Untitled record

Application filed May 21,1890. Serial No. 352,678. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Charles A. Whelan, of Aspen, in the county of Pitkin and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful 5 Improvement in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and secure street letter-box for the reception of letters and mail-matter, which, io while permitting of the deposit of the letter or package, precludes the removal of the same except by a special door under the control of the mail-carrier.

It consists in the peculiar construction and 15 arrangement of an oscillating cylinder and a cut-off door operated by the oscillating cylinder for cutting off access to the bottom of the box when the cylinder is rotated to open the top of the box, as hereinafter fully de2o scribed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the extension of the box. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection with the cylindrical lid closed, and Fig. 3 is a similar view with the cylindrical 25 lid open.

In the drawings, G represents the case of the mail-box, which is preferably made of metal, with a semi-cylindrical upper end and a hinged and locked door M at the lower por30 tion of one of its ends, which door is for the use of the mail-carrier for the purpose of removing the contents of the box. One-half of the cylindrical top of the box is left open, and over and within this portion there 35 plays the cylindrical lid A. This cylinder is hung at its ends upon trunnions or pins F, about which it is oscillated, and about onethird of the periphery of this cylinder is omitted or cut away. The upper edge of this 4° cylinder is provided with a lip or flange I, which, when the cylinder is closed, rests upon the lower edge of the opening in the case and forms a water-shed. This flange also serves as a handle for raising and opening the cyl45 indrical lid. Inside the case and near the lower edge of the opening there is hung or pivoted at D a cut-off door K, which has at each end above its fulcrum a toe or projection C, which is arranged to be struck by a 50 cam B, fixed to the inner side of each end of the oscillating cylindrical lid A. Ordinarily when the lid of the box is closed these cams B rest just beneath the toe C of the cut-off door K, and the latter hangs down vertically, leaving the cylinder A in open communica- 55 tion with the bottom of the box. When, however, the lid is raised by lifting the flange I, the cams B strike the toes C of the cut-off door above its fulcrum and throw the cut-off door K upwardly, as shown by the arrow, so 60 as to enter the cylinder A and rest against its inner periphery, as shown in Fig. 3, thus effecting the double operation of opening the cylinder for the reception of mail-matter and closing communication with the lower por- 65 tion of the box, so that access cannot be had to the contents below. Then when the flange I is brought down again the cut-off door K drops out of the cylinder and allows the package deposited therein to fall to the bottom of 70 the box. Upon the outer periphery of the cylinder, near its top when closed, is a bead or flange H, which prevents rain and snow from driving over the top of the lid and inside the case. 75