An Improvement in Pillar and other Letter Boxes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pillar and other Letter Boxes.
We WILLIAM WHITE, Carpenter Old Orchard Yard Blackwall E. and
GEORGE LEONARD, Blacksmith of Old Orchard Yard Blackwall, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for an Improvement in Pillar & other Letter
Boxes to be as follows:
A plate (metal) fixed inside box which will prevent anyone taking letters out
unless by the proper way.
Dated this 31st day of May 1895.
WILLIAM WHITE.
GEORGE LEONARD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pillar and other Letter Boxes.
We WILLIAM WHITE of Old Orchard Yard Blackwall, E. Carpenter, and
GEORGE LEONARD of Old Orchard Yard Blackwall E. Blacksmith 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:
This invention relates to improvements in pillar and other letter boxes, and is
designed to prevent theft of the contents through the mouth of the box.
For this purpose, we provide, inside the letter box, oppositely inclined plates
hinged or suspended at different levels and having overlapping edges, these edges
being serrated in any suitable manner. The arrangement is such that a length of
string passed through the mouth of the box would be deflected by the plates and
would hang over the serrated edges thereof, so that in the event of a letter, or the
like, being lifted up say by means of an adhesive weight, or sinker, attached to
the end of the string, the plates would prevent the abstraction of such article.
The invention will be more readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, which illustrate its application to an ordinary cylindrical pillar box,
and in which :
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations, partly in section, at right angles to each other,
and
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views hereinafter referred to.
a, a, are two plates which are hung loosely from a central cross rod 6 arranged
a short distance below the mouth of the box. These plates diverge downwardly
and are arranged at an inclination of about 45°, being kept in this position by a
stop or block c. Their shape, for a box of the kind in question, is shown more
clearly in Fig. 3, but is of course varied according to the shape of letter box.
d, d, are plates corresponding to the plates a, a, but hinged at a lower level to
opposite sides of the box by hinges e, or other suitable means. They are inclined
each in an opposite direction to the adjacent plate a, and are maintained at an
[Price 8d.]

page_text: .
inclination of 45°, or thereabouts, by stops f. The shape of these plates is shown
more clearly in Fig. 4.
It will be readily seen that in the event of an attempt to pilfer the box, by
means of an adhesive weight, or sinker, attached to a string, the said string would
be compelled by the plates to assume a zig zag position, in which position the
serrated edges of the plate would not only prevent the abstraction of letters, or
the like, but would also retain the adbesive weight, or sinker, as well, and this
action would be assisted by the rising of the plates on their pivots or hinges.
In applying the invention to letter boxes other than pillar boxes, the same
principle is adhered to, although the number of plates may be varied as desired.
For example, in a wall box, or in a private letter box, two plates only might be
used, the upper plate projecting from the front of the box just below the mouth,
while the lower plate projects from the rear of the box.
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'
The arrangements hereinbefore described although very simple are yet very
effective, and are not liable to get out of order. Moreover, as they are entirely
inside the box, and are not visible from the outside, a thief is obviously at a
greater disadvantage than he would be if he were able to see by the appearance
of the box that it was provided with means of protection.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A letter box provided internally with inclined plates, hinged or suspended at
different levels, and formed with serrated edges, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. A pillar letter box provided with a pair of inclined plates suspended from a
central cross rod, and with a pair of plates at the sides thereof, at a lower level
than the first pair, and inclined in opposite directions thereto, the serrated edges of
one pair overlapping those of the other pair, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. Our improvements in pillar and other letter boxes substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dand this and dow of March 1904
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5 Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.