US956743A - Mail-collecting apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. A. STEINMETZ, MAIL COLLECTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.1G, 1909.

956,743. Patented May 3, 1910.

JOSEPH A. BTEINHETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA.

HAIL-COLLECTING AIPARATUS.

Bpecicatiou of Lettera Patent.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Application led October 16, 1909. Serial No. 522,927.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. STEI'N- Mn'rz, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented certain Improvements in MaiLQollecting Apparatus, of which the following is a specilieation.

My invention is an improved apparatus providing means for the automatic collection by an elevator or traveling carriage of mail deposited on the several iioors of a building or in several positions along the path of the traveling carriage.

In the preferred construction, stationary boxes of peculiar character are placed on the several floors of a building, against or in the grating forming the front of the elevater shaft, and a box, adapted for opening and receiving the contents of the stationary boxes, is set in the front wall or grating of the elevator car.

In the drawings, Figure l shows my improved apparatus in conjunction with a front elevation of an elevator shaft, and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken through my apparatus.

The construction illustrated comprises an elevator shaft 1 which passes through several Hoors 2 and is closed by the gratings 3 containing doors 4:. The grating on each floor has ixed thereto a letter box 5 having an inlet 5 and an inclined bottoni 5". The bottom of the box is connected to the grating by a hinge 6 and the top is connected by a hasp 7 thereon through which passes an eye 8 fixed to the grating, a lock 9 fixing the hasp upon the eye. This box 5 is provided with a stationary way 10, extending downwardly from its top, for guiding a sliding door 11 which is mechanically elevated to open the bottom aperture 5c ot the box and drops by gravity to close it. The door 11 has fixed to the lower part thereotl the long arm l2 of an L-shaped spring having a short arm 13 which extends through an aperture 14 in the door, the angle of the spring normally extending outwardly from the door.

The front grating 15 of the elevator car has set therein a letter box 16 having a part 17, disposed between the arts 3 and 15, so that in movin upward 1t will engage the arm 13 and li t the door 11. The box 16 is also provided with the opening 18 in its top which is adapted to register with the open bottom of the box 5 and to pass the contents elevated to open the box 5, and the door again drops after the box 16 has been moved past the spring. In the downward movement of the elevator car, the box 16 strikes the member 12 of the spring and the latter is moved out of the way Without moving the closed door. Mail is delivered to the stationary boxes 5 through the apertures 5 and it can also be deposited in the movable box 16 through an aperture 16B, an apron 16IJ depending from the top of the box 16 directing the mail downward so that it cannot be shot through the aperture 18. A door 2l, carried by the hinge 22, closes the bottom of the box 16, the door having the hasp 23 which is engaged by the eye 24 on the box and held thereon hy the lock 25.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a stationary receptacle, and means comprising an elevator ear and a receptacle movable therewith whereby said stationary receptacle is opened and discharges its contents into said movable receptacle.

2. In apparatus of the character described,

a statimiary receptacle having an outlet, a

door for ccntrolllng said outlet, and means comprising an elevator car and a receptacle movable therewith whereby said door is opened and the contents of said stationary receptacle is discharged into said movable receptacle.

3. In apparat-us of the character described, a stationary box having an aperture adapted for delivering mail thereto and an-apertnre adapted for dischargin said mail, mechanism for controlling said last named aperturc., and means comprising an elevator enr and a receptacle movable therewith whereby said mechanism is operated and the col'itcnts ot' said stationary box delivered to said movable receptacle.

4. In nppnrntusof the character described, a stutiolnlry box having an opening, a sliding door adapted for closing said opening, nl device engaging said door and movable relatively thereto, und means comprising a movable rccol'ltuclo whereby said device is caused to open said door in one direction of travel ol said movable receptacle.

5. 1n npparatusof the character described the combination with an elevator car ot several boxes disposed on dili'erent floors of a building along the path of travel ot' said elevator car and means operated by the movement of said car whereby said boxes are caused to deliver their contents to said ear.

G. In apparatus of' the character described, the combination with an elevator car and a receptacle carried thereby, of several boxes with automatically closed outlets disposed on ditl'erent floors of a building along the )ath of travel of said car, and means Where y said car causes said outlets to be opened and the contents of said boxes to be def lvered.

T. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with an elevator car, of

several boxes disposed ou sevcrnl iloors of a building.; along the path of travel of said cnr, sliding doors adapted for automatically closing the respective boxes, a receptacle car ried by said ear, und means whereby said doors are automatically opened and the contents of said boxes delivered to said receptacle. 8, In apparatus of the character described, 1n combination with an elevator car, several boxes disposed along the path of travel of sald car, an automatically closing door for each of said boxes, an angular' spring fixed to each of said doors, and mea-ns carried by said car whereby said spring .is engaged to open said door and is automatically disengaged to permit said door to close.

1n witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 15th d ay of October A. D. 1909.

JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ. Witnessesz Romina' JAMES EABLEY, Jos. G. DENNY, Jr.

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