US3586235A - Delivery box signaling device - Google Patents

Abstract

A rural mailbox signaling device having a pair of signaling flags pivotally secured to the box so that movement of the box door from a closed to an opened position will lower one flag and raise the other flag to selected positions to notify the box owner when the box door has been operated.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Cromer H. Fishel Rte. 5, Clemmons, 270l2 [2| Appl No 847,068 [22] Filed Aug. 4, 1969 {45] Patented June 22, I971 [54] DELIVERY BOX SIGNALING DEVICE I Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl... 232/35 [51] Int. Cl A47g 29/12 [50] Field Search 232/35, 34, 17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I,060,659 5/1913 Ammann 232/35 1,210,562 1/1917 Taylor '232/35 1,929,965 10/1933 Black.... 232/35 2,092,561 9/1937 Sandifur.... 232/35 2,480.469 8/1949 Horn 232/35 2,670,897 3/1954 Gagnon.. 232/35 3,013,715 12/1961 Ferenci.. 232/35, 3,168,239 2/1965 Cooper... 232 35 3,331,552 7/1967 Shultz 232 35 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel An0rneyCharles Y. Lackey ABSTRACT: A rural mailbox signaling device having a pair of signaling flags pivotally secured to the box so that movement of the box door from a closed to an opened position will lower one flag and raise the other flag to selected positions to notify the box owner when the box door has been operated.

DELIVERY BOX SIGNALING DEVICE BACKGROUND, BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION There have been many devices designed to indicate to a rural mailbox owner that the postman has visited the premises to either pick up or deliver mail, and two of such devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,609,787 and 3,426,966. These patents are primarily directed to devices wherein the opening of the box door will release an attached but freely connected signaling member to notify the box owner that the postman has either picked up or delivered mail.

While the patents referenced above disclosed devices which are quite useful in operation, there are some problems as, for example, in US. Pat. No. 2,609,787, wherein a particular positioning of the freely falling indicator because of its geometric construction will not be visible to the box owner and thus provide any information. Additionally, the cylindrical indicator of US. Pat. No. 3,426,966 might be rather easily detached from its connected position to the delivery box and therefore would make the signaling device useless until replaced. This replacement might be required at rather frequent intervals.

The present invention has been developed to overcome the disadvantages referenced above by providing a pair of pivotally connected indicating flags which are also secured to the box door by means of flexible connectors so that inadver tent or deliberate displacement is unlikely. Because flags have definite colors and configqrations are are provided, there is no danger of not seeing the consistently positioned indicator showing that the mailman has visited the premises as was the case in some of the earlier issued patents.

Basically the present signaling device comprises a pair of indicating flags pivotally secured at a common location to the side of the delivery box and limited in pivotal movement between two stops positioned within the framework of the box. The lower ends of both of the signaling flags are connected to the pivotally secured box door by means of flexible connectors such as small chains so that movement of the door from a closed to a lowered and opened position will initiate movement of the flags in predetermined directions to indicate to the box owner that the box door has been operated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a signaling device for a rural delivery mailbox that will indicate when the mailman has visited the premises by the displacement of one indicating flag and the repositioning of a second indicating flag.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a signaling device for delivery boxes wherein movement of the box door will actuate two signaling flags between preselected limits to record operation of the box door.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a signaling device of the type described which is constant in indicating operation so that a signal cannot be inadvertently obscured or overlooked by the box owner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a signaling device of the type described wherein the signaling components are secured to the delivery box at a plurality of locations to prevent inadvertent or deliberate disassociation of these components from the box.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rural mail delivery box having a signaling device such as that disclosed herein attached thereto.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational, sequentially illustrative view of the positioning of the first andsecond signaling flags of the present invention secured "to a closed rural delivery box.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational, sequentially illustrative view of the directional movement of the first and second signaling flags as the delivery box door is moved from a closed, upright position to a lowered, opened position.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational, sequentially illustrative view of the signaling device comprising the present invention and an associated delivery box wherein the box door has been lowered from a closed to an opened position, the first signaling flag has been moved from a raised to a lowered position between predetermined limits, and the second signaling flag has raised from a lowered to upper position between predetermined limits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a rural mail delivery box designated generally as 10 having a floor 12, sides 14 and a top 16. The box can be of any conventional or desired design, and that illustrated in FIG. 1 is similar to rural boxes which have been in consistent use for a great number of years.

The delivery box 10 is normally closed by a pivotally connected door 18 secured to the floor 12 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. While any number of closure arrangements are possible utilizing the present invention, that described and illustrated herein is preferred because of its very reliable operation.

The signaling device shown generally as 20 comprising the present invention preferably embodies a first signaling flag 22 and a second signaling flag 24 both of which are coated or painted with different colors and both of which are pivotally secured through a stud 26 to one of the sidewalls 14 of the box 10.

The signaling device is connected to the door 18 of the box 10 by means of flexible connectors such as small chains 28 and 30 secured from the lower ends 32 and 34 of the signaling flags 22 and 24. There is a common connection of the chains 28 and 30 with the lower portion 38 of the door 18.

Pivotal movement of the signaling flags 22 and 24 about stud 26 is restricted by stops 40 and 42 affixed to the side 14 of the box 10 and occurs as subsequently described.

In operation of the box, the signaling device 20 can be left as shown in FIG. 1 wherein both the signaling flags 22 and 24 are in the lowered position against stop 42. This would indicate that the box owner has not placed any mail for pickup in the box and has no interest in determining whether or not the mailman visits the premises unless there is a delivery of mail.

In the event the box owner desires to leave mail in the box for pickup by the mailman as he makes his rounds, the first indicating flag 22 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 2 against stop 40 so that the box owner is reminded that he has placed mail within the box and the mailman is notified that he should stop to make a pickup. In this instance, the second signaling device 24 is in the lowered position against stop 42 also as shown in FIG. 2.

When the mailman actuates the door 18 to move it downwardly to an opened position (see FIG. 3), the flexible connectors 28 and 30 respond to movement of the door 18 and lower the first signaling flag 22 and raise the second signaling flag 24 as shown in FIG. 3. The common junction 36 of the two flexible connectors 28 and 30 to the door 18 simplify construction and this operation.

When the lowering operation has been completed, the second signaling flag 24 rests against stop 40 and the first signaling flag 22 is lowered against stop 42 all as is shown in FIG. 4. Now, there has been a change of flag colors by the operation of the box door 18 in the manner described. Repositioning of the door to a closed position will not affect the last alignment and arrangement of the respective signaling flags.

Thus there has been illustrated one embodiment of a signaling device for a rural mail delivery box embodying a plurality of signaling flags which are responsive to movement of the box door. Obviously, many modifications and alterations may be made in the device constituting the present invention without departing from the spirit and purpose thereof. Such modifications and alterations in the signaling flags, flexible connectors, stops and other phases of the present invented concept are contemplated, and it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use with a rural mail delivery box having a floor, sides and a top forming a closure, and a door pivotally connected to said floor and moveable from a closed to an open position and back again, a signaling device comprising: a first signal flag secured to one of said box sides; a second signal flag secured to said box side; first means connecting said first flag to the door; second means connecting said second flag to the door; means restricting movement between upper and lower limits of said first and second signal flags whereby pivotally lowering and opening the door causes said first means to move said first signal flag from upper to lower limits and causes said second means to move said second signal flag from lower to upper limits to indicate 'operation of the delivery box door, said signaling flags pivotally secured to one of said sides, said first and second connecting means including flexible connectors extending from one end of said flags to the door and responding to movement of the door from upper to lower limits, said first signal flag painted in a first color and said second signal flag painted in a second differing color, and said connectors being commonly joined at the connection with the door and said signaling flags being commonly secured to one of said sides.

Claims (1)

1. For use with a rural mail delivery box having a floor, sides and a top forming a closure, and a door pivotally connected to said floor and moveable from a closed to an open position and back again, a signaling device comprising: a first signal flag secured to one of said box sides; a second signal flag secured to said box side; first means connecting said first flag to the door; second means connecting said second flag to the door; means restricting movement between upper and lower limits of said first and second signal flags whereby pivotally lowering and opening the door causes said first means to move said first signal flag from upper to lower limits and causes said second means to move said second signal flag from lower to upper limits to indicate operation of the delivery box door, said signaling flags pivotally secured to one of said sides, said first and second connecting means including flexible connectors extending from one end of said flags to the door and responding to movement of the door from upper to lower limits, said first signal flag painted in a first color and said second signal flag painted in a second differing color, and said connectors being commonly joined at the connection with the door and said signaling flags being commonly secured to one of said sides.

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