US3107848A - Encapsulated mailbox - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1963 M. e. PENTA ENCAPSULATED MAILBOX Filed May 25, 1962 1 li ll yu l l United States Patent 3,107,848 ENCAESULATED MAILBOX Michael G. Penta, 172 Bcdell St., Freeport, N.Y. Filed May 25, 1962, Ser. No. 197,779 2 Claims. (Cl. 232-17) This invention relates to a mailbox being substantially covered or encapsulated in a plastic spaced-apart covering or sheath.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel mailbox of great utility.

It is another object to provide a mailbox that also functions as a house sign.

It is a further object to provide a mailbox that is resistant to rain and that at the same time permits viewing within the box to see if there is mail therein.

It is another object to provide a mailbox that is resistant to weather conditions.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following descriptive disclosure taken in conjunction with the drawing of a plurality of embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing and in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rural type mailbox, broken-away in part, to show its construction,

FIG. 2 is a section view showing the manner of enclosing the inner box within an outer plastic casing,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a house type mailbox,

FIG. 4 is a bottom view taken on line 4-4 of the mailbox of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

According to this invention an inner mail receiving box of metal or plastic and like material is substantially encased in suitable spaced-apart relationship to an outer transparent plastic covering or sheath. The inner mail receiving box is provided with a suitable plurality of suit ably proportioned apertures adjacent its bottom wall to permit viewing inside the mailbox. These apertures are covered by the sheath of transparent plastic so that no rain water can enter into the apertures. Clearly also on a rainy day, the contents of the mailbox if any, may be viewed without opening the mailbox.

Preferably, the mailbox is provided with an electric light element disposed on the insulating plastic bottom wall. This element is preferably a fluorescent light but it may be of an incandescent nature. This light being itself fully enclosed it is not exposed to the elements such as rain and snow. Where such a light is used, the plastic sheath is preferably provided with suitable indicia for example, the householders name and street number.

Another advantage of this invention is that where the inner mailbox is made of metal it is protected from corrosion due to rain, etc.

This invention is clearly of a broad or generic scope, relating to a protective mailbox covering which may also function as a lighted house sign. Moreover, it may be provided with a pair of separately operated lights, for example, a red and white light; the red light, when turned on indicating the presence of mail to be picked up by the mailman.

Turning now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an inner for example, sheet metal mailbox is provided with a plurality of apertures 11 suitably sized and disposed adjacent the mailbox wall 12. The metal mailbox 16 may be provided with a rear wall 20, if de sired.

A conventional flanged front door 14 is hingedly se- 2 cured to the body-portion by means of conventional hinge pins 16. The door 14 is provided with a suitable knob or handle 17.

A plastic casing 18 is provided with a suitable front flange wall 1? and a rear wall 21. The rear plastic wall may be a flanged wall like wall 19 in which case the metal rear wall 20 of the inner mailbox is exposed to the atmosphere. Optionally, the rear wall of the mailbox 10 may be absent, in which case a unitary sheet of plastic 21 (FIG. 2) functions as the rear wall for both the inner mailbox and the casing. In this latter case the entire contents of the mailbox are easily viewed through the transparent rear wall 21.

Preferably the mailbox is provided with linear lights 22 and the conventional wiring 23 and mounted on an outdoor post 24.

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate another embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment a rectangular mailbox 30 is used in lieu of a curved box, said box being provided with a conventional hinged flap 31 covering a letter receiving slot disposed on a magazine receiving hinged flap 32.

In this embodiment, the transparent plastic casing 33 is provided with a bottom wall 34, a front wall 35 and a pair of rear walls 36 and a pair of side walls 37. The casing 33 is molded from suitable plastic and provided with a top rim 38 having suitable screw receiving apertures therein. The casing is secured by a plurality of screws 39 to the mailbox 30.

As in the case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a suitable lighting element 22 and suitable wiring 23 is provided. Also suitable apertures 11 are provided in the inner mailbox.

Of course where the inner mailbox is also made of transparent plastic the need for the apertures may be obviated. But even in this event, apertures 11 may be used since they provide air circulation to cool off the lighting elements of low wattage. The plastic casing 18 or 33 is preferably tightly fitted to the co-acting metal or plastic mailbox proper to prevent seepage. However, it may be adviseable to employ a sealing compound or sealing tape at the points of juncture of plastic to metal.

This invention has been described by means of a plurality of embodiments but it is not to be limited to these illustrations thereof.

Thus in place of a transparent plastic casing 18 a plastic translucent covering may be used.

Other modifications and changes of mailbox design configurations are embraced within the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An illuminated rainproof mailbox comprising an inner mail receiving box; an outer transparent plastic encasing cover secured in spaced-apart and water tight relationship to said inner box, said cover having a horizontally disposed base upon which said box rests, and lighting means secured to said base between said encasing cover and said box.

2. An illuminated rainproof rural type mailbox adapted to function also as a house sign comprising a transparent substantially semi-cylindrical plastic container having a horizontal flat base, a conventional flat base rural semicylindrical mailbox disposed in said plastic container in spaced-apart relationship to the container walls with engagement of the respective bases, and lighting means disposed on each side of said mailbox and'secured to said base of said plastic container.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Aug. 18, 1903 Cooley Mar. 6, 1928 5 Payson July 5, 1932 Wenner Dec. 20, 1932

Claims (1)

1. AN ILLUMINATED RAINPROOF MAILBOX COMPRISING AN INNER MAIL RECEIVING BOX; AN OUTER TRANSPARENT PLASTIC ENCASING COVER SECURED IN SPACED-APART AND WATER TIGHT RELATIONSHIP TO SAID INNER BOX, SAID COVER HAVING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BASE UPON WHICH SAID BOX RESTS, AND LIGHTING MEANS SECURED TO SAID BASE BETWEEN SAID ENCASING COVER AND SAID BOX.

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