Improvements in or relating to Letter Boxes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1997
Improvements in or relating to Letter Boxes.
I, WILLIAM HOWARD MURPHY GRIMSHAW, of Prittlewell Priory, in the
County of Essex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The construction of a letter box according to this invention has for its object the
effectual prevention of theft or fraudulent abstraction of the contents of the box,
and comprises an arrangement within the box of one or more plates, the edges of
which are serrated or carry teeth like those of a comb; the arrangement of
these plates is such that if an attempt be made to extract the contents of the box
by means of a hook or any adhesive substance on the end of a string or wire, the
latter by passing between the teeth of the plates is effectually prevented from
bringing with it any of the contents of the letter box, when the wire is pulled
up. The serrated plates are preferably constructed of metal and may conveniently
be two in number though more may be employed if desired; one plate is arranged
immediately beneath the opening for letters with its serrated edge sloping in a
direction downwards and away from this opening, the second plate is attached to
the side of the box opposite the opening at a position preferably beneath the lower
edge of the upper plate at a sufficient distance therefrom to allow of the free
passage of letters, packages, or the like, the serrated edge of this second plate
being directed downwards and towards the front of the box.
The plates may be fixed in the letter box either in the positions above described
or one or more of them may be pivotted and connected with the flap which
closes the opening of the box by links or some other device in such a manner
that on raising the flap of the letter box to obtain access to the interior, the
plates are raised to a more or less horizontal position. The plates if desired may
be so arranged that their serrated edges engage with one another and effectually
close the box until the flap over the opening is once more lowered; this arrange-
ment while allowing of the legitimate deposit of letters in the box effectually
prevents any fraudulent abstraction of the contents.
If desired the plates may be spring, or otherwise, controlled, and arranged
normally so that they may occupy a more or less horizontal position until the
weight of a letter, newspaper or the like inserted in the box causes them to fall
and allow the passage of the same after which they will resume their normal
position.
The plates if desired may be constructed of other material than metal and the
shape of the serrations or teeth on their edges as also the plates themselves may
be varied considerably, for example the plates if desired may have knife edges
instead of teeth.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HOWARD MURPHY GRIMSHAW of Prittlewell Priory, in the
County of Essex, Gentleman, 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:-
The construction of a letter box according to this invention has for its object the
effectual prevention of theft or fraudulent abstraction of the contents of the box, and
comprises an arrangement within the box of one or more plates, the edges of which
are serrated or carry teeth like those of a comb; the arrangement of these plates is
such that if an attempt be made to extract the contents of the box by means of a
hook or any adhesive substance on the end of a string or wire, the latter by passing
between the teeth of the plates is effectually prevented from bringing with it any
of the contents of the letter box, when the wire is pulled up.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a pillar letter box fitted with plates of the kind
described, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, in section, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are side elevation and plan respectively of a modification.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the casing of the apparatus, B being the opening for inserting letters or
parcels. C is the usual metal flap which is hinged at D and closes the opening B.
In Figure 1 the plates E are shown arranged alternately on opposite sides of
the casing, being supported by brackets F. The edges of the plates are sorrated
as shown at E Fig. 2. The plates E are preferably constructed of metal, their
number and position may however vary as desired.
The plates may be fixed in the letter box either in the positions above described
or one or more of them may be pivotted and connected with the flap which closes
the opening of the box by links or some other device in such a manner that on
raising the flap of the letter box to obtain access to the interior, the plates are
raised to a more or less horizontal position so that their serrated edges engage
with one another and effectually close the box until the flap over the opening is
once more lowered; this arrangement while allowing of the legitimate deposit of
letters in the box effectually prevents any fraudulent abstraction of the contents.
If desired the plates may be spring, or otherwise controlled, and arranged
normally so that they may occupy a inore or less horizontal position until the
weight of a letter, newspaper or the like inserted in the box causes them to fall
and allow the passage of the same after which they will resume their normal
position.
The plates may be constructed of other material than metal and the shape of
the serrations or teeth on their edges as also the plates themselves may be varied
considerably, for example the plates may have knife edges instead of teeth.
In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a rebate E2 is formed upon the
upper surface of the plates E and pins G are arranged to project from the rebate
with their points turned elightly downwards. If preferred pins may be similarly
arranged at the edges of the plates in place of or in addition to the serrations E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A letter box having one or more plates with serrated edges within it
substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 2. The combination with a letter box of one or more internal plates such as E
with or without a rebate and pins G arranged and operating substantially as and
for the purpose described.
3. The combination with a letter box of one or more plates with serrated
edges arranged to be operated substantially as and for the purpose described by
springs or other means.
4. The complete letter box substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of May 1897.
WILLIAM H. MURPHY GRIMSHAW.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.