An Improvement in Letter Boxes, rendering them Thief-proof.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Letter Boxes, rendering them Thief-proof.
THOMAS JAMES RANDOLPH CLARKSON, 200, Lichfield Road, Aston, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwickshire, Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
1
In the interior of the letterbox is a partition moveable at one end, loosely fixed
at the other, dividing the box into two spaces or compartments-an upper &&
lower this partition is so arranged that when the small door (or slide or other
structure that is usually found closing the opening of the letters) is opened for
any purpose it-the partition is put into a position whereby it cuts off the lower
compartment from the upper: but the moment the opening for the letters is
closed, the partition falls at one end & allows the letters to fall to the bottom of
the box. The hole to receive the letters cannot be opened without putting the
dividing partition across the box & closing the lower compartment. Of course
when the dividing partition is fully opened there are not two compartments in
the box.
.
An Improvement in Letter Boxes, rendering them Thief-proof.
THOMAS JAMES RANDOLPH CLARKSON, 200, Lichfield Road,, Aston, Birmingham,
Warwick, Surgeon, 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;
In the interior of the letter box is a partition free at one end, loosely fixed at
the other dividing the box into two spaces or compartments, an upper and a lower.
This partition is so constructed that when the small door or slide or other con-
struction that is usually found closing the opening for the letters is open to receive
the letter, it is put in position to out off the lower compartment of the box
from the upper, but when the opening for the insertion of the letter is closed,
the partition falls at one end and allows the letters to fall into the lower com-
partment of the box. The hole for the letters cannot be opened without putting
the dividing partition across the box and closing the lower compartment.
For the purpose of illustration, I will now refer to the annexed drawings in
which:-
._
Figure 1, is a sectional side elevation showing my invention. The box & con-
tains the flaps a & b pivotally carried therein. These two flaps are connected

page_text: together by means of the lever e pivotally attached at e thereto, being so arranged
that upon the opening of the flap a which would take place upon the insertion of
a letter, through the aperture f in the door or other suitable position, the flap b
will be raised into the position shown by the dotted lines, and so divide the box
or casing d into two compartments for the purpose of preventing the extraction
of a letter or other article from the lower compartment. The box d is so arranged
that the flap a normally covers the opening of the aperture f. When a letter
is inserted through the aperture f in the door or other suitable position, the flap a
by its movement upon the insertion of the letter will raise the flap through
the medium of the lever e aforesaid, so as to divide the box or casing d into two
compartments for the purpose of preventing as far as possible the surreptitious
removal of letters therefrom, as when a letter is inserted, it will fall upon the
flap bin its raised or closing position, and upon the flap a being allowed to return
to its initial or closing position, the flap b will fall and allow the letter to pass
towards the lower part or compartment of the case or box d. The dimension of
the case or box d is sufficient to contain the required number of letters below
the flap b.
Although I have described my invention applied to a letter box, it will be
readily understood that there are other similar uses to which it might be put in
which it is desirable to divide a box or receptacle into two compartments, for
the purpose of, so far as possible, preventing the unauthorised or surreptitious
abstraction of the contents. It will be readily seen that the relative rates of move-
ment of the two flaps will depend upon the positions at which the connecting
lever is attached thereto and this relative position of the flaps is so arranged
as to ensure the closing of the flap 6 while a letter or the like is being inserted
through the aperture f.
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In letter boxes or cases, the combined construction and arrangement of the
various parts substantially as described and illustrated herein and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In letter boxes or cases a dividing flap pivotally carried in said box or case
and operated through the medium of a suitable connection or lever said connection
or lever being attached to the pivoted flap or hinge employed for closing the aper-
ture through which the letter is inserted and being so arranged and adapted as
to bring the other flap into position in the interior of the box or case so as to
divide same into two compartments, the object being to prevent the unauthorised
or surreptitious removal of letters or the like from the box or casing substan-
tially as described and illustrated herein and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1899.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.