IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND NAME PLATES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH LETTER BOXES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ellis Lever, of Haughton, near Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Brattice Cloth Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND NAME PLATES TO BE USED IN
CONNECTION WITH LETTER BOXES."
Scaled the 4th October 1870, and dated the 6th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ellis Lever at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1870.
I, ELLIS LEVER, of Haughton, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Brattice Cloth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND NAME PLATES TO BE
USED IN CONNECTION WITH LETTER BOXES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the letter boxes connected to the doors of
dwelling houses, offices, warehouses, or other buildings, and consists in
connecting to them improved apparatus and contrivances for giving a
signal when the flap of the letter box is opened and for enabling the
name of the proprietor or other required person to be seen at the sam·

page_text: time. To the outer frame to which the flap is hinged I fix a bracket
carrying a bell or gong and also a stud or spindle on which is placed a
hammer which is moved in one direction by a lever acted upon by the
flap when the box is opened, and in the reverse direction by a spring or
weight. The flap when partially turned acts on the arm or lever and
pulls back the hammer, but when further turned it is released from the
arm or lever and the spring causes the bammer to strike the bell or
gong and give the signal or indication that the box has been opened.
Or instead of the bell or gong being attached to the outer frame it may
be in any part of the house or building and acted upon by the flap,
as above described. To the inside of the flap I hinge a plate having
engraved in it or placed on it the name of the proprietor or other required
person, which name is exposed when the flap is turned to open the box,
and thus the postman or person who delivers the letters can ascertain
whether his delivery is correct..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ellis Lever in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELLIS
LEVER, of Haughton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Brattice Cloth Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ellis Lever, Her special license
that I, the said Ellis Lever, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Ellis Lever, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND
NAME PLATES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH LETTER BOXES," upon the con-
dition, amongst others, that I, the said Ellis Lever, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my hand and scal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ellis Lever, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the letter boxes connected to the doors of
dwelling houses, offices, warehouses, or other buildings, and consists in
connecting to them improved apparatus and contrivances for giving a
signal when the flap of the letter box is opened, and for enabling the
name of the proprietor or other required person to be seen at the same
time.
The manner in which this Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by the following particular description thereof, reference being
had to the figures and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 a transverse section shewing
the application to a letter box of one arrangement of my improvements,
and Fig. 3 is a transverse section, and Fig. 4 a front view of part of the
same.
a represents the outer frame or case of the letter box; b, part of the
door or gate to which it is fastened; and c, the hinged flap at the
opening of the box. To the outer frame or case a I fix a bracket d
carrying a gong or bell e, and also a stud or spindle, on which is placed
a hammer g, which is moved in one direction by the lever h, and in the
reverse direction by a weight or by a spring k. The flap c when slightly
turned acts at its end on the lever and pulls back the hammer g, but
when the flap is still further turned its end 7 passes out of contact with
the lever h, and the spring causes the hammer g to strike the gong or
belle and thereby give a signal that the box has been opened. To the
inside of the flap I hinge a plate m having engraved in it or placed on
it the name of the proprietor or other required person, which name is
exposed when the flap is turned to open the box, as shewn in Figs. 3
and 1, and thus the postman or person who delivers the letters can
ascertain whether he is correct or not before he passes the letter into the
box.

page_text: Instead of the bell or gong being attached to the outer frame it may
be placed in any part of the house or building and struck by a hammer
worked by the movement of the flap in connection with levers, wires, or
rods communicating with the hammer,
In the Figures I only shew a horizontal letter box with my improve-
ments connected to it, but it is evident that if the box is placed vertical
the signals can be given and the name exposed as efficiently as in the
arrangement before described.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be 1
understood that I claim, the improved signals and name plates applied to
letter boxes as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ellis Lever, have hereunto sot.
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our 1
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Signed, scaled, and delivered by tho
within-named Ellis Lever, in tho
presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ELLIS LEVER. (L.S.)