IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LETTER BOXES AND OTHER LIKE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Simpson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Sorter in the General Post Office, Liverpool, aforesaid, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LETTER BOXES AND OTHER LIKE
22
Sealed the 8th May 1863, and dated the 8th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Simpson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
November 1862.
I, WILLIAM SIMPSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Sorter in
the General Post Office, Liverpool, aforesaid,. do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LETTER BOXES AND OTHER
LIKE RECEPTACLES," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
To apply this Invention to say an ordinary letter box the flap or cover of
the receiving opening is jointed in rear of the door or other surface to which
it is attached. This port cover or flap carries on the face thereof a suitable
block projecting forward sufficiently to be flush with the outer face of the door
or other surface. The lower edge of this flap is bent backwards to or about
a right angle, and then returns forward in a parallel or nearly parallel
direction to or a little beyond the face of the flap. This lower outer portion
of the flap is formed with a knife, serrated, or other cutting edge.
Within the box and immediately below the back of the port opening two

page_text: transverse knife, saw, or other suitably edged blades are fitted between which
the blade edge of the flap enters as the flap falls. The axle of the flap carries
a crank arm on the outer end (or on both ends when a double action is re-
quired) which actuates through a suitable jointed link rod and sliding plate,
a cut off flap which is jointed to the inside of the back or front of the box,
which flap is of sufficient size and placed below the receiving opening so that
when brought to an horizontal position the box is divided into an upper and
lower chamber. The axle of the cut off flap is fitted or formed with a crank
arm projecting on the outside of the vertical side of the box and at a right
angle to the surface of the cut off flap. This arm rests on a suitable stud pin
the sliding plate, which is actuated
or its mechanical equivalent, attached to
by the receiving opening cover through the crank arm and connecting rod
herein-before described.
By this arrangement it will be seen that when the cover of the receiving
opening is closed the cut off flap falls to a vertical position, and the crank arm
on its axle is in a horizontal position parallel with the side of the box, but the
moment the cover of the receiving opening is pushed back the stud pin on the
slide plate acts on the under side of the crank arm of the cut off flap near to
its axis, so that before the knife edge of the port covering has passed from
between the fixed horizontal knife edged plate the cut off flap is brought up
to an horizontal position separeting the upper from the lower portion of the
box, and the crank arm being sufficiently long, allows the slide plate to travel
upwards a sufficient distance to admit of the cover of the receiving opening
being fully opened. On the return of the receiving cover the dividing plate is
still held in an horizontal position until the knife edge again commences to
enter between the horizontal parallel bars when the cut off flap is gradually
released and falls to its vertical position.
It is preferred in some cases to form a slight recess at the back and front
of the box in one of which the axle of the cut off flap is situated, and the
other to receive the outer edge of the cut off flap which rests against the top
of the recess when in an horizontal position. And it may be found of advan-
tage in some cases to serrate the outer edge of the cut off flap.
In some cases a fan or tilting plate or other mechanical equivalent may be
with advantage substituted for the cut off flap. The working parts on the
outer side of the box are protected by being cased in.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SIMPSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Sorter in the Post Office,
Liverpool aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Simpson, Her special licence that I, the said William
Simpson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Simpson, my executors, administrators; and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LETTER BOXES AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Simpson, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Simpson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This my said Invention has for its object an improved safe and compara-
tively inexpensive receptacle for letters and other articles, being formed in
such a way as to prevent any letters or other articles deposited therein from
being extracted therefrom by the same opening through which they are intro-
duced therein.
To apply this my said Invention to, say, an ordinary letter box, the flap or
cover of the receiving opening I joint in rear of the letter box to the door or
other surface to which it is attached. This port cover, or flap, carries on the
face thereof a suitable block projecting forward sufficiently to be flush with
the outer face of the door or other surface., The lower edge of this flap is

page_text: bent backwards to or about a right angle, and then returns forward in a
parallel or nearly parallel direction to, or a little beyond the face of the flap
or port cover; this lower outer portion of the flap I formed with a knife,
dentated, or cutting edge.
Within the box, and immediately below the back of the port opening, I fix
two transverse knife, saw, or other suitably-edged blade so fitted that the
blade edge of the flap enters between them as the flap falls. The axle of the
flap I fit with a crank arm on the outer end (or both ends when a double
action is required) which actuates through a suitable jointed link, rod, and
sliding plate a cut-off flap, which is jointed to the inside of the back or front
of the box, and which flap is of sufficient size, and placed below the
receiving opening, so that when brought to a horizontal position, the box is
divided into an upper and lower chamber. The lower or outer edge of this
cut-off flap or plate I also form with a dentated or sharp cutting edge, and
to the axle thereof I fit or form a crank arm projecting on the outside of the
vertical side of the box, and at a right angle to the surface of the cut-off
flap. This arm rests on a suitable stud pin or its mechanical equivalent,
attached to the sliding plate, which is actuated by the receiving opening cover
through the crank arm and connecting rod herein-before described.
By this arrangement it will be seen that when the cover of the receiving
opening is closed the cut-off flap falls to a vertical position, and the crank arm
on its axle is in a horizontal position parallel with the side of the box, but the
moment the cover of the receiving opening is pushed back the stud pin on
the slide plate presses forward on the under side of the crank arm of the cut-
off flap near to its axis, so that before the knife edge of the port covering has
passed from between the two fixed horizontal knife-edged plates, the cut-off
flap is brought up to a horizontal position separating the upper from the
lower portion of the box, and the crank arm being sufficiently long, allows
the slide plate to travel upwards a sufficient distance to admit of the cover of
the receiving opening being fully opened. On the return of the receiving
cover the dividing plate is still held in a horizontal position until the knife
edge again commences to enter between the horizontal parallel knife, saw, or
other suitably-edged bars, when the cut-off flap is gradually released, and
falls to its vertical position.
I prefer in some cases to form a slight recess at the back and front of the
box, in one of which the axle of the cut-off flap is situated, and the other to
receive the outer edge of the cut-off flap which rests against the top of the
recess when in a horizontal position; and it may be found of advantage in
some cases to' serrate the outer edge of the cut-off flap, and in other cases a

page_text: fan, tilting plate, or other mechanical equivalent may be with advantage.sub-
stituted for the cut-off flap. The working parts on the outer side of the box
I protect by enclosing them in a suitable casing.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I will now proceed, with the aid of the annexed Drawings, to illustrate the
practical application of my improvements, the like letters and figures marked
thereon being used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the back of one of my improved letter
boxes shewn with the door removed for the purposes of seeing the internal
arrangements thereof; Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same;
and Figure 3. is a side elevation with the external casing removed to expose
the levers, side plate, and so forth; Figure 4 is a vertical cross section, and
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section shewing a letter box fitted with my
improved safety guards with cutting edges seen in this modification. with
serrated edges, but which may be constructed with a knife or other form
of edge.
A, the external casing forming the letter box; B, the outer casing enclosing
the lever, crank, and. connecting rod, sliding plate, and so forth; C, a fixed
plate surrounding the port or receiving opening, which is similar to that of
most ordinary letter boxes; d is a joint formed on the interior front of the
box, to which is attached D, a swinging cover, the front of which is formed
with (e) a block piece, which takes into and closes the opening (E,) through
which the letters are introduced into the box, and the lower edge of which is
bent, and forms a cutter in conjunction with F, a metal block fixed across
the inside of the box immediately below the receiving opening, and which
block is constructed with a longitudinal horizontal slot forming two cutting
edges between which the horizontal lower edge of the flap works and acts as
a pair of shears for cutting twine, wire, or other like material, which may be
used for attempting to extract the letters or other articles deposited in the
box; G, a lever arm attached to the axle of and actuated by the flap or
swinging cover (D), and to the outer end of which is jointed H, a curved
connecting link rod jointed to the top of the shank of I a vertical sliding
plate weight working within K guides; ia stud pin, on the vertical sliding
plate, which acts against the under side, and elevates cut-off plate (M) to a
horizontal position through L, a lever arm on the axes of M, cut-off plate,
which divides the box into an upper and lower chamber, when the lower edge
of the port covers is pressed sufficiently backwards by the hand or otherwise
to be clear of the cutter block (F) as constructed in this modification shewn
with a serrated edge, which when turned horizontally up, is immediately below

page_text: N, a transverse sloping guard fixed across the door or back of the box; P, a
small glazed opening in the back of the box to enable the letters or other
articles deposited therein being seen, without the necessity of opening the box;
Q(Figures 4 and 5) is an ordinary sewing plate letter box plate; R, a transverse
sloping plate with a sharp serrated lower edge secured to the inner surface of
the front of the box, and to the back of which is jointed s, swinging tiltguard,
the lower edge of which is also formed sharp and serrated, and on the back
of which is also fixed t, a weight which acts as a stock to prevent the guard
being forced too far back; this pendulous tilt-guard is so swung, that on the
slightest pressure or weight of any letter or other article falling upon it, it
will yield, and allow it to fall into the bottoni of the box; u, a fixed guard
extending transversely across the back of the box, the lower edge of which is
also formed sharp and serrated, so as to lay hold of and cut or prevent the
withdrawal of any twine, wire, or other material inserted into the box through
the receiving opening.
By the first described modification, illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3, it
will be observed, that on pushing back the swinging cover D by pressing on
the block E, the lower edge of the flap D will be withdrawn from between
the jaws of the block F, and the lever G connected to the axle thereof will be
elevated, and carry with it the curved connecting rod H and the weight
plate J, and the stud piece i acting on the under side of the lever L, will be
brought up to a vertical position before the lower edge of the flap D has left
the jaws of the block F, and the swinging guard M will be brought into a
horizontal position, dividing the box into an upper and lower chamber, when
a letter or other article may be pushed through the opening E, when it will
fall upon the top of the tilt-plate M, where it will remain until the pressure on
the block e is removed, and the lower edge of the flat D again enters the jaws
of the block F.
In the modification illustrated by Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen, that
upon a letter or other article being inserted through the receiving opening
which resembles that of an ordinary letter box, it will slide down the guard R,
and fall into the upper surface of the tilt-guard S, which will immediately
give way to the pressure, and allow it to fall to the bottom of the box, passing
the fixed guard U in its descent.
Having now fully described this my said Invention, and how I believe the
'same may be best carried into practice, I wish it to be understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details, relative proportions and dimen-
sions, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,―

page_text: Firstly, the construction and use of a flap cover for closing the receiving
opening of letter boxes and other like receptacles which, in combination with
the transverse fixed block, or their mechanical equivalent placed immediately
beneath the opening for receiving letters or other articles so as to form a
cutting instrument, as herein-before described and set forth, or any mere
modification of the same.
Secondly, the peculiar arrangement and mode of actuating the cut-off guard
flap, as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Thirdly, the use of fixed and moveable guards with serrated or sharp-
cutting edges, as herein-before described, or any mere modification of the
same.
And, lastly, the general arrangement, combination, and construction of the
various parts of the improved receptacles for letters and other articles, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and set
forth, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Simpson, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
WILLIAM (L.S.) SIMPSON.