Mailboxes with front and back doors and a floor with plural angled surfaces

• US 5,449,111 A
• Filed: 05/09/1994
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerry Doe, Rene J. Sauzedde
• Original Assignee: Jerry Doe, Rene J. Sauzedde
• Inventors: Sauzedde, Rene J., Doe, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether, Flemming
• Application Number:
  US08/239,449
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 232/17, 232/38, 232/43.4
• US Class Current: 232/17
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/121 Signalling devices

Abstract

A mailbox with front and back doors and floor with angled surfaces comprising: a floor panel adapted to be supported in a horizontal plane by a post, the panel having long side edges and short front and back edges; an upper portion formed with parallel side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the floor panel and curved in a semi-cylindrical configuration along the length of the floor panel, a forward extension and a rearward extension constructed as extensions of the front and rear edges of the upper portion at the front and back portion of the upper portion, the extension portions being formed of a curve slightly reduced with respect to the upper portion and having an upwardly extending projection on the upper surface thereof; and a front door and a back door, each door being formed of a planar section with parallel sides and a semi-circular upper curve corresponding in shape to the upper portion, the door including an inwardly extending lip positionable between an opened position wherein the door is essentially parallel with the floor panel and a closed position wherein the interior surface of the lip is in frictional contact with the projection and hinge means coupling the lower extent of each door with the lower extent of the upper portion at the front and the back.

Claims

1. A new and improved mailbox with front and back doors and a floor with angled surfaces comprising, in combination:

a floor panel adapted to be supported in a horizontal plane by a post, the panel having long side edges and short front and back edges;

an upper portion having front and back sections, the upper portion formed with parallel side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the floor panel and curved in a semi-cylindrical configuration along the length of the floor panel, a forward extension and a rearward extension constructed as extensions of the front and rear edges of the floor panel and the front and back sections of the upper portion, the extensions being formed as having generally the same transverse cross-sectional shape as the upper portion but of slightly reduced dimensions with respect to the upper portion and having an upwardly extending projection on a upper surface thereof;

a front door and a back door, each door being formed of a planar section with parallel sides and a semi-circular upper curve corresponding in shape to the upper portion, the door including an inwardly extending lip positionable between an opened position wherein the door is essentially parallel with the floor panel and a closed position wherein the lip is in frictional contact with the projection;

hinge means coupling a lower extent of each door with a lower extent of each extension at the front and the back;

a plurality of planar strips several times wider than in length positioned transversely across a upper surface of the floor panel to constitute a floor, the strips being angled downwardly and forwardly toward the front door away from the back door, the floor urging mail deposited thereupon toward the front door, while lying in a horizontal plane, the floor precluding inadvertent movement of the mail toward the back door after the mail has been deposited and the front door closed; and

a flag mounted exteriorly on one side wall of the upper portion to indicate when raised that mail is to be picked up and to indicate when lowered that mail is not to be picked up.

2. A mailbox with front and back doors and floor with angled surfaces comprising:

a floor panel adapted to be supported in a horizontal plane by a post, the panel having an upper surface, a lower surface, long side edges and short front and back edges, the upper surface including means to urge mail toward the front edge while lying in a generally horizontal plane;

an upper portion having front and back sections, the upper portion formed with parallel side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the floor panel and curved in a semi-cylindrical configuration along the length of the floor panel, a forward extension and a rearward extension constructed as extensions of the front and rear edges of the floor panel and the front and back sections of the upper portion, the extensions being formed as having generally the same transverse cross-sectional shape as the upper portion but of slightly reduced dimensions with respect to the upper portion and having an upwardly extending projection on a upper surface thereof;

a front door and a back door, each door being formed of a planar section with parallel sides and a semi-circular upper curve corresponding in shape to the upper portion, the door including an inwardly extending lip positionable between an opened position wherein the door is essentially parallel with the floor panel and a closed position wherein the lip is in frictional contact with the projection and hinge means coupling a lower extent of each door with a lower extent of each extension at the front and the back; and

a flag mounted exteriorly on one side wall of the upper portion to indicate when raised that mail is to be picked up and to indicate when lowered that mail is not to be picked up.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means to urge mail toward the front edge comprises a plurality of planar strips having a width several times wider than in length positioned transversely across the upper surface of the floor panel to constitute a floor, the strips being angled forwardly and downwardly toward the front door away from the back door, the floor urging mail positioned thereupon in a forward direction while lying in a horizontal plane, the floor also precluding inadvertent rearward movement of mail positioned thereupon.