US2804262A - Rural mailbox indicator flag - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 27, 1957 J. P. MANcUso 2,804,262

RURAL MAILBox INDICATOR FLAG Filed June 6, 1955 Fig. 6

/4 Y. Y //2 H20 Joseph P. Mancuso INVENTOR.

WWW W4@ United States Patent Y 42,804,262 RURAL MArLBox lNmcAroR FLAG .'oseph P. Mancuso, Jamesburg, N. J., assignor of onefifth` to John E. Herche and one-fifth to Earl E. Collins, both of Jamesburg, N. J.

Application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,472V 3 Claims. (c1. 232-35) The present invention relates to a signalling ag which is expressly designed and s'uitably adapted for use on a side wall of the usual rural free delivery mailbox opposite to the conventionally used ag, Ithat is, the ilag which is set up by the resident owner to notify the mail carrier that outgoing mail has been placed in the box for pick-up.

The art to which the invention relates is quite active. Many and varied styles and forms of so-called signalling flags have been offered for use, some for outgoing mail and others for incoming mail and perhaps combinations of the two. The obvious object of the invention here is to provide a novelly constructed and eiectually operable flag which is primarily helpful to -the resident owner in that it `provides positive indication when the mailbox door has been opened, constitutes a visible signal capable of being seen from a distance and thus saving needless trips of the residents of the house to the often empty mailbox.

In the belief that the signalling flag here revealed is an appreciable and practical advance in the art, it will be seen that its adoption and use will, for these reasons, comply with the ordinary manufacturing requirements of manufacturers, will not require the time of the mail carrier to bring the signal into play, and will therefore mutually serve the purposes of all concerned directly or indirectly therewith.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, a stop iinger, which constitutes a keeper, is aiixed on the marginal portion of the usual downwardly swinging cover. A weighted arm is pivoted intermediate its ends on the side wall of the box and provided with a xed signal or Hag, and the flag-equipped end is provided with a freely pivoting latch which also functions as the means for holding as well as tripping the weighted arm and bringing the same into flag displaying position.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the Views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a box with the automatically actuatable auxiliary signalling flag showing its construction and use;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the signalling device in its normal down but ready-tooperate position and also showing, in dotted lines, how it cornes into play;

Figure 3 is a section on the vertical line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of certain of the details; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing how the selfpivoting latch trips itself (in full lines) and automatically resets itself (in dotted lines) with the door Still closed and, in fact, without having to open the door to accomplish this resetting step.

Referring now to the drawings, the conventional rural free delivery mailbox is denoted as an entity by the numeral 6. lt includes the usual bottom and side and end `rice Walls. The customary signalling flag indicative of outgoing mail is provided, but is not shown here.

It is mounted on the vertical wall opposite that .on which the added signal is provided. The latter wall is denoted by the numeral 8 and the conventional hingedly mounted door is denoted by the numeral 1t). A so-called bracket 1 the projecting end portion 18 is the operating element.

There is a similar side `bracket which is U-shaped, and this is denoted by the numeral and it is fastened to the sidewall at the desired place. The aforementioned 1 arm is linearly straight and is' denoted by the numeral 22, and it is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as

at 24, onthe bight portion of the bracket. The end portion 26 of the arm is provided with a right angularly disposed iixedly mounted signalling flag 28. This is preferably colored red, but may be of some other color so as not to conflict with the usual red flag.

It is also perforated, and the perforations are denoted at 30. From a distance, theV over-al1 appearance or effect of the iiag is that of a solid flag. At the same time, it will permit some snow and sleet to pass through the holes and make the device less likely to foul. The longer end portion 32 of the arm is provided with a counterweight 34. The terminal end adjacent the projecting finger 38, that is, the end portion 36, is provided with a substantially triangular member which may be described as a latch 38. This is superimposed on the end portion 36 and is pivoted thereto at 40 so that the corner portion 42 swings up underneath the adjacent overhanging porti-on of the flag whereby the ag becomes a limiting stop. By using a simple wedge-shaped latch 38, the construction and mode of production and assembling is simplified. The flag, as is clear, serves to prevent the latch from dipping backward past dead center and also to prevent the latch from overriding when the latch is in the stop position. When the latch is in the position shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that it underlies the edge of the operating finger 18. Hence, when the mailman opens the door to place mail in the box and the door swings down, it causes the finger to sweep beyond the position of the latch whereupon the weight 32 cornes into play and swings the arm and its flag to the erect signalling position shown in the drawings.

Reverting to the operational phases of the disclosure, it will be clear that Figures l and 2 illustrate the normal position of the latch-held liag in full lines at which time the flag is down; whereas, the up signalling position is depicted in dotted lines in Figure 2. With reference again to Figure 5, this brings out another feature of the invention in that it clearly reveals the fact that the socalled self-pivoting latch 38 permits resetting of the invention with the door closed, and therefore does not require opening of the door to permit the latch to clear the stop linger 18. So, in Figure 5, it is to be assumed that the flag is being returned in the direction of the arrow A to the resetting position with the latch 38 clearing the stop finger and turning on its pivot 48 and after clearing the stop finger assuming its normal or righted position, as illustrated in dotted lines in this figure.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. In combination, a mailbox having an open front end and a complemental outwardly and downwardly swingable hingedly mounted closing door for said open end, said `box also `having vat least-,one vertical side wall, a linearly straight arm pivotally-mountedk intermediate its ends'on` and exteriorly of said side wall and providedat its` rearward end with1 a weight, lthe forward end of, said arm being provided with a` laterallydisposed, signaling Hag, a latchpivotally mountedon saidy forward end of the arm and having one` end underlying and engaging said flag, the latter serving as an abutment for said latch, and al nger xed on and projecting Vbeyond themarginal edge portion of said `door andreleasablyengageable with the adjacent end portion ofv saidlatch.

`2. In combination, amailbox embodyingy a vertical` side wall and* open at its front andphavingy a hingedfoutwardlyand downwardly swinging closing door forsaid open front, a bracket iXedly'mounted on said side wall, an arm pivotally mounted between its. ends on said bracket, the rear portion of the'arr'n having aiweight, the forward end portion ofthe arm having a rigid ag 21tr tached thereto and extending at right angles therefrom, a latch superimposed on the forward end portion of said arm and having one end underlying and releasably, engageable with said flag, and a` keeper ringer mountedon said door and cooperable with the other end of said latch.

3. In combination, a mailbox embodying a vertical sidewalland open at its front and having a hingedoutwardly and downwardly swinging closing door for said open front, a bracket xedly mounted on said side wall, an arm pivotally mounted between its ends on `said bracket, the rear portion of the arm having a weight, the forward end portion of the arm having a rigid flag attached thereto and extending at right angles therefrom,

a latch superimposed upon the forward end portion of said` a'rrn and 'having its rearward end pivotally mounted on said arm and adapted to` underlie said flag with the flag serving as an abutment and limiting stop for the h latch, thefgrward end portion of the latch projecting beyond the forward end of the arm and being beveled downwardly, and: a keeper finger mounted on said door and having an end portion adapted to releasably overlie the upper edge portion of said latch.

`R`etc,e,lel,1 ces Citedin theile of this patent VUNITED STATES, PATENTS 2,600,267*A Ruscito June 10, 1952

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