Improvements in Letter Boxes and Pillar Post Boxes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec.; 1891
Complete Specification Left; 18th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter Boxes and Pillar Post Boxes.
I, Joseph ClifFORD BARRON, of Treforren House, Newton Road, Sparkhill,
in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In letter boxes as usually constructed for attachment to the door of a building or
other position suitable for the reception of letters and small packages, the opening,
or slot formed in the door or wall for communicating with the letter box is usually
merely protected by a hinged plate, of metal or other suitable material.. It is
found, however, that such hinged plate affords no real protection of the contents of
the box against robbery or theft, it being a matter of no great difficulty for a thief
to remove the letters or small packages by means of suitably bent pincers, prickers
or other contrivances.
The object of my invention is to so construct a letter box that it shall be a
matter of very great difficulty to withdraw its contents other than by the legitimate
method of unlocking or opening the door or sliding piece of the box at the will of
the owner.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct the hinged plate for covering
the letter box opening, having levers or ears projecting into the box or into the
interior of the building to the door of which the box is attached. To such
levers or ears, I attach one end of connecting rods or links, the other end of
such rods or links being attached to a second hinged plate or door which covers
the lower end of a rectangular or other shaped tube of wood, metal, or other
suitable material, forming the connecting passage between the letter box opening
and the interior of the box itself. The two hinged plates or doors are thus
rigidly connected together and the one cannot move without imparting motion
to the other, and I so counterweight or balance this system of levers and doors
and arrange the rods or links in such a manner that in its ordinary or normal
position the upper hinged plate is closed whilst the lower plate or door is open,
and it therefore follows that when the upper plate is pushed open for the
insertion of letters or packages the lower plate or door is closed and remains
closed until the upper plate is again allowed to automatically close itself, thereby
at the same time opening the lower plate or door when the letters fall from
the conducting tube into the letter box. Immediately the upper plate is
pushed open the lower one is closed, so that a person on pushing open the top
plate would find the lower one closed against him and any attempt to open this
lower plate or door could only be successful if the upper one was closed, and
it would therefore be impossible to abstract letters or packages from the letter
box by means of pincers, prickers, or other appliances introduced through the
outer letter box opening as can be done with the letter box of ordinary con-
struction. Instead of employing two or more levers or projecting ears on the
upper plate, I sometimes employ but one lever and one connecting rod or
link for connecting the upper with the lower plate or door,, and instead of
employing a weight or weighted lever for the purpose of keeping the upper plate
normally open and the lower plate or door closed, I sometimes employ a spring or
springs attached to either of the plates or doors, or to the connecting rod or rods
for effecting a like purpose.
I sometimes balance the weight of the lower door by dead weight and lever
connection, and I cause my connecting links to attach to this weight in some cases
instead of to its bottom plate.
I do not limit the application of my invention to letter boxes for private houses,

page_text: or business premises, but employ.it with equal advantage upon street pillar or wall
boxes and other similar receptacles for letters or packages without departing from
the essential features of my invention.
Dated th th day of December 1801'
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for. the. Applicant.
111**
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter Boxes, and, Pillar Post Boxes.
I; JOSEPH CLIFFORD BARRON, of Treforren House, Newton Road, Sparkhill,
in the County of Warwick, Engineer 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:-
In letter boxes as usually constructed for attachment to the door of a building or
other position suitable for the reception of letters and small packages, the opening
or slot formed in the door or wall for communicating with the letter box is usually
merely protected by a hinged plate, of metal or other suitable material. It is
found, however, that such hinged plate affords no real protection of the contents of
the box against robbery or theft; it being a matter of no great difficulty for a thief
to remove the letters or small packages by means of suitably bent pincers, prickers,
or other contrivances.
The object of my invention is to so construct a letter box that it shall be a
matter of very great difficulty to withdraw its contents other than by the legitimate
method of unlocking or opening the door or sliding piece of the box at the will of
the owner.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a rectangular or other shaped
tube or shoot of wood, metal; or other suitable material, forming the connecting
passage between the letter box opening and the interior of the box itself. The
hinged plate for covering the letter box opening having a central projection or
horn projecting into the tube or shoot, or into the interior of the box to which the
tube is attached. Resting against this horn or central projection is a small lever.
fixed on a shaft extending across the back of the shoot, on the extremities of which
are levers. To such levers I attach one end of connecting rods or links, the other
end of such rods or links being attached to a second hinged plate or door which
covers the lower end of the tube or shoot.
The two hinged plates or doors are thus connected together; and I counterweight
or balance this system of levers or doors and arrange the horn; rods and links in
such a manner that in its ordinary or normal position, the upper hinged plate is
closed whilst the lower plate or door is open, and it therefore follows that when the
upper plate is pushed open for the insertion of letters or packages the lower plate
or door is closed and remains closed until the upper plate is again allowed to
automatically close itself, thereby at the same time opening the lower plate or door
when the letters fall from the conducting tube or shoot into the letter box.
Immediately the upper plate is pushed open the lower one is closed, so that a
person pushing open the top plate would find the lower one closed against him, and
any attempt to open this lower plate or door could only be successful if the upper
one was closed, and it would therefore be impossible to abstract letters or packages
from the letter box by means of pincers, prickers, or other appliances. introduced
through the outer letter box opening; as can be done with the letter box of ordinary
construction.
I sometimes balance the weight of the lower door by dead weight and lever
connection, and I cause my connecting links to attach to this weight in some cases
instead of to its bottom plate.
Ido not limit the application of my invention to letter boxes of private houses,

page_text: or business premises, but employ it with equal advantage upon street pillar or wall
boxes and other similar receptacles for letters or packages without departing from
the essential features of my invention.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
A is a tube or shoot. B is upper plate or door with central projection or horn C.
D is small lever fixed on shaft E carried in bearings F. G are levers on ends of
shaft E. H are connecting links between levers G and 1. J is shaft in bearings K
carrying bottom door L. B is normally shut whilst L is open. On pushing B,
L is immediately shut, and the arrangement permits of the continued movement
of B, L still remaining closed. On. releasing B, it automatically closes and L falls
open.
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—Annlication of inner box or shoot controlled by automatic doors.
Dated this the 17th day of August 1892.
JOSEPH CLIFFORD BARRON,
Treforren House, Newton Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham, Applicant.
JOSEPH CLIFFORD BARRON,
Treforren House, Newton Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham, Applicant.