US1227934A - Mail chute and receptacle. - Google Patents

Description

R. C. RIEGG.

MAIL CHUTE AND RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14| 1916.

LQQLQSQ. Pmnfed May 29, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET R. C. RIEGG.

MAIL cHuE AND RECEPTACLE APPLICATION FILED AUG I4 1916 Patented May 29, 1917 l 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 9 3.1%. I5 7 H /y Syvum/woz @06M @lieg/g me Nosms Pzrsns co.. Nam-urna. wAsnmcmN. 111':A

R. C. RIEGG.

MAIL CHUTE AND RECEPTACLE.

APPLxcATIoN HLED Aus. 14, me.

1,227,934., Patented May 29, 191?.

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@wi/maw Img @LO/5ml( Q ROBERT C. RIEGG, 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

MAIL CHUTE AND RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented May 29, 1917.

Application led August 14, 1916. Serial No. 114,873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. RIEGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Chutes and Receptacles; and I do declare the Jfollowing 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.

This invention relates to improvements in mail chutes and receptacles and has for its principal object to provide a simply constructed device of this character which can be very inexpensively manufactured, and yet which will be extremely eflicient in operation.

An additional object is to provide a mail chute and receptacle having improved construction of receiving mechanism in the receptacle.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section taken on the plane of the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of my improved mailing device;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section on the plane of the line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail vertical sections taken respectively on the line 7 7 and 8 8 of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an improved mailing chute into which the letters are dropped, which communicates with the receptacle 2 into which the letters are deposited when being dropped into said chute. This mailing device in addition to the letter drop, has a chute and receptacle for papers and parcels which are designated by the numerals 3 and 4 respectively. The chute 3 has an opening 5 therein into which the parcels are dropped, said parcels falling into a suitable cage 6 disposed in the receptacle 4 and mounted upon rollers 7 by which the same may be readily removed therefrom through the door 8 at the rear. As shown in the accompanying drawings, the parcel chute 3 is disposed directly beneath the letter chute l, the bottom of the latter forming the top of the former, while the receptacle 2 is disposed to the rear of the chute 3 and the lower portion of the chute l. The wall between the chute 3 and the receptacle 2 is preferably hinged, as shown. In the present instance the letter chute l is divided into two parts A and B, the letters for'one locality being deposited in one part and those for another in the other part. The letters are deposited in one or the other compartments of the receptacle 2, depending upon the part of the chute into which they are dropped.

The chute 1 may be of any suitable size and shape and constructed of any desired material, and is provided with a pair or more of letter slots 9. Secured to the top of the chute and Vconnected with the slots 9 is a mouth piece 10, which is preferably covered by a closure 10', this mouthpiece extending a suitable distance above the top of the chute and being arranged at an angle thereto, as shown. The front of the mouth piece is preferably in the form of a transparent panel provided on its upper edge with a pair of finger notches ll'to facilitate the dropping of letters into the slots. Arranged in the upper portion ofthe chute and forming a continuation of the back of the mouth piece 10 is a letter guiding and conveying plate 12 which enables the guide to be formed integrally with the back plate of said mouth piece, as shown, and is disposed in substantially the same angle, its end, however, being slightly curved downwardly. The downwardly turned lower end terminates a suiiicient distance from the front side of the chute to readily permit the letters to pass freely between the plate and the chute.

Arranged in the lower portion of the chute and disposed transversel across the same in the opposite direction 4rom the plate 12 is a lower guiding and conveying -plate 13 which is formed on a suitable curve as shown, and has its rim set in the front wall of the chute to provide a Hush oint which will prevent any possibility of the letters catching on the upper edge of the plate. The lower end of this plate 13 is turned downwardly and extends through a discharge opening in the bottom of the chute 1 so that the letters may be discharged into the two parts of the receptacle 2. 1n order to keep the letters dropped in one side of the chute from those deposited in the other side, a vertical wall separates the compartment 1 substantially in its middle.

When the, device is used in the post office building the door 2 is preferably formed of glass or a translucent panel so that the quantity of mail may be readily seen, but when not used in these buildings or when used on the street, the hinged door 2 is preferably formed of metal. Also when used in hotels, oilice or other buildings, the upper portion 2 of the receptacle 2 will be eX- tended to mouthpiece 10. `When the device is 'to be used in buildings other than post offices, it is preferably disposed so that the rear of the same is in contact with the wall of the building, thus preventing the opening of the doors 2 and 8. 1n such a case the front wall of the compartments 3 and d are hinged so as to provide doors whereby access may be gained to the` interior of the device. The rear wall of the chute or compartment 3 is also hinged to form a door 3 so that the letters may be removed from the compartments 2. The door 3 is hinged at its bottom so that it will open outwardly and downwardly as shown. As hereinbefore mentioned, the receptacle 2 is divided into two compartments separated by a wall 15. As the letters are discharged from the chute they are deposited upon a false bottom or platform 16 in one or the other of the compartments of the receptacle 2, said platforms being so constructed that they will be gradually lowered as the weight of the letters increases. Since the construction of each of the platforms 16 and its operative mechanism is exactly alike, 1 will hereinafter describe but one.

The opposite walls of the compartment in which the platform moves are each provided with a vertical guide strip 17 disposed substantially in the center thereof, the platform or false bottom having its edges notched as shown at 18 to receive said strips. As shown in Fig. il, a pair of these guides arc used in each of the compartments of the receptacle 2. One edge of each strip 17 has rack teeth 19 formed therein while the other is'straight, said rack teeth being in mesh with the teeth on the gear wheels 2O which are carried by said platform 16.

rllhe platform 16 has a pair of brackets 21 depending from its under side adjacent the edges in which the notches 18 are formed, said brackets rotatably supporting a shaft 22 upon the opposite ends of which the gears 2O are secured. These brackets may be of any desired formation but are preferably constructed of L-shaped plates having attaching feet 23 by which the same are secured to the under surface of the platform. The bracket on one edgeof the platform is also provided with a spacing block 24 upon which is rotatably mounted a small gear wheel 25, whoseteeth also mesh with the rack teeth 19, said additional gear aiding the larger gears to hold the platform in horizontal position.

In addition to carrying the gears 2O and 25, one of the brackets 21 also rotatably supports a guide roller 26 whose'periphery normally engages the straight edge of one of the guide strips 17. A smaller guide roller 27 also contacts with the straight edge of this -strip and is rotatably mounted upon the spacing block 24, its axisbeing in the horizontal plane of the axis` of the small gear 25. This arrangement more effectively retains the platform 16 in its horizontal position and readily guidesy the same during its vertical movement. 1n place of the rollers 26 and 27 the other guide strip on the opposite side of the compartment of the' receptacle 2 has a balance block 28 carried by the platform 16 contacting therewith.

Disposed around the shaft 22 is ahelical spring 29 one of whose ends is secured to a collar 30 which isY keyed to the shaft and therefore rotates therewith. The opposite end of said spring, however, is' secured toy a collar 31 which is free to slide on said shaft and is held against rotation by a pin 32 which projects therefrom and contacts with the platform 16. Since one end of the spring is secured tothe shaft 22 and the opposite end` indirectly attached to thev platform 16, it will be seen that when the latter is depressed and caused to move downwardly on the guide strips 17, the gear wheels 20 will be rotated and thus revolve the shaft 22 and tighten the spring 29. As the spring tightens, the sliding collar 31 will be gradually moved toward the first collar 30. However, when the weight on the platform is released, the tension of the spring 29 will causethe gear wheels 20 to' be rotated in a direction to move the platform. upwardly into its original position.

1t will be seen that with a mailing device such, as heretofore described, the letters which are dropped into the chute 1 willV be deposited upon one of the platforms 16, and as the letters continue to accumulate thereon their weight will gradually force the same downwardly in order that more letters may be accommodated, and that when it becomes time for the removal of the letters in the receptacle, the door 2 is opened and the same removed from the platforms 16, which will then return to the top of the compartments of the receptacle 2 in position to receive additional letters. Such a device, it is obn vious, will greatly vfacilitate the collection of mail matter, particularly when the directions which are pasted above or below the mouth pieces l0 are followed, and the mail dropped in accordance therewith, the letters being all deposited in one position on the platforms 16, and the mail for one locality being on one platform and that for another on the other. Furthermore, because of the simple construction of the operating parts of the movable false bottom the same will not be likely to get out of order very easily and can be very inexpensively manufactured and repaired.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor, a pair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, and a spring tension device carried by the bottom, said bottom being movable downwardly against the tension of said device by the weight of articles placed thereon, the resistance of the device increasing as the weight increases, the tension of the device being exerted to automatically return said bottom to the top of the receptacle when the articles are removed.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor in the form of a platform, a pair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, a rack on the edge of one of said guides, a shaft carried by the bottom, a gear wheel on the shaft and meshing with said rack, and a spring carried by the platform and connected to said shaft, the platform being movable downwardly against the tension of said spring by the weight of articles placed thereon', the tension of the spring increasing as the weight increases, the tension of the spring being exerted automatically upon the removal of the articles to return said bottom to the top of the receptacle by the rotation of said gear wheel.

3. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor in the form of a platform, a pair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, a rack on one edge of each guide, spaced apart brackets secured to the under side of said platform, a shaft rotatably mounted in said brackets, gear wheels on the opposite ends of said shaft and in mesh with said racks, a roller carried by one of the brackets and contacting with the straight edge of one of said guides, and a spring carried by the platform and connected to said shaft, the platform being movable downwardly against the tension of said spring by the weight of articles placed thereon, the tension of the spring` increasing as the weight increases, the tension of the spring being exerted automatically to rotate said gear wheels to return the platform to the top of the receptacle when the weight is removed.

4. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor in the form of a platform,apair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, a rack on one edge of one of said guides, a shaft carried by the bottom, a gear wheel on the shaft and meshing with said rack, a spring carried by the platform and connected to said shaft', the platform being movable downwardly against the tension of said spring by the weight of articles placed thereon, the tension of the spring increasing as the weight increases, the tension of the spring being exerted automatically upon the removal of the weight to return said bottom to the top of the receptacle by the rotation of said gear wheel, and a pair of spaced apart wheels carried by said platform and disposed one on each side of one of said guides, said pair of wheels being disposed at a point spaced from said gear wheel whereby to maintain said platform in a horizontal position.

5. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor in the form of a platform, a pair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, brackets secured to the under side of said platform, a shaft rotatably mounted in said brackets, a connection between said shaft and one of said guides, a helical spring surrounding said shaft, a collar secured to the shaft, one end of said spring being attached to said collar, an additional collar rotatable on the shaft, and a pin eX- tending from the last mentioned collar and contacting with the bottom of the platform to prevent rotation thereof, the opposite end of the spring being secured to the last mentioned collar, the platform being movable downwardly on said guides against the tension' of said spring by the weight of articles placed thereon, said spring being wound more tightly as the weight on the platform increases, said platform being movable to the top of said receptacle upon the removal of the weight therefrom by the tension of the spring acting through said shaft upon the connection between said shaft and one of said guides.

6. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a false bottom therefor in the form of a platform, a pair of vertical guides on the opposite walls of said receptacle, said platform being movable downwardly on said guides when mail is placed thereon, a rack on one edge of each guide, brackets secured to the under side of said platform, a shaft mounted in said bracket, gear wheels on the opposite ends of said shaft and having their teeth meshing with the teeth of the racks, a roller rotatably carried by one of the brackets and contacting with the straight edge of one of said guides, a helical spring surrounding said shaft, a collar secured to` the shaft, one end of said spring being secured to said collar, an additional collar rotatable on the shaft, and a pin extending In testimony whereof I have hereunto set from the last mentioned collar and contactmy hand in presence of two subscribing wt- 10 ing with the bottom of the platform to prenesses.

Vent rotation thereof, the opposite end of ROBERT C RIEGG the spring beingsecured tov the last mentioned collar whereby the platform will be YWitnesses: returned to the top of the receptacle when JOHN WESTON, the mail is removed therefrom. E. A, BROWN.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for 've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

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