Theft-preventative mailbox with underground storage capacity and mail retrieval mechanism

• US 6,533,167 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shawky Hassan
• Original Assignee: Shawky Hassan
• Inventors: Hassan, Shawky
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, William L.
• Application Number:
  US09/728,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 232/17, 232/45, 232/43.1, 232/39, 232/43.2, 232/30
• US Class Current: 232/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1216 Supports

Abstract

A theft-preventative mailbox for holding various sizes of mail correspondence and mail parcels. The mailbox includes an elongate and internally hollowed body and an upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end including; a mail correspondence insertion slot at a generally upper end location of the elongated body. The body further includes a mail storage compartment, and the body is further fixedly anchored at a ground location so that at least a portion of the mail storage compartment extends below a surface of the ground location. An access door is defined within the mail box and permits the depositing of mail parcels into the storage compartment. A mail retrieval mechanisms permits retrieval of the mail correspondence and mail parcels deposited within the storage compartment. The mail retrieval mechanism includes the upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end being hingedly secured to the generally upper end location of the elongated body.

Claims

1. A theft-preventative mailbox for holding various sizes of mail correspondence and mail parcels, said mailbox comprising:

an elongate and internally hollowed body including a mail storage compartment, said body further being fixedly anchored at a ground location so that at least a portion of said mail storage compartment extends below a surface of the ground location;

an upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end, located at a generally upper end location of said elongated body, and within which a mail correspondence insertion slot is defined;

parcel access means permitting the depositing of mail parcels into said storage compartment;

said parcel access means further comprising a door hingedly secured to a top surface of said upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end, said door including a locking mechanism which is accessible by a mail delivery individual; and

mail retrieval means permitting the retrieval of the mail correspondence and mail parcels, said mail retrieval means further comprising said upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end being hingedly secured to said generally upper end location of said elongated body at an upper edge of said elongated body.

2. The mailbox as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stakes extending outwardly and downwardly from an exterior surface of said elongate body and embedded below the ground location.

3. The mailbox as described in claim 1, said parcel access means further comprising a door hingedly secured to a front surface of said body, a locking mechanism being associated with said door.

4. The mailbox as described in claim 3, said mail retrieval means further comprising an elongated bag suspended from an interior of said internally hollowed body.

5. The mailbox as described in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of eyelets formed within said bag proximate an upper and open end thereof, a plurality of suspending nubs extending inwardly from said internally hollowed body for engaging through said eyelets.