US2810515A

US2810515A - Container construction

Info

Publication number: US2810515A
Application number: US529094A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stalmer Reginald Gray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-08-18
Filing date: 1955-08-18
Publication date: 1957-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1974-10-22

Description

Oct. 22, 1957 R. G. STALMER 2,810,515

CONTAINER consmucnon w Filed Aug.. 18, 1955 [8 Fig.3 26

/32 l6 E E Regina/d Gray Sta/l ner INVENTOR.

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Reginald Gray Stalmer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 18, 1955, Serial No. 529,094

2 Claims. (Cl. 23228) This invention generally relates to a container construction and more specifically provides a container which may be mounted upon a vertical supporting surface for the collection of mail or similar articles such as suggestions wherein the container may be locked in position so that the contents thereof cannot be disturbed and may be unlocked for movement to a position to provide access to the contents thereof by persons having a key to the box thereby protecting the material in the box.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container construction including a hingedly mounted receptacle secured to the bottom edge of a mounting plate wherein therear of the receptacle is provided with a slot for receiving a forwardly projecting apertured tongue or lug on the upper end of a mounting plate together with a key operated latch mechanism engageable with the tongue for selectively locking the container in a vertical position along side of the supporting surface or in a downwardly pivoted position with the container in a generally horizontal position wherein an enlarged opening in the rear thereof permits access to the interior of the receptacle.

Other important objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of operation, effectiveness for its particular purposes, its adaptation for various utilities and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accom panying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and inwhich:

Figure l is a perspective view of the container construction of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 22 of Figure 1 illustrating the structural arrangement thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating further structural details of the container construction; and

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating the relationship of the locking hook-shaped member and the slotted or apertured tongue.

With reference to the official drawings, the numeral generally designates the container construction of the present invention for attachment to a vertical supporting surface 12 which may be either a wall surface or any suitable support.

A generally enlarged rectangular fiat mounting plate 14 is attached to the supporting surface 12 by supporting screws 16 of any suitable type wherein the screws 16 are so constructed that a generally smooth surface is presented to the outer surface of the mounting plate 14.

A receptacle generally designated by the numeral 18 nited States PatentlO andincluding a rear wall 20, a front wall 22, a bottom 24, a generally semi-cylindrical top wall 26, side wall 28 and side wall 30 which coact to form an enclosed receptacle.

The rear wall 20 is provided with an enlarged opening 32 to permit access into the interior of the receptacle 18 from the rear thereof. The top wall 26 adjacentits juncture with the front wall 22 is provided with a slot 34 extending horizontally thereacross for receiving articles such as mail or other paper articles into the interior of the receptacle 18. The bottom wall 24 is recessed and provided with peripheral depending flanges 36 wherein a hinge 38 interconnects the bottom edge of the mounting plate. 14 and the rear of the flanges 36 and the bottom edge of the rear plate 20 thereby pivotally and hingedly connecting the receptacle 18 to the mounting plate 14 at the lower end thereof. I a

The upper end of the rear wall 20 adjacent its juncture with the top wall 26 is provided with a transversely disposed slot 40 for receiving a projecting tongue or lug 42 on the upper end of the mounting plate 14 which is provided with an aperture 44 extending therethrough with lug 42 frictionally gripping slot 40.

Exetending between the

side walls

28 and 30 is an elongated rod 46 having a laterally projecting hook-shaped member 48 thereon for selectively extending through the aperture 44 in the tongue 42 on the mounting plate 14 thereby detachably securing the upper end of the receptacle 18 adjacent the mounting plate 14. One end of the elongated rod 46 is rotatably journaled in a bracket 50 on the inner surface of the side wall 28 and the other end of the rod 46 is screw threaded as indicated by the numeral 52 for receiving a clamp nut 54 which clamps the edges of an opening 56 in the side wall 30 wherein a key operated device generally designated by the numeral 58 is provided for selectively locking the rod 46 in nonrotating relation and permitting rotation of the rod 46 for selectively locking the hook-shaped extension 48 on the rod 46 in the opening 44 in the lug 42 thereby selectively locking and unlocking the receptacle 18 in vertical position. A name plate 60 may be provided on the front wall 22 for indicating the purpose to which the receptacle 18 is to be used. When the hook-shaped locking member 48 is unlatched, the receptacle 18 may be pivoted downwardly until the bottom end of the side walls as well as the flange 36 ofthe bottom 24 engage the vertical supporting surface 12 wherein access may be had to the opening 32 for permitting removal of the material from the interior of the receptacle 18 which has been previously inserted through the slot 34.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A container assembly comprising a mounting plate adapted to be attached to a vertical supporting surface, a receptacle having a rear wall being open for a major portion of its area, a front wall, a top, a bottom and side walls, means hingedly connecting the bottom of the rear wall to the bottom of said plate, said mounting plate having a forwardly projecting apertured lug on the upper end thereof, said rear wall having a slot for receiving said lug, latch means mounted within said receptacle for selectively extending through said aperture in the lug for V locking and unlocking the rear wall of. the receptacle against the mounting plate and permitting downward pivotal movement of the receptacle for providing access through the enlarged opening to the interior of the receptacle, said top wall having a slot for insertion of material in the receptacle, said-latch means including an elongated rod pivotally mounted between theside walls, said rod having a laterally extending hook-shaped member for selective insertion through the aperture'in the lug upon rotation of the rod, and keyoperated lock means extending longitudinally of said rod outwardly of one of said side walls for permitting rotation of said rod.

.2. A container assembly comprising a mounting plate adapted to be attached to a support, areceptacle having a bottom, side walls, top wall, front wall, and rear wall, said receptacle having a slot therein for permitting insertion of material into the receptacleQsaid rear wall having an open area constituting a majorportion thereof, the rear lower edge of said receptacle being hingedly mounting plate having a forwardly projecting lug on the upper end thereof, said lug having an aperture extending therethrough, said rear wall having a slot for permitting passage of the lug through the wall, a transverse rod rotatably mounted on said receptacle in adjacent relation to the rear wall, a laterally extending hookshaped member on said rod for extending through the aperture in the lug upon rotation of the rod when the lug is projecting through the slot in the rear wall, the rotation of the rod for withdrawing the hook-shaped member from the aperture in the lug'permitting downward pivotal movement of the receptacle for access into the interior thereof through the Open area in the rear connected to said mounting plate, said mounting plate having an area at least equal to the open area in the rear wall for closing the open area in the rear wall when the rearwall is disposed adjacent themounting plate, said wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 20 2,578,693 Gieseler Dec. 18. 1951