The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-14

PROPUSALS.
PROPOSALS
FOR MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
4 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT., (
WASHINGTON. d. O.. Sept. II, 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS

SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
Will be received at this Department until ~
O'Clock noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DE-
GENDER, 1873 for fnrnis hing. under separate
contracts, two different kinds of padlocks and
keys: one for the sole and exclusive use of regis-
tered through malta, 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 riyeted up and finished, and
another to be open or unriyeted, 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 as shall be war;
rented to 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-
quisite to open them, must not be like any now or
hitherto in public or private use, and must not
have been exhibited, described or exposed, in
any manner tending to impair their security and
usefulness for the mails ard it will be an i'm.
portant consideration in favor Of any lock and
key submitted it, being otherwise suitable, il
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, tunless designedly broken by ex-
treme and 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. The shape or size Of the
locks for registered mails should be such as tc
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 O
hard and tough brass. excepting the shackle ane
riyets, which must be iron, the latter well
shouidered, 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 iikel.
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, i
NAoNAAS~b
sistered NATL" and also such number, Il
figures, each, not less than 5-ls of an inch long
as may be ordered a different number, mot 81
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 mao
Of wrought or sheet brass, or to be raised if tt
shell be made of cast me al. All the locks fl
registered mails TO be uniformly alike, e.
cepting the numbers marked on them. and u
their keys. which should be case-hardened irt
and nickelplated, are to be also alike, so tn
any one of all the keys which may be furnish,
for them shall easily fit and readily open al
one and all of the locks. The keys should ha'
shank nearly two inches long between the
and the bow, and the bow should be solid, wi
small hole through 1t, and have stamped |
one side the words, 50 s. Registered Mail
ana upon the opposite side such number
figures not less than one.eighth of ar inch Ion
y" may be ordered; every key to have differe