AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SAFETY LETTER BOXES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred James Little, of Cambridge Park, Twickenham,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF SAFETY LETTER BOXES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred James Little at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1881.
ALFRED JAMES LITTLE, of Cambridge Park, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SAFETY LETTER BOXES."
The object of this Invention is an improved construction of safety letter boxes,
in which by a special arrangement of screens as hereafter described, fixed or jointed
and provided with serrated, saw, or other shaped cutting edges at their lower
portions, any fraudulent attempt to abstract letters through tho mouth would be
prevented by the cord, wire, or other appliance being jammed or severed during
the lifting thereof. The serrated, saw, or other shaped edged portions may be
part of the screens themselves, or they may be hinged and balanced to assume any
given angle or angles which would permit an easy passage of letters to the bottom
of the box, and be caused to assume other positions on any attempt to withdraw
the letters being made from the outside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred James Little in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th April 1882.
ALFRED JAMES LITTLE, of Cambridge Park, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SAFETY LETTER BOXES."
The object of this Invention is an improved construction of safety letter boxes,
in which by a special arrangement of screens, baffle plates, or flaps, plain or bar
form, and fixed or jointed and provided with serrated, saw, or other shaped cutting
edges at their lower portions, any fraudulent attempt to abstract letters through
the mouth would be prevented by the cord, wire, or other appliance being jammed
or severed during the lifting thereof. The serrated, saw, or other shaped edge
portions may be part of the screens themselves, or they may be hinged and
balanced to assume any given angle or angles which would permit an easy passage
of letters to the bottom of the box, and be caused to assume other positions on
any attempt to withdraw the letters being made from the outside.
The manner of arranging my screens, baffle plates, or flaps is clearly shown in
the annexed Drawings. Figure 1 is a back view, and Figure 2 a section of the
simplest form of letter box. A is the mouth or entry for letters; B, a hinged
screen or flap resting when in its normal position upon a support C. The lower
-end-or-edge-of-the-hinged-flap-is-serrated, and preferably with sharpened edges
at D for the reception and the severance of any cord or wire which may have
been fraudulently inserted into the box to abstract letters from the outside, the
flap being then brought into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. E is
also a hinged flap or screen below the flap B, but looking in the reverse direction
.to B, so that the letters on being inserted into the box shall take a curved or wavy
direction to reach the bottom F, which is by preference also inclined the reverse of
the flap E, whereby the letters are entirely shut in from view from, the outside,
supposing the edge G being fixed to the inside of a door.
The serrations at the edges of the hinged flaps B, E, shown are of an ornamental
character, but the edges may be plain cutting edges or of tine shape, with the back
portions with cutting edges.
Both flaps, or one of them only, may have plain surfaced upper parts, with
cutting lower edges only; or they, or one of them, may be of bar shape, with
parallel or tapered openings between to catch, jamb, or sever the cord or wire while
it is being caught and drawn up between them.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a safety letter box in which the upper
flap B is formed tine shaped, and curved to lead the letters quickly on to the
lower flaps; these being fitted, balanced from the sides of the box, so as to permit
the letters to pass to the bottom, and to right themselves by their counterpoise
into the position shown. The lower flaps, of which there may be any suitable
number side by side, may be plain, as at E¹, or of tine shape, as at H, Figure 4.
In every case they would, as also the upper flap or flaps, be shaped that a catching
and a severance of any cord or wire while being withdrawn would happen. In
Figures 3 and 4 I have shown a pocket J under the forked or tine shaped upper
flap or flaps (each prong of which may be separately fitted on a cross pin) for
receiving a lighted fusee or match should an attempt be made to fire the letters
from the outside.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The construction of letter and equivalent boxes with flaps hinged or fixed, having

page_text: cord or wire catching and severing edges in or on them, as and for the purposes
set forth, and substantially as shown in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred James Little, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
166, Fleet St.,
London.
ALFRED JAMES LITTLE. (L.S.)