Delivery signal device for a mailbox
| Title: | Delivery signal device for a mailbox |
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| Patent Number: | 4,728,028 |
| Publication Date: | March 01, 1988 |
| Appl. No: | 07/045,090 |
| Application Filed: | May 04, 1987 |
| Abstract: | A delivery signal for a mailbox comprising a bracket extending from the back of the mailbox and a signal flag mounted on the bracket and biased to a signal position. A cord attached to the signal flag extends through the bracket and toward the front of the door of the mailbox. An end member is attached to the cord. A plate having a lip releasably secures the free end of the cord, holding the flag out of the signal position, and releasing the cord when the door is opened allowing the signal flag to move under the bias to the signal position. |
| Inventors: | Barnes, Randy G. (Ava, MO); Gardner, Eukal U. (Ava, MO) |
| Claim: | We claim |
| Claim: | 1. In combination with a mailbox having a bottom, a top, opposing sides, a back, and a door pivotally mounted to the box near the bottom and closing the front, a resettable signal for indicating that the door has been opened, the signal comprising |
| Claim: | a bracket extending from the back of the mailbox, the bracket including a guide means; |
| Claim: | a signal flag; |
| Claim: | means for mounting the signal flag on the bracket forward of the guide means, the mounting means including means for resiliently biasing the signal flag to a signal position; |
| Claim: | a cord attached at one end to the signal flag, extending through the guide means in the bracket and forward under the bottom of the mailbox toward the door; |
| Claim: | means on the exterior of the door for releasably securing the end of the cord thereto whereby the cord holds the signal flag out of the signal position, the securing means releasing the cord when the door is opened thereby allowing the signal flag to move to the signal position. |
| Claim: | 2. The combination according the claim 1 further comprising an end member on the end of the cord, and wherein the securing means comprises a downwardly, forwardly sloping lip for engaging the end member, the lip having a notch therein for receiving the cord. |
| Claim: | 3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the securing means is positioned on the exterior of the door near the bottom, with the lip extending below the bottom edge of the door. |
| Claim: | 4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the end member is generally cylindrical, and wherein the cord is attached to the cylindrical end member at about its center. |
| Claim: | 5. The combination according to claim 2 further comprising a guide loop on the bottom of the mailbox through which the cord passes, the guide loop being sized to engage the end member on the cord. |
| Claim: | 6. A kit for installing a resettable signal on a mailbox having a bottom, a top, opposing sides, a back, and a door pivotally mounted near the bottom and closing the front, the resettable signal indicating that the door has been opened, the kit comprising |
| Claim: | a bracket, the bracket including a guide means; |
| Claim: | means for attaching the bracket to the back of the mailbox; |
| Claim: | a cord adapted to be attached at one end to the signal flag, extended through the guide means in the bracket, and extended forward under the bottom of the mailbox toward the door; |
| Claim: | means for releasably securing the then free end of the cord; and |
| Claim: | means for attaching the securing means to the exterior of the door in position that the securing means secures the cord to hold the signal flag out of the signal position, the securing means releasing the cord when the door is opened to allow the signal flag to move to the signal position. |
| Claim: | 7. The kit according to claim 6 further comprising an end member on the free end of the cord, and wherein the releasable securing means comprises a plate having a downwardly, forwardly sloping lip for securing the end member, the lip having a slit therein for receiving the cord. |
| Claim: | 8. The kit according to claim 7 wherein the end member is generally cylindrical, and wherein the cord is attached to the cylindrical end member at about its center. |
| Claim: | 9. The kit according to claim 7 wherein the means for attaching the securing means comprises an adhesive on the back of the plate which is covered with a removable protective cover which can be removed to expose the adhesive and secure the a plate to the front of the door. |
| Claim: | 10. The kit according to claim 7 further comprising a guide loop and means for attaching the guide loop on the bottom of the mailbox, the guide loop sized to allow the cord to slide freely therethrough but to engage the end member. |
| Claim: | 11. The kit according to claim 10 wherein the means for attaching the guide loop comprises an adhesive on the guide loop which is covered with a removable protective cover that can be removed to expos the adhesive and attach the guide loop to the bottom of the mailbox. |
| Claim: | 12. The kit according to claim 6 wherein the bracket is generally L-shaped, and wherein the attaching means comprises an adhesive on one of the legs of the L that is covered with a removable protective cover that can be removed to expose the adhesive and attach the bracket to the back of the mailbox with the other of the legs of the L extending generally rearwardly. |
| Claim: | 13. The kit according to claim 6 wherein the means for mounting the signal flag to the bracket comprises a coil spring. |
| Claim: | 14. The kit according to claim 6 wherein the signal flag comprises a shaft and a flag member attached to the upper end of the shaft. |
| Claim: | 15. The kit according to claim 6 wherein the guide means is a hole in the bracket for receiving the cord. |
| Claim: | 16. A resettable signal for a mailbox having a bottom, a top, opposing sides, a back, and a door pivotally mounted near the bottom and closing the front, the signal indicating that the door has been opened, the signal comprising |
| Claim: | a generally L-shaped bracket, having first and second legs, the first leg being attached to the back of the mailbox so that the second leg extends generally rearwardly therefrom, the second leg having a guide passage therein; |
| Claim: | means for mounting the signal flag on the bracket forward of the guide passage, the mounting means including means for resiliently biasing the signal flag to a signal position; |
| Claim: | a cord attached at one end to the signal flag, extending through the guide passage in the bracket, and forward under the bottom of the mailbox toward the door; |
| Claim: | an end member on the free end of the cord; |
| Claim: | a plate on the exterior of the door near the bottom, the plate having a downwardly, forwardly sloping lip extending below the bottom of the door for engaging the end member, the lip having a notch therein for receiving the cord, the lip releasably securing the end member into the door whereby the cord holds the signal flag out of the signal position, the lip releasing the cord when the door is opened allowing the signal flag to move to the signal position. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 232/35; 232/17 |
| Current International Class: | B65D 9100 |
| Patent References Cited: | 3426966 February 1969 Lay 3482543 December 1969 Guidos 3516383 June 1970 Goodman 3596631 August 1971 Sutton 3958752 May 1976 Piezchala 4073430 February 1978 Joris 4596357 June 1986 File |
| Primary Examiner: | Gibson, Jr., Robert W. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Senniger, Powers, Leavitt and Roedel |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.04728028 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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