IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER BOXES AND IN BAGS FOR EMPTYING THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER BOXES AND IN BAGS FOR EMPTYING
THE SAME" to be as follows:-
==
This invention relates to letter boxes provided with bags for receiving the
contents thereof.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a letter-box to which is
suspended a letter bag as hereinafter described.
The bottom of the said box is arranged to slide in and out. To the underside of
the said sliding bottom are attached two brackets; a bolt having coiled around it a
spiral spring passes through the said brackets, a second spring, a locking piece, a
collar in which slides the said locking piece, two slots and a pin with a guide the
pointed end of which projects in the right hand slot.
Underneath the sliding bottom and the sides of the letter box are fixed two rails
which are connected with two curved pieces.
The mouth of the letter-bag consists of two parts or ribs.
The lock of the ribs comprises a tumbler having a pin, a bolt provided with a
guide to which the catch which effects the closing of the said bag is attached, a slot,
and two flat pins.
In order to connect the ribs of the bag with the letter box, that is to say, in order
to be able to open the said bag when the same is locked a pin of the rib is pushed
upon one of the rails and into the said curved piece. The flap of the bag on the
front of the box is next opened and discloses the said sliding bottom which is
provided with semi-circular grooves and a bolt passing through the said brackets
and having a spiral spring wound around the same. This bolt enters when pushed
back an aperture formed in one of the ribs and after the locking is effected the said
bolt is pressed back into its previous position by means of a spring. When the
locking is effected the bolt with the catch attached thereto is at the same time
pushed forward upon a guide and into the said slots so that the said catches come

page_text: out of the said slots and enter a slot in the sliding bottom whereby the connection
of the ribs of the bag with the said sliding bottom is effected. In order to unlock
the sliding bottom which is fastened by means of catches at the back of the
letter box the pin which is in the right hand slot of the said slots is pressed back
owing to the catches springing forward, and presses the catches connected with the
second spring in a slot and unlocks the sliding piece from the back of the letter bag
so that the latter can be taken from the letter-box, and both the letter bag and
letter-boxes can be opened. The connection between the two is such that the letter
box, neither in front nor at the back, can be taken out of the curved piece as the
pin which entered the said curved piece at the least forward motion of the bag
turns and presents its widest side. to the narrow aperture of the said curved piece.
When the sliding bottom is drawn out the bag is at the same time firmly attached
to the underside of the letter box, whereas the letters which laid on the grooves fall
into the bag through the front wall of the box. After the said letter box has been
emptied of its contents the sliding bottom is put back in its place, the bolt is pushed
back in front of the aperture formed in the rib so that the closing of the letter box
is effected, and the various parts come back to their original position and the bag
may be removed.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: I, FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER-BOXES, AND IN BAGS FOR
EMPTYING THE SAME" 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 letter-boxes provided with bags for receiving the contents
thereof, and it comprises the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts as
hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved letter-box with the bag attached
to the same, the said bag and box being closed.
Figure 2 is a similar view, the box and bag being opened.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the sliding bottom.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the under side of the same.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bag-frame.
Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the under side of the letter-box.
Figure 7 is a sectional plan view of the latch of the sliding bottom.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal elevation of one of the bag-frames.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal elevation of the other bag-frame.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the end of the frame shewn in Figure 9, and
Figure 11 is a longitudinal view of the inner end of the bottom part of one of the
sides of the box.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
The letter-box A is provided with a sliding bottom B, adapted to be drawn
through a longitudinal slot in the front of the box, which bottom is provided with
transverse ribs B₁ on its upper surface.
From the under side of the bottom B, two ears or brackets E project, in which a
rod D is arranged to slide transversely to the front of the box and to turn. The
said rod has a knob or handle D¹ formed on its front end, and a key D' on its rear
end. A spiral spring, t surrounding, and secured to, the rod D presses the same
toward the front of the box.
On the under surface of the bottom B at the inner edge, is pivotted a hook, bolt
or latch 6 which is acted on by a spring c. The bottom edge of the rear wall of the
box is provided with a notch b', with the edge of which the latch 6 can engage.
The free end of the latch b is held in a casing d made integral with a casing d¹ in
which a pin m is held parallel with the rear edge of the bottom, which pin is made
integral with or secured to the latch b.
A loop or socket a is secured to the rear edge of the bottom parallel with the same
for a purpose hereinafter described.
In the inner surface of each side of the box, below. the bottom, a groove / is
formed, which is open at its front end, and at its rear end is bent upward and then
downward to form a pocket or recess i slightly contracted at its top.
To the top of the mail-bag G, two frames k, fare secured, which fit together.
The frame is provided with two notches n and at each end with a flat pin h
adapted to pass into the grooves l. The frame k is provided with a key-hole, and
with a longitudinally-sliding bolt p from which two hooks g project upward. The
front of the letter-box is provided with a small door C below the sliding bottom.

page_text: If the box A is to be emptied, the operation is as follows, that is to say, the
bag G, which is locked, is passed under the bottom B in such a manner that the
pins on the bag-frame ƒ pass along the grooves into the pockets i, as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 11. The door C is then opened and the rod D is pushed
inward until the key D2 passes into the key-hole in the frame k. The rod D is now
turned, whereby the bolt p is moved so that the hooks g assume the position shewn
by the dotted lines g¹, Figure 8. One hook passes into the loop or socket a, thereby
connecting one side of the bag-frame to the bottom B; the other passes into the
casing d and strikes the end of the pin m, thereby moving the latch 6 to the
position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, and disengaging it from the edge of
the notch b'.
If the sliding bottom is now drawn outwardly, the frame k is moved outward
with it, whereby the bag is opened, as the frame f is held by the pins h in the
pockets i, the letters dropping into the bag. By drawing the frames k, f apart, the
pins h of the frame are brought into the position shewn in. Figure 11 in the pockets,
thus preventing the said pins from being removed from the pockets as long as the
bag is open.
When the box A is emptied, the bottom B is pushed back into the box closing
the bag, and the rod D with the key is turned, thereby locking the bag and
withdrawing the hooks g, g; the latch b is thus released and catches on the edge of
the notch b¹. The bag, which is locked, is then removed and the door C is closed
and locked.
nature of my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. A letter-box provided with a sliding bottom and with a door C in the
front and below the sliding bottom, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Second. A letter-box provided with a sliding bottom, on the under side of which
a key-rod is held, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Third. In a letter-box, the combination, with the sliding bottom B, of the ears or
brackets E on the under side of the same, the rod D held in the said brackets, the
knob or handle D¹ on the front end of the rod, the key D³ on its rear end, and the
spring t for pressing the rod toward the front of the box, substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Fourth. In a letter-box, the combination, with the sliding bottom B, of the latch b,
the pin m connected with the same, the loop or socket a and the casing d¹, sub-
stantially as herein shewn and described.
Fifth. A bag having a frame k provided with a sliding bolt p having upwardly-
projecting hooks g, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Sixth. The combination, with a letter-box, of a bag provided with a frame f
having pins on its ends, and with a frame k provided with a sliding bolt p having
upwardly projecting hooks g, substantially as shewn and described."
Dated this 24th day of October 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.