Improvements relating to Pillar and other Letter Boxes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Pillar and other Letter Boxes.
We, JAMES JAQUES, of 38 Kerbey Street, Poplar, London, E. Boilermaker, and
WILLIAM LINGHORN of 382 Manchester Road, Millwall, London, E. Boilermaker,
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
statemont:
Our invention relates to improvements more particularly in pillar letter boxes such
as are generally employed in streets for the collection of postal letters, and has for its
object to produce a device or arrangement whereby the letters, packets and the like,
after having been inserted in the usual orifice, fall into a receptacle provided for the
purpose so as to effectually prevent their being afterwards abstracted.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a
horizontal section, taken on the irregular line A B, of an ordinary street pillar letter
box with our improvements adapted thereto. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate, by a vertical
sectional elevation and horizontal section respectively, our improvements adapted to a
letter box or receptacle of small dimensions; Figure 5 showing detail views herein-
after referred to.
Referring to the drawing, A is the enclosing case of the pillar box or receptacle,
B the oriface through which the letters are inserted. Within the pillar box A are
disposed, inversely to each other, two or more cones or frustrums of cones C, D, of
sheet steel, tin, or other suitable metal or material, the top one C being suspended near
the inlet B in the casing A to which latter it is secured by studs or rivets passing
through the upper portion a. The bottom cone D is supported by the bent rods E
secured to the sides of A by rivets or studs so that its apex 6 may either be above or
below the lower end of the semi-cone or frustrum of cone C. The lower ends C, d of
the cones or frustrums of cones C, D, are formed with knife like edges e, Figure 5,
and are preferably serrated as shown so as to ensure that upon the insertion of
string or like flexible substance into the letter box A through the orifice B for
the purpose of abstracting the contents thereof it is immediately severed, in the
act of withdrawal, by coming in contact with the sharp edges e formed at the lower
extremities c, d, of the cones or frustrums of cones C, D.
We wish it to be understood that we do not limit our Invention to the precise
details set forth, nor to the number, size and arrangement of the cones, frustrums of
cones, or semi-cones employed, as same may in practice be varied as occasion requires ;
and further, that although we have herein specialized pillar letter boxes it will be
apparent our improvements are also applicable to other receptacles for letters such for
instance as house letter boxes.
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 :-
The improvements in pillar and other letter boxes consisting in the employment of
one, two, or more cones or frustrums of cones C, D disposed within the casing A, the
lower ends of the cones or frustrums of cones being formed with knife-like serrated
edges e substantially as herein set forth and shown and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 10th day of May 1800
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.