Improvements relating to Letter Boxes and to Indicators therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
Improvements relating to Letter Boxes and to Indicators therefor. |
I, FRANCIS CARPENTER BATES, of No. 165, South Ninth Street, in the City of
San Jose, County of Santa Clara, State of California, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
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The object of my invention is to provide an automatically operating signalling
apparatus which is attached to boxes where mail matter is to be received and
collected at points in the country which may be distant from the road or path
along which the collector or carrier travels, so that he may know whether any
mail matter has been deposited in the box for him to collect, and since such
boxes may, for convenience, be located at some distance from the house for
which the mail is intended, a signal will be exposed when the carrier deposits
any mail matter in the box for delivery to those for whom the box has been
established.
The accompanying drawing shows a perspective view of the box, with one side
broken away to show the interior mechanism.
The box is made with two compartments, main compartment 1 being con-
structed to receive letters and valuable postal matter, and the compartment 2
which is in the form of an arch extending longitudinally along the top of the
box, is opened at the ends and adapted to receive and protect from the elements,
newspapers and bulky articles of less value.
The box 1 has a door 3 hinged at one end so as to be opened to remove mail
matter which may be contained therein, and above this door is a slotted opening 4
through which mail matter is introduced into the box.
This opening is protected by a flap 5 which may be lifted up to uncover the
opening when letters are to be introduced, and which is dropped to again cover
it and protect the interior from rain or snow. It is pivoted at u.
Extending inwardly from this flap is a lever arm 6 which is moved downwardly
when the flap is lifted.
7 is a shaft horizontally journaled in the side of the box and having a lever
arm 8 extending into the box in the path of the lever G so that when tho flap 5
is lifted the lever presses upon the lever arm 8 and turns the shaft 7 in its
bearings.
Connected with the shaft 7 and exterior to the side of the box is an arm 9
which carries a target or indicator 10 of considerable size and which may be
coloured so as to attract attention when exposed.
The turning of the shaft 7 as above described, acts to raise the target 10 into
á vertical position above the box so that it can be readily seen by any one from
a considerable distance.
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11 is a spring bent so that its upper surface presents two inclined sides meet-
ing convexly at the top.
This spring is fixed to a vertically swinging lover arm 12 so that the anex of
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page_text: the spring stands in line beneath the end of the lever arm 8, and this lever arm
contacts with the apex of the spring when the lever has been pressed down by
the lifting of the flap 5.
When the flap 5 is lifted the arm 6 presses the arm 8 downward, and this
contacts with the apex of the spring 11 and temporarily depresses it so as to
allow the end of the arm 8 to pass the apex of the spring, while the target or
indicator 10 at the same time is raised into view.
As soon as the arm 8 has passed the apox of the spring, it is held in position
by the return of the spring and the target remains elevated.
If by accident or design the targot should be forced down into its horizontal
position, the form of this spring is such that the end of the arm 8 would pass
over the apex, simply depressing the spring without injuring it, and the spring
would return to its normal position as soon as the arm would pass. This move-
ment may take place in either direction, and the construction of the spring to
allow this is important because it prevents its being broken and the apparatus
rendered useless.
A single target and mechanism as above described may be used, and the ver-
tically swinging lover arm 12 connected directly with the door 3, so that when
the door is opened, it will move the lover 12 and with it the spring 11 so as
to disengage the spring from the lever arm 8 of the target and allow the latter
to fall into its concealed position by gravitation.
This takes place whenever the carrier or other person unlocks and opens the
door to remove mail matter from the box. and when the door is closed, the box
will be left in its normal position so that the target can be again raised when-
ever the flap 5 is opened to introduce mail matter.
As a matter of convenience two targets of different colours may be employed,
one near each end of the box.
One of these targets will serve as a signal to the carrier or collector that mail
matter has been placed in the box by those for whose use the box is designed,
while the other will indicate to such persons situated at a distance from the box
that the carrier has deposited something for them.
When two targets are used, it is preferable to have two deposit slots 4, and two
of the flaps 5, with connected levers 6. Each oporates one of the targets 10 as
previously described, and there is a vertically swinging lever 12 near each end of
the box, to which an angular spring 11 is fixed so that when either of the
flaps 5 is raised it will actuate one of the targets as clearly shown in the drawing.
In order to drop either or both the targets when the door 3 is opened, I have
shown a rod 13 connecting the door with the lower part of one of the lever
arms 12 so that when tho door is opened this lever arm will be turned about its
central fulcrum point 14, and will move the spring 11 so as to release the levor
arm 8 and allow the target to drop.
15 is a rod connecting the upper part of the first named lever 12, so that both
levers will be moved in unison when the door is opened and thus either or both
of targets will be released to drop by gravitation into the concealed position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1). A mail collecting and distributing box having one or
through which mail matter may be introduced, hinged flaps covering said open-
more openings
ings having levers projecting inwardly therefrom to move in unison with the
flaps, targets mounted upon arms which are turnable in the side of the box to
allow the targets to be raised into view above the box or dropped into a con-
cealed position by its side, lever arms connected with the targets and extending
into the path of the lovers which are moved by the flaps, so that the raising of
the flaps will simultaneously raise a target into view, and a double inclined

page_text: spring having its apex so placed as to engage the arm of the movable target and
hold the latter in its elevated position or allow it to be moved back to its nor-
mally concealed position.
(2). A mail collecting and distributing box having one or more slots through
which mail matter may be introduced into the box, concealing flaps which are
raised to expose the slots, targets mounted upon arms fulcrumed and turnable
in the side of the box and connection between the flaps and said arms, whereby
the raising of a flap to expose the latter opening acts to simultaneously raise the
target into view, a hinged door through which mail matter is removed from the
box, one or more vertically fulcrumed levers connected with the door and carry-
ing a double inclined spring at the upper end, the apex of which spring engages
the target arm to hold it in its elevated position while the door is closed, said
spring and the lever which carries it being turned by the opening of the door
so as to disengage the target and allow it to drop to its normal position.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1900
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.