GB2427652A

GB2427652A - Secure letter box for a door

Info

Publication number: GB2427652A
Application number: GB0612851A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eugine Thomas Huttonmills
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-06-29
Filing date: 2006-06-28
Publication date: 2007-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-28
Also published as: GB0513293D0; GB2427652B; GB0612851D0

Abstract

A letter box (2) for a door (4), which letter box (2) comprises a frame, an obturator member (8) which moves relative to the frame (6) between an open position which enables the delivery of documents through an aperture (10) in the door (4) and a closed position which prevents the delivery of the documents through the aperture (10) in the door (4), locking means (12) for locking the obturator (8) in the closed position, and receiver means (14) for causing the locking means (12) to operate so that the obturator (8) member can be moved to the open position for permitting the delivery of the documents, and the receiver means (14) being a wireless receiver means (14) which operates consequent upon receiving a signal from a remote hand-held hand-operable transmitter means (18). The transmitter may be infra-red or radio frequencies and may be a key fob. The obturator may slide up & down, or side-to-side, or may be a pivoting flap. The locking means may comprise a sprung bolt, biased into the locked position and a solenoid which operates on receipt of an electric current from the receiver to unlock the bolt. Recording means preferably record delivery details such as time, name & signature of person making the delivery etc. In use, the letter box prevents the delivery of junk mail and theft.

Description

A LETTER BOX FOR A DOOR

This invention relates to a letter box and, more especially, this invention relates to a letter box for a door.

Documents such for example as letters, postcards, advertising leaflets and newspapers are traditionally delivered to premises through a letter box in a door. It is often desired to prevent the delivery of many items such for example as advertising leaflets. It is also often desired to prevent potential burglars looking through a letter box to see if they can gain access to the premises, for example by obtaining keys to the premises that have been left near the vicinity of the letter box.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a letter box which obviates or reduces the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a letter box for a door, which letter box comprises a frame, an obturator member which moves relative to the frame between an open position which enables the delivery of documents through an aperture in the door and a closed position which prevents the delivery of the documents through the aperture in the door, locking means for causing the obturator member to be locked in the closed position, and receiver means for causing the locking means to operate so that the obturator member can be moved to the open position for permitting the delivery of the documents, and the receiver means being a wireless receiver means which operates consequent upon receiving a signal from a remote hand-held handoperable transmitter means.

The letter box of the present invention can be arranged to be open solely for the purpose of required deliveries by required persons such for example as a post person. Unwanted deliveries such for example as advertising leaflets can be prevented. Potential burglars looking through the letter box with the intention of breaking into the premises can also be avoided.

Usually, the letter box will be one in which the receiver means is a radio frequency operable receiver means. Other types of receiver means may however be employed so that the receiver means may be, for example, an infra red frequency operable receiver means.

Preferably, the obturator member is a sliding shutter.

In use, the sliding shutter may slide up an and down over the aperture in the door. Alternatively, in use, the sliding shutter may slide from side to side over the aperture in the door.

The obturator member may alternatively be a pivoting flap. Other types of obturator member may also be employed.

In one embodiment of the invention, the locking means may include a keep bolt. The letter box may be one in which the keep bolt is attached to the obturator member, in which the keep bolt locates in an aperture in the frame in order to lock the obturator member in the closed position, and in which the keep bolt withdraws from the aperture in the frame in order to unlock the obturator member. Alternatively, the letter box may be one in which the keep bolt is attached to the frame, in which the keep bolt engages the obturator member in the closed position, and in which the keep bolt disengages from the obturator member in the open position.

The locking means may include a solenoid. In this case, the letter box may be one in which the solenoid operates on receipt of an electric current provided via the receiver means to cause the keep bolt to go to one of its positions, and in which the locking means includes biasing means for causing the keep bolt to go to its other position when the electric current is switched off via the receiver means. Thus the receiver means may be operated a first time to cause the keep bolt to go to one of its positions and the receiver means may be operated a second time to cause the keep bolt to go to its other position.

The biasing means may be a biasing spring which holds the keep bolt in one of its positions until the solenoid is energised by the electric current.

Preferably, the biasing means holds the keep bolt in its locking condition until the solenoid is energised by the electric current, whereupon the solenoid over comes the biasing force of the biasing spring and moves the keep bolt to its unlocked condition. Such an arrangement provides an economical use of electric current because electric current is not needed to keep the letter box closed. The letter box is kept closed by the biasing means such as the biasing spring. The letter box will be required to be closed for the majority of the time. Current is thus only needed when the letter box is required to be open. If desired, the reverse arrangement may however be employed.

In another embodiment of the invention, the locking means may include, or may be associated with, drive means for moving the obturator member between closed and open positions. The drive means may be a pulley drive means. Other types of drive means may be employed.

The receiver means may be the same as, or like, that use on car door locks.

The letter box may include recording means for recording details of the delivery. Thus, for example, the recording means may record delivery time and/or recorded delivery details and/or the name of the person making the delivery and/or the signature of the person making the delivery. The recorded details may be recorded on memory means such for example as a chip. The recorded details can then be obtained when required, for example by being displayed on a computer screen. Additionally or alternatively, the recording means may be such that it is able to provide a hard copy printout.

The present invention also extends to the combination of the letter box and the transmitter means.

Preferably, the transmitter means is a fob transmitter means. The fob transmitter means is preferably a key fob transmitter means.

The fob transmitter means may be the same as, or like, that used to open car door locks. Thus the fob transmitter means is easily operated and it is powered by a small battery.

Advantageously, the transmitter means include emergency release means for opening the letter box in the event of a failure of part of the letter box, for example a failure of the receiver means or the transmitter means.

The emergency release means may be an emergency release key or any other suitable and appropriate device.

The present invention also extends to a door when provided with a letter box according to the invention.

Usually, the letter box will be fitted to a front face of the door.

However, if desired, the letter box may alternatively be fitted to a rear face of the door.

Usually, the letter box will be the sole means for closing the aperture in the door. However, if desired, when the letter box of the present invention is fitted to the front face of the door, then the rear face of the door may be provided with a draft-excluding flap.

If desired, the letter box of the present invention may be fitted to doors that already have a known type of letter box. In this case, the known letter box may be fitted to the front face of the door, and the letter box of the present invention may be fitted to a rear face of the door.

The letter box may be made of any suitable and appropriate materials including metals and plastics materials. The letter box may be made in a variety of sizes in order to receive documents of different sizes. The frame itself may be of any suitable and appropriate design. The letter box may receive any documents of the type currently delivered and required, including letters, postcards, and small parcels.

The letter box of the present invention may be provided with override means for overriding the locking means in the event that it is desired to leave the letter box open for some reason.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, exploded and part view of a first letter box of the invention in use on a door; Figure 2 is a front view of the letter box and door shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the letter box and door as shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a front view of a second letter box in use on a door.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a letter box 2 in use on a door 4. The letter box 2 comprises a frame 6, and an obturator member 8.

The obturator member 8 moves relative to the frame 6 between an open position which enables the delivery of documents through an aperture 10 in the door 4, and a closed position which prevents the delivery of the documents through the aperture 10 in the door 4.

The letter box 2 also comprises locking means 12 for locking the obtrutator member 8 in the closed position. The letter box 2 also comprises receiver means 14 for causing the locking means 12 to operate so that the obturator member 8 can be moved to the open position for permitting the delivery of the documents.

The receiver means 14 is a wireless receiver means which operates consequent upon receiving a signal 60 from a remote hand-held handoperable transmitter means 18. The receiver means 14 is a radio-frequency operable receiver means 14.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the obturator member 8 is a sliding shutter. In use, the sliding shutter slides up and down over the aperture 10 in the door 4.

The locking means 12 includes a keep bolt 20. The keep bolt 20 is located in a housing 22 which is secured, for example by welding or rivets to the frame 6. The keep bolt 20 extends backwards and forwards through a hole 24 in the frame 6. When the obturator member 8 in the form of the sliding shutter is in the frame 6, it will be appreciated from Figure 1 that the obturator member 8 is guided by guide channel formations 26 at opposite side edges of the frame 6 as shown. When the obturator member 10 has been slid down in the direction of the arrow 28 to its fullest extent, then the locking means 12 can be activated via the receiver means 14. The keep bolt will then pass through the hole 24 in the guide channel formation 26.

When this has happened, the keep bolt 20 will engage the top edge 30 of the obturator member 8, thus preventing the obturator member 8 from being raised without authority, for example by a casual delivery person wanting to deliver unwanted leaflets, or by a potential burglar wanting to look through the aperture 10 and into the premises having the door 4, for example a house, a flat, an office or a factory.

The locking means 12 includes a solenoid 32. The solenoid 32 operates on receipt of the electric current provided via the receiver means 14 to cause the keep bolt 20 to go to one of its positions, in this case the position in which the solenoid 32 withdraws the keep bolt 20 from the aperture 24. An authorised person 33 delivering mail can then raise the obturator member 8 by grasping a handle 34 and sliding the obturator member 8 upwardly in the guide channel formations 26. When the mail has been delivered, the authorised person 33 allows the obtuator member 8 to slide down the guide channel formations 26 to the closed position. Biasing means in the form of a spnng 36 is positioned between the inner end of the keep bolt 20 and the adjacent end of the housing 22. Thus when the solenoid 32 ceases to operate, the spring 36 pushes the keep bolt 20 back through the hole 24 and into engagement with the top edge 30 of the obturator member 8, thereby preventing the obturator member 8 from being raised again until such time as the receiver means 14 is operated again by the person 33 operating the transmitter means 18 again. With the spring 36 holding the keep bolt 20 in the hole 24, electric current is not being consumed. Electric current is only consumed when it is necessary to cause operation of the solenoid 30 to cause the keep bolt 20 to withdraw from the hole 24 and allow the obturator member 8 to be raised. Power for the solenoid 24 can be from mains electricity or from a battery. The battery may be stored in the housing 22, or it may be stored separately from the housing 22 and connected to the solenoid 32 by wires (not shown).

The receiver means 14 may be the same as, or like, that used on car door locks. Similarly, the transmitter means 18 may be the same as, or like, that used to open car door locks. Thus the transmitter means 18 may be in the form of a key such for example as a key fob. The transmitter means 18 may be given to an authorised mail person who may have, for example, one transmitter means that will operate all letter boxes in a designated street, or in a number of designated streets, or in a designated postal zone.

The frame 6 of the letter box 2 is provided with recording means 37 for recording details of the delivery. The recording means 37 may record delivery time and/or registered delivery details and/or recorded delivery details and/or the name of the post person making the delivery and/or the signature of the post person making the delivery.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a letter box 38 on a door 4.

Similar parts as in the letter box 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

In the letter box 38, it will be seen that the obturator member 8 is arranged to be raised and lowered by drive means 40. The drive means 40 may form part of locking means, or the drive means 40 may be associated with locking means.

The drive means 40 comprises a pulley system having a first pulley 42 secured to the obtrutator member 8, and a second pulley 44 secured to the door 4. A motor 46 is secured to the door 4 and drives an endless belt 48 around the pullies 42,44. The motor 46 is provided with a computer chip to control the operation of the motor 46. Rotation of the motor 46 one way causes the endless belt to rotate one way to raise the obturator member 8.

Rotation of the motor 46 the other way causes the endless belt 48 to rotate the other way and lower the obturator member 8. The drive means 40 will be provided or associated with the locking means (not shown) for causing the obturator member 8 to be locked in the closed position. This thus prevents unauthorised delivery of documents, and it also prevents burglars looking through the aperture 10 in the door 4. The receiver means for causing the locking means to operate can be positioned where desired.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention descnbed above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the obturator member 8 shown in Figure 1 may slide from side to side rather than up and down. Stilt further, the obturator member could be a pivoting obturator member which pivots about its top edge 30. The letter box of the present invention may include travel limiting means for limiting the opening travel of the obturator member. Thus, for example, the letter box 2 could include travel limiting means for limiting the upward travel of the obturator member 8 in order to ensure that the obturator member 8 did not slide completely out of the guide channel formations 26. The letter box of the present invention may also be provided with override means for ensuring that the obturator member 8 closes after a certain time so that there is no possibility of a delivery person leaving the letter box of the invention in its open condition. Where the obturator member 8 is raised and lowered by drive means as shown in Figure 4, then safety cut out means may be employed in case a person such for example as child should get their fingers caught between the obturator member and the frame, when the obturator member is closing. The letter box of the present invention may be for specffic commercial uses. Thus, for example, the letter box of the present invention may be for receiving registered post or for receiving other specific types of post such as recorded delivery post.

Claims

1. A letter box for a door, which letter box compnses a frame, a obturator member which moves relative to the frame between an open position which enables the delivery of documents through an aperture in the door and a closed position which prevents the delivery of the documents through the aperture in the door, locking means for causing the obturator member to be locked in the closed position, and receiver means for causing the locking means to operate so that the obturator member can be moved to the open position for permitting the delivery of the documents, and the receiver means being a wireless receiver means which operates consequent upon receiving a signal from a remote hand-held hand- operable transmitter means.

2. A letter box according to claim I in which the receiver means is a radio-frequency operable receiver means.

3. A letter box according to claim 1 in which the receiver means is an infra-red frequency-operable receiver means.

4. A letter box according to any one of the preceding claims in which the obturator member is a sliding shutting.

5. A letter box according to claim 4 in which in use the sliding shutter slides up and down over the aperture in the door.

6. A letter box according to claim 4 in which in use the sliding shutter slides from side to side over the aperture in the door.

7. A letter box according to any one of claims I - 3 in which the obturator member is a pivoting flap.

8. A letter box according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking means includes a keep bolt.

9. A letter box according to claim 8 in which the keep bolt is attached to the obturator member, in which the keep bolt locates in an aperture in the frame in order to lock the obturator member in the closed position, and in which the keep bolt withdraws from the aperture in the frame in order to unlock the obturator member.

10. A letter box according to claim 8 in which the keep bolt is attached to the frame, in which the keep bolt engages the obturator member in the closed position, and in which the keep bolt disengages from the obturator member in the open position.

11. A letter box according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking means includes a solenoid.

12. A letter box according to claims 8 and 11 which the solenoid operates on receipt of an electric current provided via the receiver means to cause the keep bolt to go to one of its positions, and in which the locking means includes biasing means for causing the keep bolt to go to its other position when the electric current is switched off via the receiver means.

13. A letter box according to claim 12 in which the biasing means is a biasing spring which holds the keep bolt in one of its positions until the solenoid is energised by the electric current.

14. A letter box according to claim 12 or claim 13 in which the biasing means holds the keep bolt in its closed position until the solenoid is energised by the electric current, whereupon the solenoid overcomes the biasing force of the biasing spring and moves the keep bolt to its open position.

15. A letter box according to any one of the preceding claims in which the receiver means is the same as, or like, that used on car door locks.

16. A letter box according to any one of the preceding claims and including recording means for recording details of the delivery.

17. A letter box according to claim 16 in which the recording means records delivery time and/or registered delivery details and/or recorded delivery details and/or the name of the person making the delivery and/or the signature of the person making the delivery.

18. A letter box for a door, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. The combination of a letter box according to any one of the preceding claims and the transmitter means.

20. The combination according to claim 19 in which the transmitter means is a fob transmitter means.

21. The combination according to claim 20 in which the fob transmitter means is the same as, or like, that used to open car door locks.

22. The combination according to any one of claims 19-21 in which the transmitter means includes emergency release means for opening the letter box in the event of a failure of part of the letter box.

23. A door when provided with a letter box according to any one of claims 1-18.