Improvements in the Mode of and Means for Protecting the Contents of Letter Boxes from Theft or Wilful Damage.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mode of and Means for Protecting the Contents
of Letter Boxes from Theft or Wilful Damage.
I ANNA ELIZA HARE, Spinster of the Firm of A. E. Hare and Co. Music
Smiths and FREDERICK WALTER HARE Manager both of Union Row Hands-
worth in the County of Stafford do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object Improvements in the Mode of and Means for
Protecting the Contents of Letter Boxes from Theft or Wilful Damage and refers
to letter boxes of both a private and public character whether pillar or wall boxes
by which we render it impossible for any missive or article to be extracted from
any letter box to which our improvements are attached while such improvements do
not in any way affect the usual style of aperture and so simple that it can be
combined or attached to letter boxes at but little trouble or cost.
In carrying our invention into effect we cover the opening to the letter box by
a hanging flap of the usual kind which is hung by a pivot at each end and to one
of these pivots an arm is fixed the other end of which is pivoted to one end of a
lever the reverse end of which is attached to the end of an arm which is in turn
fixed upon the pivot of one of a pair of hinged flaps which are mounted within
the letter box in such a manner that when the two flaps are horizontal the lower
part of the letter box is entirely shut off from the upper part the normal condition
of the flaps being vertical i.e. hanging against the back and front sides of the box.
The afore described connection between the flap at the mouth of the box and one
of the internal flaps is so arranged that upon the flap at the mouth being pushed
open sufficiently far for any insertion whatever to be made the one internal flap is
raised to a horizontal position and the pivot of the other internal flap being
connected through two arms and a lever with the pivot of the first is also raised
and thus the top or entrance part of the letter box is cut off from the lower or
receptical part during the time the entrance or mouth is open by which it is
impossible for strings with a birdlimed weight or hook to be dropped into the box
as such arrangements would merely lodge on the internal flap. Letters when
inserted therefore first drop on the internal flaps where they remain until the flap
at the mouth closes which is effected by the weight of the internal flaps which
thus open and allow the letter however light to fall to the lower part of the box.
These flaps also break the fall of a lighted match and thereby help to extinguish the
match prior to its dropping upon the letters. I may vary the attachment of my
arms and levers as for instance by pivoting the flap the reverse way up and
attaching the arm to the back of the flap the internal flaps would be operated in an
exactly similar manner to that first described. The two internal flaps may be
connected by two toothed segments gearing with each other the said segments
being attached to the pivot pins of the flap in such a manner that the one flap is
thus operated by the movement of the other.
The levers and arms would be preferably arranged in an aperture formed by a false
and removable side to the box but could be arranged to suit the particular shapes
and circumstances to be met with.
Dated this 30th day of August 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mode of and Means for Protecting the Contents
of Letter Boxes from Theft or Wilful Damage.
I ANNA ELIZA HARE Spinster of the Firm of A. E. Hare and Co., Music
Smiths and FREDERICK WALTER HARE Manager both of Union Row Hands-
worth in the County of Stafford do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object Improvements in the Mode of and Means for
Protecting the Contents of Letter Boxes from Theft or Wilful Damage and refers
to letter boxes of both a private and public character whether pillar or wall boxes
by which we render it impossible for any missive or article to be extracted from
any letter box to which our improvements are attached while such improvements
do not in any way affect the usual style of entrance to letter boxes and is so simple
that it can be combined or attached to letter boxes at but little trouble or cost.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which I have fully
illustrated the nature of our said improvements.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the centre of letter box.
Figure 2 is an elevation of one side.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the other side.
Figure 4 is a section shewing the flaps up.
2
In carrying our invention into effect we cover the opening to the letter box by a
hanging flap A of the usual kind which is hung by a pivot at each end and to one
of these pivots a' an arm or lever B is fixed the other end of which is pivotted to
one end of a lever C the reverse end of which is attached to the end of an arm E
which is in turn fixed upon the pivot of one of a pair of hinged flaps FF which
are mounted within the letter box X in such a manner that when the two flaps are
horizontal the lower part of the letter box is entirely shut off from the upper part
the normal position of the flaps being vertical i.e. hanging against the back and
front sides of the box. The aforedescribed connection between the flap A at the
mouth of the box and one of the internal flaps F F is so arranged that upon the
flap at the mouth being pushed open sufficiently far for any insertion whatever to be
made the one internal flap is raised to a horizontal position and the pivot of the
other internal flap being connected through two arms and a lever with the pivot of
the first is also raised and thus the top or entrance part of the letter box is cut off
from the lower or receptacal part during the time the entrance or mouth is open by
which it is impossible for strings birdlimed weight or hook to be dropped into the 3
box as such arrangements would merely lodge on the internal flaps FF.
Letters when inserted therefore first drop on the internal flaps F F¹ where they
remain until the flap at the mouth closes which is effected by the weight of the
internal flaps which thus open and allow the letter however light to fall to the
lower part of the box.
These flaps also break the fall of a lighted match and thereby help to extinguish
the match prior to its dropping upon the letters. I may vary the attachment of my
arms and levers as for instance by pivotting the flap the reverse way up and attaching
the arm to the back of the flap, the internal flaps would be operated in an exactly
similar manner to that first described.
The two internal flaps may be connected by two toothed segments, gearing with
each other the said segments being attached to the pivot pins of the flap iu such a
manner that the one flap is thus operated by the movement of the other. It will
be seen that the ordinary flap of the outer plate may be connected with the inner
flaps F F without any intermediate inner top flaps.
4
4
5

page_text: The levers and arms would be preferably arranged in an aperture formed by a
false and removable side to the box but could be arranged to suit the particular
shapes and circumstances to be met with.
Having now particularly described and 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 :-
The improvements in the mode of and means for protecting the contents of letter
boxes from theft or wilful damage substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth and shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Dated thin 21 dan 1004
ANNA ELIZA HARE.
FREDERICK WALTER HARE.
ANNA ELIZA HARE.
FREDERICK WALTER HARE.