Patent ID: 7234634

Claim:
A secure mailbox comprising: A) a mailbox having (1) a body with a closed end and an open end, (2) a door attached to the body to cover and uncover the open end, and (3) an interior volume into which mail is placed; and B) a security cage which includes (1) an arm which is located in the interior volume of the body when the arm is in a mail securing position, the arm having (a) a first end that is a distal end and which is located adjacent to the open end of the body when the arm is in the mail securing position, (b) a second end which is a proximal end when the arm is in the mail securing position in the interior volume of the body, (c) a knob fixedly mounted to the arm on the second end of the arm, the knob being located outside the body when the arm is in the mail securing position, and (d) a washer lock on the arm adjacent to the knob and which is located inside the interior volume of the body when the arm is in the mail securing position, the washer lock abutting the body of the mailbox and cooperating with the knob to lock the second end of the arm to the body and to securely lock the arm to the body, and (e) a lock element on the distal end of the arm, and (2) a bar section mounted on the distal end of the arm to be located in the open end of the body of the mailbox when the arm is in the mail securing position, the bar section including (a) a base, (b) a lock element on the base, the lock element on the base cooperating with the lock element on the arm to lock the base to the arm when the lock elements are in a locked condition and to free the base from the arm when the lock elements are is in an unlocked condition, (c) a perimeter defining bar fixedly mounted on the base, and (d) a plurality of bars each of which has one end fixedly secured to the base and a second end fixedly secured to the perimeter defining bar, the bars covering the open end of the body of the mailbox when the bar section is mounted to the arm and the arm is in the mail securing position, and (3) a hinge element mounted on the body of the mailbox adjacent to the open end of the body of the mailbox, the hinge element being movable between a first orientation and a second orientation, (4) the perimeter defining bar of the bar section being connected to the hinge element for movement therewith, the bar section covering the open end of the body of the mailbox when the hinge is in the first position and in an open end uncovering position when the hinge is in the second position.