The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-12
PROPOSALS.
PROPOSALS.
PROPOSALS
FOR MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
POST OFF CE DEPARTMENT., I
WASHINGTON, ID. O.. Sept. II, 1873. )
PROPOSALS

SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
viii be received at this Department until IL
o'clock noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DE-
GENDER, 1878, 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 6ones.
Every proposal must be accompanied with du-
plicate samples Of the locks and keys thereby
offered to be furnished ono 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 a pa
tent, the name of the patentee must be attached
thereto. 1t must also be such shall be war;
rented 10 not infringe on any patented invention
Of which the bidder Is not the patentee or as
signee.
The internal plan or arrangement of the locks
offered, and the particular form of the keys re-
qusite TO open them, mu It not be like any now or
hitherto in public private use, and must not
have been exhibited, described or exposed, in
any manner tending to impair their security and
usefulness for the mails and it will be an i'm.
portant consideration ia favor of any lock and
key submitted it, being otherwise suitable it
shall have been invented specially for the pur-
pose for which it is offered.
Locks suitable for the registered mails, or for
the street letter boxes, should not exceed eight
ounces each in weight and should possess high
degree of security, strength and durability.
Every such lock, while it must be secure from
being opened by any other means than by its
peculiar key, unless designedly broken by ex-
treme and obvious violence) must be devoid OF
any intricacy Ia opening with the proper key,
and be capable of being securely shut without
the. use of the key. The shape or size Of the
locks for registered mails should be such as to
make them distinguishable at glance from the
locks of the street letter boxes, and both should,
by their external shape, be instantly Distinguish
able from the mail locks now in use.
The Registered Mail Locks should be made Of
hard and tough brass, excepting the shachle and
rvets, which must be iron, the latter well
shouldered couatersunk, and headed at boti
ends. The shell or case of such locks must no
have sharp angles, and must be free from
knobs, escutcheons, or other appendages likely
to be compressed battered or knocked out o
order by the peculiarly hard usage of the service
Each lock is to have outside upon its face, il
letters sufficiently large and distinct, u. s. Re
gistered Mail" and also such number, iii
figures, each, not less than 5l6 of an inch long,
as may be ordered a different number, not ex
ceeding four places of figures in any case, bein
required on each lock. Such words and figure
are to be sunk by stamping, if the shell be mad
of wrought or sheet brass, or to be raised If tn
shell be made of east me al. All the locks fo
registered mails are to be uniformly alike, e1
cepting the numbers marked on them, and u
their keys, which should be case-hardened iro
and nickel plated, are to be also alike, SO tina
any one of all the keys which may be furnishe
for them shall easily fit and readily open an
one and all of the locks. The keys should ha,
shank nearly two inches long between the b
and the bow, and the bow should be solid, wit
small hole through it, and have stamped q
one side the words, ~. s. Registered Mail
and upon the opposite side such number {
figures not less than one-eighth of an inch Ion
as may be ordered every hey to have differel
number, of which none will exceed four pac
of figures
The locks for the Street Letter Boxes are
be made of hard and tough brass, and the Ike
mole of each lock should be In the lowest part
.he wall Of the shell or case, when the lock
hanging by its shackle and should be shelter