US902934A - Post-office furniture. - Google Patents

Description

R. T. BOURN. POST OFFICE FURNITURE. uruouxon nun $138.12, 1906.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L nu: nonnls PETERS co, wAsm/vamm n c R. T. BOURN.

POST OFFICE FURNITURE.

rum-r1011 FILED r112. 12, 1906.

902,934. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

2 8KEETSSHEET 2.

12 19' Zfyi //c./wm 2 26 5K9/MAW7N7 wk ROBERT T. BOURN, OF TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS.

POST-OFFICE FURNITURE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed February 12, 1906. Serial No. 300,567.

To all whom it may concern:

l 3e it known that I, ROBERT T. Bowen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Templeton, county of Worcester and Slate of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Post- Ofiice Furniture, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to post-office furniture, and especially to the cabinet or drawer used by the clerk, presiding at the stampwindow, for holding his stamps, stamped envelops postal cards, and similar supplies.

In most post-offices several separate drawers are used to keep these supplies, one drawer being used for stamped envelops or postals; another drawer for stamps in small quantities; another drawer for stamps in sheets; another drawer for the cash, etc.

Where so many different drawers 211' used more or less time is consumed in opening or closing the various drawers, and the em ployment of a plurality of drawers is often an inconvenience.

According to my present invention I have improved this class of post-office furniture by devising a drawer which is adapted to hold not only all the various supplies which are usually called for at a stamp-window, in sufficient quantity for even a large postoffice, but also the cash received from the sale of the supplies.

In order to make the contents of the drawer more readily accessible I provide a novel form of counter, so constructed that the supplies which are most frequently sold may be taken from the drawer through the top of the counter and without pulling the drawer out.

I will first describe one embodiment of my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the counter or desk of a post oflice where the stamp-window is located showing my improved one drawer system; Fig. 2 is an elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail of the cover for the drawer or removable portion of the counter; Fig. 4 is a top plan of the drawer removed; Fig. 5 is a section in the line w.cc, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a (lei ail of the cover of the counter.

8 designates in general the desk or countcr of a post-oilicc and l the stamp-wiudow.

In accordance with my invention l provide in the counter or desk 3 a single drawer 5 which is especially designed to contain not only all the supplies usually sold from a stamp-window but also the cash received from the sale of said supplies. These supplies usually include stamps of all denominations, both in small quantities and in sheets stamped envelops of various sizcs. postal cards, stamp-books and stamped wrappers. In order that all these supplies, as well as the cash received from the sales. may be accommodated in a single drawer 5 I make said drawer as followsz A portion of the drawer is divided by vertical partitions (3 into a plurality of compartments adapted to receive the stamped cnvelops, postala-ards. StilllltVlNlOkS, etc.

As l have herein illustratml the drawer these partitions are so arranged. as to constitute a compartment 7 for receiving long stamped envelope. a plurality of smaller compartments S For receiving the smallcr stamped cnvclops, compartments 9 for rcceiving postal-cards, and smaller compel-l ments 10 for receiving stamp-books of various sizes.

The envelope and postal cards are arranged on edge in these compartments, and the compartments are large enough to receive three. four or more bunches of each kind of envclops. These partitions (3 are also so arranged as to form a compartmcnt 11 large enough to receive the cash in the form of bills received from the sale of supplies.

My improved drawer is arranged to receive stamps of the various denominations in strips of five and also in quarter sheets. The stamps in strips are contained in a suitable tray 12, which is preferably arranged at the front of the drawer and which is divided by longitudinal partitions 13 into a plurality of compartments ll. there bcing one compartment for each denomination of stamps.

The compartments 1-i are just wide enough to receive the stamp and are long enough to receive a strip of five stamps. I may, if dc sired, make two of the compartments of double width so that a double strip of stamps, or ten stamps, may be placed therein.

These wider compartments would be used for the oneand two-cent stamps. because stamps of these denominations are very often sold in lots of ten as well in smallerlots.

The bottom of the tray 12 is curved up wardly at its front edge. as at 15. so that the front end of the superimposed strips of stamps in each compartment may be readily grasped by the clerk and withdrawn from the compartment.

In the present instance of my invention 1 provide another tray 16 for receiving the cash in the shape of coin. This tray is preferably placed directly back of the tray 12. and is divided by longitudinal partitions 17 into compartments 18 for receiving coin of different denominations.

Both the trays 12 and 16 are preferably removably supported by the drawer. They are of considerably less depth than the drawer and beneath them is a considerable space 1!) for storage room.

The stamped wrappers for papers. etc. are received in a compartment 20 which is of a suitable size to receive packages of wrappers liat. This compartment is preferably pro vided. with the false bottom 21. which. is shown as hinged to the backside of the drawer. as at; 32.

The space 2 beneath this false bottom furnishes ample storage room for packages of stamped wrappers, and the space above said false bottom is ample to receive the broken packages or loose stamped wrappers.

The false bottom 21 is provided at its front edge with a finger-piece or handle 24 by means of which it may be raised when acc ss to the compartment is desired.

.1 designates stops or supports on which the front edge of the false bottom 21 rests when it is in its normal position. 26 desi nates a plurality of hinged trays which are adapted to receive the stamps of various denominations in sheets. These trays are shown as being hinged to the backside of the drawer. as at 27. and each is divided by a. longitudinal partition 28 into two compartments 9!). each compartment 29 being of a size to receive a quarter sheet of stamps.

There are sutiicient trays to form a co1npartment 2!.) for each denomination of stamp. These various trays are so lunged that the front edge of all the trays are exposed. and the front edge of each tray is provided with a finger-piece 30 so that the contents of any tray may be readily exposed by the turning back of the trays located above it. For instance. if it was desired to take a quarter sheet of stamps from the bottom tray 26 then the next-to-the-bottom tray would be turned back. say neXt-to-the-bottom tray carrying with it all the trays above it.

It will be noted that with the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the supplies which are most commonly soid. and also the cash, are arranged at the front portion of the drawer. In order to make these supplies and the cash readily accessible without pulling the drawer out I make the top of the desk or counter in a special way. it being cut away. as at 300, see Fig. 1. to expose the front portion of the drawer. A removable closure 31 is provided for covering this opening in the top of the counter or desk and for completing the counter when the drawer 5 is to be locked.

W'hen the clerk comes on duty however he removes the removable cover or closure 31, thus exposing the front portion of the drawer 5 in which the most commonly used supplies are received. \Vhen the cover 31 is removed. as described. the clerk may sell small quantit ies of stamps of all denominations. stamped envelops of different sizes. postal cards. and stamp-btmks without pulling the drawer 5 out.

If. however. a sale of stamped wrappers or of stamps in the quarter sheet is made the clerk would be required to pull the drawer out sufiiciently to expose the compartment containing these supplies. The amount that the drawer would have to be pulled out however would be comparatively little. as the drawing of the drawer one-third of its length will give access to the compartment contain ing the stamps in the quarter sheet or the stamped wrappers.

I have so constructed the closure 31 that when it is in place it will lock the drawer 5 from being pulled out. F or this purpose it is provided with one or more projections 33 which, when the cover is in place, are received under the edge 34 of the opening in the counter, and it is also provided withprojections 35 which enter suit-able notches 36 in the false top 37 of the counter or desk. The closure is also provided with the looking projections 38 of any ordinary chestloc-k. which projections enter apertures 39 in the front wall of the drawer 5 and are locked therein as usual.

IVhen the closure 31 is in place, therefore. it cannot be drawn forwardly because of the interlocking of the projections and notches 86. nor can the back edge thereof be raised because of the projections 30. nor can the front edge thereof be raised because of the fact that it is locked to the drawer 5. When the chest-lock is unlocked. however, the front edge of the closure may be raised to disengage the'projeetions 35 from the notches 36 when the closure may be readily removed.

In large post-offices two or more stampclerks may preside at the same Window at different intervals of time. one clerk being thereduring the morning hours and another clerk during the afternoon and evening for instance.

Where two or more clerks do thus preside at the same window each clerk has his own stock of supplies to sell from; and, therefore, I propose to place in front of each stamp-window 4: two drawers 5 arranged side by side, as shown in Fig. 1. When two drawers are thus used neither drawer is exactly in front of the window, the window being half way between the drawers. With this arrangement I propose to put the trays 12 and 16, which are most used, on the side of the drawer adjacent the middle of the window. The two drawers would, therefore, be arranged as right and left. This, however, is not essential to my invention.

In connection with my improved drawer 5 I propose to make underneath the counter a cupboard arranged for keeping supplies in the bulk. These cupboards are designated by 40 and 41 respectively, and are each adapted to be closed by suitable doors 42. The cupboards may have any suitable interior arrangement. I have herein shown them as provided with various compartments 43 adapted for holding boxes of envelops, and as having a drawer 43 arranged for holding packages of stem s of different denominations, the drawer being of a size to receive the packages on edge. Between the various packages I place a removable partition 45 similar to the dividing partition in an ordinary card catalogue.

The drawer 5 may be made of a size to latter is in closed posltion being removable receive three or four hundred dollars worth of supplies without making it at all bulky or cumbersome to handle. It will thus be seen that with my invention the various supplies sold at a stamp window may be kept in a single drawer and kept in such a way as to be readily accessible, and also in sullicient quantities to meet ordinary demands.

IVhile the arrangement of partitions and compartments in the drawer herein illustrated is that which I deem preferable yet my invention is not limited thereto;

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In post-ofiiee furniture, the combination with a desk or counter, of a drawer therein divided into compartments, the por tion of the top of the desk at the front edge thereof immediately over the front of the drawer when the latter is closed being removable whereby access to the compartments at the front of the drawer may be had without withdrawing said drawer, and means to lock both said portion of the desk when in place and the drawer when closed.

2. In post-oflice furniture, the combination with a counter or desk, of a drawer therein having at its front portion coin-receiving compartments and small stamp-receiving compartments, the portion of the top of the desk immediately over the front portion of the drawer when. closed being removable whereby access may be had to said coinreceiving and stamp-receiving compartment by removing the removable portion of the top of the desk and without withdrawing the drawer.

S. In post-oflice furniture, the combination with a counter or desk, of a partition rising from said desk and having a window therein, and a drawer in said counter opposite the window, a portion of the top of the counter immediately over the front part of the drawer when the latter is closed being removable so that access to the drawer may be had without withdrawing the latter.

4. In post-oflice furniture, the combination with a desk or counter, of a drawer therein having at its front portion coin-receiving compartnwnts and stamp-receiving compart ncnis. and at its rear portion a pinrality of pivotallyanountcd trays, the portion of the top of the desk immei'liaiely over the front portion of the drawer when the whereby access may be had to the coin-receiving and stamp-receiving compartments without withdrawing the drawer.

5. In post-otlice furniture, a counter or desk having a top, a drawer slidably mounted in the desk beneath the top and divided into a pin ality of compartments for receiving coins and supplies of different character, a portion of the top of the desk being cut away to expose a portion of the drawer, a removable closure for the top of the desk, and means to lock the removable closure both to the drawer and to the desk or counter.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT T. BOURN.

\Vitnesses Louis C. SMITH, MARGARET A. DUNN.

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