US988281A - Device for delivering mail and the like to the upper floors of buildings. - Google Patents

Description

R. OEHMEN. A 'DEVICE FOB DELIVER-ING MAIL AND THE LIKE T0 THE UPPER FLOORS 0F BUILDINGS. APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 14, 1909. RENBWED Novib-,1910.

988,28 1 Patented Mar. 28, 191.1.

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R. QEHMEN. DEVICE POR DBLIVERING MAIL AND TEE LIKE T0 THE UPPER FLOORS 0F BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1909. RENBWBD 11017.25, 1910. 988,281 Patented Mar.\28,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATEN OFICE.

RUDOLF OEI-IMEN, OF MNSTER, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING MAIL AND THE LIKE TAO THE UPPER FLOORS OF BUILDINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application iled J'uly 14, 1909, Serial No. 507,574. Renewed November 25, 1910. Serial No. 594,214.

To all whom Lt may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF OEHMEN, a subject of the German Emperor, and resident of Hammer-strasse 148, Mnster i. IV., Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Delivering Mail and the Like to the Upper Floors of a Building, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device on closed houses for receiving and transporting victuals, letters etc., which makes it unnecessary that the respective messenger, postman, errand boy, and so on, enter the house, and by which the victuals, letters, and so on, are held in safe keeping.

The device consists in the main in a receptacle for receiving victuals, letters, and so on, which is accessible from the outside of the house and can be emptied in the inside of the house. In the case of houses of several stories it is preferable to so arrange the device that the receptacle can be drawn up to the respective stories.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several forms of constructions of my invention.

Figure 1 shows in a section the whole arrangement on a house of several stories. Fig. 2 shows the arrangement on an enlarged scale in a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line I-I of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 a horizontal section on the line II-II of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 a vertical section on the line III-III of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows in a side-view, and partly in vertical section, a modified form of construction of the device for drawing up the receptacle. Fig. 7 shows likewise in a vertical section the whole arrangement, in which however the receptacle is arranged on the outside of the wall of the house.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1-5 there is arranged in the wall 1 forming the side wall of the entrance-hall, on the outside of the door 6 of the house, a casing 2. In this casing there are arranged a number of boxes 3 sliding in guides 4 and corresponding with the number of tenants of the house. Each one of these boxes 3 has in the upper part a receptacle for letters and the like, while the lower part of each box 3 is suited for receiving victuals (breakfast, milk etc.). The part serving to receive letters is preferably made of wire-netting and the borders lined with metal-rails. In its normal position the receptacle for letters and so on is in front of a number of slots corresponding with the number of boxes, through which slot the letters etc. are thrown in (Figs. 1 and 3), while the part for receiving victuals is in front of a door 7 in the wall of the house. By this door the receptacles are accessible and through the same the breakfast and so on is put into the boxes by the messengers. Of course for every box a separate door may be provided.

On the upper side of each box 3 is provided a loop 8 by which the box 3 is fastened to a cord 9, or the like, which is fastened to a cord-pulley 10 arranged at a suitable height in the casing 2. For each box 3 there is, of course, arranged in the respec tive story a similar cord-pulley 10. The

loop 8 is fastened to each of the boxes 3 in a v manner that the cord 9, when the box is in its normal position, does not hang down vertically, but so that the same is at its lower end nearer to the front wall of the casing 2 than at its upper end where it leaves the pulley 10. By this arrangement the box 3 is, on being drawn up, pressed against the hind wall of the guiding-casing 2, whereby there is attained a reliable guiding of the box. Each one of the receptacles 3 rests in its normal position on a supporting-plate 11 fastened on a turnable axle 12.

The supporting-plate 11 forms a two armed lever, to one arm of which is fastened a pin 13 projecting on the outside of the house through the wall 1, by which pin the plate 11 can be moved. By a spiral spring 14 fastened on the axle 12 the supportingplate 11 is ordinarily retained in its position.

If now any object has been placed or thrown by the messenger into the box 3, the messenger presses the operating pin 13 inward, by which the supporting-plate 11 is drawn back from below the box 3. Hereby the box 3 sinks by its own weight to the extent shown in Figs. 2 and 3 down upon the bottom of the casing 2. By this movement of the box a signaling-device is operated in the respective story and indicates that a letter or the like has been thrown into the box.

The signaling-device is actuated in the following manner: On the axle 15 of the cord-pulley 10 is fastened a smaller cordpulley 16; the cord 17 connected to the same is guided over a pulley 18 in the respective story, which is fastened t-o a lever 19 pivotally ournaled on the wall. The end of the cord 17 is fastened on the pivot 2O of the lever 19 in a suitable manner. To the pulley 18 is moreover connected a cord 21 -which Works a bell Q2 or some other signaling-device. 1f now the box 3 sinks in consequence ot the supporting-plate 11 being drawn away from under it, the double pulley 10, 16 is rotated and hereby the lever 19 is moved into the position indicated in Fig. by dott-cd lines. ln this Way the bell 22 is caused to ring by means of the cord 21. 1n order to draw the box up, the cord 17 is Wound ol from the pulley 16 until the box 3 is in front of the opening 23 in the Wall, which is closed by a door 24 (F ig. 1). Through a door 25 in the back-Wall oit the box 3 'the box can then be emptied.

instead of drawing up the box by hand there might, of course, be provided an automatic drawing-device. Such a device is illustrated in Fig. 6. The oord 17 runs over a guide-pulley 2G and carries at its end a correspondingly heavy Weight Q7.

rhe cord 17 is fitted With a knob 2S by means ot' which the Weight 27 can be suspended in a fork provided on the lower end oit a double-armed pivoted lever Q9 so thatl the stretch of the cord 17 between the knob 2S and the pulley QG, can be slackened. One end of the cord 21 is free and adapted to be clamped by suitable means to the horizontal stretch of the cord 17. A knob 30 is provided on the cord 21 which knob is adapted to engage a fork on the upper end et the lever 29. Vhen the box 3 sinks in consequence of the supporting plate 11 being Withdrawn from under the saine, the cord 21 is actuated, whereby the lever 29 is turned by the knob 30 about its pivot. This causes the fork on the lower end of the lever to release the knob 2S whereupon the Weight 27, having lost its support, descends and pulls up the box 3. The clamping device on the cord 21 must be adapted to slip oit the cord 17 when the Weight 27 descends. `When the box 3 has been moved down again it rests on the supporting-plate 11.

In the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 7 the receptacles 3 are with their guiding-eases 2 arranged on the outside Wall 11 of the house. The arrangement and the Working of the same differs however in other respects not from that described above.

lVhat 1 claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the kind described, in combination a number of receptacles for victuals, letters, etc., accessible from the out side of the house and corresponding in number to the number of tenants, a supporting device for each one ot the said receptacles for securing the latter in their. normal position, means for moving' the said supportingdevices out of their position, a signaling device adapted to be actuated by the releasing of the said supporting-devices, and means for drawing up each one of the said receptacles into the respect-ive story, substantially as set forth.

1n testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 28th day of l une 1909, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RUDOLF @El-IME` [Ls] Wltnesses OTTO KNIG, KARL MLLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of aten'ts, Washington, D. C.

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