US475473A - sidman - Google Patents

Description

L t e e h S P t 6 e h S N A D I S D G 0 d 0 M 0 W HOUSE DOOR LETTER BOX.

Inr'enZZr Patented May 24,

(No Model.)

, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. D. SIDMAN. HOUSE DOOR'LETTER BOX.

Patented May 24, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. SIDMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HOUSE-DOOR LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,473, dated May 24, 1892.

Application filed June 2, 1891. Serial No. 394,883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. SIDMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Washingt-on, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved delivery letter-box for dwelling or other houses or places, and also to provide said box with a compartment to be used as a receiving-depository; and the invention consistsin the improvements herein described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 represents a piece of sheet metal cut the required shape to form the body of the box. Fig. 2 represents the lid for closing the openings for the insertion of matter into the box. Fig. 3 represents its hinged bottom. Fig. t represents a piece of sheet metal to be secured at the bottom of the back of the box and to which the hinged bottom is connected. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the box as it appears after the parts have been bent to shape and secured together. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the box provided with a receiving-compartment.

In carrying out my invention I take a single piece of sheet metal or other suitable material A and cut it so as to form a central oblong part a for the front of the box, the sections at a a a for its sides and back and the part a to constitute the top of the box. The piece A is bent on the dotted lines seen in Fig. 1 and the meeting edges of the parts soldered together to form the box, th us constructing the body of the box from a single piece. The sections a a are cut oblique, as shown at a a and a a so that the top will be inclined downwardly from the back to the front of the box and the bottom will be inclined downwardly from the frontto the back of the box, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. The top piece a is provided with an opening a for the insertion of letters, and a larger opening a for newspapers or other large packages.

Separate compartments for the letters and newspapers are formed by means of a partition B, hinged to adepending flange b, Fig. 6, on the top a The part b of the top piece is bent downwardly, as shown in said Fig. 6, to prevent access to the hinges of the partition B.

The lid C is of sheet metal and is of such size as to cover theopenings in the top of the box and is pivoted thereto between the openings a and a by means of the notches c c on the lid and notches c c on the top piece a To connect these parts the top a is first slit at 0 so that the notches c 0 may be made to engage the notches c c, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the slit then soldered together. The lid is counterbalanced by a weight 19 pivotally attached to its rear end, so that the slot for the letters may be opened by a slight pressure upon that end of the lid.

A piece D is secured to the bottom of the back a and is bent as shown in Fig. 6,with a part d extending upwardly and against the back a the part d serving to prevent the matter in the box from lodging in the angular recess at its bottom. Aslot d is made in the piece D, in which is pivoted the hinged bottom E. The hinged connection between these parts is effected in the same way as that between the lid 0 and the top of the box. The bottom is closed by any suitable lock.

Sight-holes F are provided in the front and partition of the box, the one in the front of the box being covered by a glass plate.

The box is secured in place by means of slots G, having the upper reduced portion g and the lower enlarged portion g'in the back of the box near its top to engage the supporting-bolts H H in the well-known manner, and screws J J, passing through holes I I in the back near the bottom of the box. It will be seen that by this way of fastening the box in place it cannot be removed without first opening its bottom.

In Fig. 7 the box is provided with a receiving-compartment K. An additional opening a is made in the top piece a and a partition B (shown in dotted lines in said figure) forms with the front of the box this compartment. A door L is provided in the front of the box through which the contents may be taken therefrom. This door is also provided with means for looking it. A device is attached to the door of the receiving-compartment to indicatethe presence orabsence of mail-matter. It consists of a circular pocket M and a disk N rotatable therein,the pocket being cut away to expose a part of the disk. When it is desired to indicate the presence or absence of matter in the-box, the-disk will be rotated to bring the proper word or sign on the disk in view.

It will be readily observed that the particular object of the invention is to provide an improved house letter-box, the construction herein described possessing the many qualities required for such letter-boxes, to wit: simplicity and cheapness, neatness in appearance, reasonable security against fire and theft, protectionagainst rain and the ingress of other objectionable matter, &C.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is-

1'. A letter-box having its body formed from a=single piece A of sheet metalor other'suitable material cutso as to form the central portion a for the frontof the box, two leaves at opposite sides of said portion a, each having sectiona for the sides of the box and-section a to-form its back, andthe top piece a provided with an opening or openings for the insertion of letters, &c., the whole being bent and secured together, substantiallyas shown and described.

2; A letter-box having its body formed from a single pieceA of sheet metal or other suitable material out so as-to form the central portion a for the front of the box, two leaves at opposite sides of said' portion a, each having section a to form the sides of 'the box andsec- :tion a to form its back, the section a having inclined edges 01/ and a andthe top piece a provided with an opening or openings for the insertion of letters, &c., the whole being bent and secured together, substantially as shown and described.

3. A letter-box comprising the piece A of sheet metal or other suitable material out so %as to form the central portion a, sections a a a a and the top piece a provided with the openings a a, and notches c c, thelid C, having notches c c, the piece D, having slot d, the bottom cover E, and the partition B, all constructed and combined substantially as shown and described.

4. In a letter-box, the plate A, of sheet metal or other suitable material, cut so as to form the central portiona, sections a a a a and the top piece a having openings a, (1 60 bent and seen red together to form the body of the box, partition B andpartition B to form withthc front of the box a closed receiving-compartment, and the door L for said compartment,

substantially as shown and described.

5. In a letter-box, the combination, with the topof the box a ,'having the openings at and a, of the hinged partition B, hinged near one of said openings, and the inwardly-projecting flange or strip b, arranged to prevent access shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two WltIlGSSGS.

GEORGE D. SIDMAN. Witnesses:

CLARENCE E. DAWSON, VM. H. DE LACY.

to the hinges of the partition, substantiallyas'

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