US3289988A

US3289988A - Mailbox stand

Info

Publication number: US3289988A
Application number: US395755A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Mckenney R F D George; Armand E Anctil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-09-11
Filing date: 1964-09-11
Publication date: 1966-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-06

Description

Dec. 6, 1966 G, F, MCKENNEY ETAL 3,289,988

MAILBOX STAND Filed Sept. ll, 1964 United States Patent Orifice 3,289,988 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 3,289,988 MAHLBOX STAND George F. McKenney RFA). 3, Box 225, Auburn, Maine, and Armand E. Anctil, 520 East Ave., Lewiston, Maine Filed Sept. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 395,755 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-145) This invention generally relates to mailbox stands and more particularly to a mailbox stand construction for use in regions where snow plowing is prevalent and there is the problem of the said mailbox stand being damaged from the said snow plow or said mailbox stand is inaccessible because the snow is so banked from said snow plow and said snow is usually removed by physical means.

An object of the invention is to provide a mailbox stand which is simple in construction, easy to use, well adapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mailbox stand that is moveable when said mailbox stand is struck by a moving object such as a snow plow and afterwards said mailbox stand returns to its original position through the force of gravity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mailbox stand that will reduce the incidence of hand shoveling of snow because the said snow may be removed by power plows as said mailbox stand yields when said mailbox stand is in collision or pushed by said snow plow.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view in unassembled condition of the mailbox stand of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top broken-away plan view of the right pivot slot of the support pivot arm of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a top broken-away plan view of the left pivot slot of the support pivot arm of FIG. l.

Referring now to the iigures in greater detail, there is provided a main attaching bracket 22 including a vertical bracket 19 with a pivot block 18 and a lower pivot support arm 17. The vertical bracket 19 may be of channel iron or the like, however, it is within the purview of the present invention to dispense with the vertical bracket 19 and affix the pivot block 18 and the lower pivot support arm 17 to a post set inthe ground.

If the vertical bracket 19 is employed, the main attaching bracket 22 is attached to a post 20 by standard bolts or large screw 13. The pivot block 18 has an opening 2 larger than and adapted to receive top pivot pin 1. The lower support pivot arm 17 has two pivot slots 4-4A and 6-6A more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, adapted to receive lower pivot pins 3 and 5 respectively.

The main pivot arm 23 has attached as shown, but not of necessity a top pivot pin 1, pivot pin 1 may be any means whereby the top of `diagonal hanger 14 will be` permitted to swivel on pivot block 18. Also there is attached a lower pivot arm l16 that has attached lower pivot pins 3 and 5. The lower pivot arm 16 is attached to main arm 7. Top pivot pin 1 and lower pivot pins 3 and 5 are parallel to each other and at right angles to main arm 7. The diagonal hanger 14 is attached at the upper end by a vertical support 15 that is also attached at its lower end to main arm 7. The lower end of the diagonal hanger 14 is attached directly to main arm 7. The main arm 7 may be as shown a rectangular tubing but not of necessity as this may be square, round or of any shape that extension arm 8 may be attached with adjustments on the longitudinal axis of main arm 7.

The hole 2 in pivot block 18 and slots 44A and 6-6A in the lower support pivot arm 17 are so aligned that when top pivot pin 1 and lower pivot pins 3 and 5 are in and resting on their respective points the main arm 7 is disposed at right angles to the post 20 and at right angles to lower support pivot arm 17.

The extension arm 24 consists of an arm 8 that, as shown but not of necessity, slides into main arm 7. Arm 8 may have holes 12 to align with hole 11 in main arm 7 to allow said arm 8 to be fixed to said main arm 7 at its various positions by a standard cotter pin or any other means of lixing them together. Arm 8 has attached a front mail box support 10 and rear box support 9 spaced on arm 8 to provide means of attaching all sizes of mail boxes approved by the postmaster. The front mail box support 10 and rear box support 9 may be of any length to accommodate one (l) or more standard mail boxes.

In the operation of the device the main attaching bracket 22 is attached to a post with the lower support pivot arm 17 located above the ground so that mail box 21 is at the proper height when main pivot arm 23 and extension arm 24 are resting on the attaching bracket with top pivot pin 1 in hole 2. Lower pivot pins 3 and 5 rest against the base of slots 4-4A and 6-6A respectively; the weight of main pivot arm 23, extension arm 24, and mailbox 21 are supported on pivot block 18 and compression weight against lower support pivot arm 17 through the lower pivot pins 3 and 5 in respective slots 4-4A and 6-6A. There is a clearance between the lower support pivot arm 17 and the lower pivot arm 16. When either the mailbox 21 or the front mailbox support 10 is in collision or is moved by other means from its normal position, i.e. in contact with a snow plow blade from either side said mailbox stand will yield by swinging on the top pivot pin 1 in hole 2 and an either one of lower pivot pins 3 or 5 in either slot 4-4A or 6-6A depending on the side of contact by said snow plow. If said contact is on or from the right side facing said mailbox the said mailbox stand will be caused to swing to the left making an elliptical arc back and upwards from its normal horizontal plane which said arc has arradius equal to a line drawn from lower pivot pin 5 to the center of front mailbox support 10. Gravity returns the mailbox stand to its normal position through oscillation from right to left of the normal rest position until momentum has been exhausted. The resistance to being moved from its rest position and the rapidity of return to the original position of the said mailbox stand is governed by the distance between slots 4-4A and 64A which are also equal to the distance between lower pivot pins 3 and 5. If the pivoting portion of the mailbox stand should circumscribe an arc of V degrees or more the lower pivot pins 3 and 5 will alternately slide into

slots

4A or 6A which are yolf center and to the front from slots 4 or 6 therefore eliminating the possibility of the lower pivot pins 3 or 5 from being disengaged out of their respective slots 4-4A or 6-6A. Theslots 4-4A and 6-6A are so designed as to have the outer edge vertical and the inner,

than the diameter of lower pivot pins 3 and 5. The mail-l box 21 may be extended over or out beyond the plowed snow in cases where the snow is not moved back sufficiently to make said mailbox accessible to the mail carrier by removing the standard cotter pin from hole 1l and extending arm 8 out over said plowed snow and relocating cotter pin through hole 11 and hole 12 that may line up with hole 11.

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.

Having thus lcompletely and fully described the invention, what is new is now claimed as follows:

1. A mailbox support comprising a mounting portion including a pivot block having an opening therethrough; a horizontal arm including two spaced apart slots; said slots approximately equidistant from said pivot block; and said pivot block and slots adapted to be mounted in vertical relationship, an arm, a pivot, means on said arm adapted to hold said pivot spaced apart from said arm, said pivot adapted to be disposed through the opening in said pfivot block, support means on said arm spaced apart from said pivot, said support means extending horizontally from said arm, a pin depending from each end of said support means, and said two pivot pins on said support means adapted to t within said pivot slots and spaced to correspond with said slots, said arm adapted to pivot on the pivot and one of said pins in an upward direction upon application of lateral pressure, the pivot pivoting in said pivot block and one pin pivoting in its corresponding slot.

2. A mailbox support comprising a mounting portion including an upper pivot block having an opening therethrough; a horizontal arm including two lower horizontal spaced apart slots; said lower slots approximately equidistant from said upper pivot block, and said upper pivot block and lower slots adapted to be mounted in vertical relationship, an arm, an upper pivot, means on said arm adapted to hold said upper pivot spaced apart from said arm, said upper pivot adapted to be disposed through the opening in said upper pivot block, two lower pivot pins, support means on said arm spaced apart from said upper pivot, said pins and support means extending horizontally from said arm with said pins depending from each end of said support means, and said two lower pivot pins on said support means adapted to t within said lower pivot slots in and spaced to correspond with said lower slots, said arm adapted to pivot the upper pivot and one of said pins in an upward direction upon application of lateral pressure, said upper pivot pivoting in said upper pivot block and one lower pin pivoting in its corresponding lower slot.

3. A mailbox support comprising a unitary mounting portion including a main attaching bracket having an upper pivot block having an opening therethrough; a horizontal arm including two lower horizontal spaced apart slots; said lower slots approximately equidistant from said upper pivot block, said main attaching bracket adapted to be axed to a vertical post, mounted vertically an arm, an upper pivot, means on said arm adapted to vhold said upper pivot spaced apart from said arm, said upper pivot adapted to be disposed through the opening in said upper pivot block, two lower pivot pins, support means on said arm spaced apart from said upper pivot, said pins and support means extending horizontally from said arm with said pins depending from each end of said support means, and said two lower pivot pins on said support means adapted to fit within said lower pivot slots in and spaced to correspond with said lower slots, ysaid arm adapted to pivot the upper part and one of said pins in an upward direction upon application of lateral pressure, said upper pivot pivot-` ing in said upper pivot block and one lower pin pivoting in its corresponding lower slot.

4. A mailbox support comprising a mounting portion including an upper pivot block having an opening therethrough; a horizontal arm including two lower horizontal spaced apart slots; said lower slots approximately equidistant from said upper pivot block, each said lower slot having an inward extending portion, said upper pivot block and lower slots adapted to be mounted in vertical relationship, an arm, an upper pivot, means on said arm adapted to hold said upper pivot spaced apart from said arm, said upper pivot adapted to be disposed through the opening in said upper pivot block, two lower pivot pins, support means on said arm spaced apart from said upper pivot, said pins and support means extending from each end of said support means, and said two lower pivot pins on said support means adapted to t within said lower pivot slots in and spaced to correspond with said lower slots, said arm adapted to pivot in an upward direction upon application of lateral pressure, said upper pivot pivoting in said upper pivot block and one lower pin pivoting in its corresponding lower slot, the inward extending portion of said lower slot adapted to maintain said lower pin within said slot during pivoting.

5. A mailbox support as described in claim 4 wherein said arm is adapted to receive an extending portion, said extending portion being adapted to be adjustable axed to said arm.

6. A mailbox support comprising a mounting portion including an upper pivot block having an opening therethrough; a horizontal arm including two lower horizontal spaced apart slots; said lower slots approximately equidistant from said upper pivot block, each said lower slot having an inward extending portion, `said upper pivot block and lower slots adapted to be mounted in vertical relationship, an arm, an upper pivot, a diagonal support on said arm adapted to hold said upper pivot spaced apart from said arm, vertical support means between said diagonal support and said arm, said upper pivot adapted to be disposed through the opening in said upper pivot block, two lower pivot pins, support means on said arm spaced apart from said upper pivot, said pins and support means extending horizontally from said arm with said pins depending from each end of said support means, and said two lower pivot pins on said support means adapted to t within said lower pivot slots and spaced to correspond with said lower slots, and extending portion adjustably aixed to said arm, said arm and extending portion adapted to pivot the upper and one of said pins in an upward direction upon application of lateral pressure, said upper pivot pivoting in said upper pivot block and one lower pin pivoting in its corresponding lower slot, the inward extending portion ofsaid lower slot adapted to maintain said lower pin within said slot during pivoting.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 99,822 2/1870 Banney 16-156 234,018 11/1880 Fowler 16-156 1,358,710 11/1920 Day 16-156 1,834,774 12/1931 Hall 248-145 2,605,073 7/ 1952 Buck 248--204 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.I

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A MAILBOX SUPPORT COMPRISING A MOUNTING PORTION INCLUDING A PIVOT BLOCK HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH; A HORIZONTAL ARM INCLUDING TWO SPACED APART SLOTS; SAID SLOTS APPROXIMATELY EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID PIVOT BLOCK; AND SAID PIVOT BLOCK AND SLOTS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP, AN ARM, A PIVOT, MEANS ON SAID ARM ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID PIVOT SPACED APART FROM SAID ARM, SAID PIVOT ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID PIVOT BLOCK, SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID ARM SPACED APART FROM SAID PIVOT, SAID SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY FROM SAID ARM, A PIN DEPENDING FROM EACH END OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS, AND SAID TWO PIVOT PINS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN SAID PIVOT SLOTS AND SPACED TO CORRESPOND WITH SAID SLOTS, SAID ARM ADAPTED TO PIVOT ON THE PIVOT OF SAID PINS IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION UPON APPLICATION OF LATERAL PRESSURE, THE PIVOT PIVOTING IN SAID PIVOT BLOCK AND ONE PIN PIVOTING IN ITS CORRESPONDING SLOT.