Mailbox

A mailbox has the usual hinged door on the roadside end and a special hinged cover which normally closes a back access opening through which mail may be removed. The back access opening extends through the top, back end and both sides of the mailbox to facilitate access to the mail when the cover is open. The cover includes transparent panels on its back end and top so that the contents of the mailbox are visible from the end which faces the house but are not visible to passersby from the roadside end. The mail is received on a tilting floor panel which assumes an inclined orientation when the door is closed to make the mailbox contents visible from a considerable distance. The floor panel is transparent so that pieces of mail which may become lodged beneath it are visible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates in general to mailboxes and deals more particularly 
with a mailbox which is constructed to permit mail recipients to visually 
detect the presence of mail from a distance. The mailbox of the present 
invention also provides easier access to mail which is deposited in the 
box. 
Roadside mailboxes typically include a single door which faces the roadway 
and is used both to deposit mail and to remove mail from the box. The 
mailbox is often located a considerable distance from the house, and it is 
necessary for the recipient to walk out to the mailbox and check to 
determine whether the mail has arrived. Although many mailboxes are 
equipped with signal flags, they are not used consistently and do not 
detract appreciably from the number of trips that must be made to and from 
the mailbox. 
Mailboxes that are wholly or partially transparent have been proposed so 
that the contents of the box are visible from a considerable distance. 
However, if a single envelope or several envelopes or other flat pieces of 
mail are present in the mailbox, they are difficult to see from a distance 
because of their horizontal position on the floor of the mailbox. Another 
drawback associated with transparent mailboxes is that persons passing by 
on the road can see that mail is present and possibly tamper with it. 
The retrieval of mail from conventional mailboxes is especially difficult 
for the elderly. It is necessary to walk around to the roadside of the 
mailbox and open the door, to stoop down to see if any mail is present, 
and to reach into the mailbox to remove the mail. The need to stand on the 
roadside of the mailbox can be dangerous, and the need to stoop down and 
reach into the box is especially difficult for elderly persons. Mailboxes 
having doors on both ends have been proposed so that the mail can be 
deposited from the road side of the mailbox and removed from the house 
side. However, the house side access opening is located in the end of the 
box, and it is still necessary for the recipient to stoop down to check 
for the presence of mail and to reach into the end of the mailbox to 
remove it. In addition, if the mail carrier is careless in depositing the 
mail in the box, it can slide through the box and fall completely or 
partially out through the back or house side door. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a mailbox which is specially 
constructed and arranged such that mail that is present in the box is 
displayed to the recipient but not to passers-by. The construction of the 
mailbox also makes access to the mail more convenient than is the case 
with conventional mailboxes. 
It is an important object of the invention to provide a mailbox in which it 
is possible to determine from a distance whether or not mail is present in 
the box. This is accomplished by using a tilting floor panel which 
receives the mail and which is maintained at an inclined orientation in 
order to conspicuously display even a single flat envelope present in the 
mailbox. 
An important related feature of the invention is the provision of a 
transparent panel on the end of the mailbox which faces the house and 
another transparent panel on the top of the mailbox adjacent the end which 
faces the house. The transparent panels permit any mail which is present 
in the mailbox to be clearly visible from the house or yard of the 
recipient. At the same time, persons passing by on the road are not able 
to view the contents of the mailbox. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a mailbox in which the floor 
panel is horizontal when the front or road side door is open. 
Consequently, the mail carrier can deposit mail in the box in the usual 
manner on top of the panel. When the door is thereafter closed, the 
tilting panel automatically assumes an inclined orientation to make the 
mail visible from the house side of the mailbox at a considerable 
distance. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a mailbox wherein the 
tilting floor panel is transparent so that any pieces of mail that may 
inadvertently become lodged beneath it are readily visible. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mailbox having a back 
access opening which extends through the top and sides of the mailbox 
adjacent the end which faces the house. This makes access to the mail more 
convenient, particularly for the elderly, because the contents of the 
mailbox can be both viewed and reached from the top without the need to 
stoop. The mail can also be reached through the back access opening from 
either side of the mailbox to make access to the mail even more 
convenient, particularly if adjacent shrubbery or support posts make rear 
retrieval of the mail difficult. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a mailbox having a 
cover for the back access opening which can be quickly and easily opened 
and closed. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a mailbox of the 
character described which is constructed to prevent mail deposited through 
the front opening from falling out through the back opening. The back 
opening has an upstanding barrier which projects upwardly well above the 
floor panel to intercept the mail so that it is unable to fall out through 
the mailbox. 
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of 
novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following 
description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 generally 
designates a mailbox constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
The mailbox 10 is a rectangular, box-like container having a pair of 
opposite side walls 12, a top panel 14 and a bottom panel 16 which 
cooperate to provide a generally rectangular compartment 18 (FIG. 2) for 
receiving and holding mail. One or both side walls 12 can include a 
transparent panel which displays on a card the name and/or address of the 
house occupant. The end of the mailbox 10 which faces the road is open to 
provide a front access opening 20 (FIG. 1) through which the mail carrier 
can deposit mail. The front access opening 20 is normally closed by a 
hinged door 22 which is connected with the bottom of the mailbox by a 
piano type hinge 24. Door 22 can be pivoted about the horizontal axis 
provided by hinge 24 between the open position shown in FIG. 1 and in 
broken lines in FIG. 4 and the closed position shown in solid lines in 
FIG. 4. In the open position, door 22 is generally horizontal to expose 
the opening 20. In the closed position, door 22 is vertical to close 
opening 20. A catch 26 on the inside surface of door 22 holds the door 
closed. The outside surface of door 22 is provided with a handle 28 which 
facilitates opening and closing of the door. Walls 12, panels 14 and 16 
and the door 22 may be constructed from sheet metal or another suitable 
material. 
In accordance with the present invention, the mail which is deposited in 
the mailbox 10 is received and held on a flat rectangular floor panel 30 
which is slightly smaller than the bottom panel 16 of the mailbox. The 
front edge of panel 30 is connected with the inside surface of door 22 by 
a pair of hinges 32 which cooperate to provide a horizontal hinge axis 
about which panel 30 can pivot relative to door 22. The hinges 32 are 
offset from hinge 24 and are located well above hinge 24 when door 22 is 
in the closed position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4. When door 22 is in 
its open position, panel 30 has a generally horizontal orientation and 
lies on the floor panel 16 in a position to receive the mail deposited 
into the mailbox through the front opening 20. When door 22 is raised from 
the open position toward the closed position, hinges 32 are gradually 
raised to elevate the front edge of panel 30. The back edge of panel 30 
remains on bottom panel 16 at all times and is thus disposed well below 
the front edge of panel 30 when door 22 is closed. In the fully closed 
position of door 22, panel 30 has an inclined orientation and angles 
downwardly from its front edge toward its rear edge. Panel 30 is 
transparent so that any small pieces of mail which may become accidentally 
lodged between panels 16 and 30 will be visible through the transparent 
panel 30. 
The mailbox 10 has a back access opening 34 through which the mail can be 
removed from the mailbox. Opening 34 extends through the top panel 14 as 
indicated at 36 in FIG. 4, through both side walls 12 as indicated at 38 
in FIG. 4, and through the end of the mailbox opposite the front access 
opening 20 as indicated at 40 in FIG. 4. Consequently, the contents of 
compartment 18 are accessible from the top through opening 36, from either 
side of the mailbox through openings 38, and from the back or house facing 
side of the mailbox through opening 40. Opening 36 extends through the top 
panel 14 on the portion thereof adjacent opening 40, while the side 
openings 38 are likewise located adjacent to opening 40. Below the side 
openings 38, the side walls of the mailbox project well above the bottom 
panel 16. 
Below the end opening 40, an end barrier 42 extends upwardly well above the 
bottom panel 16 and the back edge of panel 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the 
barrier 42 is secured by rivets 44 or other fasteners to flanges 46 which 
are turned inwardly from the back edges of the side walls 12. The barrier 
42 is preferably transparent. 
The back access opening 34 is normally closed by a cover which is generally 
designated by numeral 48. The cover 48 includes parallel opposite sides 50 
which cover the side openings 38 when the cover is closed. The top of 
cover 48 includes a transparent panel 52 which is secured by rivets 54 to 
flanges 56 which are turned inwardly from the upper edges of the side 50. 
The top panel 52 covers the top opening 36 when cover 48 is closed. The 
back of cover 48 includes a transparent end panel 58 which is secured by 
rivets 60 to flanges 62 which are turned inwardly from the back edges of 
the sides 50. Panel 58 overlaps barrier 42 to cover the back opening 40 
when cover 48 is closed. The components of the mailbox are opaque except 
for panels 30, 52 and 58 and barrier 42. 
Cover 48 is connected to the top panel 14 of the mailbox for opening and 
closing movement about the horizontal axis established by a hinge 63. In 
the open position of cover 48 shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, the entirety 
of the back access opening 34 is exposed, and panel 52 lies on panel 14. 
In the closed position of cover 48, opening 34 is closed by the cover. A 
handle 64 is provided on panel 58 to facilitate opening and closing of the 
cover. A gasket 65 (see FIG. 4) seals against cover 48 in its closed 
position. If desired, the hinge 63 may be spring loaded in the manner of 
the trunk lid of an automobile so that the cover can be lifted slightly 
and will then spring open and remain open. This permits one hand only to 
be used to open the cover, retrieve the mail and then close the cover. 
One of the side walls 12 may be provided with a signal flag 66. The signal 
flag 66 may be pivoted between the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 and 
a vertical position in which the signal flag indicates the presence of 
mail within the mailbox 10. 
In use of the mailbox 10, the mail carrier opens door 22 and deposits mail 
into the mailbox through the front access opening 20. Mail such as the 
envelope 68 is received on panel 30 which is in its horizontal mail 
receiving position when door 22 is open. When the mail carrier has 
completed depositing the mail into the compartment 18, he closes door 22, 
and panel 30 then assumes the inclined mail displaying position shown in 
solid lines in FIG. 4. 
Because of the incline of panel 30, the mail which is present within 
compartment 18 is visible through the transparent panels 52 and 58 from a 
considerable distance. Thus, the mail recipient can see from his house or 
yard whether or not mail is present in the mailbox. However, persons 
passing by on the road are able to see only the opaque front portions of 
the mailbox and are not able to view the contents through the panels 52 
and 58 located on the back portion of the mailbox. In this manner, the 
mailbox conspicuously displays mail to the recipient from a considerable 
distance while shielding it from passers-by. 
Mail is normally removed from the mailbox through the back opening 34, 
although it can also be removed through the front opening 20 if desired. 
In order to gain access to the mail through the back opening 34, cover 48 
is raised to its open position, and the mail can be reached through the 
back opening 34. It is noted that there is no need to stoop because the 
mail can be viewed through the top panel 52, and it can likewise be 
reached through the top opening 36. Consequently, access to the mail is 
relatively easy even for elderly persons who have difficulty in stooping. 
The mail can also be removed from either side of the mailbox, by reaching 
through either of the side openings 38, and it can also be removed by 
reaching through the back opening 40. After the mail has been removed from 
compartment 18, the cover 48 is swung downwardly to the closed position. 
The barrier 42 projects well above the bottom panel 16 to prevent mail from 
inadvertently passing out through the back opening 40. In addition, 
because the cover 48 must be swung upwardly to its open position, the 
cover assists in preventing mail from falling out through the back of the 
mailbox. The barrier 42 is preferably transparent so that it cooperates 
with panel 58 to permit viewing of the contents of the mailbox from a 
distance. 
It should be understood that the back opening 34 can have configurations 
other than the configuration shown in the drawings, and that the cover 48 
can also vary in its configuration. The cover can also be mounted to slide 
between its open and closed positions rather than being hinged. A sliding 
drawer-type structure can also be used. 
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted 
to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with 
other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the 
structure. 
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of 
utility and may be employed without reference to other features and 
subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the 
claims. 
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without 
departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter 
herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be 
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.