Improvements in Letter-boxes and similar Receptacles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Letter-boxes and similar Receptacles.
We, ANSELM ROHRER and WALTER HENRY SMITH, both of 95, Hall Street,
Dudley, in the County of Worcester, Watchmakers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to letter-boxes and similar receptacles, and consists in
certain improvements in their construction which have for their object to prevent
the surreptitious extraction (by way of the entrance slot) of letters or other papers
which may have been placed therein. Several contrivances are used by persons
robbing letter-boxes by which the letters or other papers contained therein can
be lifted from the bottom of the box to the entrance slot so that they may be
laid hold of by the hand, and in several cases very valuable documents have been
extracted in this way. To prevent the extract of letters when once placed in the
box is the object of this invention, and the same is accomplished by constructing
the box in the following manner: The interior of the letter box, commencing
from the entrance slot or opening and extending almost to the bottom, is con-
structed with a number of inclined planes or projecting platforms which are so
set across the centre of the box, first from the one side of the interior and then
from the other, that they form a number of guides for the letters in order that
they shall take a circuitous or irregular course in falling to the bottom of the
box. Further, the said platforms are so arranged that the one delivers the letter
or card onto the one beneath it, and at the same time tips it over and alters its
course in falling, so that practically the falling object is shot from one platform
on one side of the box onto the next platform on the other side, and from this
platform to the next below it, and so on till it falls to the bottom of the box,
where it rests.
The tipping edge of each inclined part or plane is set up for the whole of its
length with a number of curved prongs, teeth, or serrations, which may be either
attached to the said platforms or be formed therewith in one piece. These prongs
or teeth are provided for the purpose of fastening themselves into any letter or
paper which may become attached to any contrivance for being lifted to the en-
trance or mouth of the letter box, but they also in a great measure prevent the
withdrawal of the inserted contrivance, and in this way constitute a tell-tale that
the contents of the said letter-box has been the subject of a robbery or has been
tampered with.
In the letter box according to this invention the letters or papers as they lie in
the bottom of the box are separated from the entrance slot by the projecting
platforms, as aforesaid, which constitute divisional boards or sheds between each

page_text: others mouths, the shoots made by them, in combination, setting up a compli
cated circuitous course which a letter or paper would have to travel before it
would be possible to extract it through the entrance slot.
A hinged flap or door is provided on one of the sides of the box for withdraw-
ing the letters in the ordinary way by the use of a key.
The letter box according to this invention may be made of cast iron, or wood,
or part wood and metal, in which latter case the prongs or teeth on the platforms
would be formed by a suitable metal strip.
Dated this 4th day of August 1898
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham.
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Letter-Doxes and similar Receptacles.
We, ANSELM ROHRER and WALTER HENRY SMITII, both of 95, Hall Street,
Dudley, in the County of Worcester, Watchmakers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
papers
This invention relates to letter boxes and similar receptacles, and consists in
certain improvements in their construction which have for their object to prevent
the surreptitious extraction (by way of the entrance slot) of letters or other
which may have been placed therein. Several contrivances are used by persons
robbing letter-boxes by which the letters or other papers contained therein can
be lifted from the bottom of the box to the entrance slot so that they may be
laid hold of by the hand, and in several cases very valuable documents have been
extracted in this way. To prevent the abstraction of letters when once placed in the
box is the object of this invention, and the same is accomplished by constructing
the box in the following manner: The interior of the letter box, commencing
from the entrance slot or opening and extending downwardly constructed with
a number of inclined planes or overlapping projecting platforms which are so
set across the centre of the box, first from the one side of the interior and then
from the other, that they form a number of guides for the letters in order that
they shall take a circuitous or irregular course in falling to the bottom of the
the box.
The edge of each inclined overlapping part or plane is set up for the whole of its
length with a number of curved prongs, teeth, or serrations, which may be either
attached to the said platforms or be formed therewith in one piece. These prongs
or teeth are for the purpose of fastening themselves into and detaching any letter or
paper which may become attached to any contrivance for being lifted to the en-
trance or mouth of the letter box, but they also in a great measure prevent the
withdrawal of the inserted contrivance, and in this way constitute a tell-tale that
the contents of the said letter-box have been the subject of an attempted robbery,
or have been tampered with.
In the letter box according to this invention the letters or papers as they lie
in the bottom of the box are separated from the entrance slot by the overlapping
projecting platforms, as aforesaid, which constitute divisional boards or sheds be-
tween each others' mouths, the shoots made by them, in combination, setting up

page_text: a complicated circuitous course which a letter or paper would have to trave! he-
fore it would be possible to extract it through the entrance slot.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig 1 is a perspective view (part in
section) of the interior of a letter box according to our invention, depicting a
futile attempt to abstract a letter therefrom by means of a piece of string let
down through the entrance slot of the letter box, to which piece of string a weight,
covered with adhesive material, such as bird lime, is attached. It will be seen
from this view that not only is it impossible to abstract the letter from the box,
but also that it is impossible to withdraw the attached weight therefrom-thus
giving evidence of an attempted theft. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the letter
box, Fig. 3 a vertical section of Fig. 2 taken on the dotted line AB and Fig. 4
an horizontal section of the letter box showing the overlapping of the projecting
inclined planes or strips.
The letter box a is built up in the ordinary manner and provided with an en-
trance slot a², and a door provided with a lock for taking out the deposited
letters. Projecting from the interior front side a of the letter box, and below
its entrance slot a³, is an inclined plane or shoots of the same breadth as the
side of the box from which it projects. This inclined plane or shoot s is made
of wood or metal according to the size of the box and its particular requirements,
and is attached to the side of the box by any well-known means. Its other and
outer end is bent outwardly and downwardly at 3 and fashioned with teeth or
serrations ; the said teeth or serrations being either formed in one with the
inclined plane or attached in any suitable manner thereto. These projecting in-
clined planes or shoots are alternately arranged on the interior of the front and
back sides of the letter box (two being shown in the drawings) in such a manner
that the lower one always overlaps the higher one; (a space being left between
same for a letter to fall through) the number of inclined planes used depending
upon the size of the letter box, although two would be sufficient to meet ordinary
cases.
These projecting planes or shoots are inclined at an angle of about 60°, so that a
letter pushed through the entrance slot slides down the first plane or shoot and
strikes in its fall each succeeding shoot (thus entailing a circuitous descent) until
it reaches the bottom of the box. By means of this circuitous descent (entailed
by the overlapping inclined projecting planes or shoots) a letter, when posted,
cannot by any means be abstracted through the entrance slot of the letter box,
either by twisting the hand through the said entrance slot, or letting down
through the same a weight covered with some adhesive material. Further, by
means of the toothed portions of the inclined projecting planes, it is impossible,
in the latter case, to pull up the weight again, so that a would-be theft can be
detected when the letter box is opened by the rightful person.
In public postal letter boxes the letter box would conform to the regulation
shape and would be made preferably in metal throughout.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
First. In private and public letter boxes or pillars, alternately constructing
the interior walls of same with downwardly inclining projecting planes or shoots
having teeth or serrations on their lower ends, spaced at certain distances apart,
and overlapping each other, for the purpose described and set forth.
Second. In private and public letter boxes or pillars, the use of overlapping
downwardly inclining planes or shoots, spaced at certain distances apart, and pro-
vided with teeth or serrations or their equivalents on their lower ends, substanti-
ally as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Third. In combination with the inner front and back sides of a letter box,
pillar, or the like, projecting and downwardly inclining planes or shoots alter-
nately fixed on or made in one with the same, and provided with serrations s' on

page_text: their lower ends, the lower one overlapping its preceding one, substantially as
and for the purpose described and set forth.
Deted this 26th day of April 1899
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham.
Also of Liverpool, London and Manchester.
Patent Agents for the Applicants.