An Improved Post Letter Box and Bag.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Post Letter Box and Bag.
I HERMANN PERLS of Rostock, State of Mecklenburg in the Empire of Germany
Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to a mural pillar or other similar letter box and a bag to be
used in connection therewith, which are constructed in such a way that the person
collecting cannot interfere in any way with the letters. With this object the bag is
always closed and can only be opened by the collector in attaching it to the box in
the proper manner. Similarly the box can only be opened when the bag is attached
to it. In opening the box, the bag is by one action attached partly to the fore part
and partly to the spring closing bottom of the box and at the same time is itself
opened, whereupon the letters fall from the box into the bag, and the collector brings
the bottom of the box and the hinder half of the bag together without being able to
touch the contents of the box. To take the bag off the box the bottom of the latter and
the attached hinder half of the bag must be moved back into the closed position and
the box be closed. By this means the bag is being closed at the same time.
The manner in which the same is to be performed or carried into practical effect
will be readily understood on reference to the annexed 2 sheets of drawings
marked with figures and letters corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof.
Fig. 1 is a front view of the post box.
Figs. 2 and 3 show in two vertical sections the letter box and the bag attached to it,
both closed.
Fig. 4. shews the box and the bag in an open state.
Fig. 5. is a horizontal section through the fore part of the letter box at the line x-x
of fig. 2.
Fig. 6. is a similar section which however represents the parts shewn on Fig. 5 in
another position.
Figs. 7 & 8 show the upper part of the bag closed partly in section. The other
figs. show details.
The box has the usual form of a pillar or mural letter box and is provided with
a spring closing bottom a (fig. 3) which is fastened by a hinge aº to the back of
the box.
The box is provided with a double front 6 and 6' respectively; between these two
partitions the mechanism which serves to open and close the box and the bag is placed.
The latter consists of a vertical spindle c (figs. 2 and 3) which turns in two sockets c¹
and c³ fastened to the partition and bears a worm wheel which gears with a worm d
(fig. 2). The axle of this worm d projects with its square end into a hole in the
front partition 6 (Fig. 3) and ends flush with the front of the latter. The square
end of the worm serves to receive a key d¹ by means of which the worm and con-
sequently also the spindle c may be turned. The key d' when not in use, may be
kept in a receptacle 63 on the innerside of the partition b (see Fig. 3). The opening 64
of this receptacle as well as the hole 62 containing the square axle of the worm are
ordinarily closed by a safe closing door e figs. 1 & 3 turning on a hinge e¹ and fastened
to the front part of the letter box, which door contains in its interior the well known
self regulating indicator of the next time for collecting.
The spindle c is provided near to its lower end with a curved finger c³ (figs. 3, 5,
and 6) which when occupying the position' fig. 5 projects into a cap a fastened to the
bottom a so that the bottom a cannot be pushed down, but is fastened to the box.
Should however the curved finger c be in the position (fig. 6) in which it is out of
CA

page_text: touch with the cap a¹, the bottom a can be pushed down. Beside the curved finger c
there is a bolt f (figs. 2 and 5) which runs hetween the bottom partition 6 (joining
the two front partitions b, and 6') and a slide (fig. 2) fastened to the partition 6', and
which can be moved lengthways and sideways. By a spiral spring f¹ (fig. 2) the
bolt is constantly pressed against the curved finger c and by a spring (fig. 5)
against the partition . The end of the bolt touching the curved finger e is
shaped like a hook and projects also into the cap a' of the bottom a. Before
the latter can be opened the bolt f must be pushed on one side as described lower
down.
The lower end of the spindle c projects through the bottom partition 68 and has
there a nose (figs. 2 and 4) similar to the ward of a key but turned sideways.
At the front edge of the bottom a near its centre, is placed a peg a* (figs. 3 and 3*)
made with an incision a³ and projecting downwards.
The opening of the collecting bag T is as usual provided with two metal frames g
and h of angular cross section (figs. 2, 3, and 7) which are connected with each other
and are turnable on hinges o. The lock of the bag is formed by a pivoted hook g¹
fastened to the frame g, which goes round a pog (fig. 7 & 7b) fastened on to the
frame h and projecting downwards. If the hook g' is in the position shewn on fig. 8,
the bag is unlocked and can be opened. The nave or boss of the hook g¹ has on its
edge a notch g (Fig. 7).
On the frame g below the hook g' is a spring g³ (fig. 2) which bears a peg g* pro-
jecting upwards. This peg 9 falls (if the hook g¹ takes the position fig. 7) into the
notch of the same and then holds the hook fast in its position, so that the lock of
the bag is secured. To turn the hook g' by the spindle c the former is provided with
a hole go corresponding with the profile of the lower end of the spindle c and
another hole covering the first in the frame g (fig. 7) when the hook is in the
position of fig. 7. On the upper side of the frame g there are two pivots g³ & gº.
In order to empty the letter box, the closed bag I must in the first place be held
in the manner shown on Figs. 2 and 3 to the bottom part of the box in such a way
that the lower end of the spindle c fits into the hole go of the hook g', the peg a² of the
bottom a in a corresponding hole of the frame h and the pivots go and g of the bag in
corresponding holes in the bottom partition of the box. By this also the lower hook-
shaped end of a spring i (figs. 2 and 9) on the partition of the box gets into a
corresponding opening g' of the frame g (fig. 7). On the frame is fastened a plate h²,
which as long as the bag remains closed, covers the opening g' so that the book of
the spring i cannot fall under the frame g. The bag must be pushed hard against
the bottom part of the letter box, by which the lower end of the spindle e pushes
down the spring (fig. 2) so that the peg 9' comes out of the notch g of the hook g¹
and does not hinder the latter from turning. After the bag is thus attached to the
box, the key d' is put upon the square of the worm a and turned until the spindle c
has made a quarter turn. In order that the spindle c may not be turned further, a
part of the circumference of the cog wheel c³ is left without cogs. In consequence
of the turning of the spindle c the hook g¹ is moved by the ward of the same from
the position of fig. 7 into the position of fig. 8, so that the bag is now unlocked. The
ward of the spindle c now lies under the frame g (fig. 4) so that the bag cannot be
removed from the box. By the above mentioned turning of the hook g' a spring h
(figs. 7, 7 and 8) on the frame h is set free, which then falls into the incision as of
the peg a (fig. 8) by which the frame is attached to the bottom a of the box.
When the bag is closed (fig. 7) the hook g¹ presses the spring h³ back so that the
peg a' can without hindrance either enter or leave the corresponding hole of the
frame h. In consequence of the turning of the spindle c also the curved finger cis
brought out of the position fig. 5 into the position of fig. 6. By this the curved
finger e pushes the bolt f (fig. 5) lengthways back until it touches with its opposite
end the pivot go of the bag. On farther turning the curved finger the bolt as it
cannot move any further lengthways is moved by the pressure of the spring f to
the side (fig. 6) so that its hookshaped end together with the curved finger c project
out of the cap a¹ of the bottom a. The letter box is therefore (after the spindle c has

page_text: finished its quarter turn) also unlocked, and the bottom a of the same may now be
pushed down together with the frame h of the bag attached to it into the position of
fig. 4. To render this downward movement of the frame h possible, its two side
parts are composed each of three hinged pieces h*, h, h³, connected with each other,
which in opening the bag take up the position shown on fig. 4. The side partitions k k
of the letter box are large enough to cover the mouth of the bag so that it is impossible
for the collector to in any way touch the letters. In opening the bag the plate h³
frees the spring i (fig. 9) the consequence of which is that the hook of the
latter springs under the frame g fig. 10 and thus serves to secure the bag to the
letter box.
While the letter box and bag are open, the latter cannot be separated from the
former, for even if the key d' is turned back, so that the ward frees the frame g,
the latter is still secured to the box by the spring i not accessible from without. To
separate the bag from the box, it is in the first place necessary to move the bottom a
(and also the frame h attached to the same) back into the closed position fig. 3. After
this has been done the key d' has to be turned back until the spindle c returns to its
original position. This turning back is limited by the curved anger c touching the
partition in the end position fig. 5. In consequence of the turning back of
the spindle e the curved finger c' and the hock of the bolt re-enter the cap al of the
bottom a, so that the tag is again locked, and the hook g¹ pushes the spring h³ out of
the incision of the peg a³, so that the latter is set free. In locking the bag the
plate h² again pushes the spring i back, so that the hook no longer catches under the
frame g. The bag can now be removed, by which the peg g' falls back into the notch g'
of the hook gl and thus secures the lock of the bag.
In possession of the person entrusted with the opening of the bag is a key which
is formed similarly to the lower end of the spindle c and by which he can open and
afterwards close the bag. In order that in putting the key into the keyhole of the
bag it may have a firm hold a peg 98 is placed on the frame 9 under the spring 9*
(figs. 2 and 3).
The letter box cannot be nulocked if the bag is not attached to it in the manner
above described. Supposing, if the latter has not been done, that the key d (fig. 3)
was turned the bolt would not as before, in its motion lengthways by the curved
finger c have a hold in the pivot go of the bag and would therefore be pushed further
lengthways, instead of sideways (see fig. 11) by which the spring f' keeps the hook
The hook of the
of the saine in constant touch with the cap a of the bottom a.
bolt fis provided with an incision fx (fig. 6) so as to be able to reach round the
partition 6' by which the lock of the letter-box is especially secured.
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 :-
:-
The construction and combination of a mural pillar or similar letter box and a
letter bag substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed, so that the letter box and the hag being closed can only be opened by the
collector attaching the latter to the former, and opening the two together so that the
letters fall from the box into the bag, and the latter cannot be detached without
closing and locking both the box and the bag, and thus the person collecting cannot
interfere in any way with the letters.
Dated this Seventh day of July 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.