GB2382621A - Mailbox for preventing exposure to hazardous substances contained in letters or parcels - Google Patents

Mailbox for preventing exposure to hazardous substances contained in letters or parcels Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2382621A
GB2382621A GB0128425A GB0128425A GB2382621A GB 2382621 A GB2382621 A GB 2382621A GB 0128425 A GB0128425 A GB 0128425A GB 0128425 A GB0128425 A GB 0128425A GB 2382621 A GB2382621 A GB 2382621A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
mailbox
box
glove
door
mail
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0128425A
Other versions
GB0128425D0 (en
GB2382621B (en
Inventor
Michael Geoffrey Harrison
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0128425A priority Critical patent/GB2382621B/en
Publication of GB0128425D0 publication Critical patent/GB0128425D0/en
Publication of GB2382621A publication Critical patent/GB2382621A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2382621B publication Critical patent/GB2382621B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00 
    • A47G29/12—Mail or newspaper receptacles, e.g. letter-boxes; Openings in doors or the like for delivering mail or newspapers
    • A47G29/122—Parts, details, or accessories, e.g. signalling devices, lamps, devices for leaving messages
    • A47G29/1223—Pouches or the like to prevent mail dropping on the floor behind the mail slot
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00 
    • A47G29/12—Mail or newspaper receptacles, e.g. letter-boxes; Openings in doors or the like for delivering mail or newspapers
    • A47G29/122—Parts, details, or accessories, e.g. signalling devices, lamps, devices for leaving messages
    • A47G2029/1221—Parts, details, or accessories, e.g. signalling devices, lamps, devices for leaving messages comprising means to detect or prevent a terrorist attack, e.g. to detect anthrax-laced letters

Landscapes

  • Supports Or Holders For Household Use (AREA)

Abstract

A mailbox comprises an inlet (8), which aligns with a mail slot in a door, an outlet with a closure means (20) and at least one flexible glove or gauntlet (10, 12) extending into a box (2), where at least a portion of the box is transparent. In use letters and parcels enter the box and are opened within the box to prevent exposure to any hazardous substance contained therein. The mail can be removed from the box using the outlet, which is preferably located in the base of the box.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>
Security Mailbox The present invention relates to a mailbox and, more particularly, to a mailbox arranged to provide a secure interface between the exterior and the interior of a building.
Concern has recently escalated over the possibility of bacterial substances being disseminated by terrorists via a public postal system, with a number of cases having been reported of Anthrax bacteria being posted to various private and government addresses.
I have now devised an arrangement intended to frustrate such terrorist actions.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a mailbox for fitting to a door and comprising: an inlet aperture arranged to be aligned with a slot formed in the door to receive mail posted through the slot ; an outlet aperture provided with closure means for removing mail from the box ; and at least one flexible glove or gauntlet extending into the box for the manipulation of mail therein, at least a portion of the box being transparent to enable the contents of the box to be viewed.
The mailbox may thus be employed to open and inspect the contents of a letter or parcel in isolation, i. e. without exposing the person opening the letter to any hazardous substance or device that might have been maliciously concealed therein.
Preferably the closure means are arranged to substantially hermetically seal the interior of the box.
Preferably the mailbox is arranged to form a substantially hermetic seal between the opposed surfaces of the mailbox and the door to which it is mounted, around the mail slot formed in the door.
Preferably the or each glove or gauntlet is formed from an elastomeric material. Preferably the mailbox is formed from fire-resistant and/or blast proof materials.
<Desc/Clms Page number 2>
Preferably the closure means comprise a hinged flap in or adjacent the base of the box.
Preferably said at least one glove or gauntlet comprises a pair of complementary left and right handed gloves or gauntlets, which preferably extend into the mailbox from the front or from either side of the box.
Preferably the mouth of the or each glove or gauntlet is shrouded, when not in use, preferably by a displaceable flap or resiliently-dilatable curtain.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front perspective view and a side elevation of mailbox in accordance with the present invention Referring to the drawings, a reinforced, transparent Perspex mailbox 2 is shown, the box being arranged to be fitted to the interior side of a door, by a plurality of fastening devices, for example the screw fastenings 4 and/or Velcro pads 6 illustrated, such that an inlet aperture 8 of the box is aligned with a mail slot formed in the door. Thus any mail posted through the mail slot will fall into the interior of the box through the inlet aperture 8.
A pair of flexible, elastomeric gloves 10,12 extend into the box, from opposite sides thereof, so that a person, having first inserted his hands into the gloves, may then readily manipulate any letter or parcel contained in the box.
When the gloves 10,12 are not in use, respective flaps 14,16 are arranged to be positioned over their mouths, to further reinforce the boundary between the interior and the exterior of the box.
Once it has been established that the contents of a letter or parcel are safe, a catch 18 may be released and the base 20 of the box opened to release the contents of the box, by pivoting the base 20 about a hinge 22.
The mailbox thus described provides a convenient means
<Desc/Clms Page number 3>
by which a letter or parcel may be opened and have its contents inspected without exposing the person opening the letter to any hazardous substance or device that might have been maliciously concealed therein.

Claims (1)

  1. Claims 1) A mailbox for fitting to a door and comprising: an inlet aperture arranged to be aligned with a slot formed in the door to receive mail posted through the slot ; an outlet aperture provided with closure means for removing mail from the box ; and at least one flexible glove or gauntlet extending into the box for the manipulation of mail therein, at least a portion of the box being transparent to enable the contents of the box to be viewed.
    2) A mailbox as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the closure means are arranged to substantially hermetically seal the interior of the box.
    3) A mailbox as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, arranged to form a substantially hermetic seal between the opposed surfaces of the mailbox and the door to which it is mounted, around the mail slot formed in the door.
    4) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each glove or gauntlet is formed from an elastomeric material.
    5) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, formed from fire-resistant materials.
    6) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, formed from blast proof materials.
    7) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said closure means comprise a hinged flap in or adjacent the base of the box.
    <Desc/Clms Page number 5>
    8) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said at least one glove or gauntlet comprises a pair of complementary left and right handed gloves or gauntlets.
    9) A mailbox as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said pair of gloves extend into the mailbox from the front.
    10) A mailbox as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said pair of gloves extend into the mailbox from either side of the box.
    11) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mouth of the or each glove or gauntlet is shrouded, when not in use.
    12) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mouth of the or each glove is shrouded by a displaceable flap 13) A mailbox as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mouth of the or each glove is shrouded by a resilientlydilatable curtain.
    14) A mailbox substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB0128425A 2001-11-28 2001-11-28 Security mailbox Expired - Fee Related GB2382621B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0128425A GB2382621B (en) 2001-11-28 2001-11-28 Security mailbox

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0128425A GB2382621B (en) 2001-11-28 2001-11-28 Security mailbox

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0128425D0 GB0128425D0 (en) 2002-01-16
GB2382621A true GB2382621A (en) 2003-06-04
GB2382621B GB2382621B (en) 2004-01-14

Family

ID=9926559

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0128425A Expired - Fee Related GB2382621B (en) 2001-11-28 2001-11-28 Security mailbox

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2382621B (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6968993B1 (en) * 2003-11-17 2005-11-29 John Russell Mailbox assembly
GB2444762A (en) * 2006-04-25 2008-06-18 Denis Parton Detachable anti-contamination mail bag

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6968993B1 (en) * 2003-11-17 2005-11-29 John Russell Mailbox assembly
GB2444762A (en) * 2006-04-25 2008-06-18 Denis Parton Detachable anti-contamination mail bag

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0128425D0 (en) 2002-01-16
GB2382621B (en) 2004-01-14

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20071128