Improvements in Letter Boxes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 14th June, 1898
Improvements in Letter Boxes.
I, HUDSON WILSON, of 4, Spring Terrace, Shipley, in the County of York,
Worsted Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in letter boxes particularly applicable
to private letter boxes, that is to say: the receptacles commonly fixed to doors
and gates to receive postal deliveries and other letters; and the object of the
invention is to prevent letters being withdrawn from the box through the opening
or aperture by which they are inserted or deposited in the box.
For this purpose I fit an arm or its equivalent to the swing lid usually provided
to close the letter opening, that is to say: the opening by which the letters
are introduced. Inside the letter box a suitable distance below the letter opening
I hang what I term a check lid. This check lid is hinged to the front side (or
other side) of the box, it is approximately the size and shape of a horizontal cross
section of the box and normally hangs vertically downwards. An arm or its
equivalent is fixed to the check lid and this arm is connected by a rod to the said
arm on the swing lid closing the letter opening. These arms are so relatively
arranged in relation to each other and to their respective lids that when the swing
lid is opened to admit a letter the check lid is automatically raised and thus pre-
vents the letters below from being abstracted or tampered with.
Dated this 12th day of June 1897
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Patent Agents, Bradford.
I, HUDSON WILSON, of 4, Spring Terrace, Shipley, in the County of York,
Worsted Spinner, 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 certain improvements in letter boxes particularly
applicable to private letter boxes that is to say, the receptacles commonly fixed
to doors & gates to receive postal deliveries and other letters. The object is to
prevent letters being withdrawn from the box through the opening or aperture,
by which they are inserted or deposited in the box.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of operating may be
properly understood I have hereunto appended explanatory drawings in which
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page_text: the same reference letters, are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures shown.
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing position of swing lid B and check lid C
when aperture A in door D is closed by swing lid B.
Figure 2 side elevation showing position of swing lid B and check lid C when
the aperture is open for inserting letters.
Fig. 3 is a plan of check lid C showing the serrations for preventing letters
being extracted by means of string, wire, &c.
The combination of arm or its equivalent to the swing lid B provided to close
letter openings.
Inside the letter box a suitable distance below the letter opening A. I hang what
I term a check lid C this check lid is hinged to the front (or other side) of the
box. It is approximately the size & shape of a horizontal cross section of the
box & normally hangs at an angle as shown in Fig. 1.
The arms are so arranged in relation to each other & to their respective lids
that when the swing B is opened to admit a letter the check lid C is automatically
raised & thus prevents the letters below being abstracted.
The shape of the bottom of box E is made to any suitable angle to cause the
letters to fall flat thus preventing the vertical accumalation of letters & jambing
of check lid C.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of this invention
& in what means the same is performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The combination of parts forming the complete arrangement substantially
& in the manner & for the purpose as hereinbefore set forth.
2nd. In connection with letter boxes the combination of side levers or arms
with the serrated check lid substantially as & for the purpose herein described in
reference to & shown in the accompanying drawings.
June 10/98