US3490411A - Mail and newspaper box flag - Google Patents

Description

M. c. POINDEXTER MAIL AND NEWSPAPER BOX FLAG Jan. 20, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1969 y Les C. Po/naexfer Jari- 1970 I M. c. POINDEXTER 3,490,411

MAIL AND NEWSPAPER BOX FLAG Filed March 12, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M Myles C. Po/hdexfer United States Patent Ofilice US. Cl. 116132 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flag or signaling device is provided adapted to be clamped to a mail box or a newspaper box and having a signal member in the form of a resilient tape such as a portion of a tape rule which is adapted to stand erect in its normal position. A hook means is provided so that the flag may be retained in folded over position over the open end of the box. Placement of a newspaper or mail into the box disengages the flag member from the hook and permits it to rise to its normally erect position, thereby indicating the presence of a newspaper or mail within the box to persons positioned at a distance from the box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of signaling devices have been provided in the prior art for indicating to persons located at a distance that mail or a newspaper has been placed in a box located near the street or highway. Some of the prior art devices have provisions whereby they are automatically actuated when the door of the box is opened. However, most of the devices are cumbersome and relatively expensive. In fact some of the devices must be incorporated in a box assembly during its manufacture. Moreover, few ofthe prior art devicesare suitable for use with newspaper boxes which generally are not provided with doors, but which must be actuated by the entrance of the newspaper itself into the box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a signaling device which may be readily attached to a ruraltype mail box or newspaper box, and which will automatically signal to an observer located at a distance that mail or a newspaper has been placed in the box. It is a further object to provide a signal device of the type described which is relatively inexpensive. It is Still a further object to provide a signaling device of the type described which is adaptable both for newspaper boxes and for mail boxes having doors. It is a further object-to provide a signaling device which is automatically actuated when mail or a newspaper is placed within the box. The accomplishment of the foregoing and additional objects will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

According to the invention, a flag device is provided for mounting on a mail box or newspaper box in the form of an integral unit having a clamp for affixing the unit to the box, and a normally vertically extending flag in the form of a strip or tape of a spring material such as steel. Hook means is also provided at the base of the rule adapted to engage detent means provided on the side of the flag which becomes convexly arcuate when it is bent over in front of the box. The flag is made sufiiciently long so that in bent over position it extends downwardly over a substantial portion of the mouth of the box. When mail or a newspaper is placed in the box, it engages the lower portion of the flag and disengages it from the hook, whereupon the flag snaps to its vertical position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the signal flag device of the invention.

3,490,411 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device taken from a position with respect to that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4 mounted on a mail box.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken at the line 6-6 of FIG. 7, and arranged in the position suitable for mounting at the open end of a newspaper box; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown mounted on a newspaper box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. l-4 the integral signal flag assembly of the present invention is shown comprising a U clamp 1 having sufficient space between its side members so that it may be placed either over the upper lip of a newspaper box or over the upper strap of a mail box latch assembly. A screw 2 is positioned through a hole in the upper wall of the clamp and adjustably retained therein. The screw may be a machine screw having threads which are engaged in complementary screw threads provided in the wall of the clamp. Alternatively, the screw may be a sheet metal type screw engaged in a standard sheet metal self-engaging type nut. Other combinations may alternatively be used. The screw extends through a supporting member 3 in the form of a rubber cylinder or tube. A flag member 4 is afiixed at its lower end to the supporting member 3 by a piece of adhesive tape 5, 01' by any other suitable means such as an adhesive. The flag member 4 is formed of a length of spring steel strip having an arcuate cross-section to cause it to remain in normally extended self-supporting and straight position, as for example a piece of steel tape measure blade stock. The supporting member 3 is afiixed to the clamp 1 by means of a screw. Maintained between the supporting member 3 and the upper surface of the U-clamp 1 is a book 6. A hook engaging detent 7 is provided on the convex side of the flag member 4 and comprises a small rod in the form of a nail shank or short length of wire, affixed to the blade by means of tape 8 or other suitable means such as an adhesive. Alternatively a detent may be provided in the form of a small hole through the blade or a small dimple or depression. The screw 2, supporting member 3, and clamp combination have a plural purpose. First, the combination provides mounting means for the flag member. Second, since the supporting member is flexible and compressible, the screw 2 may be tightened beyond the point required to maintain the supporting member and flag member in position so that it engages a support or base of a strap of a mail box or the housing of a newspaper box and rigidly clamps the assembly to that structure. The assembly is additionally adjustable so that the flag member and hook may be arranged in diiferent positions, dependent upon the nature of the structure to which the assembly is to be affixed.

FIG. 5 illustrates the present assembly afiixed to the spring strip 9 of a traditional rural mail box. For this purpose the relationship of the flag member 4 to the book 6 is that shown in FIG. 4, in order that the flag member will swing over the front of the mail box while the opening of the U-clamp is at an angle of 90 thereto. Additionally it is desirable to offset the position of the flag member 4, and hook 6, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the flag member clears the spring strip 9 when it is folded down' into place and engaged by the hook. To place the flag member assembly in operation, the mail box door is closed. The flag member 4 is then bent downward over the closed door, with the point of the hook 6 engaging the detent 7. When the mail man subsequently opens the door to insert mail, the door engages the bent over end of the flag member and disengages it from the'detent 7. As a result, the flag member, shown in solid lines in the bent over position, is caused by its spring action to be extended into vertically erect position, as shown by the broken lines. The flag member can then be seen from a house located at a substantial distance therefrom, particularly if the flag member is coated with a fluorescent paint.

FIG. 7 illustrates the present flag member assembly mounted on the upper lip of an open newspaper box 12. For this purpose the assembly is arranged so that the flag member and hook are positioned as shown in FIG. 6. To place the assembly in operation, the flag member 4 is bent over with the upper portion of the member positioned over a substantial portion of the open end of the newspaper box, with the convex surface of the flag member engaging the point of the hook 6 at the detent 7. When a newspaper is placed into the box, it engages the downhanging end of the supporting member and disengages it from the hook. This causes the flag member, shown in its downwardly bent over position in solid lines, to rise and assume a straight vertical position, as shown by the broken lines, where the flag can easily be seen at a distance from a house.

The present signal flag assembly has a number of advantages ov'er devices used for this purpose known in the prior art. First, it is extremely inexpensive and simple to manufature, and uses readily available parts and materials. Second, it is versatile in that it can be used on both mail boxes and newspaper boxes. It is simple to mount and, when mounted, maintains itself securely fastened for long periods of time. The flag is simple to place in operation and is virtually foolproof in its operation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of constructions, operation, or materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An integral signal flag assembly adapted to be clamped to a mail or newspaper box, comprising a base having clamp means adapted to be aflixed to said mail or newspaper box, a spring-form signal flag member' adapted to be normally extended and self supporting in the vertical position, a hook provided with a point at one end mounted on said base, and detent means provided on said signal flag member adapted to be engaged by the point of said hook when said signal flag member is in bent over position, the arrangement being such that when said assembly is afiixed to a mail or newspaper box, said flag member may be bent downward across the open end of said mail or newspaper box and caused to engage the point of said hook at said detent, thereby retaining said signal flag member in the engaged and downwardly bent position, and whereby the insertion of an article into said box releases said signal flag from engagement with said hook and permits said signal flag member to attain its erect position, thereby signaling the presence of said article in said box.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein a supporting member formed of a resilient material is mounted on said base and having a screw extending through an aperture provided therein and being engaged in association with said base, said screw when tightened causing said hook and said supporting member to be affixed to said base in any selected rotative position, said screw and said clamp additionally being arranged when said screw is further turned into said base to cause the end of said screw to clamp against the mail or newspaper box structure contained between jaws of said clamp means and to cause said assembly to become securely afiixed to said mail or newspaper box, one end of said flag member being afiixed to said supporting member.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flag member comprises a segment of steel tape measure stock having an arcuate cross-section.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said supporting member is formed of rubber.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flag member is provided with a coat of fluorescent paint.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said detent comprises a short rod segment afiixed to said flag member.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said detent member comprises a depression or hole provided in said flag member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,428,423 10/ 1947 Hul'ban 116-132 2,433,940 1/ 1948 Weaver 232-35 2,496,962 2/ 1950 Shaw 232-34 2,553,164 5/1951 Bishop 23234 3,386,649 6/ 1968 Joyce 23234 LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 23234

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