AN IMPROVED NAME PLATE, LETTER RECEIVER, AND BELL PULL FOR DOORS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Robinson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th May
1864.
I, SAMUEL ROBINSON, of 52, Great Brunswick Street, in the City of Dublin,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
NAME PLATE, LETTER RECEIVER, AND BELL PULL FOR DOORS," to be as follows:
This Invention relates to a novel attachment for street and other doors,
comprising a name plate, letter receiver, and bell pull in one and the same
attachment, combined with suitable mechanism so arranged that the same
signal will be given- on opening the plate or cover of the letter receiver as
will be obtained by pulling the bell handle. This attachment consists of a
plate of any form or size secured to the outside of the door with a horizontal
oblong aperture across the lower part having a cover with the word "letters"
on it, and hinged so as to open inwards. A projecting arm extends from the
back of this hinged cover, at the end of which arm a chain is attached passing
under a pulley carried by a plate on the inside of the door, so that when acted
on by pressure on the hinged cover it draws down a vertical bar, to which it
is connected, which bar is mounted on the plate fastened on the inside of the
door and kept in its position when not in action by a spring. This bar has
a hollow notch in it, which when at rest allows the projecting knob of the
striker of a bell or gong to stand out, but when the bar is drawn down by the
pushing inwards of the letter box cover, its straight part presses on the knob
and forces it inwards, thereby creating the alarm by striking a bell or gong.

page_text: This bar is guided by a flat staple secured to the inner plate, through which
staple it slides freely. The handle or bell pull is placed near the top of the
outer plate with the word "bell" over it, and is made to pull outwards, and
has a chain connected to it passing over a pulley on the top of the inside
plate, and attached to a bar acting in every way similar to the one described
for the letter plate, and guided by the same flat staple, but when bearing on
the alarm knob it is being pulled upwards, having also a spring to bring it
back to its resting position.
It is obvious that the apparatus for the receiver and pull may be modified,
and the knob of the striker be acted upon in a different manner and direction.
A portable name plate is formed by having a rebated space in the outer plate
above referred to, and inserting the name plate therein before being fixed on
the door, when the act of fixing the outer plate will also secure the name
plate. The bolts or screws on the other plate pass through corresponding
holes on the inside plate, and thereby determine the correct position of the
two plates and machinery. This attachment can be adapted to any thickness
of door, and if desired the number may be fixed in skeleton figures, resting on
the top end of the outer plate, and attached to the door by screws or bolts, or
it may be engraved or figured on the plate itself, or on a small separate plate,
and fixed over. or under the large plate. It is also proposed to use this
attachment in. connection with an electric apparatus, so that the only force.
requisite will be such as will be sufficient to make and break contact with
the conducting wires when the letter plate is opened or the handle pulled;
the electric current then established being made to give the alarm in any well
known manner.