US3556394A

US3556394A - Audible house alarm for rural mail boxes

Info

Publication number: US3556394A
Application number: US784868A
Authority: US
Inventors: Constantine A Caldes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-12-18
Filing date: 1968-12-18
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19

Abstract

A rural mail box including an electrical-warning system to let a rural resident know if anyone is tampering within his mail box, the warning system comprising an electrical circuit having an audible alarm in the house switch means in the mail box that will automatically close when the box is opened to sound the alarm.

Description

United States Patent lnventor Constantine A. Caldes 37 Canterbury Drive, Scotch Plains, N .J. 07076 Appl. No. 784,868

Filed Dec. 18, 1968 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 AUDIBLE HOUSE ALARM FOR RURAL MAIL BOXES 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 232/36, 232/45 Int. Cl A47g 29/12 Field ofSearch 232/36, 45, 17, 35; 340/281 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney-Eliot S. Gerber ABSTRACT: A rural mail box including an electrical-warning system to let a rural resident know if anyone is tampering within his mail box, the warning system comprising an electrical circuit having an audible alarm in the house switch means in the mail box that will automatically close when the box is opened to sound the alarm.

l AUDIBLE HOUSE ALARM FOR RURAL MAIL BOXES This invention relates generally to rural mail boxes.

It is generallywell known that rural mail boxes are located alongside roads where the rural mail man may place mail thereinto from a mail vehicle, the mail box accordingly being often far from a house, and thus being easily plundered by a person on the highway, without the resident knowing about it. This situation is in want of improvement.

Accordingly it is a principal object of thepresent invention to provide a rural mail box that is fool .proof against any one tampering with the box and removing mail therefrom without the resident being made aware thereof.

Another object is to provide a fool proof mail box which includes an electric circuit wired to an alarm in the house; the circuit including switch means in the mail box which sets off the alarm in the house in case mail is picked up or taken from the box, thus warning the resident of attempted mail theft or that mail is being deposited. i Other objects are to provide a fool proof mail box which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation and which includes magnetic means to insure positive closure of the box.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit thereof.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the box.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference nu-- meral represents a fool proof mail box according to the present invention wherein there is a mailbox l I mounted on a post 12 alongside a road 13, the box 11 having a front door 14 pivotable about pins 15 between an open and closed position.

The box 11 includes a floor 16 upon which mail 17 is normally placed by a mail man when making a mail delivery.

A switch 21, normally open, when door is'closed, is located under the floor 16 and has a lever 22 that is raised by the lower edge 23 of the door when the door is opened, thus closing the switch.

A second switch 24 normally open, in parallel circuit with the switch 21, is urged to move by means of a compression coil spring 25 when the door 14 is opened; the switch 24 thus closing contacts 28 of the circuit to a solenoid 18 to activate an electromagnet 19 which induces an electromagnetic force alarm will also be completed by switch 24 when the door is opened providing a dual means to actuate alarm. Thus sounding of the alarm is assured because of the closing of both or either switch. Closure of the door causes opening of the solenoid circuit thereby deactuating the solenoid.

The electrical circuit 26 includes wiring 27 extending down through the post, under the ground and leading to an alarm bell 29 and a power source transformer 30 in the house 31, thereby protecting the wiring.

Magnets 28A alongside switch 24 further urge the door to a tight closed position,

- ln operative use, if a person attempts to steal mail from the box or the mailman delivers mail, opening of the box causes

switch

21 and 24 to close'sounding the alarm.

Thus a person in the house is informed thereby that someone is opening the mailbox and can come out side to in vestigate.

When the door is moved to the closed position the solenoid and magnets ensure a full closure thereby deactivating the solenoid and alarm circuit.

lclaim:

1. In a mail box, the combination of a box on a post, a hinged access door on the front of said box, and an electric circuit including components in said box and an alarm bell and transformer m a resident's house remote from sand box, in-

cluding means for ensuring full closure of the door, wherein said electric circuit components comprise a first and a second switch in parallel in said circuit, the first switch being urged into a closed position by a lower edge of s'aid'door when said door is in an opened position, said second switch including a spring normally urging said second switch against said door, said second switch being in alignment to close a pair of contacts in said parallel circuit when said door is opened, said parallel circuit including an electromagnet for urging said door into a fully closed position, and said door when in fully closed position throwing open said second switch and deactivating said electromagnet and the alarm bell circuit, said electric circuit including wiring extending from said box down said post and to said house.

Claims

1. In a mail box, the combination of a box on a post, a hinged access door on the front of said box, and an electric circuit including components in said box and an alarm bell and transformer in a resident''s house remote from said box, including means for ensuring full closure of the door, wherein said electric circuit components comprise a first and a second switch in parallel in said circuit, the first switch being urged into a closed position by a lower edge of said door when said door is in an opened position, said second switch including a spring normally urging said second switch against said door, said second switch being in alignment to close a pair of contacts in said parallel circuit when said door is opened, said parallel circuit including an electromagnet for urging said door into a fully closed position, and said door when in fully closed position throwing open said second switch and deactivating said electromagnet and the alarm bell circuit, said electric circuit including wiring extending from said box down said post and to said house.