US2420699A - Mailbox - Google Patents

Description

May 20, 1947.

x. cox

MAIL BOX Filed June 22, 1945 Tatented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAILBOX Ivan Cox, Paoli, Ind. Application June 22, 1945, Serial No. 600,923

The present invention relatesto mail boxes of the type commonly used outdoors on rural delivery routes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide simpler and more compact construction than that in prior devices of this type.

Another object is toprovide a mail box which 'will afiord complete protection for the mail matter in bad weather and also may be readily opened and closed, and when opened the box will be caused to rise and move in the direction of the deliverymans vehicle with the door simultaneously moving into open position to permit mail to be easily placed in or removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple closure of the drop type which may be operated by a handle on the side to open and close the box.

Withthe foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mail box with a portion of its side broken away and showing the operation of the device in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view v of a portion of one side of the mail box, showin the attachment for the rear, fulcrumecl leverarms.

Similar numerals designate the same parts of construction throughout the description and drawings.

l represents the body of the mail box which is constructed of suitable weather proof metal with atop rounded, as at 2, to prevent the accumulation of snow, ice and rain water. A bottom 3 is provided for the inside of the box. The box is closed at its rear and provided with a hinged, drop-door 4 at its front. This door is constructed with a flange 5 around the sides and top which is adapted to enclose the opening at the front of the box and effectually exclude rain, moisture and snow. The door is provided with a hinge 6 located on the outside at its bottom edge. One leaf of the hinge is attached to a horizontal platform I mounted on a post 8 or other suitable support while the other leaf is attached to the door. The leaf which is attached to the door is provided with a transverse shoulder 9 adapted to serve as a stop to limit the 1 Claim. (Cl. 23217) downward movement of the drop-door by contacting the lower leaf of the hinge. This shoulder 9 also serves to shield the hinge-joint from snow and ice.

The door 4 is attached to the body I by means of a transversely-disposed plate l0 provided with integral arms H, H projecting at right angles therefrom. The plate l0 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the inside face of the door adjacent to its bottom edge and the ends of the arms are pivotally attached to the opposite inner walls of the box near the bottom at a point approximately one-third of the length from front to rear. Plates it are attached to the opposite sides I3 of platform I at a suitable distance from its front end and pivotall secured to each of said plates is an elongated, upwardly-disposed rocker arm [4, located outside the box and pivotally secured at its upper end between two integral, parallel ears I?) which are secured on the outside of the box and project downwardly. The box is provided at one sideand near the front with a handle 16, by means of which the box may be readily opened and closed.

In operation, a forward pull on the handle 16 will lift the box from the platform and at the same time cause it to move forward. While this is occurring the door will open and move downward to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The forward movement of the body is facilitated by the action of lever arms H and I4, fulcrumed as they are at their lower ends on the platform I. The two ears l5, which are joined at their tops, serve as housings for the pivotal joints of the upper ends of the rocker arms 14, thus protecting these joints from snow and ice.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mail box and support therefor, said box comprising a body wholly enclosed except for an opening in the front end thereof, a door in association with said opening, ears on the sides of said box near the top thereof, rocker arms each having one end pivotally secured to each of said ears, the other end of each rocker arm being pivotally secured to said support on opposite sides thereof, said door being pivotally mounted on said support, arms extending from the base of said door interiorly of said body, pivotal connections between the extremities of said lastmentioned arms and the sides of said body adjacent the base thereof at a point forwardly of the pivot point of said rocker arms on said sup port, whereby upon forward movement of said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number -UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Crafts May 13, 1902 Halling Dec. 29, 1914 Schneider Oct. 12, 1926 Choate Sept. 20, 1927 Cook Feb. 17, 1931 Steen July 21, 1931

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