Improvements in Letter Boxes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter Boxes.
I, JAMES CARR, of Perambulator Works, Trafalgar Street, in the City of
Bradford, Perambulator Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in letter boxes and its object is to
provide simple and efficient means to prevent letters being surreptitiously with-
drawn at the opening by which they are dropped into the box.
For this purpose I fix a cross piece or plate inside the letter box opposite
to the opening by which the letters are inserted. This cross piece is only a
sufficient distance from the opening to permit of free admission of the letters and
it extends a suitable distance down and is preferably slightly inclined from the top
towards the back of the box. A suitable distance below this cross piece an
inclined projection is provided inside the front of the box which preferably
projects further into the box than said cross piece and the lower inner edge
is formed with serrations consequently the cross piece prevents a weighted
string being lowered into the box clear of said serrations which latter are
provided to detach a letter or the like sticking to the weight or string when
raised.
The inclined serrated projection is preferably pivoted at the top inside the
letter box so that in case an attempt is made to lift anything out of the box it
catches the serrations and lifts the inclined projection until it meets the bottom
of the cross piece or other stop.
Dated this 29th day of September 1898.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Patent Agents, Bradford.
Improvements in Letter Boxes.
I, JAMES CARR, of Perambulator Works, Trafalgar Street, in the City of
Bradford, Perambulator Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in letter boxes, and its object is to
provide simple and efficient means to prevent letters being surreptitiously with-
drawn at the opening by which they are dropped into the box.
For this purpose I fix a cross piece or plate inside the letter box opposite

page_text: to the opening by which the letters are inserted. This cross piece is only a
sufficient distance from the opening to permit of free admission of the letters and
it extends a suitable distance down and is preferably inclined from the top
towards the back of the box. A suitable distance below this cross piece an
inclined projection is provided inside the front of the box which preferably
projects further into the box than the said cross piece, and the lower inner edge
is formed with serrations consequently the cross piece prevents a weighted
string be-lowered into the box clear of the said serrations, which latter are
provided to detach a letter or the like sticking to the weight or string when
raised.
The inclined serrated projection is preferably pivoted at the top inside the
letter box so that in case an attempt is made to lift anything out of the box it
catches the serrations and lifts the inclined projection until it meets the bottom
of the cross piece or other stop.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification,
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures.
Figure 1, is a front elevation of the box.
Figure 2, is a sectional side view of same.
Figure 3, is a cross section on the broken line a, b, Figure 1, and
Figure 4, is a cross section on the broken line y, z, Figure 2..
The box 2, may be of any ordinary construction and in front of the aperture 3,
by which the letters are passed into the box the inclined cross piece 4 is fixed
and extends from the side 5 to the side 6 of the box. Below the aperture 3 the
projecting piece 7 is hinged by the hinges 8 to the sides 5 and 6 of the box and is
supported in front by the stop piece 9 on each side. A strip of sheet metal 10
having serrations 11 in its front edge is fixed along the bottom of the piece 7.
It will be readily understood that by the above described simple additions the
security of the contents of the box is greatly improved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The combination with a letter box of a cross piece 4 and a projecting piece 7
arranged as herein shown and described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 27th day of June 1899.