US2876977A - Mail box support - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1959 F. GARRETSON 7 MAIL Box SUPPORT Filed May 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w R. M "W M 0N W F a w 0% m w Illllllllll March 10, 1959 F. GARRETSON MAIL BOX SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

Filed May 16, 1956- F/oyd Garrefson I INVENTOR.

MAIL BOX SUPPORT Floyd Garretson, Haxtun, C010,. Application May 16, 1956, Serial No. 585,199

3 Claims. (01. 248--146) The present invention relates to structurally novel support means for a rural mail box which contemplates but'a nominal addition to the bottom of a conventionaltype mail box making the latter readily andsatisfactorily usable on and in conjunction with the improved. support means.

States Pat More specifically, the invention pertains. to'a simple,

practical and economical support which, while it functions as an adequate substitute for a simple wooden post or an equivalent upright, is thought to be somewhat more desirable in that it is so constructed and fashioned that it :delineates and marginally represents a figure, for example, Uncle Sam, a mail carrier or whatever the manufacturer and seller chooses as an imitation of a person or the like.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention a vertically elongated frame is utilized. This is preferably made of several more or less pieces of pipe, rod or the like which lend themselves bendable and associable to define the stated frame. A panel, preferably a sheet metal panel, is mounted within the marginal confines of the over-all frame and it is marginally delineated to conform with the shaping of the pipe or pipe sections whereby the tube, the frame and panel provid'ea simple representation of the figure desired.

Another aspect of the invention has to do with a support in representation of a given person wherein-one of thepipe portions is especially bent to provide what appears to be a human hand or, more explicitly, an extended arm and attending hand supporting the mail box in a new and novel setting, so to speak.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on a suitably cut-out or shaped panel wherein the frame means provides a reinforcement for the panel and also constitutes the principal support structure and the combination therewith of angle irons fitted into the bottom or skirt portion of the conventional box and carrying cross members which in turn have a horizontal open-ended pipe welded thereto which functions as a socket and is fitted over an extensive pipe portion in a distinctive manner.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheets of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved mail box support illustrating one embodiment thereof which, as before stated, takes the form of Uncle Sam with his extended arm or hand supporting the conventional mail box.

Figure 2 is a view in what may be said to be edge elevation of the structure seen in Figure 1 looking at it in a direction from left to right.

Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the horizontal and Vertical lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view with parts in section and elevation taken on the horizontal line 5- -5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 6 and 7 are sections, taken respectively, on the lines 6-6 and 77 of Figure 1. p

Referring now to the drawings with the aid of'reference numerals and as before stated there is no change particularly in the basic construction of the mail box. That is to say, numeral 8 designates a conventional or standard rural delivery mail box. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lower skirt portion of the box is denoted at 10 and in keeping with the present invention this provides a handy and convenient pocket for the adapter means here provided. The adapter means comprises a pair of spaced parallel angle irons 12 which are riveted or otherwise secured at 14 in coplanarrelationship and which serve to accommodate transverse cross pieces 16. These cross pieces serve to accommodate a horizontal relatively short open-ended tube 18. This is welded to'the crosspieces as at 20. It provides an open-ended socket member which slips over the supporting arm which is provided therefor. The supporting arm here comprises a horizontal tube or portion of a pipe which is denoted at 22. In other words, the end of this-pipe telescopes into the socket member 18 and in this instance set-screws are employed to connect the parts together. Actually the tube 18 is punctured and nuts are welded on the exterior in alignment with holes, the nuts being denoted at 24 and these serve to accommodate setscrews 26. The setscrews are threaded through the nuts and through the holes and bind against diametrically opposite sides of the arm 22 whereby to thus provide a handy and practical support for the mail box.. The arm, however, is a part of the main or principal support structure. However, it is desired to cover the support means broadly characterized by the tubular or equivalent arm 22 fitting on a mail box by way ofthe adapter structure which is made up of the angle ironsl2- -l2, the cross members 16 and the underlying tubular socket forming member '18 which slips over the arm 22 and is held in place by setscrews.

The support structure which is an equivalent of a post or an upright or the like here is unique in that it is an imitation of or a representation 'of'a suitable figure. In

fore the word figure is used in its broadly applicable sense. More specifically, however, the figure comprises the representation of a man in the side elevational profile. The frame is an important part of the construction and the frame as an entity is denoted by the numeral 28. The frame may be said to be vertically elongated and the frame members are connected at their lower ends to a vertically disposed tube or the like which constitutes an anchor 30 being driven into the ground.

In keeping with the concept the frame is made up of several lengths or pieces of pipe or tubing. The expression pipe sections would be sufficient for the purposes here. As shown three pipe sections are employed and the front one is denoted at 32. This is of suitable length and the upper end is denoted at 34, and the lower end portion at 36 and this is on one side of the anchoring tube and is welded thereto as at 38. This length of pipe may be said to be slightly bowed lengthwise so as to represent that portion of the figure intended. The rear pipe section is denoted at 40 and this is somewhat longer and has its lower end portion 42 on the opposite side of the tube and welded thereto in the manner shown. The intermediate and upper portions are suitably shaped to represent the general contour of the standing figure. Since the figure will be simple and plain as possible the curves and bends will be restricted to a minimum. These 00- planar complemental pipe sections 32 and 40 are welded as at 44 and 46 to the pre-cut marginal edges of the sheet metal or equivalent blank or panel 48. Perhaps a sheet metal panel will do and when it is fitted in the confines of the frame members stated and suitably painted on one or both sides in color it will represent the legs, body and apparel, etc. The third pipe section is denoted by the numeral 50 and this is somewhat L-shaped and includes the aforementioned arm 22 and an upwardly and rearwardly bowed or bent portion 52 which is welded in place at 54. It terminates and joins what may be called the upper extended end of the pipe 40, that is the end portion 56 at the junctional point 58. This upper extended portion is somewhat L-shaped and serves as a suitable support for the auxiliary blank 60 which is cut out to represent the head and face of the figure. The horizontal terminal branch 62 of the pipe portion 58 in conjunction with a head serves to accommodate an inverted receptacle-like sheet metal or equipalent member 64 which is fashioned to represent a hat. It follows that by cutting out sheet metal members or panels 48 and 60 and welding them to each other and joining them with the several suitably bent pipe sections a simple and attractive figure-type support or post is provided. The small extension 66 is referred to merely because it projects beyond the frame at the ground line and represents the feet of the figure.

While the obvious originality and appearance aspects are prominent, the fact remains that the frame structure provides a reliable and satisfactory mail box support.

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. In combination, a rural mailbox having a flat elevated horizontal bottom marginally surrounded by a depending endless wall, said wall and bottom providing a shallow open bottom receiver, a pair of elongated coplanar angle irons having vertical flanges fastened to the interior surfaces of the lengthwise walls and horizontal flanges turned inwardly toward each other and disposed in a plane above the lower edges of said surrounding wall, a pair of flat cross members disposed at right angles to said angle irons and fixed to said horizontal flanges, said cross members being spaced from the forward and rearward ends of the box and disposed intermediate the ends of said angle irons and being flush with the bottom edges of said endless wall, said angle irons and cross members being thus confined within the depth of said receiver, and a relatively short rigid adapter tube welded to and underlying the cross members, the end portions of said tube extending beyond the adjacent respective cross members, said tube constituting an adapter socket for reception and retention of a tubular support arm and having setscrews whereby the tube may be securely fastened to said support arm.

2. A mailbox support comprising a relatively short tubular member rigid and adapted to be driven and thus anchored vertically in the ground, an elongated vertically disposed frame embodying a pair of coplanar cooperating frame members having linearly straight lower end portions disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the upper portion of said anchor and secured to said anchor, said frame being shaped marginally delineate and represent a human figure, and a flat decorative panel fixedly mounted within the confines of and marginally encompassed by said frame, said panel conforming in shape with the given shape of said frame, an upper portion of said frame having an outstanding laterally projecting support arm, said frame members comprising coplanar pipe sections which are individually and collectively bent to define the desired delineation, a socket member fitted removably, adjustably and telescopically over said outstanding support arm, and means fixed to said socket member whereby it may be rigidly and centrally attached to the bottom portion of a rural mailbox having, as is generally the case, an ele: vated bottom surrounded by an endless skirt-like wall.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein the pipe sections are of a cross section greater than the thickness of the panel to not only reinforce the panel but to provide a marginal embossed appearance, and the upper end portion of one of the pipe sections extending upward ly beyond the adjacent pipe section and being characteristically shaped to support a properly-delineated auxiliary panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 772,744 Packard Oct. 18, 1904 1,495,741 Higdon May"27. 1924 1,588,500 Schulte June 15, 1926: 1,809,726 Sanders June 9, 1931 2,580,948 Pancake Ian. 1, 1952 2,669,408 Cox Feb. 16, 1954

Images