US1314878A - Albert lewinson - Google Patents

Description

A. LEWINSON.

SELF LOCKING CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED APII. 24. I9I9.

1 ,3 1 4:, 87 8 Patented Sept'. 2, 1919.

Ism

MS wm" w@ 'rlm coLuMBIA PLANQGRAPII C04. wAsIIINoTnN, n. c.

UNXT

.ALBERT LEWINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application led April 24, 1919. Serial No. 292,389.

To all/whom t may concern:

IBe it known that I, ALBERT LEwINsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Locking Containers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to afford simple, inexpensive but eectivemeans whereby packages of various kinds may be safely delivered at residences and elsewhere without disturbing, or during the absence of, residents or occupants. While applicable for the safe-guarding of .delivered goods and merchandise generally, mydevice is especially adapted for the reception and retention of milk, groceries, and even mail matter, at houses, apartments, stores, etc.,- in fact anywhere where it is necessary or desirable to leave packages to be subsequently acquired by the owners or purchasers.

The invention consists essentially in utilizing the weight of a package deposited 1n the container or receiver to automatically shut and lock the door to the inlet or deposit aperture, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed specifically. An incidental feature also involves the closure of the back or delivery aperture of the container by` means of a door, or window, adjacent to the container.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1,is a'front view of my self locking container applied to and supported upon the frame of a door;

Fig. 2, is a vertical section thereof taken upon plane of line ca -m, Fig. l; showing the parts in normalposition;

Fig. 3, is a like section showing the inlet door opened for the insertion of a package;

Fig. 4, is a like section showing the inlet door closed and locked by the weight of a package;

Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of the container taken upon plane of line y-fy, Fig. 2.

The container C, is a box-like receptacle which is secured to and supported upon the frame F, of a door or window, in such position and relation to the same that when the door or window is shut it will close the rear or delivery aperture 0, of said compartment C. In the accompanying drawings the container is shown as screwed to the frame F, of a door D, although any rear closure may be substituted therefor as may be found most expedient in adapting the device to the varying conditions and requirements of use.

The front inlet vor deposit aperture 0, of the compartment C, is closed normally by a door b, hinged to a sill c2, spring hmges h, it, beingpreferably used for, the pur ose which tend constantly to maintain the oor in such normal position, while allowing it to be opened my means of the handle b', unless locked as hereafter described.

The inlet door b, is formed with a rear extension b2, below the sill c2, and line of the hinges h, h, said `extension b2 being inside of and reaching nearly to the bottom of the compartment C, and having pivotally connected to it a shelf or false bottom b3, as indicated at b, or any other suitable articulatory connection between the false bottom b3, and the inlet door extension b2, may be Vresorted to with like result.

When the inlet door b, is closed this shelf or false bottom b3, rests against a spring s, attached to the bottom c, of the container C, and in the absence of any excess of pressure exerted by the false bottom b3, against the resistance of the spring s, the latter sustains the said false bottom b3, in such position that its rear edge b", is clear of, and out of contact with, the lower rear wall o, of the container C, as shown in Fie'. 2, so that the inlet door b, may be opened, as in Fig. 3, for the insertion of a package. When the door b, is thus opened the' false bottom b, rests against a stop b", attached to the extension bef-said stop b, being so positioned that when the `inlet door b, is closed as in Figs. 2 and 4, it is clear of the false bottom b3, leaving the latter free to adapt itself to the action of the spring s.

The presence of a weight W, on the false bottom b3, sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring s, forces the rear edge b", of the said false bottom b3, into contact with the lower rear wall c4, of the compartment C, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that the inlet door b, cannot then be opened, because a pull upon the handle b', will only press said rear edge b", of the false bottom with still greater force against the rear wall c, of the compartment C. Hence the inlet door b, cannot be re-opened until the wei ht W, is removed through the' rear or elivery aperture c, of the container; and if said delivery aperture c, is closed by a door D, or equivalent means it is obvious that the Vweight W, 4) which represents symbolically any package to be delivered, cannot be removed until such door lor 'other closure is withdrawn from the rear of the container C. When however thefweightcW, is lifted fromV the false 'bottomV b3, the

spring L ,`immediately rreasserts itself'and rePV turns the false bottom b?, to the normal position shown in Fig.72, therebyallowing the inlet door b, to be again swung open when desired,VV as hereinbefole Set forth.

VI have herein shown the use Aof a ,flat

i spring s, onathe bottom of the container C,

for supporting the false bottom b3, in normal position :with Vits rearedge b", out of contactiwith the rear wallof the container, althoughVV any otherV form of spring may be r substituted that will performY a like func- 'Y may .be noted inthis :connection that the A 'false lbottom b9', articularly connected 'to theV tion, so thatjI do not limit myself fin this respect, the vessential feature being means thatlwill'eect the releaseof the false 1botl tom when vthe weight W, fis removed. `It

extension b2,`orf the inlet door b, acts substantially as a lpawl provided with an autoV Vmatic springl release, and that the door b,

and itsV extensionv b2, act asa leverof the first order in hrelation to the false bottom.

Furthermoregthe locking'as well as the re-V lease is effected automatically,-the locking by thel simple insertion ofthe package 1 W, and the Vrelease bythe removal thereof.

The device isinexpensive, `simple 'both in constructionjand operation, and the operativepartsfew and fullyinclosed and l.pro-V tected by the container.

v VWhat I claim as'my invention and desire.V to secure by Letters Patent is,

' 1. Aself-locking containerfof the character designated, comprising a' compartment havinganinlet aperture and a delivery aper-VV sion Vandjadafpted when weighted to contact the closure is open.

ture,la hinged closure, for the inlet aperture,- formed withjan offset? eXtension beyond its hinge, `within the compartment, a false bottom articu'larly connected with said eXtenwith the inner wall of said containerto pre#- vent .opening -of said closure, said false zbottombeing-ofa length substantially equal to the distance between said hingeand'the Cinner face of said wall, and resilient means mounted on the floor of the compartment and acting onY the under face of said false .bottom for effecting release ofthe Yfalse bottom when the weight is removed therefrom.

2. A self-locking containeryof` the char-y acter designated, comprising` a compartment having an inlet aperture and a delivery. aperture, a hinged closure for theinlet Vaperture formed with an extension, beyondits hinge,

with-in the compartment, a false bottoni ar'- ticularlyconnected with said `eXtens'ion and adapted when Weighted to Contact with the inner Vwall of said container to prevent openof. a length Vsubstantially, equal tothe disf ingfof said closure, said false bottom being tance between :said hinge andtheV inner face ofV saidfwall, and a ystop on said' extension` against which the false bottomrests when 3. A self-locking container lof the'character designated, comprising aV compartment ticularlyfconnected with said extension and adaptedv when weighted to contact with the inner wall'of saidcont'ainer to prevent open-- ing of said' closure, said false bottom being` ofxa length substantially equal A'to the distance between said hinge and theY inner 4face of said wall, anda stop onfsaid extension against which the false'bottom rests when the closure isopen, Vsaid stop 'being posi! tioned vto :bef/ree from contactjwith said falseV bottom when the Said closure lis in Vitsl closed position.:

VV`Witne`sses e y. g

LEwis W l ALEXANDER, CHESTERl C. LAWRENQE.,

5 Copies of` thispatnt mayfbe obtained 'foi' i.ive cents each, by addressing `che Commissioner of Tatents,

' Washington,l iD. C.

Y ALBERT LiiwiNsoN;

Images