IMPROVEMENTS IN PILLAR LETTER BOXES AND LETTER BAGS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Bedborough, of Southampton, in the County
of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PILLAR LETTER BOXES
AND LETTER BAGS."
Sealed the 29th August 1862, and dated the 3rd March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Bedborough at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
March 1862.
I, ALFRED BEDBOROUGH, of Southampton, in the County of Hants, do
5 hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PILLAR
LETTER BOXES AND LETTER BAGS," to be as follows, :-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in connection with pillar
letter boxes and letter bags, having for their object the better security of
the letters posted therein when removed by the letter carriers. In the interior
of the pillar letter box an oval shaped tube or funnel descends from the slot or
opening into which the letters are inserted; to the lower part of this tube or
funnel a spring catch is attached for the purpose of sustaining the metal frame
forming the opening of the letter bag which surrounds the funnel or tube, and
which receives the letters falling through the same. The frame of the bag is
made in a series of jointed pieces hinged together, so as to enable the frame to
be adjusted to the shape of the tube, and at two equi-distant parts the frame
is jointed by powerful spring hinges always tending to close the frame, and
cause it to be locked by a self-acting lock. On the door of the pillar box, a

page_text: lever with a spring back will be arranged, which on the door closing will clip
over the upper end of the spring catch of the funnel through an opening
therein.
The action of these arrangements is as follows:-The bag being unlocked,
the frame is pulled open and placed around the funnel, and rested on the
lower part of the spring catch; the door of the pillar box is then closed, and
the lever therefrom clips over the top of this catch; when the letter carrier
opens the door to take the letters, the lever pulls forward the upper end of the
catch of the funnel, the lower end recedes and releases the frame of the bag
which instantly drops and becomes locked by the springing together and closing
of the frame of the bag.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Bedborough in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BEDBOROUGH, of Southampton, in the County of Hants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Bedborough, Her special licence, that I, the said Alfred Bedborough
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alfred Bedborough, 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 IN
PILLAR LETTER BOXES AND LETTER BAGS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alfred Bedborough, 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 Alfred Bedborough, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in connection with pillar
letter boxes and letter bags, having for their object the better security of the
letters posted therein, when removed by the letter carriers. In the interior
of the pillar letter box an oval shaped tube or funuel descends from the slot or
opening into which the letters are inserted. To the lower part of this tube or
funnel a spring catch is attached for the purpose of sustaining the metal frame
forming the opening of the letter bag, which surrounds the funnel or tube, and
which receives the letters falling through the same. The frame of the bag is
made in a series of jointed pieces hinged together, so as to enable the frame to
be adjusted to the shape of the tube, and at two equi-distant parts the frame
is jointed by powerful spring hinges, always tending to close the frame and
cause it to be locked by a self-acting lock. On the door of the pillar box, a
lever with a spring back is to be arranged, which, on the door closing, will clip
over the upper end of the spring catch of the funnel through an opening
therein.
The action of these arrangements is as follows:-The bag being unlocked,
the frame is pulled open and placed around the funnel and rested on the lower
part of the spring catches; the door of the pillar box is then closed, and the
lever therefrom clips over the top of this catch. When the letter. carrier opens
the door to take the letters, the lever pulls forward the upper end of the catch
of the funnel, the lower end recedes and releases the frame of the bag, which
instantly drops, and becomes locked by the springing together and closing of
the frame of the bag.
To prevent the frame of the bag from being tampered with by the insertion
of a rod or stick through the opening for the insertion of the letters and down
into the frame, with the view of preventing the bag from self-locking, the
frames may be made so as to close together by the intervention of spring plates
fixed upon one of the side. plates of the metal frame, and closing and fastening
against the other side by means of springs at the bottom of the space between
the two fixed plates. The keyhole is at the centre of the frame of the bag,
but in this latter example the catches of the lock are arranged one at each
end of the frame near the spring hinges, and are actuated by means of con-
necting rods working in slots, and moved by turning the key. Now when
a rod or stick is inserted in the open bag, and the frame of the bag is
suddenly released, it will lock itself by the force of the spring hinges,
because the stick or rod will only drive back one of the small slides or
plates into and between the two long plates which are fixed to one side of

page_text: the frame of the bag, and the rest of the frame will be securely closed up and
locked, after which none of the remaining slides can be pushed back,
because a series of catches spring into gear with pins or studs on the interior
surface of the slides. These bags may be used for the conveyance of money
or valuable papers.
:
In order to explain the Invention as completely as possible I will now
proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed, in which Figs. 1, 2,
and 3 represent the latter description of bag, whereby the first and more simple
arrangement will be readily understood.
Fig. 1 is a front view of the frame; Fig. 2 a plan of the under part of the
frame; and Fig. 3 a view of the back of the frame, shewing the connecting
rods of the locks. Similar letters denote corresponding parts in each of the
Figures.
a, is the frame, connected by hinges at b, b, and closed together by the
spring hinges c, c; d is the lock, and e, e, are holes for fastening the bag to
the frame; f, f, are handles, and 9, 9, are eyes for suspending the frame to
the spring catch of the tube or funnel in the pillar letter box; is a plato
fixed to the frame of the bag, there being a corresponding plate above it on
the top of the frame, leaving a space between the two for the sliding of the
spring plates i, i, which are kept protruded by means of springs between the
fixed plates h.
In order to permit the frame to open, it is necessary to make the portions
of the fixed plate h', and their spring plates, on different levels to the
parts h and i, so that the former may pass underneath the latter while the
frame of the bag is being pulled open; k, k, are the catches of the lock d;
and 1,1, are connecting rods to actuate them; m, m, are spring catches holding
the spring plates when closed by means of a pin on each plate, one of which is
shown on the plate n, which is represented as kept open by the insertion of a
stick or rod. The action of the connecting rods regulates the spring catches m,
so as to remove them from gear with the plates when the lock is being opened.
To prevent water being poured into the pillar letter bag, the sloping plate
down which the letters glide is perforated with openings, and their divisions
have wires soldered thereon, in order to guide the water more readily over
their edges into the openings. There should be two rows of these apertures,
and wires should be soldered across the edges of each row; any water running
over the first series of apertures, will flow down an under plate into a gutter
or channel, and out of the pillar by means of a pipe. The letters will slido
over the apertures into the bag.
To prevent letters from being feloniously abstracted from the pillar box or

page_text: bag by means of a string and a piece of adhesive material being lowered
therein through the open letter slit at the top of the pillar, a series of inverted
spikes, barbs, or points are placed at the bottom of the slanting or sloping
plate and gutter, down and over which the letters slide; thus a string or cord
may be let down into the pillar bag or box, but cannot be withdrawn by reason
of the spikes, barbs, or points, which catch the cord or string, and hold the
same firmly between them.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion, that I do
not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts herein described,
as the same may evidently be varied or modified without departing from
the principles upon which the Invention is based; but what I claim and desiro
to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, are tho
several "Improvements in Pillar Letter Boxes and Letter Bags," substan-
tially in the manner herein specified and illustrated by the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Bedborough, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ALFRED BEDBOROUGH. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.