Abstract:
A security mailbox secures mail deposited therein from theft and protects its contents from the elements by having a receiving section including a receiving chamber for receiving mail through a mail delivery opening in its front end, a securing section including a securing chamber for receiving mail from the receiving chamber, and a teeter baffle separating the receiving chamber from the securing chamber. The securing chamber has an access door for selectively accessing delivered mail items secured therein. A portion of the securing section pecincluding the access door is selectably attachable to the remainder of the mailbox such that the access door can be on the front or the back of the mailbox. Fasteners accessible only through the access door attach the top end of the securing section to the remainder of the mailbox.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a security enclosure, such as a mailbox, which prevents the theft or the destruction of the mail and packages deposited therein, and more particularly to a secure mailbox adapted for removing items from either the front or back. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     My previous U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,388, describes a security mailbox wherein deposited items remain out of reach and out of view to unauthorized persons, and which will hold more than several days&#39; mail deliveries. 
     One shortcoming of this mailbox is that the mail is only removable from either the front or the back. Since there are installations that may require one or the other or if an installation requiring one is changed to an installation requiring the other, then the mailbox cannot be used. 
     Another shortcoming of this mailbox is that it is large and awkward to ship. 
     Therefore, there has been a need, for an improved security mailbox that can be adapted for either front or back mail retrieval and, preferably, concurrently provides a more desirable shipping profile without sacrificing security. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a security mailbox which secures mail deposited therein from theft and protects its contents from the elements by having a receiving section including a receiving chamber for receiving mail through a mail delivery opening in its front end, a securing section including a securing chamber for receiving mail from the receiving chamber, and a teeter baffle separating the receiving chamber from the securing chamber. The securing chamber has an access door for selectively accessing delivered mail items secured therein. A portion including the access door is selectably attachable to the remainder of the mailbox such that the access door can be on the front or the back of the mailbox. 
     In a first embodiment, fasteners accessible only through the access door attach the top end of the securing section to the bottom end of the receiving section such that the access door end is on the front end of the mailbox or on said back end of the mailbox. 
     In a second embodiment, a door portion of the securing section that is about one half the height of the mailbox is selectively attachable to the upper portion of the mailbox. 
     Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front, top, left side, perspective view of a first embodiment of the security mailbox of the invention with the access door on the front end. 
         FIG. 2  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  except with the securing section attached such that the access door is on the back end. 
         FIG. 3  is a front, top, left side, perspective view of a second embodiment of the security mailbox of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, partially cut away, perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  in dismantled configuration for shipping. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged, exploded, partial, perspective view of the fastening apparatus of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, particularly  FIGS. 1 and 2  thereof, there is shown, in  FIG. 1  an exploded front, top, left side, perspective view of a first embodiment  10 A of the security mailbox  10  of the invention, and in  FIG. 2  a vertical cross-sectional view of the embodiment  10 A of  FIG. 1  except with a securing section  50  attached to a receiving section  20  such that an access door  71  is on the back end  17  of the mailbox  10 . 
     Security mailbox  10 A generally comprises an enclosure  11  having an receiving chamber  12  in a receiving section  20  adapted for receiving deliveries of mail, and a secured chamber  13  in a securing section  50  adapted for storing delivered mail and protecting it from theft or harsh weather conditions; and attachment means  80  selectively joining sections  20 ,  50 . Mailbox  10  has a height H, a front end  16 , a back end  17 , and side walls  15 . 
     Front end  16  of receiving section  20  includes a mail receiving opening  21 , shown closed off by a hinged door  22 , for receiving mail into receiving chamber  12 . Receiving section  20  has receiving side wall  15 R and a bottom end  24  selectively attached to securing section  50 . Front end  16  of receiving section  20  overhangs securing section  50  sufficiently for receiving mail from a postal vehicle. Receiving section  20  is partially enclosed on its bottom end  24  by a bottom plate  29 . 
     A teeter baffle  30  is pivotally mounted on a pivot axis, such as axis of hinge  39 , and separates receiving chamber  12  from securing chamber  13 . Teeter baffle  30  is pivotable between a receiving position  30 A for receiving mail from opening  21  and a drop position  30 B for dropping received mail into securing chamber  13 . Teeter baffle  30  includes a back section  32  on the back side of hinge  39  adapted for controlling the communication of mail between receiving chamber  12  and securing chamber  13 , and a front section  34  on the front side of hinge  39  having a front end  35  disposed proximal front end  16  when teeter baffle is in receiving position  30 A. Teeter baffle  30  prevents a thief from reaching through receiving chamber to access mail in securing chamber  13 . 
     Securing section  50  contains securing chamber  13  and includes a top end  52 , a bottom end  54 , securing side walls  15 S, a door end  70 , and an opposite end  58  opposite door end  70  Door end  70  includes an access door  71  having an upper end  73 . Access door  71  is movable between an open position providing access to securing chamber  13  and a closed position preventing access to securing chamber  13 . Access door  70  is shown hinged at the bottom so as to lie out of the way when accessing mail. The word “door” is used in a broad sense and is intended to cover other devices providing the same function, such as a slidable door or pivotable bin. Access door  70  includes locking means  75 , such as a lock  76  integral with the closure mechanism, for restricting access. Locking means  75  may include a hasp integral with securing section  50  which extends through a slot in access door  70  adapted for use with an ordinary pad lock or combination lock. 
     Attachment means  80  provides for selectively attaching top end  52  of securing section  50  to bottom end  24  of receiving section  20  such that door end  70  is on front end  16  of enclosure  11  or on back end  17  of enclosure  11  as desired. In exemplary embodiment  10 A, attachment means  80  includes a pair of brackets  81 , such as stud brackets  82 , each including a downward stud  83 , on opposite inner faces of side walls  15 S of bottom end  24  of receiving section  20 , a pair of mating bore brackets  84 , each having a bore for receiving a stud  83 , and a pair of machine nuts  88  used as fasteners for attachment to studs  83 . Typically, the brackets are attached by welding. Other attachment means  80  well-known in the art could be used. For example, a boss with a threaded bore could be used instead of stud bracket  82  such that a bolt could be used as a fastener from the bottom. Preferably, the attachment fasteners, such as nuts  88 , are accessible only through access door  71 . 
     Preferably, side walls  15 R of bottom end  24  of receiving section  20  include means forming a channel  25  adapted for receiving side walls  15 S of top end  52  of securing section  50  so there is no crack between attached sections  20 ,  50 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , access door  71  is shown on front end  16  of mailbox  10 A. It will now be appreciated that access door can easily, selectably, be positioned also on back end  17 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 3-5 ,  FIG. 3  is a front, top, left side, perspective view of a second embodiment  10 B of the security mailbox  10  of the invention,  FIG. 4  is a partially exploded perspective view of the embodiment  10 B of  FIG. 3  shown in unattached configuration for shipping, and  FIG. 5  is an enlarged, partial, exploded perspective view of the attachment means  80  of  FIGS. 3 and 4  in position of attachment. 
     Mailbox  10 B is similar to mailbox  10 A except as described, except mailbox  10 B is divided approximately in half so that each half, top half  18  and bottom half  19 , each have a height of approximately one-half of height H of assembled mailbox  10  and such that a part of securing chamber  13  is in each half  18 ,  19 . In  FIG. 4 , top half  18  is shown inverted relative to its orientation in the attached configuration of  FIG. 3 . 
     Securing section  50 , which houses securing chamber  13 , generally includes an upper portion  60  and a door portion  65 . Top half  18  includes upper portion  60  and receiving section  20 . Upper portion  60  includes side walls  15 SU, a front end  16 SU, a back end  17 SU, a top end  52  attached to receiving section  20 , and a lower end  62 . Bottom half  19  includes a door portion  65  including an upper end  66 , a door end  70 , and an opposite end  58  opposite door end  70 . Door end  70  includes an access door  71  having an upper end  73 . Access door  71  is movable between an open position providing access to securing chamber  13  and a closed position preventing access to securing chamber  13 . Access door  71  is shown hinged at the bottom so as to lie out of the way when accessing mail. The word “door” is used in a broad sense and is intended to cover other devices providing the same function, such as a slidable door or pivotable bin. Access door  70  includes locking means  75 , such as a lock  76  integral with the closure mechanism, for restricting access. Locking means  75  may include a hasp integral with securing section  50  that extends through a slot in access door  71  adapted for use with an ordinary padlock or combination lock. 
     Attachment means  80  provides for selectively attaching upper end  66  of door portion  65  to lower end  62  of upper portion  60  such that door end  70  is attached to either front end  16  of enclosure  11  or on back end  17  of enclosure  11  as desired. In exemplary embodiment  10 B, attachment means  80  on lower end  62  of upper portion  60  includes a pair of brackets  81  such as bore brackets  82 , each including a threaded bore  86  on opposite end walls  16 ,  17 . Attachment means  80  on upper end  66  of door portion  65  includes a pair of brackets  81 , such as bore brackets  84 , each including a free (unthreaded) bores  85 , mounted on opposite end walls  16 ,  17 . Bolts  89  pass through free bores  85  from the bottom and fasten into threaded bores  86  of upper bracket  84 U. Alternatively, upper bracket  84 U could be a stud bracket and described with respect to mailbox  10 A, above. Preferably, the attachment fasteners are accessible only through access door  71 . Preferably, a slanted wall, such as deflector plate  87 , directs falling mail away from attachment means  80 , such as bracket  81 , so that the mail does not get hung up. Deflector plate  87  may be part of upper bracket  84 U, as shown, or may be a separate element. 
     Preferably, side walls  15 R of bottom end  62  of upper portion  60  include a channel  25  adapted for receiving side walls  15 S of top end  66  of door portion  65  so there is no crack between attached sections  20 ,  50 . 
     Having described the invention, it can be seen that it provides for an improved security mailbox that can be adapted for either front or back mail retrieval. An exemplary embodiment concurrently provides a more desirable shipping profile without sacrificing security. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various changes may be made in the form, composition, construction, and arrangement of the parts without sacrificing any of their advantages. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.