Improvements in Letter-boxes, Postal Pillar-boxes, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter-boxes, Postal Pillar-boxes, or the like.
I CAMILLE GHYS, of 25, Ranelagh Road, Bayswater, London, W. Frame
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to Improvements in Letter-boxes Postal Pillar-boxes, or the
like, and has for its object to prevent the letters or the like deposited in such
letter-boxes, postal-pillar-boxes or similar receptacles, to be abstracted by any
means other than the legitimate ones.
In carrying my invention into practice, I form the letter-box, pillar-box or the
like with a hinged flap covering the receiving-slot on the inside, which flap is
normally kept closed or shut down by means of a coiled or other spring, and is
lifted to allow a letter or the like to be inserted through the receiving-slot, by
means of a curved knob or handle which projects through an opening in the front
of such a letter or pillar-box or the like.
To the lower inner side of the hinged flap, aforesaid is fixed one end of a curved
lever, suitably guided, the other end of which is enlarged and recessed or toothed,
so as to engage with the recessed or toothed upper end of a vertically disposed
plate, provided near each end with vertical slots through which pass studs fixed to
the side of the letter-box or the like, thereby enabling the said slotted-plate to
slide up and down, according as the curved lever is raised or lowered.
To horizontal extensions at the lower end of this sliding slotted-plate are
pivotally connected, two rods, which at their other extremities are similarly
connected to two hinged-plates, which when in a raised or horizontal position,
constitute together, a partition across the letter-box or the like. These said
hinged-plates are raised into a horizontal position every time the flap covering the
receiving slit, is raised or opened.
The meeting-edges of these hinged-plates, are serrated or toothed.
Immediately below the receiving-slit upon the inside, is provided a horizontal
plate having a sharp serrated or toothed edge for the purpose of cutting any string
or the like that may be passed through the receiving-slit for the purpose of
extracting the contents of the letter-box or the like.
Dated this 26th day of April 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
12, Basinghall Street, London.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter-boxes, Postal Pillar-boxes, or the like.
I CAMILLE GHYS, of 25, Ranelagh Road, Bayswater, London, W. Frame
Maker, 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 Improvements in Letter-boxes, Postal Pillar-boxes, or
the like, and has for its object to prevent the letters or the like deposited in such
letter-boxes, postal pillar-boxes or similar receptacles, being extracted by any
means other than the legitimate ones.

page_text: In order that the said invention may be the more readily understood, I have
shewn same upon the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein :
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a postal pillar-box constructed according to my
invention, and
Fig. 2 a section upon line x, x, with a portion of the interior removed for
convenience in shewing the invention.
Referring to the drawing in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout the two figures, a is a postal pillar-box (similar in external
construction to the pillar-boxes known at present) having a flap b hinged at 6' to the
front of the inside of the pillar-box, which flap is normally kept shut down behind
the receiving-slit or mouth a¹ by means of a coiled or other spring c, and is lifted
to allow a letter or the like to be passed through the said receiving-slit or mouth a,
by means of a curved knob or handle 6 fixed to the said flap b and projecting
through an opening in the front of the pillar-box.
Upon the outside of the flap or shutter b, near the top thereof, is fixed, or formed
integral with, an upwardly curved or concave plate which, when the flap or
shutter is closed, is normally in the position shewn, but when such flap or shutter
is opened, the curved or concave plate 6 is naturally caused to cover the upper
portion of the receiving-slit or mouth a¹ and so prevent any means being inserted
between the sides of same and the flap or shutter b for the purpose of keeping same
open.
Side guards are also provided for a similar purpose..
To the lower inner side of the hinged flap b, is fixed one end of a curved lever d,
the other end of same being enlarged as at d' and recessed at d², for the purpose-
of engaging with the recessed upper end e¹ of a vertically-disposed rectangular
plate e, provided near each end with vertical slots e³, es, through which pass studs e
projecting from the side of the pillar-box, and which arrangement of studs and
slots enable the aforesaid plate e to slide up and down according as the curved
lever d is raised or depressed.
'
A stud is provided for the purpose of guiding the curved lever.d.
A horizontal plate fis provided at the lower end of the slotted-plate e, which
horizontal plate is attached to the former one by means of a stud f¹ passing through
the said plate f and through the vertical slot in the plate e, its ends being
provided with any suitable heads to prevent such stud working through. The
said horizontal plate is slotted at f*, by which means it can be moved laterally as
well as vertically, and has pivotally connected to each end the upper extremities of
two rods g which have their lower ends similarly connected to two plates h pivoted
or hinged at h¹ to the inside of the pillar-box, and which, when raised into a
horizontal position every time the flap 6 covering the receiving slit or mouth a', is
raised or opened, constitute together a partition or diaphragm across the interior of
the pillar-box.
The meeting-edges of these hinged-plates h, are serrated or toothed and
sharpened, so as to be able to sever a cord, or the like if it should be passed
between same for the purpose of extracting the contents of the pillar-box.
Immediately below the receiving slit a, upon the inside of the pillar-box, is
provided a plate i fixed either in a downwardly inclined, or horizontal position,
whichever is desirable, the front edge of such plate being sharpened and serrated
for a similar purpose to that for which the meeting-edges of the plates h are
serrated and sharpened.
A finger-piece is provided beneath the knob or handle 6 for the purpose of
facilitating the lowering of the latter and consequently the raising of the closing-
flap b.
A partition (removed in Fig. 2) is provided for the purpose of dividing or
shutting off the mechanism from the interior of the pillar-box.
It is obvious that my improvements can be applied to any existing form of postal
pillar-box, letter-box or the like. I also wish it to be understood that I do not

page_text: confine myself to the exact form of the various parts comprising my invention, but
may vary same as found desirable or convenient.
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. The improvements in letter-boxes, postal pillar-boxes, or the like comprising
a hinged closing-flap covering the receiving-slit and normally kept closed by a
spring, and opened by a curved projecting knob or handle, said closing flap being
connected to curved levers engaging slotted vertically disposed rectangular plates
adapted to slide up and down and having slotted-plates at their lower ends pivotally
connected to rods pivoted to hinged serrated plates adapted to form a false-bottom
to the pillar-box or the like, substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
2. The improvements in letter-boxes, postal pillar-boxes or the like substantially
as set forth in the foregoing Specification and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of June 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
12, Basinghall Street, London, Agents for the Applicant.