A New or Improved Letter Box and Call Board for Hotels and other Public Places.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
A New or Improved Letter Box and Call Board for Hotels and
other Public Places.
I JOSEPH PEMBERTON MOORE of 22, Manchester Street, London, W.
Advertising Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved letter box and call board chiefly
intended for use in hotels, and is intended to provide a device which will give an
indication when any letters are removed from it, the letters being contained in
separate compartments according to the persons addressed.
The device I propose to employ consists of a board or plate fitted to the wall or
in other convenient position, having a series of pockets or compartments on each
side. These pockets or compartments are preferably made sloping, and are
provided with hinged lids which can be raised when the letters are to be removed
or placed in, underneath which lid a small electric contact is placed, so arranged,
that when the lid is opened contact is made, and the circuit is completed, causing a
bell, placed in any suitable position to ring until the lid is closed. These lids may
be provided with springs causing them to close when released. Thus it is
impossible for anyone to abstract any letters without indicating their removal.
The fronts of the boxes may be used for advertising purposes. The centre of the
frame or board is used as a tablet on which to write, thus serving as a call board,
and underneath this a letter box is placed in which letters to be posted are
inserted.
Dated this 27th day of November 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Letter Box and Call Board for Hotels and
other Public Places.
I, JOSEPH PEMBERTON MOORE, late of 22 Manchester Street, Manchester
Square, in the County of Middlesex, and now of 35 New Broad Street in the
City of London, Advertising Contractor 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved letter box and call board chiefly
intended for use in hotels and other public places and its object is to provide a
device consisting of seperate alphabetically arranged compartments or boxes which
will indicate when any letters are removed therefrom.
In constructing a letter box and call board according to my invention I employ
a board or plate fitted to the wall or in other convenient position, having a series
of boxes or compartments on the face. These boxes or compartments are
preferably made sloping and are provided with hinged lids which are raised when

page_text: the letters are to be removed from or placed in said boxes or compartments.
Under each lid a small electric contact is placed and worked by means of a battery
and an electric bell in the following manner :-
Contacts are placed in the top of each of the boxes so that on opening contacts
made and the circuit closed between the battery and the bell which causes the
latter to ring each time any of the boxes are opened.
A switch for cutting the bell completely off is fixed on the back of the board.
The wire used in the above is highly insulated with gutta percha tissue.
The lids or fronts of the boxes may be used for advertising purposes. The
centre of the frame or board may be used as a tablet on which to write, thus
serving as a call board and underneath this a letter box is placed in which lette
to be posted are inserted.
I do not comprise in my invention any
the letters are to be removed from or placed in said boxes or compartment
Under each lid a small electric contact is placed and worked by means of a batter
and an electric bell in the following manner :-
Contacts are placed in the top of each of the boxes so that on opening contact
made and the circuit closed between the battery and the bell which causes th
latter to ring each time any of the boxes are opened.
Th
A switch for cutting the bell completely off is fixed on the back of the board.
The wire used in the above is highly insulated with gutta percha tissue.
The lids or fronts of the boxes may be used for advertising purposes.
centre of the frame or board may be used as a tablet on which to write, thu
serving as a call board and underneath this a letter box is placed in which lette
to be posted are inserted.
I do not comprise in my invention any particular shaped board on case.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a letter box and call board made in accordanc
with this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit.
Figures 4 and 5 are side and front elevations of one of the contact pieces to a
larger scale.
A are the lids of the boxes for the reception of letters marked with the letters
of the alphabet, each having contact pieces B.
The bell C and the battery D may be placed in any convenient position.
E is a switch for breaking all the circuits.
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 with a letter box of an electric bell and contact operated by
the lid of the box, substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
2. A letter box substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of August 1895.
JOSEPH PEMBERTON MOORE.