Improvements in or relating to Letter Boxes or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Letter Boxes or the like.
I, JAMES FRANCE of 24 Crosby Road Birkdale near Southport in the County
of Lancaster, Joiner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to receptacles for letters or parcels &c. such as are
commonly attached to the doors of domestic houses or offices. They are usually
provided with a hinged lid which is lifted up or canted on its pivotal supports by
the action of inserting a letter therein. The postman or messenger sometimes
rings the door bell after depositing a letter but this is not compulsory.
The main object of this invention is to make it impossible for a letter to be
inserted without warning the inmates of the fact and for this purpose I attach or
connect a bell or bell ringing mechanism with said lid or some part movable there-
with and the ringing of said bell when a letter is inserted will notify the occupant
of such occurrence.
This invention is applicable also to name & letter plates combined and in some
cases a letter box provided with this improvement may be substituted for the door
bell, the word ring or a similar notification being printed or otherwise marked on
the lid.
The bell may be at some distance from the letter box and connected therewith
by wire or similar means.
If desired a knocker or other sound producing device may take the place
of a bell.

page_text: In the drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a letter box embodying my invention &
shown as in place on the inner side of a street door.
Fig. 2 is a view of part of the bell ringing mechanisın..
Fig. 3 shows a modification.
Referring first to Fig. 1.
A is a portion of the door to which the letter box B may be attached by the
usual "eyes." C is the opening for the insertion of letters, D is the hanging
pivotted lid & D₁ is the plate which usually surrounds same. E is the door of
box B having window e and lock e. The parts as hereto described do not differ
materially from those in general use.
Inside the box B I attach a bell F which may be sounded by twisting or rotating
knob fin either direction and to said knob f is attached crank piece f¹ (see side
elevation Fig. 2). Crank piece f¹ is connected with lid D by means of a suitably
shaped rod G preferably provided at one end with a series of holes y one of which
engages crank piece and another serves to carry weight H. The other end of
rod G is connected to the letter box lid D, by means of a socket thereon & pin, or
equivalent device. The object of providing several holes is to provide for
varying thicknesses of doors &c. to which the boxes may be attached.
A hole I suitably shaped to facilitate the egress of sound is made (in this case)
in the back of the box B.
The mode of action is as follows.
The parts normally rest in the position shown but when lid D is canted by the
insertion of a letter it partially rotates crank piece f1 (by means of rod G) and
thus rings the bell (see dotted arrows Fig. 1). The weight H serves to return the
parts to normal position & may replace the spring sometimes provided to close lid D.
This I consider an advantage as said spring being usually placed near the outside
opening of the box becomes rusted or corroded by trickling water &c., and in time
useless.
=
I have shown & described this form of my invention because I prefer it in
practice to any other way of carrying same into effect. I do not however confine
myself to the details shown.
If preferred the bell F may be placed at a distance from the letter box (for
instance in a kitchen) & the connection be made by ordinary bellhanging wire.
In
that case the motion transmitted from lid D may be converted from a push into a
pull by a short lever on the side of the box pivotted at its centre or equivalent
device, or an electric bell may be employed & in this case (see Fig. 3) the lid D
may carry a spring contact piece J which when said lid is opened will touch wire
or wires K & thus complete a circuit in well known manner.
The invention is applicable to name & letter plates combined & in some cases a
letter box provided with this improvement may be substituted for the door bell the
word "ring" or similar notification being exhibited.
If desired a knocker or other sounding device may take the place of the bell.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. A letter box or the like provided or connected with a bell in such manner that
the opening of the lid of said box shall cause said bell to ring substantially as
described.
2. The combined letter box & bell ringing mechanism taken as a whole as
described & shown.