US2552915A - Rural mailbox supporting bracket - Google Patents

Description

May 15 1951 M. H. zAcHRlcH I 2,552,915

RURAL MAILBOX SUPPORTING BRACKET Filed April 5, 1950 if 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.L

INVENTQR MARTIN H. ZAGHRIGH BY w, *m

ATTORNEYS' May 15, 1951 M. H. zAcHRlcH 2,552,915

RURAL.. MAILBox v SUPPORTING BRACKET Filed April 6, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENT OR MARTIN H. -ZACHRIGH mmi mw LM ATTORNEYS Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RURAL MAILBOX SUPPORTING BRACKET Martin H. Zachrich, Deance, Ohio Application April 6, 1950, Serial No. 154,261

The present invention relates to improvements in a rural mail box supporting bracket and has for an object the provision of an improved bracket of this type which can be used for mounting any U. S. Government approved rural mail box or parcel post box on its supporting post.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bracket which is adjustable so that it will llt metal and wooden posts of various diameters.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of this character which is capable of being adjusted to lt wooden and metal posts of various shapes, such as, round, square, hexagonal and L-shaped.

A still further object ofthe present invention is Vto provide an improved rural mail box supporting bracket which permits of the proper adjustment of the mail box so that the mail man will have easy access thereto over a drainage ditch or the like at the edge of the road.

The present invention aims to provide an improved bracket of this kind which allows the mail box to be positioned back of the fence along the road to provide clearance for a snow plow.

The present invention also aims to provide an improved structure which permits of the mounting of the mail box on its post so that it will clear nearby objects, such as trees or the like.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved bracket of this nature which comprises relatively few parts, is economical to manufacture and which can be easily and quickly mounted by an unskilled person.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more fully described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rural mail box and the improved bracket constructed in accordance with the present invention illustrating one position of mounting of the mail box on its post,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 1 but showing another position of mounting of the mail box,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-221) Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a mail box and the improved bracket as shown applied to a wooden post,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure '7 is an enlarged exploded View of the base plate, one of the bracket members and one of the clamps, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modied form of the base plate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 indicates a conventional type of rural mail box having a door II which is pivotally mounted as at I2 to the box Il). A conventional type of signal flag I3 is mounted upon `the box I0. The bottom I4 of the mail box I0 is corrugated to provide downwardly opening longitudinally extending grooves I5. The opposite side edge portions of the bottom I4 are bent downwardly to form flanges I6 and I'I and the opposite end portions are also bent downwardly to form end flanges I8 and I9. The sides and ends of the mail box Il) extend downwardly below the bottom I4 to provide flanges 20, 2|, 22 and 23 which engage the outer faces of the flanges I6, I'I, I8 and I9, respectively. The bottom I4 may be secured in place by rivets or the like 24 which extend through the respective flanges of the box In and. bottom I4.

The improved bracket comprises a box or base plate 25, a pair of bracket members 26 and 2'I and two pairs of post clamps 28, 29, 30 and 3I. The box or base plate 25 may be of any desired shape but in the present illustration is shown to be substantially oblong. The opposite side portions of the base plate 25 are bent downwardly to form lateral flanges 32 and 33. Adjacent each end portion the flanges 32 and 33 are provided with elongated slots 34 and 35, respectively. The base plate 25 adjacent its opposite side edges is provided with elongated slots 36 and 31. The base plate 25 has a substantially centrally disposed upstanding rib 38 extending longitudinally thereof.

The bracket members 26 and 21 are similar in construction and each comprises a substantially oblong shaped plate portion 39 and a depending substantially semi-circular leg 4I). The plate portion 39 has at its opposite end portions transversely extending slots 4I and 42. The intermediate portion of the plate 39 is depressed to form a substantially semi-circular reinforcing rib 43 which merges into the leg 40. Intermediate its side edges the leg 40 is provided with vertically spaced apart elongated slots 44 and 45.

The post clamps 28 to 3I are similar in construction and each has a main body portion 46 which may be substantially semi-circular and has a reinforcing bead or rib 4l. Ears or lugs 48 extend outwardly from the opposite side edges of the body portion 46 and are provided with substantially centrally located openings 49.

In Figure 8 of the drawing is illustrated a modified form of base plate 25a which is primarily adapted for use Vwitha parcel post box. The plate 25ay has its opposite sides bent downwardly to form flanges 32a and 33a. The anges 32a.

and 33a have elongated slots 34a, and 35a. The

base plate 25a. is provided witlisl'ots 35`"and'3la' which `are disposed substantially in the central portion of the plate 25h, in the form of a square;

In order to assemble the device` the user' wil1 insert fastening elements 55, such as round head carriage bolts, through the slots 35 and 3T"v of the base plate 25l and through the slots 4I and 42 of the Ibracketmembers 26V and 2'Vwith the' heads 5I ofthe bolts engagingthe lupper sur-V face of the plate 25. The bolts 5iw'ill extend downwardly below the plate portion 39 ofthe clamps'25, 2 and nuts52 will be threaded upon the extended lower ends of the bolts 5I. The base plate 25 will be inserted between the side flanges I6l and'll of the bottom ls so that the' upper face of the plate 25 lwill engage the crest of theV lower face of the corrugations of the bottom I4 and therib 38 of the base plate 25 will Abe received by the'centrally disposed groove I5 of theA bottom I4. Theheads I5I of the bolts will vbe 1 received by other grooves I5 of the bottom I4 as shown in Figure 6'of the drawing;

The ii'anges 32 and 33 of the base plate 25w'illY Y snugly engagerthe respective flanges I5 and I1` of the bottom I4. Fastening elements 53, such as roundy head stove bolts or vthe like', will be in# serted through aligned openings in fthe' an'ges I5'Land`2 of the'ibottom I4 and the slots' 35 of the flange 33 of the baseplate 25. Similarfastening elements 53 will be inserted through aligned openings in the anges I'l and 2l of the bottom I4 and the mail box Iii'and the slots 34 of the base plate 25. Nutsll are screwed upon the boltsy 53. Before tightening thenuts 54 the mail box I 5 may be adjusted with respect to the base plate 25 within the limits of the `length of the slots 34 and 35. Before tightening the nuts 52 on the:

bolts 55 the bracket members 25 and Z'I'mayV be adjusted longitudinally of the base plate 25 within the limits afforded by the slots 35 and 3l of the base plate 25. Y purpose of determining. the relative position of the lmail box II) with respect to its supporting post This adjustment will be for the 'and surrounding objects, such as a fence 'or 1 for the purpose offltting the'bracket membersto supporting posts of different sizes and 'con-fv iigrations.

When the `mail box is being mountecVupon a` metal post the bracket members 25 `and2T`are Further adjustment of the bracket members 25 vand 21 may be made wthinthe limits of the slots il and 42 of the plate portions 39H placed over the upper end portion of the post 25'` andare moved into engagement with tht-1opposite sides of the post. The pairs of clamps "23 to 3l are then placed about the legs il@ ofthe membersv 25, and 2'! and drawn into tight engagement therewith byfastening elements 55,. such as` square head machine bolts" or the like` and nuts 4 51. The nuts 52 will then be tightened on their bolts 50.

If it is desired to mount the mail box on a wooden post, as indicated at 58 in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the clamps 28 to 3| may be omitted and lag bolts 5S or the like will be passed through the slots 44 and 45 of the legs 40 of the bracket members 25 and 21 and through the post 58. The lag bolts will be securely held in position bynuts 60.

The fact that the rib 38 of the base plate 25 and the heads 5I of the bolts 5U are received by the grooves I5 of the bottom I4 will supplement the'clampingactionof the bolts 53 to prevent lateral and pivotal movement of the base plate with respect tothe bottom I4.

' fIheH use ofthe n iodified form of base plate 25a, illustrated in 'Figure 8 of the drawing, is substantially Vthe same as that described in connection with the base plate 25. The bolts 50 are received by the slots 36a and3'1a` of the Vbase plate 25a; The' bolts 53 ar'e're'ceived by the flanges34a and 35u of the base plate 25a. v

It is obvious that various changes and modicationsmay be made in the details ofconstruction and design' of the above specicallyjdescribed embodiment of this invention without dee parting from the spirit thereof, such changes and modicationsbeing restricted only by they scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Foruse with a rural-"mail box supportingpost anda rural mail box Vhaving a `corrugated ,bottom provided with' downwardly opening grooves, an improved'supporting vbracket comprising a base plate' adaptedto be attached tothe mail box and' having'a'longi'tudinally extending rib adapted 4to be received by'oneof said 'grooves in the bottom of the mail box, fastening elements adapted to secure said base plate-to' said 'mail box, bracket members' adjustably mounted on said base plate and adapted to engage' the supporting post', and fastening elements adapted to secure the bracket members to the supporting' post.

2. In combination with a rural mail box supporting post and a rural mail box provided with a' elements adapted vto extendthrough said flanges for attaching the base plate to the mailbox, said base plate having elongated slots therein, a pair of bracket members havingslots therein, fastening elements extending through slots in said ba'se plate and said bracket'members for adjustably mounting said bracket members on said basevr plate, pairs of clamps for embracing said bracket" members and said post, andv fastening 'elementsl for securing said clamps in embracing engage; ment withv said bracket members.

3. An improved bracket as claimed in claim 2 characterized by the fact that each of said bracket members' comprises a substantially obf long plate portion in which said slots are located, a substantially centrally disposed depressed portion and a-leg extending downwardly from` saidl depressed portion,said leghaving elongated vertically spaced apart slots therein. g

4. For use with a rural mail box and its supporting post, an improved supporting bracket comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to the mail box, fastening elements for attaching the base plate to the mail box, a pair of bracket members adapted to grip the supporting post, said base plate having four centrally located slots, said bracket members having slots therein for alignment with the slots in said base plate, fastening elements extending through the slots on the base plate and the bracket members for adjustably mounting said bracket members to- Wards and from each other, and clamping elements for urging said bracket members into clamping relation with the supporting post.

MARTIN H. ZACHRICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS l@ Number Lawrence Dec. 13, 1949

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