US3547070A - Mailbox signal - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent lnventor Henry E. Schuh Clarence, N.Y. Appl. No. 744,169 Filed July 11, 1968 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 Assignee' Schuh Signals, lnc., Clarence, N .Y.

MAILBOX SIGNAL 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 116/114, 116/132: 232/35 Int. Cl G0ld 21/00 Field of Search l 16/ l 32, l 14; 232/35 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1 947 Hurban 10/1949 Young 9/1952 Lawson 8/1964 l-lolt Primary Examiner- Louis J. Capozi Attorney-Bean & Bean ABSTRACT: A signal attachment for a mailbox having a hinged door, comprising a signal plate attached to one end of a chain, the other end of which is attached to a mounting exterdangles in a conspicuous position below the box.

PATENTE D utc, 1 5 saw INVIZN TOR.

HENRY E. SCHUH 62am 4 ATTORNEYS MAILBOX SIGNAL BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved signal device for mailboxes; and more particularly to rural mailboxes such as are often located considerable distances from the residence. Under such conditions, the home occupant often fails to observe the mailcarrier when making his rounds As a result, it is desirable to provide a signal device which may readily be attached to a conventional mailbox and set" by the householder in an inconspicuous place, but .which automatically moves into a position to be readily visible from the residence when the mailbox door is opened to indicate that the mailbox may. now contain mail, packages, messages, or the like.

Although several such devices have been previously offered, they have involved certain disadvantages and/or inadequacies; and it is the prime object of this invention to provide an improved signaling device as aforesaid which is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, and which may readily be applied to any conventional-type mailbox without requiring any alteration of the mailbox construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved signaling device as aforesaid which may be manufactured and assembled as a complete unit, including means for readily securing it to a mailbox; and which when so mounted will dispose the signaling portion thereof so as to be adapted to be engaged by the door of the mailbox when closed and held thereby in an inconspicuous place andat least partly out of view from the residence; but when the door is opened the signaling device automatically falls away from the box and then hangs in a readily visible position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. I is a rear end and side perspective view of a mailbox having a device of the invention applied thereto; illustrating the signaling portion thereof as having been set" by the householder and being held in nonoperative position by the closed door of the box;

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 but shows the position of the signaling device after the door has been opened and mail has been deposited in the mailbox;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale plan view of the signaling portion disassembled from the holding portion of the device;

FIG. 4 is an edge view of the signaling device as shown in FIGS. 1-3; and

FIG. 5 is a partial view similar to FIG. I but showing an alternative position of the signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is illustrated herein as being mounted on a conventional-type mailbox which is generally designated by the numeral and comprises a combination sidewall and roof sheet metal member 12 and a door 14 forming the front wall of the box. The door 14 is formed with a rearwardly extending flange 15. The door 14 is typically held closed by a spring metal keeper device such as may comprise members designated by the numerals l7 and 18, as is conventional in the art; the door 14 being hinged to the box 10 as indicated at 19.

The signaling device per se is designated generally by the numeral 20, and comprises a generally'flat and triangular shaped platelike member molded or cut out of sheet plastic, metal, or the like. Preferably, the member will be colored red or otherwise ornamented as desired, so as to render it visually conspicuous when it hangs below the mailbox as shown at FIG. 2. The apex end of the plate 20 is slightly curved out of the plane of the plate as indicated at 21 for easy grasping and resetting of the signal, as well as to take care of any substantial gap between the door flange and the box sidewall as explained in more detail hereinafter, and is apertured as indicated at 22 and engaged thereat by one end of a chain 25. The other end of the chain 25 terminates in the last link of the chain 26 which is dimensioned so as to be received by the shank portion of a bolt or screw 28 while being retained under the head thereof.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the unit comprising the plate 20 and the chain 25 and the bolt or screw 28 may be easily fabricated and assembled as a single package for sale; and that the average do-it-yourselfer" mayeasily attach it to a mailbox as shown at FIGS. 1, 2, herewith, without any special tools or difficulty of any kind. The complete attachment may be made by simply inserting a bolt or screw through the chain link 26 and then through one of the holes which is typically provided by the mailbox manufacturer along the bottom edge of the box; thereby connecting the chain to the box as illustrated at FIGS. 1, 2, of the drawing herewith.

After installation, to set the device for automatic operation the broad end of the plate 20 is simply held against the sidewall of the box 10 at its front-opening edge portion while the door 14 is swung upwardly into its closed position as shown'at FIG. 1. The plate 20 is thereby frictionally gripped between the side flange 15 of the door 14 and the sidewall portion 12 of the box 10; the widest (and therefore the most color prominent) part of the plate being thereupon concealed by the flange 15 of the door, until such time as the mailman opens the door to deposit mail therein. The plate 20 is thereupon freed and automatically falls by gravity as to the position shown at FIG. 2. When the plate 20 falls and hangs in the position shown at FIG. 2 the entire color prominent portion of the device is suspended in clear view from all angles below the box 10.

' Thus the householder may readily recognize when and if mail has been left in the box simply by looking out from the house from time to time; thereby avoiding needless trips to the box such as when the mailman is late on his route and/or when there is no mail for the householder on any routine delivery trip. Thus, an important safety device is provided for householders where the mailbox is required to be located across a roadway from the residence. In such situations fatal traffic accidents have often befallen householders in the act of crossing the road to obtain their mail; and of course such householders are also exposed to the rigors of inclement and unhealthy weather on such trips. Therefore, it is obvious that lives and illnesses may be spared by eliminating needless trips to such mailboxes, in proportion to the number of trips saved as when no mail has been left by the mailman on any routine delivery trip.

It will be appreciated that because the plate 20 dangles freely on the end of the chain 25 is will naturally spin on the chain in response to the slightest breeze, and therefore will provide in effect an animated display of the fact that mail has been left in the box. After the householder picks up his mail he resets" the device as explained hereinabove in preparation for the next delivery trip.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the curved apex end portion of the plate 20 provides several advantages, in that it adapts the device to operate with ease and facility in connection with a large variety of dimensional variations in the fit between the mailbox door flange 15 and the sidewall of the box. For example, assuming that the flange I5 fits rather closely to the box sidewall, the signal plate will be simply set in place as shown at FIG. 1 with the flat back surface of the plate 20 disposed to lie against the box wall 12. Because the plate 20 is formed of relatively thin sheet material it will fit between the closest fitting sidewall and door flange combinations usually encountered in practice. Thus, the signal plate 20 will then be frictionally held in place against accidental dislodgement. The fact that the signal plate sets in place at the side of the box and close to the door hinge axis provides the user as well as the mailman with ample mechanical advantage when grasping the fixture 18 to either open or close the door; whereby the friction forces attendant a tight fit between the parts may be easily overcome.

On the other hand, in the event there happens to be a substantial gap between the door flange l5 and the box sidewall when the door is closed, theuser simply disposes the signal plate 20 so that its curved end portion is directed inwardly against the 'boxtside-wall, thereby obtaining the effect of a wedge-shaped signal plate. In this case the plate simply rides automatically to a proper-depth at its broad end portion under the flange so as to fill the gap between the flange and the box wall, thereby acquiring'the requisite friction-holding effect. The cooperating resiliencies of the curved end portion of the plate and of the cover and hinge parts will provide ample spring forces cooperating to snugly hold the plate 20 against unintended dislodgements while still permitting easy opening of the door when intended.

Thus it will be appreciated that the invention provides a structurally simple and inexpensively made device for its specific purpose having novel and important features and advantages with respect to its operability in addition to the advantage of being so uncomplicated and trouble-free in its installation and use.

lclaim:

1. A signal attachment for a mailbox of the type having an arched body portion open at one end,-a hinged door for selectively closing such one end and latch means for holding the door in closed position, the door having a rearwardly extending flange which overlies the end of the arched body when the door is closed, said signal comprising: I

a generally flat plate having an end edge portion adapted to be frictionally engaged between said door flange and the underlying end of the body when the door is closed, thereby to position the plate against the body;

flexible means for freely suspending said plate below said mailbox when released from its frictional engagement as aforesaid incidental to opening of the door; and

said plate being of triangular configuration and having an apical portion thereof extending outwardly from the plane of said plate along a line of bend parallel to the base of the triangle, whereby the tip of the apical portion and said base are adapted to engage the body of the mailbox to position said plate in wedging relation between the door flange and body.

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