Improvements in Letter-boxes.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter-boxes.
I, FANNIE TAYLOR TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mamaroneck,
Westchester County, U.S.A., Lady, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER-BOXES, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention more especially relates to boxes for receiving and containing packages,
news-papers &c., but I propose to provide an opening in the box for the admission
of letters, and to divide the box into one compartment for letters and another for
packages, so that they may be collected separately if so desired.
The object of the first part of my invention is to so construct the box that mail
matter may be conveniently inserted and removed. To this end my invention consists
in providing an opening at the top of the box having a hinged lid, and providing the
box with a hinged bottom from which the mail matter may be withdrawn.
The object of the next part of my invention is to protect the opening through
which parcels &c., are delivered, so that mail matter may not be withdrawn from the
box by unauthorized persons. To this end my invention consists in providing a series
of sharp-pointed hinged rods normally held by spring-action to bring the sharp-
pointed ends together, but which readily yield and permit mail matter to be inserted
from the outside and delivered into the box.
The object of the next part of my invention is to so arrange the box that large
packages or parcels may be inserted in one part of the box, while letters are delivered
in another part separated from the first part and in arranging the bottom of the box
so that mail matter may be readily withdrawn from both compartments.
In the accompanying drawings-
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a lamp-post with my improved box applied, showing the
ordinary letter-box attached to the post.
Fig. 2, is a central vertical section of my improved box.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the box partly in section and showing the movable
parts open.
Fig. 4, is a detail view showing one of the sharp-pointed spring-actuated rods which
guard the opening in the top of the box.
Fig. 5, is a detail view of the annular coiled spring used in connection with the
pointed guard-bars.
The box A, is shown in the drawings as cylindrical, but it may of course be square,
polygonal or of any desired shape. As shown in Fig. 1, it is secured to the lamp-
post preferably by rings or tie-rods a, and if a supplemental letter-box X, is used,
said box may be secured to the same lamp-post by tie-rods a, between the tie-
rods a.
The top of the box A, is provided with the top-piece B, which is riveted to the
A central opening b, is formed
upright body portion of the box in any suitable way.
in the top of the box, and over this opening is a lid or cover C, hinged at c, to the top
of the box and provided with a lip or lug c¹ which prevents the lid or cover being

page_text: opened too far, so that when a package has been inserted in the box and the lid is
released, it will return to its normal position to cover the opening in the box. The
lid or cover C. is also provided with a lug or hand-piece 2, by means of which the lid
may be lifted. The opening b, is for the admission of news-papers, packages &c.
I preferably make a supplemental opening d. in the front of the box and provided
with a lid D. Through this opening letters may be inserted. In order to separate
the letters from the larger packages. I divide the box into two parts Y, and Z. The
compartment Y, is made by forming a casing y, having an inclined top y', hinged
at y², to the interior of the case A. The bottom of the casing y, is provided with a
forwardly projecting nose y³, which fits into a notch or recess y, in the front end of
the box. On the lower side of the bottom-piece I preferably attach a knob yo, so that
the letter-box may be swung back as indicated in Fig. 3, and allow its contents to be
removed. The main casing A, is provided with a hinged bottom A', and on its front
end is hinged a shackle E, which is made right angular and which when the bottom
is closed fits over a staple e, which also receives a padlock F.
By this construction both compartments of the box are securely closed. When the
box is opened the contents of the compartment Z, may be removed and when removed,
the compartment Y, may be opened and its contents removed by swinging back the
case y, as indicated in Fig. 3.
The opening d, for the reception of letters is so small that the contents of the com-
partment Y, cannot be disturbed, but the opening to the compartment Z, at the top is
necessarily so large that an unauthorized person could but for my improvements
tamper with the contents of the box. To avoid this I provide a series of flat, sharp-
pointed rods G, hinged to the under side of the top Ẻ, in lugs g, formed thereon
around the edge of the opening b.
On the rear sides of the guard-rods G, are secured pins g', and between these pins
around the outer faces of the rods is arranged an annular coiled spring H, of sufficient
tension to normally hold the sharp-pointed lower ends of the guard-rods close to each
other as indicated in Fig. 2. Pressure exerted on the rods as when a package is
inserted overcomes the tension of the spring and permits the package to fall into the
box. By arranging the opening in the top of the box, packages when inserted will
pass through by gravity or with very slight additional force. If the opening were in
the side of the box, my improved guard device would not work so well as it would
tend to clamp the package and prevent its entrance into the compartment Z.
My improved letter-box may be made at small expense; it is secure and fully
protects its contents in every respect.
So far as part of my invention is concerned, the box may have but one compart-
ment and letters and packages assembled together.
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 :-
1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the letter box divided
into two compartments, and having an opening at the top for the reception of
packages, &c., an opening at the side for the reception of letters, an opening at the
bottom through which nail-matter from both compartments may be taken, a bottom
piece hinged to the lower end of the box and closing the delivery opening therein,
and covers or lids for the openings in the top and side of the box.
2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the outer casing, the
inner casing hinged to the outer casing, the bottom piece of the outer casing hinged
to its lower end, said inner casing having an inclined top, and the outer casing being
provided at the top with an opening for the reception of parcels and at the side with
an opening for the reception of letters.
3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a letter-box having
an opening in its top, a lid to cover said opening, and a series of hinged spring-
actuated sharp-pointed guard-bars within the box around its opening.

page_text: 4. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of the letter-box having
an opening in its top, the sharp-pointed guard-bars arranged around said opening, the
lugs to which the guard-bars are binged, the pins projecting from the rear faces of
the guard-bars, and the annular coiled spring embracing the guard-bars between
the pins and normally holding the sharp-pointed lower ends of the guard-bars
together.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.