EP0295091A2

EP0295091A2 - A letter box security device

Info

Publication number: EP0295091A2
Application number: EP88305253A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Geoffrey Stocks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-09
Filing date: 1988-06-09
Publication date: 1988-12-14
Also published as: EP0295091A3; GB8713490D0

Abstract

A device 10 for securing a letter box 22 comprises a first member 12 for fixing to a door 18 adjacent the letter box opening and a second member 14 attached to the first member and being rotatable with respect thereto. The second member rotates from a first position in which the letter box 22 can be opened to a second position in which the second member 14, optionally provided with a flange 20, prevents the letter box 22 being opened.

Description

This invention relates to a device for securing a letter box, i.e. for preventing the opening of the flap by persons who have no reason to do so.
There are many instances where people, particularly children, open people's letter boxes and deposit all manner of unwanted items therethrough. This is particularly prevalent on so-called 'mischief night' and at Hallowe'en and in many cases fireworks are put through letter boxes. Obviously this is potentially very dangerous and could lead to tragic consequences, even fatalities. Many people, particularly the old, are unable to sleep at night because of the fear of such acts of vandalism.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce or overcome the above problem.
According to the present invention there is provided a device for securing a letter box comprising a first member for fixing to a door adjacent the letter box opening, and a second member attached to the first member and being rotatable with respect thereto from a first position in which the letter box is able to be opened, to a second position in which said second member prevents the letter box being opened.
Preferebly the second member is provided with a flange at the end most distant from the point of attachment to the first member which serves as a stop for the letter box flap.
The first member is preferably provided with a plurality of holes therein to allow it to be fixed to a door by means of screws or the like.
Preferably the device is constructed from metal although other suitably strong materials could be used equally effectively.
The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view corresponding to figure 1;
Figure 3 shows the device fixed to a door;
Figure 4 is a similar view to figure 3 with the second member in such a position that the letter box is not able to be opened;
Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 6 is a side elevation corresponding to figure 5;
Figure 7 is a similar view to figure 3 of the second embodiment;
Figure 8 is a similar view to figure 4;
Figure 9 is a similar view to figure 7 on a door with an outwardly opening internal flap; and
Figure 10 is a similar view to figure 9 with the second member in such a position that the flap cannot be opened.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly figures 1 to 4, a letter box security device 10 comprises a first member 12 and a second member 14 which are attached together in hinge-like fashion. The members 12, 14 are able to rotate through approximately 270° with respect to each other. The first member 12 is provided with a plurality (three being illustrated) of holes 16 to enable it to be fitted to a door 18 by means of screws. The second member 14 is provided with a flange 20 at its distal end to act as a stop for letter box flap 22. The flange 20 can be clearly seen in figures 2 to 4.
The first member 12 is fixed with screws to the door 18 jusst below the letter box opening as can be seen in figures 3 and 4. In the first position (shown in figure 3) the second member 14 does not occupy the letter box opening and the flap 22 may be moved freely. In the second position (shown in figure 4) the second member 14 has been rotated through approximately 270° (in practice slightly less) with respect to the first member 12 until it is perpendicular to said first member and occupies the letter box opening. The flange is adjacent to the flap 22 and consequently prevents it from opening inwardly. The device would be put into this second, secure position during the night and into the first position during the day, or at times when mail is expected.
Turning now to figures 5 to 10, a second embodiment of the invention is shown and like numerals are used for like parts. The first member 12 is in the form of a channel having a base 30 and side walls 34. The base 30 has holes 16 enabling it to be screwed to a door 18 as before. The second member 14 is in the form of a block having an upturned flange portion 20. The second portion 14 carries a pair of pins 36 which project into an elongated slot 38 in the side walls 34 of the first member 12 enabling the second member 14 to pivot with respect to the first member and also to have a degree of translational movement with respect thereto. A second, open ended elongated slot 40 is also provided in each of the side walls 34. The base 30 of the first member 12 does not extend completely between the side walls 34 but is cut back to approximately the end of the elongated slot 38 leaving a cut out portion 42. This enables the second member 14 to pivot through approximately 270° with respect to the first member 12. The second member 14 carries a pair of laterlally projecting pins 44 whose function will be explained further hereinafter.
The device of the second embodiment is especially useful in that it can be used both with letter opening flaps positioned on the outside of the door and openable inwardly, that is towards the centre of the door, and with flaps positioned on the inside of the door and opening outwardly, that is away from the door. For the first type of flap, such as that described above with reference to figures 3 and 4, the first member 12 is fixably attached to the door 18 by means of screws or the like passing through the holes 16. Figure 7 illustrates the positioning of the device with the second member 14 located within the side walls 34 of the first member 12 and out of the way of the flap 22 allowing it to be freely opened. When it is desired to lock the flap 22 against opening, the second member 14 is swung through approximately 270° clockwise as viewed in figure 7 to the position shown in figure 8 where the end of the member 14 and particularly the flange 20 prevent the inward opening of the flap 22. The sort of flap illustrated in figure 7 and 8 cannot normally be opened outwardly and so the position illustrated in figure 8 effectively closes the flap against intruders.
In figures 9 and 10 there is illustrated another letter box arrangement in which the outer flap 22 opens outwardly (that is away from the centre of the door) and a second, inner flap 46 is provided which opens outwardly from the centre of the door also. In this case the device is positioned such that the first member 12 is upside down with respect to its position in figure 7, that is the open ended slot 40 is at the top rather than at the bottom of the member when affixed to the door 18. In the position shown in figure 9 with the second member 14 hanging down, the inner flap 46 can be freely opened. When it is desired to lock the inner flap 46, the second member 14 is rotated in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in figure 9 through approximately 180°, lifted up so that the pins 36 rise within the elongated slot 38 until the pins 44 clear the top of the walls 34 of the first member 12 and then allowed to drop so that the pins 44 locate in the open ended slots 40 locking the device into the position shown in figure 10. In this position the second member 14, prevents the flap 46 opening inwardly. The provision of the flange 20 ensures that there is little play on the flap 46 but as will be clear from the drawing the second member 14 would nevertheless prevent opening of the flap 46 whether or not the flange 20 was present. Thus in this arrangement the flap 22 may be opened but access to the interior of the door is prevented by locking the interior flap 46. The second embodiment of the device described therefore simply meets different situations with one configuration.
The invention therefore provides a simple convenient and effective device for preventing persons from depositing unwanted items through letter boxes. In very windy conditions it would also serve to prevent the wind opening and blowing through letter boxes.

Claims

1. A device for securing a letter box comprising a first member for fixing to a door adjacent the letter box opening, and a second member attached to the first member, the second member being rotatable with respect to the first member from a first position in which the letter box is able to be opened to a second position in which the second member prevents the letter box being opened.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the second member is provided with a flange at its distal end which serves as a stop for the letter box flap.

3. A device as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the first member is provided with a plurality of holes to allow it to be fixed to a door by means of screws or the like.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 which is constructed of metal.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the metal is aluminium .

6. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the first member is in the form of a channel having side arms which carry elongated slots and the second member has pins engaging in the said slots to enable it to pivot with respect thereto.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which the second member has a further pair of pins designed to cooperate with open ended slots in the end of the side walls of the first member.