A Safety Receptacle or Apparatus for the Reception of Parcels, Letters, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Safety Receptacle or Apparatus for the Reception of Parcels,
Letters, and the like.
I, FREDERICK TAYLOR, of 11 and 13, Hooper Street, Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatus, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of a safety receptacle or
apparatus for facilitating at post offices and other places the reception and
collection of parcels, letters, or the like to be left or conveyed by post or otherwise
or retained in custody.
This apparatus consists principally of an outer and inner receptacle, arranged to
communicate with each other by means of suitable doors, that of the inner
receptacle being under the control of that of the outer receptacle, which permits
the deposit and reception of parcels or the like in such a manner that when the
door of the outer receptacle is opened the door of the inner receptacle remains
bolted or locked until the outer door is on the point of being closed completely
when it opens automatically and permits the parcel or the like deposited to drop
into and be received by the said inner receptacle where it is securely hidden from
the next depositor.
To accomplish this, by preference, I furnish the outer door inside near or at the
binge end with a cam or nose adapted to push back a rod or bar in contact with
another rod or bar employed upon the back of the door of the inner receptacle and
adapted to engage a strap or catch and thus securely lock the inner receptacle
door, a spring being adapted to, withdraw the latter rod or bar when it is desired to
open the respective door, which is effected by means of a rod, one end of which is
hinged to the inner receptacle door and the other end adapted to slide in a slotted
part formed on or fixed to the inner side of the outer receptacle door, a spring being
also employed to assist the closing of the said door.
The outer receptacle is formed with an inclined shelf upon which the parcel or
the like is deposited so as to cause it to slide against the inner receptacle door and
drop into the respective receptacle as soon as its door opens. The outer receptacle
door on its inner side is made with a rim or other projection forming a guard to
prevent access to the inner receptacle door on the point of the outer receptacle door
closing completely, the said rim or projection also serves to push the parcel or the
like into the inner receptacle. The outer receptacle is furnished with an ordinary
latch whilst the inner receptacle has another door furnished with a proper lock to
enable the person in charge of the receptacle to empty it of the parcels or the like
deposited.
In order to prevent theft of parcels or the like deposited I employ in connection
with the inner and outer receptacle doors a locking device so arranged that the
pressure which would be exerted upon the inner door in the attempt of abstracting
or withdrawing a parcel or the like, instantly disengages a spring bar or bolt which
enters a recess or recesses formed at or near the hinge end of one or both of the
doors and thereby locks one or both of them in position until the said spring bolt
or bar is withdrawn by the person in charge of the receptacle or apparatus.
By preference I form the said spring bar or bolt in two parts and under the
influence of a spring or springs which have the tendency of keeping the ends of the
said bar or bolt in contact with suitably shaped cam surfaces formed at or near

page_text: the hinge ends of the said doors and of forcing one or both ends into the recess or
recesses aforesaid.
To facilitate the leaving of parcels or the like after ordinary hours at stations or
other places, I employ in connection with the receptacles described a device which
against the insertion of a certain coin or coins automatically issues a numbered
duplicate ticket, one part of which is adapted to be fixed by the depositor upon the
parcel or the like and the other to be retained and produced on redeeming the
parcel or the like from the person in charge of the receptacle or apparatus.
For this purpose I may employ or modify any of the well known coin freed
apparatus.
To facilitate also the reception of letters I form at a suitable part of the said
apparatus, a chamber having a series of inclined shelves arranged in successive
order, the upper one being in connection with a letter slot and the lower one with
the parcel reception described or with a separate space from which they inay be
removed.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1894.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
A Safety Receptacle or Apparatus for the Reception of Parcels,
Letters, and the like.
I, FREDERICK TAYLOR, of 11 and 13, Hooper Street, Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatus, 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 has for its object the construction of a safety receptacle or
apparatus for facilitating at post offices and other places the reception and
collection of parcels, letters and the like to be left or conveyed by post or
otherwise, or retained in custody.
This apparatus consists principally of an outer and inner receptacle arranged to
communicate with each other by means of suitable doors that of the inner receptacle
being under the control of that of the outer receptacle which permits the deposit
and reception of parcels or the like, in such a manner that when the door of the
outer receptacle is opened the door of the inner receptacle remains bolted or locked
until the outer door is on the point of being closed completely when it opens
automatically and permits the parcel or the like deposited to drop into and be
received by the said inner receptacle where it is securely hidden from the next
depositor.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a sectional side view, Figs. 3 & 5 are sectional
plans at line A-B, and Figs. 4 & 6 at line C-D of Fig. 2 showing the doors in
different positions.
Fig. 7 is a back view of the inner door, and
Fig. 8 a modification of an apparatus constructed and operating in accordance
as hereinafter fully described.
a & b are respectively the outer and inner receptacles, c & d the respective
doors.
In carrying out my invention and referring to the figures generally I furnish the
outer door c inside near or at the hinge end with a cam or nose e adapted to push
i

page_text: back a rod or bar preferably employed at the side of the outer receptacle a and
having at its inner end an incline 7. At the back of the inner door d'is employed
another sliding rod or bar g having also an incline g' and under the influence of a
spring g2 adapted to engage a strap or catch h fixed to the inner receptacle and
thus retain its door d securely bolted or locked whilst the outer door c remains
open. The rod or bar is also under the influence of a spring f adapted to
withdraw and retain its outer end always in contact with the door cam or nose e.
The inner door d is opened by means of a rod i one end of which is hinged to it and
the other end adapted to slide in a slotted part k formed on or fixed to the inner
side of the outer receptacle door c and to abut against the outer end of the slotted
part k, see dotted lines Figs. 3 & 5, a spring c¹ being employed to assist the closing
of the door d.
When the outer door c is completely open there is a little play between the
inclines g', ', so that the rod or bar, will withdraw the rod or bar g, g' and
unlock the door d when the outer door c is on the point of being completely closed.
see Fig. 5, by the outer end of the rod i abuting against the outer end of the slotted
part k.
The outer receptacle a is formed with an inclined shelf furnished with idle
roller on which the parcel or the like is deposited which causes the latter to slide
against the inner receptacle door d and drop into the respective receptacle 6 as soon
as the door d opens. The outer receptacle door c on its inner side is made with a
rim or other projection m forming a guard to prevent access to the inner receptacle
door d on the point of the outer receptacle door c closing completely; the rim or
projection m also serves to push the parcel or the like into the inner receptacle b.
The outer receptacle a is furnished with an ordinary latch c¹ whilst the inner
receptacle has another door b₁ furnished with a proper lock b² to enable the
person in charge of the receptacle to empty it of the parcels or the like
deposited.
In order to prevent theft of parcels or the like deposited and to indicate when
the receptacle is full I employ in connection with the inner and outer receptacle
doors d & c a locking device so arranged that the pressure which would be exerted
upon the inner door d in the attempt of abstracting or withdrawing a parcel or the
like or when the receptacle is full instantly disengages a spring bar or bolt o which
enters a recess p or recesses formed at or near the hinge side of one or both of the
doors c, d, preferably at the outer door c only, see Figs. 2, 4 & 6, and thereby lock
both of them in position until the spring bolt or bar o is withdrawn by the person
in charge of the receptacle or apparatus.
The spring bar or bolt o I form in two parts and under the influence of a spring q
which has the tendency of keeping its ends in contact with suitably shaped cam
faces,, formed at or near the hinge sides of the doors d & c and of forcing the
end o into the recess p.
•
In order to prevent access to the recess p on the outer door c the same may be
hidden from view by forming the hinge side of the door c partly cylindrical and
hinging the same into a corresponding recess formed in the receptacle a, as shown
in Fig. 8, the dotted lines showing the door c completely open.
To facilitate the withdrawal of the outer bolt end o¹ from the recess p and thus.
release the door c 1 employ a rod's, see Fig. 3, the upper end of which is suitably
connected to the bolt part o' and the lower end, extending into the inner receptacle b,
can be pulled by the person in charge of the receptacle. The outer bolt part o
slides inside the inner part and is also under the influence of a spring t which in
tension is weaker than the spring 7 arranged between the inner and outer bolt
parts.
The whole of the locking mechanism described on the side of the outer
receptacle is securely enclosed out of sight so as to prevent the same being
tampered with.
To facilitate the leaving of parcels or the like after ordinary hours at stations or
other places I employ in connection with the receptacles described a device which

page_text: against the insertion of a certain coin or coins automatically issues a numbered
duplicate ticket, one part of which is adapted to be fixed by the depositor upon
the
parcel or the like and the other to be retained and produced on redeeming the
parcel or the like from the person in charge of the receptacle or apparatus.
For this purpose I may employ or modify any of the well known coin freed
apparatus.
To facilitate also the reception of letters I may form at a suitable part of the
said apparatus a chamber having a series of inclined shelves arranged in successive
order the upper one being in connection with a letter slot and the lower one with
the parcel receptacle described or with a separate space from which they may be
removed as will be readily understood.
In the inner receptacle b I may employ an apron inclined towards the front
and suspended by means of india rubber bands 6 or springs, which apron is adapted
to catch and cushion the fall of the parcels or the like deposited and to convey the
same near to the door b¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim, is-
"In a receptacle or apparatus for the reception of parcels, letters, and
the like,"
1st. The combination of two receptacles a & b with doors c & d respectively, the
outer receptacle a serving for the deposit of the parcels and the like and the inner
one 6 for the safe custody thereof, the inner door d being opened by a sliding rod i
actuated by the outer door c, on the point of the latter being closed completely and
permit the parcels or the like deposited of entering the inner receptacle b, the
door d of which remains securely closed by a bolt or lock under the control of the
outer door c, whilst the latter is open, all substantially as set forth.
2nd. In an apparatus, as specified in the preceding claim, a shelf 7 inclining
towards the inner door d on which the parcels or the like are deposited all substan-
tially as set forth.
3rd. In an apparatus, as specified in Claim I, the employment of a rim or
projection m on the inner side of the outer door c, all substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
4th. In an apparatus, as specified in Claim I, the employment of a device
adapted to automatically lock the doors d & c in position the moment undue
pressure is exerted upon the inner door d, consisting of a two part spring bolt o,
one or both ends of which are adapted to engage a recess or recesses formed at the
hinge side of one or both the doors c & d respectively all substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of Januar 1905
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.