Patent ID: 6575357
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: A47G

Abstract:
A rural mailbox comprising:an enclosure having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a rear wall and an open front; a mailbox lid pivotally attached to the enclosure adjacent to the floor and pivotal between a closed position in which the open front is closed and an open position in which the open front is open; a standard mailbox flag assembly including a rigid standard having a standard base that is pivotally attached to the first side wall adjacent to the open front and a rigid flag on a free end of the standard; a secondary flag assembly including a flexible flag shaft with a base fixed to the enclosure adjacent to the rear wall and a flag attached to the flexible flag shaft adjacent to a flag shaft tip of the flexible flag shaft; and a flag shaft tip holder attached to the mailbox lid for receiving and holding the flag shaft tip when the mailbox lid is in the closed position and for releasing the flag shaft tip when the mailbox lid is in the open position, said flag shaft tip holder including a plate portion that extends outward from the mailbox lid and an aperture through the plate portion for receiving the flag shaft tip when the mailbox lid is in the closed position, said flag shaft tip holder including an integral finger portion that wraps around a mailbox lid flange and self-secures said flag shaft tip holder to said mailbox lid without the use of any fasteners or adhesive or alteration of the mailbox lid flange.