The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-04
PROPOSALS.

PhUfUSALS Ae
FOR MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, ID. G.. Sept. II, 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
will be received at this Department. until IL
O'Clock noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DE-
GENDER, 1873, for furnis hing, under separate
contracts, two different kinds of padlocks and
keys one for the sole and exclusive use of regis
tered through mails, and the other for the sole
and exclusive use OF street letter bones.
Every proposal must be accompanied with du-
plicate samples of the locks and keys thereby
offered to be furnished; one of each kind of
sample lock to be riveted up and finished, and
another to be open or unriveted, so that its in
ternal structure and arrangement may readily
be examined. Each sample should be plainly
marked with the bidders name, and if the
same, or any part thereof, be covered by pa
tent, the name of the patentee must be attached
thereto. 1t must also be such ms shall be war.
rented 10 not infringe on any patented invention
OF which the bidder is not the patentee or as
signee. e
The internal plan or arrangement of the locks
offered, and the particular form of the keys re-
quisite to open them, must not be like anyhow or
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portant consideration in favor of any lock and
key submitted it, being otherwise suitable, 1t
shall have been invented specially for the pur-
pose for which 1t is offered.
ocAs su''aoie ior .he regls,ereu inai's' OF ior
the street ietter boxes should nor exeeeo eieh'
ounces eaeh IN Weighss anu shouia possess /" l,sn
oesree OF security, strehgeh ana ouraoiii'y'
Isofy suchs iochy WINS IL must pe secure rum
being opened Dy any other means IMAM oy us
peculiar KEY unless designediy broken by ex-
treme ana obvious violence.) must be devoid OF
any intricacy In opening with the proper Key,
and be capable OF being securely shut without
the use OF the Key. Inc shape or size OF the
locks Tor registered mails should be such as TO
InaAe 'helh oiseihkuishapie al glance ifoii tue
locks q the street seeter oo1es' ana Doth shouia'
py tneir exterhai shape, Dc Instantly oisunguish-
able from the mail locks now IN use.
The Registered Mail Locks should be made Of
hard and tough brass, excepting the shackle and
riyets, which must be iron, the latter we'll
shouldered, countersunk, and headed at both
ends. The shell or case of such locks must not
have sharp angles, and must be free from
knobs, escutcheons, or other APPENDICES likely
to be compressed, battered, or knocked out of
order by the peculiarly hard usage OF the service
Each lock is to have outside upon its face, In
letters sufficiently large and distinct, ~ g. Re-
Clustered Matt'' and also such number, I'm
figures, each, not less than 6-l6 OF an inch iong)
as may be ordered; different number, not ex-
cceding four places Of figures in any case, being
required on each lock. Such words and figures
are TO 20 sunk by stamping II the shell be made
OF wrought or sheet brass, or to De raised II the
sneh DC Inaoe % cast me al. All the LOCKS Ior
registerea malls are 70 pc uniformly alike. ex,
cepuns inc numbers nafneo On .hem' ana W
sheir Keys which siooio 10 case-hsfoeheo iloh
ana nickel piateo, are 10 Dc also aiiKe, SO that
any one OF all the Keys which may be furnished
for them shall easily fit and readily open any
one and all OF the locks. The keys should have
a shank nearly two inches long between the bit
and the bow, and the bow should be solid, with
a small hole through it, and have stamped on
one side the words, ~ s. Registered Mait,pi
and upon the opposite side such number lin
figures not less than one-eighth of az inch long,
as may be ordered every key to have different
number, of which none will exceed four places
Of figures.
The locks for the Street Letter Boxes are to
be made of hard and tough brass, and the key
hole Of each lock should be in the lowest part of
the wall of the she'll or case. when the lock is
hanging by its shackle. and should be sheltered
by a suficient hitting out of the upper and lower
rim around that mart of The wall The interior
mechanism Of The lock sbould he in n position
somewhat remote from the ,1ey-ho,e. and be
opera.ed easily Inv its kew which sbould he fat.
made of steel, and he of conven;ant lanotb and
sufflcient strength and stiffness. The how of the
kew sbon,d he sold with a small ho,a ,brouph
il and ia to have an g Leye, CARRIER, stamped
on one side ard sucb f,gnres and letters slammed
ON the oppostie side as NAV be ordered The
face of each lock is to have upon it "H s. Street
Letter Boa" In either raised or sunk letters, and
any other letters besides not exceeding threethat
may be ordered. All the locks and keys OF the
same etter OF letters are 10 % aoapleo " e'icil
other' ana no lock Is 10 De opened Dy any Key NOT
marked with the same letter or letters.
Ahe iocA u each Aiao coh'Fac'eo ior must no
deiiSefea according 10 order' at tne Fost once
department at the risn anu expense Oh TUE con.
tractor' put up Ia p's'epohr' 'oAes VI nfe ioo"'
each. and packed IN strong WOODEN boxes con-
taiL ing not more than two hundred locks each.
The kQVs to sueh locks to be strung. by the