Abstract:
In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus, including: a generally horizontal support tray to support a mailbox; a post interface bracket for attachment to a mailbox support post; a spring attached to said generally horizontal support tray and said post interface bracket and disposed so as to return said generally horizontal support tray to its normal position after said generally horizontal support tray is rotated out of position; and a connection pivot bolt connecting said spring and said post interface bracket, said connection bolt being sole method of fixed attachment of said generally horizontal support tray and said post interface bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to mailbox support systems generally, and more particularly, to a mailbox support system that is capable of withstanding blows to the mailbox without appreciable damage to the mailbox. 
   2. Background Art 
   Mailboxes of the type that are located near a roadway sustain damage from a variety of sources. Most notably, they sustain damage from vandalism, typically from a baseball bat wielded from a moving vehicle, or they sustain damage from a snowplow throwing snow and ice and hitting the mailbox. In either case, the damaging blow usually comes from the right to the left when facing the opening of the mailbox. When the mailbox is rigidly mounted to the post, the mailbox is more likely to experience permanent and extensive damage from denting if the mailbox is hit. 
   Some attempts to solve this problem are: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,997, issued Oct. 29, 1968, to Wood et al., and titled ROTABLE MAIL BOX, discloses a spring-mounted mailbox that can be rotated so that it assumes a mail-receiving position and can be rotated 180 degrees to a mail-discharging position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,150, issued Aug. 12, 1975, to Racquet, and titled SELF-RIGHTING MAILBOX SUPPORT, discloses a mailbox support that has a coil spring disposed in a vertical member to which the mailbox is horizontally attached. The coil spring returns the mailbox to its normal position after it has been hit. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,072, issued Oct. 18, 1994, to Thomas, and titled MAILBOX MOUNTING DEVICE TO ABSORB LATERAL IMPACT, discloses a mailbox that is slidably mounted on nails which are enclosed by springs. When the mailbox is hit by a moving object, the mailbox slides and is returned to its normal position by means of the springs. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,286, issued Oct. 17, 1995, to Paschal, and titled ROTATABLE MAILBOX MOUNTING ASSEMBLY, discloses a mailbox support system which allows the mailbox to be rotated 360 degrees in either direction. The support consists of a spring and detent balls. The intent of the device is to allow one to rotate the mailbox 180 degrees, thus obviating the need to enter to road on which the mailbox is mounted. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,343, issued Apr. 22, 1997, to Morton, and titled MAIL BOX MOUNTING DEVICE, discloses a mailbox support that has a lower member that is attached to the post of the mailbox. An upper member is rotatably attached to the lower member so that the upper member can be rotated such that mail can be retrieved from other than the roadway. A spring and detents are provided to return the mailbox to any desired position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,989, issued Dec. 23, 1997, to Guthrie, and titled MAILBOX MOUNTING DEVICE WHICH RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER SIDE IMPACT, discloses a mailbox mounting which includes a rotatable upper member mounted on a fixed lower member. The upper member is prevented from moving more that 90 degrees with respect to the lower member by two pins. The upper member is returned to its original position by means of two springs. 
   Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a mailbox support system that eliminates or reduces damage from intentional or unintentional blows to the mailbox. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide such a mailbox support system that permits the mailbox to rotate horizontally sideways, rotate upwards, and/or tilt horizontally counterclockwise when it receives a damaging blow. 
   It is an additional further object of the invention to provide such a mailbox support system that can easily be restored to its original position if rotated out of position. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide such a mailbox support system that is economically constructed of common materials using conventional techniques. 
   Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention achieves the above objects, among others, by providing, in a preferred embodiment, an apparatus, comprising: a generally horizontal support tray to support a mailbox; a post interface bracket for attachment to a mailbox support post; a spring attached to said generally horizontal support tray and said post interface bracket and disposed so as to return said generally horizontal support tray to its normal position after said generally horizontal support tray is rotated out of position; and a connection pivot bolt connecting said spring and said post interface bracket, said connection bolt being sole method of fixed attachment of said generally horizontal support tray and said post interface bracket. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Understanding of the present invention and the various aspects thereof will be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawing figures, provided for purposes of illustration only and not intended to define the scope of the invention, on which: 
       FIG. 1  is a top/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention attached to a conventional mailbox and mounted on a standard vertical post. 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention attached to a conventional mailbox and mounted on a standard L-shaped post. 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention attached to a conventional mailbox and mounted on a standard L-shaped post, with protective hoops attached to the mailbox. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  10  are front elevational, top plan, side elevational, and bottom plan views, respectively, of the deflector mailbox support system of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 11  is a top/front/side elevation isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention rotated sideways forty five degrees. 
       FIG. 12  is a side elevational/rear isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention rotated sideways forty five degrees. 
       FIG. 13  is a top/front/side elevational view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention rotated sideways ninety degrees. 
       FIG. 14  is a side elevational/rear isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention rotated sideways ninety degrees. 
       FIG. 15   FIG. 5  is a top/front/side isometric view of the deflector mailbox support system of the present invention attached to a conventional mailbox and mounted on a standard L-shaped post, with protective hoops attached to the mailbox, and with bracing arms attached to the protective hoops. 
       FIG. 16  is a top/front/bottom isometric view of the mailbox rotated upwardly. 
       FIG. 17  is a top/front/bottom isometric view of the mailbox titled sideways. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference should now be made to the drawing figures on which similar or identical elements are given consistent identifying numerals throughout the various figures thereof, and on which parenthetical references to figure numbers, when used, direct the reader to the view(s) on which the element(s) being described is (are) best seen, although the element(s) may be seen on other figures also. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a deflector mailbox support system, constructed according to the present invention, and generally indicated by the reference numeral  20 . Deflector mailbox support system is attached to a conventional mailbox  22  and is mounted on the top of a standard 4×4 wooden post. Other types of posts may be used as well. Mailbox  22  is preferably constructed of a plastic material, such as polypropylene, but can be constructed of other materials, such as metallic materials, as well. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate the deflector mailbox support system  20  attached to a mailbox  22  and mounted on the lateral arm of an L-shaped 4×4 wooden post. It will be noted that the means of attachment to the post is the same whether it is a straight post ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or an L-shaped post as shown. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates protective hoops, as at  40 , attached to mailbox  22 . Protective hoops provide additional protection for mailbox  22  in the event of an otherwise damaging blow to mailbox  22 . 
     FIG. 6  illustrates the components of deflector mailbox support system  20 . Deflector mailbox support system includes a generally horizontal support tray  50  which as attached to mailbox  22  ( FIGS. 1–5 ) by means of screws (none shown on  FIG. 6 ) inserted through holes, as at  52 . A generally horizontal pretensioned leaf spring  60  is attached to generally horizontal support tray  50  by means of a vertical post  62  axially aligned with the leaf spring with spaces on either side of the vertical post to allow the leaf spring to flex. A pair of vertical posts  63  athwart the leaf spring hold the other end of the leaf spring to generally horizontal support tray  50 . Leaf spring  60  and posts  62  and  63  permit mailbox  22  to move and return to its normal position after an impact. A vertical connection pivot bolt  70  transfers tension of generally horizontal pretensioned leaf spring  60  to post interface bracket  72  and acts as the center pivot. This allows mailbox  22  to rotate when an impact to the mailbox occurs. Post interface bracket  72  is fixedly connected to post  24  or  30  ( FIGS. 1–5 ) by means of screws (none shown on  FIG. 6 ) inserted through holes, as at  80 . Leaf spring  60  normally bulges upwardly in its center as shown on  FIG. 6 . 
   Deflector mailbox support system  20  can only move horizontally sideways from right to left, rotate upwards, and/or tilt horizontally counterclockwise when facing the opening of the mailbox. This is accomplished by means of pivot bolt  70  and/or two vertical stops  90  fixedly attached to and disposed at the sides of generally horizontal mailbox support tray  50  and extending into two openings  92  (only one visible on  FIG. 6 ) defined in post interface bracket  72 . 
     FIGS. 7–10  illustrate various views of the elements of deflector mailbox support system  20  in assembled relationship. 
     FIGS. 11 and 12  show generally horizontal support tray  50  rotated sideways forty five degrees with respect to post interface bracket  72 , with leaf spring  60  depressed slightly below the plane of the generally horizontal support tray. If this is the extent of horizontal rotation of generally horizontal support tray  50 , mailbox  22  will return to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ) without outside interference, and vertical stops  90  will reengage openings  92 . 
     FIGS. 13 and 14  show generally horizontal support tray  50  rotated horizontally sideways ninety degrees with respect to post interface bracket  72 , with leaf spring  60  depressed well below the plane of the generally horizontal support tray. In this position, deflector mailbox support system  20  is in a condition of unstable equilibrium and a slight amount of counterclockwise force, viewed from above mailbox  22 , will return the mailbox to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ) or a slight amount of clockwise force will cause the mailbox to assume a position one hundred eighty degrees from its position shown on  FIG. 1 . In this rotated position, a small amount of clockwise force will return the mailbox to the position shown on  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 15  illustrates two bracing arms  100  fixedly attached to protective hoops  40  near the upper portions of the protective hoops. Bracing arms  100  serve to further reinforce mailbox  22  from damaging blows. 
     FIG. 16  illustrates mailbox  22  rotated upwardly as viewed from the mail dispensing end of the mailbox. It will be understood that mailbox  22  will return to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ), or deflector support system  20  will assume the positions shown on  FIGS. 11–14  if the blow causes the deflector support system to horizontally rotate. In the latter case, mailbox  22  can be returned to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ). 
     FIG. 17  illustrates mailbox  22  tilted horizontally counterclockwise by the blow. It will be understood that mailbox  22  will return to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ), or deflector support system  20  will assume the positions shown on  FIGS. 11–14  if the blow causes the deflector mailbox support system to horizontally rotate. In the latter case, mailbox  22  can be returned to its normal position ( FIG. 1 ). 
   To the extent the blow causes deflector support system  20  to rotate upwardly and/or to tilt horizontally counterclockwise, viewed from the mail dispensing end of mailbox  22 , leaf spring  60  will be depressed downwardly a degree depending on the severity of the blow. Mailbox support system  20  can then assume a sideways rotated position as shown, for example, on  FIGS. 11–14 . 
   On a prototype, the forces to cause deflector support system  20  to rotate horizontally sideways varied between two and five pounds. This was measured by the force at the leading edge of mailbox  22  to cause deflector support system to rotate horizontally sideways, slowly without momentum affecting the measurement. Initially, the rotation force was three to four pounds, then after about ten degrees of rotation, the force increased to about five pounds, and then dropped to about two or three pounds for the rest of the travel. Of course, deflector support system  20  can be designed to require more or less force to rotate the deflector support system. 
   The major elements of deflector mailbox support system  20  can be constructed of heavy gauge steel folded and welded together. Likewise, protective hoops  40  and bracing arms  100  can be constructed of the same material. If desired, the assembly can be galvanized for greater protection. Of course, other suitable materials of construction can be employed. 
   In the embodiments of the present invention described above, it will be recognized that individual elements and/or features thereof are not necessarily limited to a particular embodiment but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in any selected embodiment even though such may not be specifically shown. 
   Spatially orienting terms such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and the like, when used herein, refer to the positions of the respective elements shown on the accompanying drawing figures and the present invention is not necessarily limited to such positions. 
   It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those elucidated in, or made apparent from, the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown on the accompanying drawing figures shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 
   It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.