The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-14
PROPOSALS.
FOR MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, I
WASHINGTON, ID. O., Sept. IL, 1873.

1
FOR MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
| POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.,
| WAsHIEeToS, ID. O., Sept. IL, 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
Will be received at this Department until 70
o'clock noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DE-
CEMBER, 1873 for furnishing. under separate
contracts, two different kinds of padlocks and
keys: one for the sole and exclusive use of regts-
tered through mails, and the other for the sole
and exclusive use of street letter 6ores.
Every proposal must be accompanied with du-
piicate samples of the locks and keys thereby
onered to be furnished; one of each kind Of
sample iock to be riveted up and finished, and
aho'ner 10 De open or unriveted so that it's in
terhai 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 fame of the patentee must be attached
thereto 1t must also be such as shall DO war
rented TO not infringe on any patented invention
Oh which the bidder ID not the patentee or as.
signee.
Inc internal plan or arrangement of the locks
onered, and the particular form of the KEYS re-
quisite to open them, mus not be like anv 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 aud it will. be an i'm.
portant consideration in 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-
IRENE and obvious violence0 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 to
make them distingushable at glance from the
locks OF the street letter 6oges 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 shackle and
rfvets, 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 append ages 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, "U s.. Re.
Clustered Mall" and also such number. lin
hgures, each, not less than 5-l6 of an inch long)
as may be ordered; a different number, not ex-
ceeding four places of figures in any case, being
required on each lock. Such words and figures
are to be sunk by stamping, If the shell be made
OF wrought or sheet brass, or to be raised If the
shell be made Of cast metal. All the locks for
registered mails are to be uniformly alike, ex-
eeptng the numbers marked on them, and ull
their keys, which should be case.hardened iron
and n1cketplated, are 10 be also alike, so that
any one of all the keys which may be furnished
Tor them shall easily fit and readily open any
one and all of the locks. The keys should have
shank nearly two inches long between the bit
and the bow, and the bow should be solid, with
small hole through it, and have stamped on
one side the words, ~. s. Registered Mail,''
and upon the opposite side such number lin
figures not less than one-eighth of az inch Iong)
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.
noio VI eacn lock shouia De In the lowest part OF
", .ne wan u Tue sheii OF case, Wnen the lock is
= ~ 10 snaoie' anu SHOULD De sneitereo
by sufficient jutting out of the upper and lower
- % 'n". eai' VI 'ne wah' Inc interior
u 'ae iooA shouio % IN posluoh
somewhat remote from the key-hole. and be
~ eaJ ~ 10 Aey' WHICH snouiu DC hat,
:. o.oei' anu oo VI oonVehient iehg'h ana
,.a.',',, =. anu ss"oss' Ane pow VI Inc
NY sno"'u 20 SUM, WIN snaii hoie througn
~ anu 70 W have u .. he~er carrier" stamped
~ ono sue anu such hg ures ana letters stamped
a s.. opposue sue as may De ordered. Ihe
- e"ea iooA Is W nave upon IL u o. street |
- ~ ei.iiei raisea OF sunk letters and
800 oesos' ho' eAoeeoihs iireethh'
sa,,'o " ,o.,a ~. 'no .oshs anu Keys oi Inc
othor go ~ ,oo,. :. =. ~ ~ auap'eo ~ eaeii
',' - ~ :. " 90 opeNeu ~ any hey ho'
Tho Loeb of ooo,, blvd oontraatoa
,,o1;voroa a ooora;n,, 30 49, :. ~. -. go
=. az I'll. .,s -. :. oNe
,rooton ~. -, a., ,,,.t.l-, - ;, 80 w
each and ,oc,,od a. s,rona ,,aos,, .ao- .osn'
al, inc mt Y,oro +hon ,,,,o hn.,uos ,ss,~s 80
rha havs - s,o,, ,oo,rs 90 - - -
oaturaI series of nnrnbsrs ~, ,,,iro IDS 90 ~,
tanning ono brndrod kovs aro - ~ so,'-.e.,,
TO an agent of the De,artment sroo,o,,,, .,,,hou
zad to raoai,,o tbor, o,d oor,a, ~ -. 49,