Abstract:
A mailbox comprises a first housing and a first hinged door, a spring loaded locking mechanism is attached to the first housing and the first door, a pivotable flap located within said first housing operably cooperates with the locking mechanism to enable or disable the locking mechanism under appropriate conditions as described herein. The flap may be coupled to an external mail present indicator to signal that mail has been delivered. The mailbox comprises a second housing located below said first housing. A second hinged door is attached to said second housing. The second hinged door cuts off access to both the first and second housings when said second door is closed. Additionally, closing of the second hinged door causes the first hinged door to close too. The mailbox is supported from a post painted the same color as the second housing to convey the visual perception that the first housing is supported upon an extension of the post.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/404,613, filed on Apr. 01, 2003, published as Pub. No. US 2004/0195304 on Oct. 7, 2004, said application in its entirety is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to mailboxes, more particularly the invention relates to mailboxes with locking mechanisms and mail-present indicators.  
         [0003]     Mailboxes for individual postal customers are an integral and necessary component in the operation of the US Postal Service. It is desirable that incoming mail be secured in the mailbox to prevent theft or observation of the incoming mail which may contain valuable documents, checks, credit cards, personal letters or other items of value to the mailbox owner that would cause loss or inconvenience if observed or stolen by an unauthorized person. If the person removing or inspecting the mail is not authorized, the authorized user of the mailbox may suffer an injury of either lost property or lost privacy. A lock on the access door can restrict access to the mailbox to the person with the key to the lock, thus providing an improved level of security by limiting authorized access to the mailbox only those people who properly have a key to open the mailbox door. In certain settings, such as apartment buildings or offices where there is a single delivery point for numerous postal customers, locked mailboxes with the mail carrier having a key for delivery of mail is a practical solution.  
         [0004]     A typical rural or suburban roadside mailbox, on the other hand, has a front access door hinged at the bottom and a side indicating flag, which is used to signal to a motorized mail carrier that outgoing mail is available for pickup. In the conventional mailbox, delivered incoming mail can be easily removed or inspected by anyone driving or walking by and opening the front access door. Simply installing locks and providing the mail carriers with keys or other means to access many different locked mailboxes to deliver incoming mail in a rural or suburban setting would be inefficient, potentially unsafe to the mail carrier, and otherwise problematic.  
         [0005]     Therefore, the access door needs to remain unlocked before the mail carrier arrives so the mail carrier can open the access door to either remove outgoing mail from inside the mailbox, deposit incoming mail into it, or both. After the mail carrier has deposited incoming mail and closed the access door, the access door would desirably lock shut to prevent unauthorized access to the delivered mail. The drawback to such an arrangement is that a self-actuating lock would lock whenever the mailbox door was shut by anyone. This would include a child toying with the mailbox door or a prankster or even the postal customer inadvertently shutting the door after they have deposited mail for pickup.  
         [0006]     One of the solutions to avoiding unauthorized access to incoming mail is to have the access door remain unlocked at all times but having the incoming mail fall far enough away from the access door so that it cannot be retrieved by reaching into the mailbox through the access door. In this case, an authorized user typically retrieves the mail by unlocking a second access door close to where the mail has fallen. This solution requires a limited access door, restricting the size and quantity of mail that can be easily delivered. Also, the size of the mailbox may be cumbersome.  
         [0007]     Another solution to avoiding unauthorized access to incoming mail is to have the door be initially unlocked and then have it automatically lock shut once the door is closed. The door would typically be shut by the mail carrier who, after opening the mailbox and removing outgoing mail from it and/or depositing incoming mail into it, would close the door thereby locking the door shut. This provides the desired security if the mailbox door is not opened and then shut before the mail carrier arrives to deliver mail. However, if the door must be opened to add additional outgoing mail or otherwise check the status of the outgoing mail, the door will lock shut if it were closed. The outgoing mail will then be locked in the mailbox and unavailable for pickup by the mail carrier, and incoming mail will remain undelivered because the door is locked shut.  
         [0008]     There are other examples of locking rural mailboxes in the prior art. For example, a mailbox with a slot opening design which does not provide full access to the mailbox, the access being restricted by the dimensions of the slot. Another example is a full access mailbox that allows the door to be opened once and locks upon the door being subsequently closed. Yet another example of a full access mailbox in the prior art requires the mail carrier to rotate an arm outside the box after installing the mail and closing the door. The rotation of the arm causes the door to lock shut so that it can be reopened only upon using a key.  
         [0009]     It would be desirable to have a mailbox that would have an access door with a latching mechanism that would be enabled by shutting the access door after delivered mail is inserted into the mailbox and/or when mail for pickup in the mailbox is removed by the mail carrier. It would also be desirable to have a mailbox with an auxiliary enclosure for incoming mail in the event the mail carrier cannot open the access door. Preferably, the opening of the auxiliary enclosure would be closeable with an auxiliary access door. Desirably the mailbox door should be capable of being opened and closed any number of times without causing the door to lock shut until mail is inserted into the box. The mail insertion should not require any action or actions other than those typically involved in delivering mail into the mailbox.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mailbox comprises an enclosure with a first, front opening through which mail can pass while it is being received (incoming mail) or removed (outgoing mail) from the enclosure. The first opening of the enclosure is closeable with a first hinged door that fully covers the opening. The first hinged door is provided with a locking means such that when the door is closed, a spring-loaded latch configured as a detent, may be automatically engaged with a catch on the enclosure to keep the door closed and locked. The mailbox may be provided with an outgoing mail signaling device, or flag, that is used to alert the mail carrier that outgoing mail is available for pickup. The mailbox may also be provided with an incoming mail flap that can be selectively positioned between an upright position and a second collapsed position. In normal operation, when in the upright position, the mail flap may be configured into the form of a shelf upon which the mail customer may deposit outgoing mail for pickup by the mail carrier. If incoming mail is placed in the mailbox, the incoming mail flap must be pushed down and out of the way, into a substantially horizontal position, to make room before mail can be placed in the mailbox.  
         [0011]     The first hinged door remains unlocked before the mail carrier arrives so the mail carrier can open the access door to either remove outgoing mail from inside the mailbox or deposit incoming mail inside the mailbox, or both. Once the mail carrier has deposited incoming mail and closed the access door, the access door locks shut to prevent unauthorized access. In the event the mail carrier cannot open the access door, the incoming mail may be deposited in an alternate compartment located adjacent the enclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the alternate compartment is located below the enclosure and has a second opening through which mail may be received into or removed from the alternate compartment, the second opening being coplanar with the first opening. In one embodiment, the second opening of the enclosure is closeable with a second hinged door that fully covers the first and second opening. The second hinged door may also be provided with a catch, which engages with a structure on the enclosure to keep the door releasably shut once the door is placed in the closed position.  
         [0012]     In an embodiment of the invention, the second or alternative compartment is positioned below the first or principle compartment and may have a separate door is the exterior of the compartment is camouflaged to match or appear to be part of the support structure for the mail box, for example the supporting post. The second compartment can have a separate closeable and/or lockable door. Said second door may be hidden behind a door that extends to cover both the opening to the principle compartment and the door to the second compartment opening. The second compartment can thus operate as a hidden compartment.  
         [0013]     It is an object of the invention to provide a mailbox that allows for outgoing mail pick-up and incoming mail drop-off, with easy access by the mail carrier for the outgoing mail while safely storing delivered incoming mail behind a locked access door, and allowing retrieval of the delivered mail only by an authorized person with a key that unlocks the access door. Preferably, the mailbox door may be opened and closed any number of times without the door locking shut until mail is inserted into the mailbox. Additionally, the invention, in certain embodiments, can provide an external indication of whether incoming mail has been delivered. In yet another embodiment, such external indication may be provided by a flag operatively connected to the incoming mail flap such that when the incoming mail flap is moved into an upright position, the flag is moved into a position indicative of a completed mail delivery. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention showing the two enclosures for receiving mail.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the mailbox of  FIG. 2  showing the first door in closed position and second door in opened position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the mailbox of  FIG. 1  with the first door in the open position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a front view looking into the open interior of the first enclosure from the front of the mailbox of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating the relationship between the first door and the second door as they are moved to their respective closed position.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cutaway perspective view of a mailbox according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mailbox of  FIG. 7  taken along the line  2 - 2 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mailbox of  FIG. 7  taken along the line  4 - 4 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a front elevational view looking into the front of the mailbox of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a plan cross sectional view taken at approximately line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 9   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4  a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The invention includes a mailbox  10 , mounted on a standard post  14  adjacent to a roadway  16  (not shown) spaced apart from the ground  12 . More specifically, the mailbox  10  is comprised of a first enclosure  115  and a second enclosure  118 . The first enclosure  115  is configured into the form of a standard, U.S. Postal Service approved mailbox adapted to be supported in the horizontal plane by the standard post  14 . The first enclosure  115  comprises an open interior  145  bounded by an open end  150  substantially coplanar with a plane  13 , a closed end  155 , and a lower base panel  160 , an arched roof  162  and closed by a standard first door  165  carrying a spring latch  175 .  FIG. 5  shows base panel  160  having a first surface  132  in communication with the open interior  145 , long edges  135  and a short front edge  140 . The first door  165  is hingedly attached to the mailbox  10  at the short front edge  140  with a piano hinge  170  so that it can swing downwardly and outwardly from a first closed position  166  as exemplified in  FIG. 3  to a first open position  167  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The first door  165  is secured in the first closed position by a conventional locking mechanism  175  having a first portion  205  and a second portion  230 . The first mailbox door  165  is shaped and dimensioned so that when it is in the first closed position, it substantially covers the open end  150  and serves to prevent weather elements from entering the open interior  145 . The arched roof  162  may comprise, for example, a continuous sheet  180  connecting long side edges  135  and extending up and outwardly from surface  132  of the base panel  160 . Generally the continuous sheet  180  may be formed by conventional means out of sheet metal or other rigid materials. The mailbox is preferably constructed from heavy duty steel but other structural materials such as plastic, steel, wood, cement, cast iron, or any combination thereof may also be used. Alternately, the mailbox may comprise an extruded aluminum body and a die cast aluminum front door.  
         [0026]     The mailbox may be removably secured to the vertical post by means of a fastener  146 , said fastener having a first end rigidly attached to the closed end  155  and a second end releasably anchored to the pivot post. The first portion  205  of the locking mechanism  175  is preferably attached to the first door  165  and has a lock face  209  with a structure defining a key receiving portion  220  disposed on it, a retractable detent  210  or plunger that is spring loaded and that has an angled cam surface  215 . The lock face  209  is mounted flush with an external surface  216  of the first door  165  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In one embodiment, the first portion  205  has two mounting holes (not shown) which receive two ¼ inch grade 8 bolts welded to an inside surface  217  of the first door. Grade 8 nuts are threaded onto the bolts, welded to the first portion  205  and the bolts ground if necessary so that they do not protrude beyond the first portion  205  to complete the mounting of the first portion to the external surface  216  of the first door  165 . The key receiving portion  220  is suited to receive a key  225  into it to manually retract the detent from a normally extended position  226  shown in  FIG. 6 . The second portion  230  of the locking mechanism  175  is configured as a latch  177  suitably attached, such as by rivets or welding to the arched roof  162  so as to extend into the open interior  145 . The latch  177  has a detent guide surface  235 , which terminates in a detent receiving portion configured as a slot  240 . In an exemplary embodiment, the latch  177  is a small piece of steel with a slotted detent-engaging surface. As the door is pivoted from a first open position towards the first closed position, the detent engages the detent guide surface  235  which is adapted to push the detent into its retracted position into the first portion of the locking mechanism. The detent remains retracted until the door is substantially proximate the closed position whereupon the detent aligns with slot  240 . If the slot  240  is unobstructed, the detent  210  extends into and is captured within the slot  240  causing the first front door to automatically latch to the arched roof  162 . Once latched, the first front door  165  is secured in the first closed position and can only be opened by using the key  245  to manually retract the detent or plunger out of engagement within the slot  240  and pulling the first door towards the first open position. The locking mechanism  175  may be disabled by obstructing the slot  240  which prevents the detent from extending into the slot thereby preventing the first door from latching shut when in the first closed position. As long as the slot  240  remains obstructed, the first door can be opened and shut any number of times without causing the first door to latch. A tab  182  configured in the form of a conventional clasp and secured to the arched roof  162 , removably secures the first front door  165  in a first closed position even when the the front door is unlatched. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the tab  182  is constructed from a ferromagnetic material and a magnet  187  is embedded at a suitable location into the first front door  165  as shown in  FIG. 6  so that on closing the first front door, the magnet is caused to be positioned adjacent the tab  182  whereby the magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the tab keeps the door in the closed position until the magnetic force is overcome by manually pulling the door away from the tab. Alternately, the tab  182  may be configured in the form of a magnetic catch secured to the arched roof  162  thereby eliminating the need for the magnet  187 .  
         [0027]     In an exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism  175  is selectively disabled by suitably positioning a flap  300  pivotally mounted on the first surface  132  of the lower base panel  160  within the first enclosure  118  as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6 . A tab  310  is operably attached to the flap  300 . Flap  300  is adapted to be selectively positioned in either an upright position as shown in FIGS.  5  or a retracted or lowered position as shown in  FIG. 4 . Desirably, a grasping handle  320  is fixedly attached to flap  300  to facilitate the manual repositioning of the flap in an upright position from a lowered position. The tab is dimensioned and located on the flap  300  so that when the flap is in the upright position, the tab is positioned over the slot  240  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . If the first front door  165  is closed with the flap  300  in the upright position, the tab  310  will keep the detent  210  from entering into capture relationship within the slot  240  and latching the door shut so that the door can subsequently be opened without the key  245 . In an alternate embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the flap  300  is sized to substantially obstruct the open end  150  and effectively preclude deposition of mail into the open interior  145 . The flap preferably includes indicia instructing the postal carrier to depress or retract the flap for insertion of mail. Depressing the flap, as exemplified in  FIG. 4 , removes the obstructing member from the covering or blocking the slot  240  so that on closing the first front door  165 , the door is latched and can only be opened upon using the key  245  to retract the detent as described above. The mail carrier will cause the flap to depress while engaging in the normal motions of depositing mail into the open interior  145 . In yet another embodiment, a secondary appendage  320  depends from flap  300  and is operably coupled to it as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Preferably, the secondary appendage  320  is a flat sheet hinged to the flap  300 . The appendage  320  is hinged to the flap  300  and sized such that when the flap is in the lowered position, the appendage  320  is caused to be positioned proximate the first surface  132  of the base panel  160  as exemplified in  FIG. 4 . Desirably, the hinge is configured for limited rotation as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5  so that when the flap  300  is in the upright position, the appendage  320  is positioned above the surface  132  and spaced apart from it in the form of a shelf upon which outgoing mail may be deposited for pick-up by the mail carrier. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , mounted externally on the mail-box  10 , is a conventional metal mail indicator comprising primary flag  185  pivoted about lug  188  extending from enclosure  115  and located external to it. Primary flag  185  is adapted to be selectively moved from a lowered position shown in  FIG. 1  to an upright position to indicate to the mail carrier that there is mail for pick-up in one or both of the enclosures  115  and  118  of the mailbox.  
         [0028]     The second enclosure  118  is an elongate box with a second open interior  410  bounded by a second open end  415 , a second closed end  420 , and a second lower base panel  425 , a roof panel  430 . The second enclosure is dimensioned, colored and positioned so as to convey the perception that the first enclosure  115  rests upon a horizontal support arm extending perpendicularly from the post  14  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 . In a preferred embodiment, the roof panel  430  is secured to base panel  160  with the second open end  415  located spaced apart from the ground  12 , below and adjacent to open end  150  and substantially coplanar with plane  13  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In an alternate embodiment, instead of the roof panel  430 , the base panel  160  is configured to form a partition between the first enclosure  115  and the second enclosure  118 . A second door  435  is hinged horizontally to the second lower base panel  425  proximate the second open end  415  so that it can pivot outwardly from second open end  415  to a second open position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  6  thereby providing access to the second open interior  410  for deposition or retrieval of mail. The second door  435  can be pivoted into a second closed position  440  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of the second door  435  where the second door comprises a first portion  445  and a second portion  450 . The first portion  445  is shaped and dimensioned to be complementary to the first open end  150  and the second portion  450  is shaped and dimensioned to be complementary to second open end  415 , such that when the second door is swung into the second closed position  440 , shown in  FIG. 2 , the first open end  150  and the second open end  415  are substantially covered by the first portion  445  and the second portion  450  of the second door  435  respectively. In an alternate embodiment, the second open end  415  while being coplanar with first open end  150  is spaced apart from said first open end by a gap  455  so that the second enclosure  118  mimics a horizontal beam extending perpendicularly from post  14  to support enclosure  115  which, as noted above, may be shaped to resemble a rural mailbox. Desirably, the enclosure  118  as well as the second portion  450  of the second door  435  have a cross-sectional shape and color that further adds to the perception that mailbox  10  is a traditional rural mailbox supported in a conventional manner upon a horizontal beam extending from the vertical post  14 . The first portion  445  of the second door may preferably be provided with a third color to match a third color of the first enclosure. The second door  435  is shaped with an offset  460  extending between the first portion  445  and second portion  450 . When second door  435  is in the closed position the offset  460  is positioned within gap  455 , the first open end  150  is substantially covered by the first portion  445  and the second open end  415  is substantially covered by the second portion  450  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, the first portion  445  has the same color and surface finish as an external surface of the first enclosure  115  and the second portion  450  has the same color and surface finish as an exterior surface of the second enclosure  118  so that when second door  435  is closed, it reinforces the perception that mailbox  10  is a traditional rural mailbox conventionally supported upon a horizontal post extending from the vertical post  14 . The external surface of said first enclosure  115  is preferably provided with a durable, textured, powder coated finish whereas the exterior surface of the second enclosure desirably mimics the post in color and surface texture.  
         [0029]     In an alternate embodiment the second open end  415  is not coplanar with first open end  150 . The position of the first open end and the second open end as well as the shape and dimension of the second door  435  is selected so that when the second door is in the second closed position the offset  460  is positioned within gap  455 , the first open end  150  is substantially covered by the first portion  445  and the second open end  415  is substantially covered by the second portion  450 .  
         [0030]      FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  6  illustrate another desirable feature of the mailbox  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second door can be selectively positioned in a second open configuration  495  and the second closed position  440  even when the first door is in the first closed position  166 . Further, a notch  470  forming a structure on the second door  435  cooperates with tab projection  182  to allow the second door to be removably secured in the closed position shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 2  exemplifies the mailbox  10  with the first front door  165  in first open position  167  and the second door  435  in second open position  495 . With the doors in this configuration, both, first enclosure  115  and second enclosure  118  can be accessed for mail delivery or pickup. Closing first front door  165  does not affect the accessibility of enclosure  118  as  FIG. 3  illustrates. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the first door and the second door are shaped, dimensioned and located so that as the second door is pivoted from the second opened position to the second closed position, a portion  460  of the second door comes into sliding contact with a portion  465  of the first door causing front door to pivot towards the first closed position. In a preferred embodiment, the first front door is provided with a roller  470  located adjacent portion  465 , said roller adapted to enter into low-friction rolling contact with portion  460  of the second door as it is pivoted into a second closed position from a second fully open position.  FIG. 6  illustrates a cylindrical roller  470  mounted on the front door that comes into rolling contact with the second closed door and remains in rolling contact as the second door is moved towards the second closed position. It will be evident to one skilled in the art that when second door is in the second closed position, the first door is positioned in the first closed position though it may or may not be latched. In a preferred embodiment, at least a portion  480  of second front door is ferromagnetic and disposed on said second front door so as to be proximate the magnet  187  when said second front door is in a second closed position, the second front door maintained in said second closed position by the magnetic force of attraction exerted by said magnet  187  on said portion  480  of said second front door.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 7, 8  and  9  illustrate an embodiment of the instant invention wherein the mailbox is equipped with a secondary flag  520  comprising a first portion  522  extending from first enclosure  115  and a second portion forming lever arm  524  extending into first enclosure  115 . Second portion  524  can be manipulated to pivot secondary flag  520  from a lowered position shown in  FIG. 7  to a raised position shown in  FIG. 8 . Primary flag  185  is rigidly attached to lug  188 . Lug  188  is pivotally mounted to first enclosure  115  and extends into open interior  145  wherein it is fixedly attached to a first obstructing member  525 . As the flag is rotated from the lowered position shown in  FIG. 1  to the raised, “mail present” upright position of  FIG. 7 , first obstructing member  525  rotates into an obstructing position over slot  240  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . If first front door  165  is closed with primary flag  185  in the upright position, first obstructing member  525  will keep the detent  210  from entering into capture relationship within the slot  240  and latching the door shut effectively disabling latching mechanism  175  so that first door  165  can subsequently be opened without the key  245 . Returning primary flag  185  to the lowered position depicted in  FIG. 1 , rotates obstructing member  525  away from slot  240  so that it unblocks slot  240  allowing latching mechanism  175  to operate normally whereby on first front door  165  being placed in the closed position as shown in  FIG. 1 , the door is latched and can only be opened by using key  245  to retract the detent as described above.  
         [0032]     Flap  300  is operably coupled to lever arm  524  of secondary flag  520  when flap  300  is depressed, on mail delivery for example, to cause the secondary flag to rotate upwardly thereby raising it as illustrated in  FIG. 7  to indicate mail delivery. A spring friction interference member  555  attached to first enclosure  115  may be utilized to secure the flap in the upright position as illustrated in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0033]     The delivered mail detection mechanism comprising flag  520  linked to flap  300  and the primary flag  185  signaling presence of mail for pick-up, operate independently of one another and each could be present in a mailbox without the other and still considered within the scope of the invention herein. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the secondary flag is not a required part of the delivered mail detection mechanism in that flap  300  can function to enable the locking mechanism without providing an external “delivered mail present” signal.  
         [0034]     Further description of the operation and functioning of the device follows. The present invention provides for the obstructing or a blocking member be interposed between the spring loaded latching means on the door and the catch on the enclosure portion, which prevents the spring loaded latching means from engaging the catch, so that the access door can be closed but will remain unlocked until the interposed obstructing member is removed from between the spring loaded latching means and the catch. These movable obstructing members, i.e. tab  310  attached to flap  300  and obstructing member  525  attached to primary flag  185 , are preferably in the form of a metal blade portion. The blade configuration facilitates that either blade portion or both may be in an obstructing position and either one may be moved in and out of the obstructing position with the other one in the obstructing position.  
         [0035]     When the outgoing mail signaling device, the primary flag  185 , is raised to alert the mail carrier of the presence of outgoing mail, the metal blade portion connected to the outgoing mail signaling device is interposed in the latching mechanism  175  keeping the first front door  165  from locking in the closed position. In this way the mail carrier can open the door and remove the outgoing mail. The mail carrier will normally lower the outgoing mail flag  185 , causing the metal blade portion to be removed from its position interposed between the spring loaded latching means and the catch. The door will then lock when it is placed in the closed position. If the access door  165  is already closed and the metal blade portion is removed from the interposed position, the latching mechanism  175  will now engage the catch and the door will become locked.  
         [0036]     When flap  300  is raised to indicate the absence of mail, a second metal blade portion is interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and the catch, keeping the door from becoming locked if it is placed in the closed position. Upon the receiving mail into the enclosure, the flap is lowered and the metal blade portion attached to the flap is removed from its position interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and the catch, and the door will lock when it is closed. This mode of operation is useful when there is no outgoing mail and the outgoing mail indicator is lowered, which normally would allow the door to lock. However the mail carrier would not be able to open the door to deliver incoming mail. In particular embodiments of the present invention, when the authorized user manually raises the flap, the mailbox door is closed and the metal blade portion of the flap prevents the mailbox from locking. The mail carrier can still open the door and insert mail. Under normal operation, inserting mail then causes the flap to be lowered. When the mail carrier then closes the door, the door locks and the incoming mail is secured inside the locked mailbox.  
         [0037]     This second signaling device, the secondary flag, becomes important because if the security of the incoming mail is of concern to the authorized user, security of outgoing mail is likely a similar issue. In this case the authorized user may never leave outgoing mail in the mailbox because the access door must necessarily remain unlocked, and thus available to anyone besides the mail carrier. In this situation there is rarely outgoing mail and there can be no indication of whether the mail carrier has yet made a delivery of incoming mail to be retrieved. If there has been a delivery of incoming mail, it is important that the incoming mail be removed because the access door is locked and the mail carrier may make no further deliveries until the access door is unlocked. By using the position of the flap to activate a second signaling device, the presence of incoming mail is correctly indicated. Before the mail carrier arrived the flap would be set in a vertical position, a position it can assume if there is no mail in the mailbox. Also since there is no outgoing mail, the outgoing mail indicator is in a less visible position, for example a down, or horizontal, position. If the mail carrier delivers incoming mail, the door can be opened, the flap pushed down and the mail inserted inside the mailbox. When the flap is pushed down, the second indicator flag is moved to a more visible position, for example, a raised upright position. The door is closed, and because the metal portion from the flap is no longer interposed between the first portion of the latching mechanism and catch, the access door becomes locked shut.  
         [0038]     In all cases, once the door is closed and locked, the access door must be opened by use of a key and the flap must be raised if there is no outgoing mail, or the outgoing mail can be deposited and the outgoing mail indicator must be raised, thus keeping the access door from locking upon subsequent closing. In this manner the mail carrier may open the access door again upon the next arrival to remove any outgoing mail or deliver incoming mail, or both.  
         [0039]     The only way to open the locked access door in preferred embodiments is by operation of the unlocking mechanism, typically by use of a key. Movement of the outgoing mail indicator or the flap will not unlock a closed and locked access door.  
         [0040]     Additional embodiments of the current invention may include a mechanism for maintaining the access door in an intermediate closed position, such that the door remains closed but does not lock. The position of the interposed metal portion or portions does not affect the operation of this intermediate closed position. When the access door is in this position the door can be opened and subsequently returned to this intermediate position without engaging the latching mechanism. In one embodiment, the intermediate position can be maintained by providing a friction interference with a detent between the access door and the enclosure, such that the interference detent indicates when the door is in the intermediate closed but unlocked position. If the access door is further closed beyond the intermediate position, the latching mechanism on the access door can engage the catch on the enclosure. The interposed metal portions from the flap or the outgoing mail signaling device can control whether the latching mechanism engages the catch and the access door becomes closed and locked.  
         [0041]     Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.