall y connected with the flange of the cover, said arm constructed with a flange projecting at essentially right angles to the face of the arm, said flange engaging the under edge of the flange of the cover to prevent the arm beingthrown too far in either direction.

7. A metal box having an opening to receive the mail and provided with a flanged cover having in combination therewith an in dicator arm pivotally connected with the flange of the cover, said arm provided with a flange extending essentially at right angles to the face of the arm, the upper edge of the flange contacting with the under edge of the flange of the cover to limit the downward movement of the arm, and a face of the flange engaging the under edge of the flange of the IIO . In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subsenb- IO ing witnesses.

WALTER CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

HORACE A. TREAT, ALANSON B. TREAT.