Locking mailbox

Abstract

A mailbox comprises a first housing and a first hinged door, a spring loaded locking mechanism is attached to the first housing and the first door, a pivotable flap located within said first housing operably cooperates with the locking mechanism to enable or disable the locking mechanism under appropriate conditions as described herein. The flap may be coupled to an external mail present indicator to signal that mail has been delivered. The mailbox comprises a second housing located below said first housing. A second hinged door is attached to said second housing. The second hinged door cuts off access to both the first and second housings when said second door is closed. Additionally, closing of the second hinged door causes the first hinged door to close too. The mailbox is supported from a post painted the same color as the second housing to convey the visual perception that the first housing is supported upon an extension of the post.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/404,613, filed on Apr. 01, 2003, published as Pub. No. US 2004/0195304 on Oct. 7, 2004, said application in its entirety is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mailboxes, more particularly the invention relates to mailboxes with locking mechanisms and mail-present indicators.

Mailboxes for individual postal customers are an integral and necessary component in the operation of the US Postal Service. It is desirable that incoming mail be secured in the mailbox to prevent theft or observation of the incoming mail which may contain valuable documents, checks, credit cards, personal letters or other items of value to the mailbox owner that would cause loss or inconvenience if observed or stolen by an unauthorized person. If the person removing or inspecting the mail is not authorized, the authorized user of the mailbox may suffer an injury of either lost property or lost privacy. A lock on the access door can restrict access to the mailbox to the person with the key to the lock, thus providing an improved level of security by limiting authorized access to the mailbox only those people who properly have a key to open the mailbox door. In certain settings, such as apartment buildings or offices where there is a single delivery point for numerous postal customers, locked mailboxes with the mail carrier having a key for delivery of mail is a practical solution.

A typical rural or suburban roadside mailbox, on the other hand, has a front access door hinged at the bottom and a side indicating flag, which is used to signal to a motorized mail carrier that outgoing mail is available for pickup. In the conventional mailbox, delivered incoming mail can be easily removed or inspected by anyone driving or walking by and opening the front access door. Simply installing locks and providing the mail carriers with keys or other means to access many different locked mailboxes to deliver incoming mail in a rural or suburban setting would be inefficient, potentially unsafe to the mail carrier, and otherwise problematic.

Therefore, the access door needs to remain unlocked before the mail carrier arrives so the mail carrier can open the access door to either remove outgoing mail from inside the mailbox, deposit incoming mail into it, or both. After the mail carrier has deposited incoming mail and closed the access door, the access door would desirably lock shut to prevent unauthorized access to the delivered mail. The drawback to such an arrangement is that a self-actuating lock would lock whenever the mailbox door was shut by anyone. This would include a child toying with the mailbox door or a prankster or even the postal customer inadvertently shutting the door after they have deposited mail for pickup.

One of the solutions to avoiding unauthorized access to incoming mail is to have the access door remain unlocked at all times but having the incoming mail fall far enough away from the access door so that it cannot be retrieved by reaching into the mailbox through the access door. In this case, an authorized user typically retrieves the mail by unlocking a second access door close to where the mail has fallen. This solution requires a limited access door, restricting the size and quantity of mail that can be easily delivered. Also, the size of the mailbox may be cumbersome.

Another solution to avoiding unauthorized access to incoming mail is to have the door be initially unlocked and then have it automatically lock shut once the door is closed. The door would typically be shut by the mail carrier who, after opening the mailbox and removing outgoing mail from it and/or depositing incoming mail into it, would close the door thereby locking the door shut. This provides the desired security if the mailbox door is not opened and then shut before the mail carrier arrives to deliver mail. However, if the door must be opened to add additional outgoing mail or otherwise check the status of the outgoing mail, the door will lock shut if it were closed. The outgoing mail will then be locked in the mailbox and unavailable for pickup by the mail carrier, and incoming mail will remain undelivered because the door is locked shut.

There are other examples of locking rural mailboxes in the prior art. For example, a mailbox with a slot opening design which does not provide full access to the mailbox, the access being restricted by the dimensions of the slot. Another example is a full access mailbox that allows the door to be opened once and locks upon the door being subsequently closed. Yet another example of a full access mailbox in the prior art requires the mail carrier to rotate an arm outside the box after installing the mail and closing the door. The rotation of the arm causes the door to lock shut so that it can be reopened only upon using a key.

It would be desirable to have a mailbox that would have an access door with a latching mechanism that would be enabled by shutting the access door after delivered mail is inserted into the mailbox and/or when mail for pickup in the mailbox is removed by the mail carrier. It would also be desirable to have a mailbox with an auxiliary enclosure for incoming mail in the event the mail carrier cannot open the access door. Preferably, the opening of the auxiliary enclosure would be closeable with an auxiliary access door. Desirably the mailbox door should be capable of being opened and closed any number of times without causing the door to lock shut until mail is inserted into the box. The mail insertion should not require any action or actions other than those typically involved in delivering mail into the mailbox.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mailbox comprises an enclosure with a first, front opening through which mail can pass while it is being received (incoming mail) or removed (outgoing mail) from the enclosure. The first opening of the enclosure is closeable with a first hinged door that fully covers the opening. The first hinged door is provided with a locking means such that when the door is closed, a spring-loaded latch configured as a detent, may be automatically engaged with a catch on the enclosure to keep the door closed and locked. The mailbox may be provided with an outgoing mail signaling device, or flag, that is used to alert the mail carrier that outgoing mail is available for pickup. The mailbox may also be provided with an incoming mail flap that can be selectively positioned between an upright position and a second collapsed position. In normal operation, when in the upright position, the mail flap may be configured into the form of a shelf upon which the mail customer may deposit outgoing mail for pickup by the mail carrier. If incoming mail is placed in the mailbox, the incoming mail flap must be pushed down and out of the way, into a substantially horizontal position, to make room before mail can be placed in the mailbox.

The first hinged door remains unlocked before the mail carrier arrives so the mail carrier can open the access door to either remove outgoing mail from inside the mailbox or deposit incoming mail inside the mailbox, or both. Once the mail carrier has deposited incoming mail and closed the access door, the access door locks shut to prevent unauthorized access. In the event the mail carrier cannot open the access door, the incoming mail may be deposited in an alternate compartment located adjacent the enclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the alternate compartment is located below the enclosure and has a second opening through which mail may be received into or removed from the alternate compartment, the second opening being coplanar with the first opening. In one embodiment, the second opening of the enclosure is closeable with a second hinged door that fully covers the first and second opening. The second hinged door may also be provided with a catch, which engages with a structure on the enclosure to keep the door releasably shut once the door is placed in the closed position.

In an embodiment of the invention, the second or alternative compartment is positioned below the first or principle compartment and may have a separate door is the exterior of the compartment is camouflaged to match or appear to be part of the support structure for the mail box, for example the supporting post. The second compartment can have a separate closeable and/or lockable door. Said second door may be hidden behind a door that extends to cover both the opening to the principle compartment and the door to the second compartment opening. The second compartment can thus operate as a hidden compartment.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mailbox that allows for outgoing mail pick-up and incoming mail drop-off, with easy access by the mail carrier for the outgoing mail while safely storing delivered incoming mail behind a locked access door, and allowing retrieval of the delivered mail only by an authorized person with a key that unlocks the access door. Preferably, the mailbox door may be opened and closed any number of times without the door locking shut until mail is inserted into the mailbox. Additionally, the invention, in certain embodiments, can provide an external indication of whether incoming mail has been delivered. In yet another embodiment, such external indication may be provided by a flag operatively connected to the incoming mail flap such that when the incoming mail flap is moved into an upright position, the flag is moved into a position indicative of a completed mail delivery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention showing the two enclosures for receiving mail.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mailbox of FIG. 2 showing the first door in closed position and second door in opened position.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the mailbox of FIG. 1 with the first door in the open position.

FIG. 5 is a front view looking into the open interior of the first enclosure from the front of the mailbox of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the relationship between the first door and the second door as they are moved to their respective closed position.

FIG. 7 is a cutaway perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mailbox of FIG. 7 taken along the line 2-2.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mailbox of FIG. 7 taken along the line 4-4.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view looking into the front of the mailbox of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a plan cross sectional view taken at approximately line 6-6 of FIG. 9

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The invention includes a mailbox 10, mounted on a standard post 14 adjacent to a roadway 16 (not shown) spaced apart from the ground 12. More specifically, the mailbox 10 is comprised of a first enclosure 115 and a second enclosure 118. The first enclosure 115 is configured into the form of a standard, U.S. Postal Service approved mailbox adapted to be supported in the horizontal plane by the standard post 14. The first enclosure 115 comprises an open interior 145 bounded by an open end 150 substantially coplanar with a plane 13, a closed end 155, and a lower base panel 160, an arched roof 162 and closed by a standard first door 165 carrying a spring latch 175. FIG. 5 shows base panel 160 having a first surface 132 in communication with the open interior 145, long edges 135 and a short front edge 140. The first door 165 is hingedly attached to the mailbox 10 at the short front edge 140 with a piano hinge 170 so that it can swing downwardly and outwardly from a first closed position 166 as exemplified in FIG. 3 to a first open position 167 illustrated in FIG. 2. The first door 165 is secured in the first closed position by a conventional locking mechanism 175 having a first portion 205 and a second portion 230. The first mailbox door 165 is shaped and dimensioned so that when it is in the first closed position, it substantially covers the open end 150 and serves to prevent weather elements from entering the open interior 145. The arched roof 162 may comprise, for example, a continuous sheet 180 connecting long side edges 135 and extending up and outwardly from surface 132 of the base panel 160. Generally the continuous sheet 180 may be formed by conventional means out of sheet metal or other rigid materials. The mailbox is preferably constructed from heavy duty steel but other structural materials such as plastic, steel, wood, cement, cast iron, or any combination thereof may also be used. Alternately, the mailbox may comprise an extruded aluminum body and a die cast aluminum front door.

The mailbox may be removably secured to the vertical post by means of a fastener 146, said fastener having a first end rigidly attached to the closed end 155 and a second end releasably anchored to the pivot post. The first portion 205 of the locking mechanism 175 is preferably attached to the first door 165 and has a lock face 209 with a structure defining a key receiving portion 220 disposed on it, a retractable detent 210 or plunger that is spring loaded and that has an angled cam surface 215. The lock face 209 is mounted flush with an external surface 216 of the first door 165 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the first portion 205 has two mounting holes (not shown) which receive two ¼ inch grade 8 bolts welded to an inside surface 217 of the first door. Grade 8 nuts are threaded onto the bolts, welded to the first portion 205 and the bolts ground if necessary so that they do not protrude beyond the first portion 205 to complete the mounting of the first portion to the external surface 216 of the first door 165. The key receiving portion 220 is suited to receive a key 225 into it to manually retract the detent from a normally extended position 226 shown in FIG. 6. The second portion 230 of the locking mechanism 175 is configured as a latch 177 suitably attached, such as by rivets or welding to the arched roof 162 so as to extend into the open interior 145. The latch 177 has a detent guide surface 235, which terminates in a detent receiving portion configured as a slot 240. In an exemplary embodiment, the latch 177 is a small piece of steel with a slotted detent-engaging surface. As the door is pivoted from a first open position towards the first closed position, the detent engages the detent guide surface 235 which is adapted to push the detent into its retracted position into the first portion of the locking mechanism. The detent remains retracted until the door is substantially proximate the closed position whereupon the detent aligns with slot 240. If the slot 240 is unobstructed, the detent 210 extends into and is captured within the slot 240 causing the first front door to automatically latch to the arched roof 162. Once latched, the first front door 165 is secured in the first closed position and can only be opened by using the key 245 to manually retract the detent or plunger out of engagement within the slot 240 and pulling the first door towards the first open position. The locking mechanism 175 may be disabled by obstructing the slot 240 which prevents the detent from extending into the slot thereby preventing the first door from latching shut when in the first closed position. As long as the slot 240 remains obstructed, the first door can be opened and shut any number of times without causing the first door to latch. A tab 182 configured in the form of a conventional clasp and secured to the arched roof 162, removably secures the first front door 165 in a first closed position even when the the front door is unlatched. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the tab 182 is constructed from a ferromagnetic material and a magnet 187 is embedded at a suitable location into the first front door 165 as shown in FIG. 6 so that on closing the first front door, the magnet is caused to be positioned adjacent the tab 182 whereby the magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the tab keeps the door in the closed position until the magnetic force is overcome by manually pulling the door away from the tab. Alternately, the tab 182 may be configured in the form of a magnetic catch secured to the arched roof 162 thereby eliminating the need for the magnet 187.

In an exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism 175 is selectively disabled by suitably positioning a flap 300 pivotally mounted on the first surface 132 of the lower base panel 160 within the first enclosure 118 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. A tab 310 is operably attached to the flap 300. Flap 300 is adapted to be selectively positioned in either an upright position as shown in FIGS. 5 or a retracted or lowered position as shown in FIG. 4. Desirably, a grasping handle 320 is fixedly attached to flap 300 to facilitate the manual repositioning of the flap in an upright position from a lowered position. The tab is dimensioned and located on the flap 300 so that when the flap is in the upright position, the tab is positioned over the slot 240 as illustrated in FIG. 5. If the first front door 165 is closed with the flap 300 in the upright position, the tab 310 will keep the detent 210 from entering into capture relationship within the slot 240 and latching the door shut so that the door can subsequently be opened without the key 245. In an alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the flap 300 is sized to substantially obstruct the open end 150 and effectively preclude deposition of mail into the open interior 145. The flap preferably includes indicia instructing the postal carrier to depress or retract the flap for insertion of mail. Depressing the flap, as exemplified in FIG. 4, removes the obstructing member from the covering or blocking the slot 240 so that on closing the first front door 165, the door is latched and can only be opened upon using the key 245 to retract the detent as described above. The mail carrier will cause the flap to depress while engaging in the normal motions of depositing mail into the open interior 145. In yet another embodiment, a secondary appendage 320 depends from flap 300 and is operably coupled to it as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Preferably, the secondary appendage 320 is a flat sheet hinged to the flap 300. The appendage 320 is hinged to the flap 300 and sized such that when the flap is in the lowered position, the appendage 320 is caused to be positioned proximate the first surface 132 of the base panel 160 as exemplified in FIG. 4. Desirably, the hinge is configured for limited rotation as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 so that when the flap 300 is in the upright position, the appendage 320 is positioned above the surface 132 and spaced apart from it in the form of a shelf upon which outgoing mail may be deposited for pick-up by the mail carrier. As illustrated in FIG. 1, mounted externally on the mail-box 10, is a conventional metal mail indicator comprising primary flag 185 pivoted about lug 188 extending from enclosure 115 and located external to it. Primary flag 185 is adapted to be selectively moved from a lowered position shown in FIG. 1 to an upright position to indicate to the mail carrier that there is mail for pick-up in one or both of the enclosures 115 and 118 of the mailbox.

The second enclosure 118 is an elongate box with a second open interior 410 bounded by a second open end 415, a second closed end 420, and a second lower base panel 425, a roof panel 430. The second enclosure is dimensioned, colored and positioned so as to convey the perception that the first enclosure 115 rests upon a horizontal support arm extending perpendicularly from the post 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In a preferred embodiment, the roof panel 430 is secured to base panel 160 with the second open end 415 located spaced apart from the ground 12, below and adjacent to open end 150 and substantially coplanar with plane 13 as illustrated in FIG. 6. In an alternate embodiment, instead of the roof panel 430, the base panel 160 is configured to form a partition between the first enclosure 115 and the second enclosure 118. A second door 435 is hinged horizontally to the second lower base panel 425 proximate the second open end 415 so that it can pivot outwardly from second open end 415 to a second open position as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6 thereby providing access to the second open interior 410 for deposition or retrieval of mail. The second door 435 can be pivoted into a second closed position 440 as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the second door 435 where the second door comprises a first portion 445 and a second portion 450. The first portion 445 is shaped and dimensioned to be complementary to the first open end 150 and the second portion 450 is shaped and dimensioned to be complementary to second open end 415, such that when the second door is swung into the second closed position 440, shown in FIG. 2, the first open end 150 and the second open end 415 are substantially covered by the first portion 445 and the second portion 450 of the second door 435 respectively. In an alternate embodiment, the second open end 415 while being coplanar with first open end 150 is spaced apart from said first open end by a gap 455 so that the second enclosure 118 mimics a horizontal beam extending perpendicularly from post 14 to support enclosure 115 which, as noted above, may be shaped to resemble a rural mailbox. Desirably, the enclosure 118 as well as the second portion 450 of the second door 435 have a cross-sectional shape and color that further adds to the perception that mailbox 10 is a traditional rural mailbox supported in a conventional manner upon a horizontal beam extending from the vertical post 14. The first portion 445 of the second door may preferably be provided with a third color to match a third color of the first enclosure. The second door 435 is shaped with an offset 460 extending between the first portion 445 and second portion 450. When second door 435 is in the closed position the offset 460 is positioned within gap 455, the first open end 150 is substantially covered by the first portion 445 and the second open end 415 is substantially covered by the second portion 450 as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the first portion 445 has the same color and surface finish as an external surface of the first enclosure 115 and the second portion 450 has the same color and surface finish as an exterior surface of the second enclosure 118 so that when second door 435 is closed, it reinforces the perception that mailbox 10 is a traditional rural mailbox conventionally supported upon a horizontal post extending from the vertical post 14. The external surface of said first enclosure 115 is preferably provided with a durable, textured, powder coated finish whereas the exterior surface of the second enclosure desirably mimics the post in color and surface texture.

In an alternate embodiment the second open end 415 is not coplanar with first open end 150. The position of the first open end and the second open end as well as the shape and dimension of the second door 435 is selected so that when the second door is in the second closed position the offset 460 is positioned within gap 455, the first open end 150 is substantially covered by the first portion 445 and the second open end 415 is substantially covered by the second portion 450.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6 illustrate another desirable feature of the mailbox 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the second door can be selectively positioned in a second open configuration 495 and the second closed position 440 even when the first door is in the first closed position 166. Further, a notch 470 forming a structure on the second door 435 cooperates with tab projection 182 to allow the second door to be removably secured in the closed position shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 2 exemplifies the mailbox 10 with the first front door 165 in first open position 167 and the second door 435 in second open position 495. With the doors in this configuration, both, first enclosure 115 and second enclosure 118 can be accessed for mail delivery or pickup. Closing first front door 165 does not affect the accessibility of enclosure 118 as FIG. 3 illustrates. However, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the first door and the second door are shaped, dimensioned and located so that as the second door is pivoted from the second opened position to the second closed position, a portion 460 of the second door comes into sliding contact with a portion 465 of the first door causing front door to pivot towards the first closed position. In a preferred embodiment, the first front door is provided with a roller 470 located adjacent portion 465, said roller adapted to enter into low-friction rolling contact with portion 460 of the second door as it is pivoted into a second closed position from a second fully open position. FIG. 6 illustrates a cylindrical roller 470 mounted on the front door that comes into rolling contact with the second closed door and remains in rolling contact as the second door is moved towards the second closed position. It will be evident to one skilled in the art that when second door is in the second closed position, the first door is positioned in the first closed position though it may or may not be latched. In a preferred embodiment, at least a portion 480 of second front door is ferromagnetic and disposed on said second front door so as to be proximate the magnet 187 when said second front door is in a second closed position, the second front door maintained in said second closed position by the magnetic force of attraction exerted by said magnet 187 on said portion 480 of said second front door.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate an embodiment of the instant invention wherein the mailbox is equipped with a secondary flag 520 comprising a first portion 522 extending from first enclosure 115 and a second portion forming lever arm 524 extending into first enclosure 115. Second portion 524 can be manipulated to pivot secondary flag 520 from a lowered position shown in FIG. 7 to a raised position shown in FIG. 8. Primary flag 185 is rigidly attached to lug 188. Lug 188 is pivotally mounted to first enclosure 115 and extends into open interior 145 wherein it is fixedly attached to a first obstructing member 525. As the flag is rotated from the lowered position shown in FIG. 1 to the raised, “mail present” upright position of FIG. 7, first obstructing member 525 rotates into an obstructing position over slot 240 as illustrated in FIG. 7. If first front door 165 is closed with primary flag 185 in the upright position, first obstructing member 525 will keep the detent 210 from entering into capture relationship within the slot 240 and latching the door shut effectively disabling latching mechanism 175 so that first door 165 can subsequently be opened without the key 245. Returning primary flag 185 to the lowered position depicted in FIG. 1, rotates obstructing member 525 away from slot 240 so that it unblocks slot 240 allowing latching mechanism 175 to operate normally whereby on first front door 165 being placed in the closed position as shown in FIG. 1, the door is latched and can only be opened by using key 245 to retract the detent as described above.

Flap 300 is operably coupled to lever arm 524 of secondary flag 520 when flap 300 is depressed, on mail delivery for example, to cause the secondary flag to rotate upwardly thereby raising it as illustrated in FIG. 7 to indicate mail delivery. A spring friction interference member 555 attached to first enclosure 115 may be utilized to secure the flap in the upright position as illustrated in FIG. 9.

The delivered mail detection mechanism comprising flag 520 linked to flap 300 and the primary flag 185 signaling presence of mail for pick-up, operate independently of one another and each could be present in a mailbox without the other and still considered within the scope of the invention herein. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the secondary flag is not a required part of the delivered mail detection mechanism in that flap 300 can function to enable the locking mechanism without providing an external “delivered mail present” signal.

Further description of the operation and functioning of the device follows. The present invention provides for the obstructing or a blocking member be interposed between the spring loaded latching means on the door and the catch on the enclosure portion, which prevents the spring loaded latching means from engaging the catch, so that the access door can be closed but will remain unlocked until the interposed obstructing member is removed from between the spring loaded latching means and the catch. These movable obstructing members, i.e. tab 310 attached to flap 300 and obstructing member 525 attached to primary flag 185, are preferably in the form of a metal blade portion. The blade configuration facilitates that either blade portion or both may be in an obstructing position and either one may be moved in and out of the obstructing position with the other one in the obstructing position.

When the outgoing mail signaling device, the primary flag 185, is raised to alert the mail carrier of the presence of outgoing mail, the metal blade portion connected to the outgoing mail signaling device is interposed in the latching mechanism 175 keeping the first front door 165 from locking in the closed position. In this way the mail carrier can open the door and remove the outgoing mail. The mail carrier will normally lower the outgoing mail flag 185, causing the metal blade portion to be removed from its position interposed between the spring loaded latching means and the catch. The door will then lock when it is placed in the closed position. If the access door 165 is already closed and the metal blade portion is removed from the interposed position, the latching mechanism 175 will now engage the catch and the door will become locked.

When flap 300 is raised to indicate the absence of mail, a second metal blade portion is interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and the catch, keeping the door from becoming locked if it is placed in the closed position. Upon the receiving mail into the enclosure, the flap is lowered and the metal blade portion attached to the flap is removed from its position interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and the catch, and the door will lock when it is closed. This mode of operation is useful when there is no outgoing mail and the outgoing mail indicator is lowered, which normally would allow the door to lock. However the mail carrier would not be able to open the door to deliver incoming mail. In particular embodiments of the present invention, when the authorized user manually raises the flap, the mailbox door is closed and the metal blade portion of the flap prevents the mailbox from locking. The mail carrier can still open the door and insert mail. Under normal operation, inserting mail then causes the flap to be lowered. When the mail carrier then closes the door, the door locks and the incoming mail is secured inside the locked mailbox.

This second signaling device, the secondary flag, becomes important because if the security of the incoming mail is of concern to the authorized user, security of outgoing mail is likely a similar issue. In this case the authorized user may never leave outgoing mail in the mailbox because the access door must necessarily remain unlocked, and thus available to anyone besides the mail carrier. In this situation there is rarely outgoing mail and there can be no indication of whether the mail carrier has yet made a delivery of incoming mail to be retrieved. If there has been a delivery of incoming mail, it is important that the incoming mail be removed because the access door is locked and the mail carrier may make no further deliveries until the access door is unlocked. By using the position of the flap to activate a second signaling device, the presence of incoming mail is correctly indicated. Before the mail carrier arrived the flap would be set in a vertical position, a position it can assume if there is no mail in the mailbox. Also since there is no outgoing mail, the outgoing mail indicator is in a less visible position, for example a down, or horizontal, position. If the mail carrier delivers incoming mail, the door can be opened, the flap pushed down and the mail inserted inside the mailbox. When the flap is pushed down, the second indicator flag is moved to a more visible position, for example, a raised upright position. The door is closed, and because the metal portion from the flap is no longer interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and catch, the access door becomes locked shut.

In all cases, once the door is closed and locked, the access door must be opened by use of a key and the flap must be raised if there is no outgoing mail, or the outgoing mail can be deposited and the outgoing mail indicator must be raised, thus keeping the access door from locking upon subsequent closing. In this manner the mail carrier may open the access door again upon the next arrival to remove any outgoing mail or deliver incoming mail, or both.

The only way to open the locked access door in preferred embodiments is by operation of the unlocking mechanism, typically by use of a key. Movement of the outgoing mail indicator or the flap will not unlock a closed and locked access door.

Additional embodiments of the current invention may include a mechanism for maintaining the access door in an intermediate closed position, such that the door remains closed but does not lock. The position of the interposed metal portion or portions does not affect the operation of this intermediate closed position. When the access door is in this position the door can be opened and subsequently returned to this intermediate position without engaging the latching mechanism. In one embodiment, the intermediate position can be maintained by providing a friction interference with a detent between the access door and the enclosure, such that the interference detent indicates when the door is in the intermediate closed but unlocked position. If the access door is further closed beyond the intermediate position, the latching mechanism on the access door can engage the catch on the enclosure. The interposed metal portions from the flap or the outgoing mail signaling device can control whether the latching mechanism engages the catch and the access door becomes closed and locked.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1. A mailbox for mounting adjacent a roadway to facilitate curbside mail delivery, said mailbox comprising:

a post extending upwardly from a support surface and having a lateral exterior surface; an elongate box with a closed end opposite an open end, said box secured to said post at said closed end and extending outwardly from said lateral exterior surface of said post, said box including a separator panel closely received in said box whereby said box is sealingly partitioned into a first substantially enclosed compartment and a second substantially enclosed compartment located below said first compartment, said first compartment having a first housing of a first shape, said second compartment having a second housing of a second shape, a first portion of said open end communicating with said first compartment to provide access thereto and a second portion of said open end communicating with said second compartment to provide access to said second compartment, said box including a first door hinged at said separator plate to swing downwardly when opened and substantially cover said first portion of said open end when in a first closed position, said box further including a second door hinged at said open end to swing downwardly when opened and substantially cover said open end when in a second closed position;

a locking mechanism for selectively securing said first door in said first closed position, a first portion of the locking mechanism secured to one of said first door and said first housing and provided with a detent biased towards an extended position by a spring force, a second portion of said locking mechanism secured to the other of said first housing and said first door, said second portion of said locking mechanism configured into a detent receiving surface, a portion of said detent receiving surface having a structure defining a detent capture slot, whereby when said first door is moved toward said first closed position, said detent enters into sliding contact engagement with said detent engaging surface causing said detent to be retracted against said biasing spring force and remain retracted until further movement of the first door towards said first closed position brings the detent into alignment with said detent capture slot whereupon said spring force causes said detent to extend and enter into a capture relationship within said detent capture slot latching said first door to said box; and

a flap provided with a tab, said flap located within said first compartment and pivotally attached to said upper surface of said base panel, said flap selectively positionable between a lowered position wherein said tab is spaced apart from said detent capture slot and an upright position wherein said tab covers said detent capture slot whereby said detent is prevented from extending into capture relationship within said detent capture slot when said first door is moved into said first closed position.

2. The mailbox of claim 1 wherein at least a first portion of said first door is placed in sliding engagement with at least a first portion of said second door when said second door is moved toward a second closed position, a motion of said first door interlocked with a motion of said second door whereby when said second door is moved toward said second closed position, said first door is caused to be moved to said first closed position.

3. The mailbox of claim 1 wherein the first door is provided with a cylindrical roller located such that when said first door is open, and said second door is moved towards said second closed position, said cylindrical roller is placed in rolling contact with at least a first portion of said second door, said first door caused to be urged towards the first closed position as said second door approaches said second closed position.

4. The mailbox of claim 1 wherein said flap is provided with a first portion and a second portion which depends from and is hingedly connected to said first portion, said hinged connection configured such that when said first flap is in said upright position, said first portion of said flap extends substantially vertically from said upper surface of said base panel with said second portion disposed in a substantially horizontal, spaced apart relationship with said upper surface to form a shelf for receiving outgoing mail.

5. The mailbox according to claim 1, wherein the detent has a cam surface for engaging and retracting the detent as the first door is moved to the closed position.

6. The mailbox according to claim 1, wherein the detent portion of the locking mechanism comprises a key-receiving portion that is manually operable for retracting the detent.

7. The mailbox of claim 1 wherein said post has a first cross-sectional shape and said second compartment has a second cross-sectional shape, said first cross-sectional shape being substantially identical to said second cross-sectional shape.

8. The mailbox of claim 7 wherein said second external surface of said second compartment is provided with a first color and said lateral exterior surface of said vertical post is provided with a second color, said first color and said second color conveying a substantially identical visual perception.

9. The mailbox of claim 7 wherein a portion of said second door which covers a portion of said open end other than said first portion of said open end is of said first color.

10. The mailbox of claim 7 wherein a portion of said open end other than said first portion of said open end lies in a second plane horizontally spaced from a first plane containing said first portion of said open end.

11. A mailbox for placement adjacent a roadway, the mailbox comprising:

a first housing having a first interior, a first open end for insertion and removal of mail and a base panel with an upper surface communicating with said first interior;

a first access door movably mounted to said first housing for movement between a first vertical closed position and a first lowered open door position, said first access door substantially covering said first open end when moved into said first vertical closed position;

a locking mechanism for locking said first door into said first vertical closed position, said locking mechanism having a first portion with a detent, and a cooperating second portion having an detent receiving portion, said first portion attached to one of the first access door and the first housing, the second portion attached to the other of the first housing and first access door, whereby the detent is retractable and extendable to engage the detent receiving portion when the door is moved from the lowered open door position to the closed position;

a second housing having a second interior, a second open end for insertion and removal of mail;

a second access door movably mounted to said second housing for movement between a second vertical closed position and a second lowered open door position, said second access door substantially covering said first open end and said second open end when said second access door is moved into said second vertical closed position; and

a flap provided with a first obstruction portion, said flap pivotally attached to said base panel and located in the interior of said first housing, said flap moveable from a lowered position to an upright position whereby when the flap is in the upright position, said first obstruction portion obstructs the detent from engaging the detent engaging portion.

12. The mailbox according to claim 11, wherein said mailbox is supported from a post extending upwardly from a support surface to convey a visual perception that said first housing is supported upon said second housing.

13. The mailbox of claim 12 wherein said post has a first exterior shape of a first color and said second housing has a second exterior shape of a second color, said first exterior shape configured to be substantially identical to said second exterior shape, said first color being substantially identical to said second color so as to convey a visual perception that said second housing is a structural extension of said post for supporting said first housing.

14. The mailbox of claim 12 wherein a portion of said second access door covering said second open end when said second access door is in said second vertical closed position is of a second color.

15. The mailbox of claim 11 wherein said first open end is located in a first plane and said second open end is located in a second plane horizontally spaced apart from said first plane.

16. The mailbox of claim 11 wherein at least a first portion of said first access door is placed in sliding engagement with at least a first portion of said second access door when said second access door is moved toward a second vertical closed position, a motion of said first access door interlocked with a motion of said second access door whereby when said second access door is moved toward said second closed position, said first door is caused to be moved to said first vertical closed position.

17. The mailbox of claim 11 wherein the first access door is provided with a cylindrical roller located such that when said first access door is open, and said second access door is moved towards said second vertical closed position, said cylindrical roller is placed in rolling contact with at least a first portion of said second access door, said first access door caused to be urged towards the first closed position as said second door approaches said second closed position.

18. The mailbox of claim 11 wherein said flap is provided with a first portion and a second portion which depends from and is hingedly connected to said first portion, said hinged connection configured such that when said first flap is in said upright position, said first portion of said flap extends substantially vertically from said upper surface of said base panel with said second portion disposed in a substantially horizontal, spaced apart relationship with said upper surface to form a shelf for receiving outgoing mail.

19. The mailbox according to claim 11, wherein the detent has a cam surface for engaging and retracting the detent as the first door is moved to the closed position.

20. The mailbox according to claim 11, wherein the detent portion of the locking mechanism comprises a key-receiving portion that is manually operable for retracting the detent.

21. The mailbox of claim 1, wherein said first housing further comprising a flag mechanism pivotally attached to the housing, the flag mechanism comprising a flag exterior of the housing and an obstruction portion in the interior of the housing, the flag moveable from an upright position to a lowered position, the obstruction portion coupled to the flag whereby when the flag is in the upright position, the obstruction portion obstructs the detent from engaging the detent engaging portion.

22. The mailbox according to claim 11, wherein the flap further comprises a secondary mail flag having first position and a second position, the secondary mail flag coupled to the flap whereby when the secondary mail flag is moveable between the first position and the second position when the flap moves from the upright position to the lowered position.