Abstract:
A mailbox support device includes a generally horizontally extending main portion and an arrangement for facilitating a fixed support of a mailbox with respect to the main portion. A brace portion having first and second ends is operatively coupled to the main portion in a manner facilitating movement of the brace portion from a first position in which its second end is adjacent the main portion. A brace portion having first and second ends is operatively coupled to the main portion in a manner facilitating movement of the brace portion from a first position in which its second end is adjacent the main portion to a second position in which its second end is spaced from the main portion. The main portion includes an arrangement which facilitates a fixed connection of the main portion to a support, and the brace portion includes an arrangement which facilitates connecting the second end thereof to a support.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a support bracket for mounting a mailbox on a support and, more particularly, to an integrally formed support bracket for use in mounting a mailbox on a simple vertically extending post or on a horizontally extending arm. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mailboxes on rural roads and on urban roads which have no sidewalks are generally required to be located at the road for mail delivery from a postal service vehicle. In order to position the mailbox appropriately at the roadside, the box is generally placed on a post or the like. Therefore, there is a need for a bracket for use in mounting a mailbox on a post. 
     Due to factors such as wind, road traffic, and daily use of the mailbox by both the postman and the mailbox owner, a mailbox support bracket which securely mounts a mailbox on a post is extremely desirable. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mailbox support bracket for securely mounting a mailbox on a post or the like. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mailbox support bracket, as aforesaid, which can be easily installed either on a simple vertically extending post, or on a horizontally extending arm. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mailbox support bracket, as aforesaid, which can be used with mailboxes of different sizes. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mailbox support bracket, as aforesaid, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objects and purposes of the invention, including those set forth above, are met by providing a mailbox support device which includes a main portion, an arrangement for facilitating a fixed support of a mailbox with respect to the main portion, and a brace portion having first and second ends. An arrangement is provided for operatively coupling the first end of the brace portion to the main portion in a manner facilitating movement of the brace portion from a first position to a second position. The second end of the brace portion is respectively adjacent and spaced from the main portion in the first and second positions. The main portion includes an arrangement for facilitating a fixed connection of the main portion to a support, and the brace portion includes an arrangement for facilitating a fixed connection of its second end to a support. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter in connection with the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a support bracket embodying the present invention and showing how it is used to mount a mailbox on a horizontally extending arm; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support bracket of FIG. 1 but showing how it is used for mounting a mailbox on a post and; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional end view showing the inventive support bracket in use with an oversize mailbox. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a support bracket 10 which embodies the present invention is an elongate channel-shaped bracket 131/2 inches long having a main wall or web 11 connecting two side walls 13 which are about 6 3/16 inches apart. The side walls 13 extend in the same direction from the web 11 at approximately a 90° angle thereto. The side walls 13 extend from the web 11 to a height which is substantially smaller than the width of the web 11 and which in particular is about 7/8 inches. The bracket 10 is formed from a single piece of thin yet strong metal. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the web 11 includes a base portion 14 and two brace portions 17, the base portion 14 of web 11 having therein a generally hourglass-shaped cut-out 15 extending lengthwise in the web 11. The cut-out 15 is centered both longitudinally and transversely in the web 11. Disposed in the cut-out 15 are two brace portions 17 which as shown in FIG. 1 extend toward each other lengthwise of the web from the respective ends of cut-out 15 to a location near the center thereof. The brace portions 17 include fixed ends 19 near the respective ends of the cut-out 15 and free ends 21 near the center of the cut-out 15. The lateral edges of the brace portions 17 converge from the fixed ends 19 toward the free ends 21 in conformity with the generally hourglass-shape of the cut-out 15. 
     The brace portions 17 are integrally connected to the base portion 14 of the web 11 at their fixed ends 19, and the web 11 has a line of spaced, elongated perforations 23 which extend transversely across the fixed end 19 of each of the brace portions 17 in parallel relationship with the respective ends of the web 11. The rigidity of the material from which the bracket 10 is constructed is sufficient, along with the connection to the base portion 14 provided by the perforated segments 23, to hold the brace portions 17 generally in the same plane with the base portion 14 of the web 11. 
     The brace portions 17 are provided at their free ends 21 with tabs 25. The tabs 25 are elongated transversely so as to be wider than the narrow free ends 21 of the brace portions 17. The tabs 25 are rounded at their transverse ends and are spaced from each other a small distance at the longitudinal center of the web 11. Each tab 25 is integrally connected to the respective brace portion 17 and a single transverse slot or perforation 29 is provided at the conjunction thereof. The tabs 25 have circular screw holes 27 formed therethrough at the geometric center thereof. Because the tabs 25 are elongated in the transverse direction, the generally hourglass-shaped cut-out 15 has a transversely extended portion 31 at its center (FIG. 2). 
     The base portion 14 of the web 11 has formed therein four circular screw holes 33, one on each side of each brace portion 17. The holes 33 are located near the portion 31 of cut-out 15 so that each is the same distance from a respective end of the web 11. The holes 33 are also located so as to be equally distant from the respective side walls 13. Thus, the holes 33 are symmetric with respect to the geometric center of the web 11, and in particular define the corners of an imaginary square having sides which are preferably 23/4 inches. 
     The base portion 14 of the web 11 also has therein four square finger holes 35, one on each side of each brace portion 17. The holes 35 are formed adjacent the side walls 13 and are spaced equally from respective ends of the web 11 so as to be symmetric with respect to the geometric center of the web 11. The holes 35 are large enough for insertion of a finger therethrough, as discussed below, and are slightly offset from the holes 33 toward the ends of the web 11. The base portion 14 of the web 11 has further provided therein four circular screw holes 37, two between each line of perforations 23 and the associated end of the web 11. The circular holes 37 at each end are transversely aligned and preferably spaced from each other by 23/4 inches. 
     Each upstanding side wall 13 has three longitudinally extending elongate slots 39, 41 and 43 formed therein so as to be equally spaced between the web 11 and the remote edge of the side wall 13. The slots 39 and 43 are formed near the ends of the side walls 13 and are of equal length. The middle slot 41 is substantially longer than the slots 39 and 43. The slots 39 and 43 are spaced equally from respective ends of the side wall 13, and the slot 41 is centered between the slots 39 and 43. 
     The use of the inventive support bracket will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. When used with a horizontal support arm 101, which is normally a 4 inch by 4 inch piece of wood, the bracket 10 is arranged so that the web 11 is centered with respect to the width of the arm 101 and one end of the web 11 is approximately flush with the end surface 103 of the support arm 101. The bracket 10 is then secured to the support arm 101 by four conventional wood screws (not shown) inserted through the holes 37 in the web 11. For additional strength, the support 10 may also be fastened to the support arm 101 by appropriate conventional screws (not shown) inserted through the holes 33 in the web 11. 
     After the bracket 10 is mounted on the support arm 101, a conventional mailbox 102 is placed over the bracket 10 so that the side walls 13 of the bracket 10 are disposed between the lower edge portions of the side walls of the mailbox and are each closely adjacent a respective one of the side walls of the mailbox. Appropriate holes (not shown) in the lower edge portion of the side walls of the mailbox 102 are then aligned with the slots 39 and 43 so that suitable fastening bolts 45 can be passed through the aligned slots and holes to thereby fix the mailbox 102 to the support bracket 10 through cooperation with nuts 47. 
     When the mailbox 102 is situated on the support bracket 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom wall of the mailbox rests on the top edges of the side walls 13. Also, the mailbox 102 generally extends somewhat beyond the ends of the bracket 10. Consequently, it is difficult to insert fingers into the space between the web 11 and the bottom of the mailbox 102 in order to fasten the nuts 47 on the bolts 45. For this purpose, the holes 35 (spaced sufficiently from the center of the web 11 to avoid overlying the arm 101) are provided so that a finger and/or a tool may be inserted at various locations into the space between the web 11 and the bottom of the mailbox for the purpose of holding the nuts 47 while the bolts 45 are tightened. 
     Although FIG. 1 shows only one side of the mailbox 102 being fixed to the support bracket 10, it will be understood that the other side of the mailbox 102 is secured to the bracket 10 in an identical fashion. Although the middle slot 41 is not used in this illustrative example, the slot 41 may be necessary to fasten mailboxes with varying hole patterns to the support bracket 10. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, attachment of the support bracket to the top portion of a post 100 will now be described, the post 100 ordinarily being a 4 inch by 4 inch piece of wood. The brace portions 17 are bent at their fixed ends 19 along the line of perforations 23 so as to pivot them to extend out of the plane of the base portion 14 of the web 11 in the direction of the side walls 13. The bracket 10 is then placed on the post 100 with the brace portions 17 extending downwardly and toward the post 100 and the side walls 13 extending downwardly. The support bracket 10 is situated so that the transversely extended center portion 31 of the hourglass-shaped cut-out 15 is approximately centered on the top surface 105 of the post 100. With the support bracket 10 in this position, the holes 33 approximately symmetrically overlie the top surface of the post 100. The base portion 14 of the web 11 is then secured to the post 100 by appropriate wood screws (not shown) inserted through the holes 33. The brace portions 17 are then bent about their fixed ends 19 so that the tabs 25 contact the side surfaces 104 of the post 100. The tabs 25 are then bent about the perforations 29 so that the surfaces of the tabs 25 are flush against the side surfaces 104 of the post 100. Assuming the side surfaces 104 of the post 100 are generally perpendicular to the top surface 105 thereof, it should be clear that in order for the surfaces of the tabs 25 to be flush against the side surfaces 104 of the post 100, the tabs 25 must be bent about the perforations 29 so that they extend at a different angle relative to the plane of the base portion 14 than do the brace portions 17. The tabs 25 are then secured to the post 100 by appropriate wood screws (not shown) inserted through the holes 27. The mailbox 102 is then situated on the support bracket 10 so that the bottom of the mailbox rests on the base portion 14 of the web 11 and the depending lower edges of the mailbox side walls each extend downwardly adjacent a respective side wall 13 of the bracket 10. The mailbox mounting holes are then aligned with the slots 39 and 43, and the bolts 45 are inserted through the aligned slots and holes to thereby fix the mailbox to the support bracket 10. In this case, since the bracket has been inverted, the nuts 47 are easily tightened on the bolts 45 without any interference from the mailbox or bracket. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, plastic sleevelike spacers 49 are provided to allow the support bracket 10 to be used with oversized mailboxes. The spacers 49 are cylindrical with circular holes formed longitudinally therethrough for receiving the portion of bolt 45 in the region between the lower edge portions of the side walls of the oversized mailbox 102 and the side walls 13 of the support bracket 10. The spacers 49 are preferably inserted between the side walls 13 and mailbox 102 so as to be in snug abutment with both as shown in FIG. 3. Although not shown in the drawing, the spacers 49 may also be similarly employed when the bracket 10 is inverted for the purpose of mounting an oversized mailbox on a horizontally extending arm similar to that shown in FIG. 1. 
     Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.