PROTECTION OF LETTERS AND OTHER ARTICLES DEPOSITED IN PILLAR On OTHER LETTER-BOXES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, JAMES THOMAS MASEY, of N° 260 West Ferry Road, Millwall, in the County
of Middlesex, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
THE PROTECTION OF LETTERS AND OTHER ARTICLES DEPOSITED IN PILLAR On
OTHER LETTER-BOXES to be as follows:
My invention consists of a hopper-shaped receptacle placed in the ordinary letter
boxes, at the bottom of which hopper is placed a louvre, working on knife edge
centres, accurately adjusted by means of a screwed lever and balance weight;
thereby allowing the article deposited to pass through, and then of its own
gravitation immediately becoming closed.
The louvre is fitted so that articles passed through it cannot be taken out again,
except by the person duly appointed to remove them.

page_text: I JAMES THOMAS MASEY of 260 West Ferry Road; Millwall in the County of
Middlesex, Pattern Maker do hereby. declare the nature of my invention for
THE PROTECTION OF LETTERS AND OTHER ARTICLES DEPOSITED IN PILLAR OR
OTHER LETTER BOXES' and, in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My Invention consists of a Hopper shaped receptacle made of sheet or cast iron
or other suitable metal or of wood and placed in the ordinary letter box and
secured thereto at top flange by screws or other suitable means. At the bottom of
the hopper is an aperture somewhat larger than that in the ordinary letter box at
which I place a louvre working on knife edge centres and which louvre is
accurately adjusted by means of a screwed lever and balance weight. By means of
the wedge shaped sides of the hopper I keep the louvre open at its meeting face
somewhat less than one eighth of an inch thereby allowing articles of less thickness
as Post Cards, Circulars and light Letters to pass through without acting on the
louvre. Anything larger or heavier will open the louvre and so pass through the
louvre immediately of its own gravitation becoming closed. The louvre is so
adjusted that lucifer matches will not pass through, but should they by any means
whatever be forced through the louvre will act as an extinguisher and they will
pass.in harmless. At the side of the hopper, nearest the door, for clearing the box
I place a piece of glass so that any foreign substance or matter may be immediately
discovered by the person duly appointed to clear the box and by him removed.
My Invention will be better understood by a reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure. 1 is my invention A attached to an ordinary Pillar Letter Box B.
Figure. 2: is my invention shewn separately. A. is the Hopper shown in
section. C. is the louvre. D. is the screwed lever and balance weight. E. is the
knife edge centres. F. is the flange for screwing the hopper to the letter box.
G. is the Glass for observing the interior of the hopper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly-The Hopper receptacle of whatever material made and of whatever
form or size required.
Secondly-The Louvre and its action.
Thirdly-The Screwed Lever and balance weight.
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Fourthly The Glass at the front of my Invention or in some cases at the top
of the Letter Box.
Fifthly The adaptability of my Invention to Private houses, Offices, Ware-
houses, and Public Buildings.
Dated this 5th day of March 1884.