Claims
- 1. A theft-preventative mailbox for holding various sizes of mail correspondence and mail parcels, said mailbox comprising:
an elongate and internally hollowed body including, at a generally upper end location, a mail insertion slot, said body further including a mail storage compartment; a skirt arranged within an interior of said hollowed body and at a desired location relative to at least one of said mail insertion slot, said skirt incorporating a number of inwardly directed and flexible spears, each exhibiting a substantially pointed end, the configuration of the spears being such that, in response to insertion of mail correspondence and parcels, said spears deflect to allow one way conveyance of deposited mail; and mail retrieval means in proximity to said mail storage compartment and permitting the retrieval of the mail correspondence and mail parcels.
- 2. The mailbox as described in claim 1, further comprising an upwardly and forwardly angled mail inserting end within which said mail insertion slot is defined.
- 3. The mailbox as described in claim 1, said parcel access means further comprising a door hingedly secured to a top surface of said mail inserting end, said door including a locking mechanism which is accessible by a mail delivery individual.
- 4. The mailbox as described in claim 2, said mail retrieval means further comprising said mail inserting end being hingedly connected to said elongate body.
- 5. The mailbox as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stakes extending outwardly and downwardly from an exterior surface of said elongate body and embedded within the underground location.
- 6. The mailbox as described in claim 1, said parcel access means further comprising a door hingedly secured to a front surface of said body, a locking mechanism being associated with said door.
- 7. The mailbox as described in claim 1, said mail retrieval means further comprising an elongated bag suspended from an interior of said internally hollowed body.
- 8. The mailbox as described in claim 7, further comprising said flexible skirt being secured about an open upper end of said bag.
- 9. The mailbox as described in claim 8, further comprising at least one annularly extending and suspending lip extending proximate said upper end of said bag and for suspending said bag from said internally hollowed body.
- 10. The mailbox as described in claim 6, said mail retrieval means further comprising a platform defined within said elongate and internally hollowed body and upon which is supported the deposited mail correspondence and mail parcels, a bi-directional drive assembly selectively elevating said platform proximate said door in a mail correspondence and mail parcel retrieval position, said drive assembly lowering said platform to the below ground location in a further mail depositing position.
- 11. The mailbox as described in claim 9, further comprising an electric motor for actuating said bi-directional drive assembly and for elevating and lowering said platform.
- 12. The mailbox as described in claim 11, further comprising a remote control mechanism for selectively activating and deactivating said electric motor.
- 13. The mailbox as described in claim 12, said locking mechanism further comprising a powered locking means associated with said hingedly secured door and activated by said electric motor.
- 14. The mailbox as described in claim 10, said bi-directional drive assembly further comprising a vertically actuated and elongate fluid cylinder, said platform being secured to an upper end of a piston arm extending from said cylinder.
- 15. The mailbox as described in claim 1, said parcel access means further comprising an enclosed and upper portion hingedly secured to said elongate body, a locking mechanism being associated with said hingedly secured upper portion and being actuated to an open position by a mail delivery person.
- 16. The mailbox as described in claim 15, said locking mechanism including a key card swipe and reader.
- 17. A theft-preventative mailbox for holding various sizes of mail correspondence and mail parcels, said mailbox comprising:
an elongate and internally hollowed body including, at a generally upper end location, a mail correspondence insertion slot, said body further including a mail storage compartment, said body further being fixedly anchored at a ground location so that at least a portion of said mail storage compartment extends below a surface of the ground location; parcel access means defined within said body and permitting the depositing of mail parcels into said storage compartment; a skirt arranged within an interior of said body and preventing unauthorized removal of mail correspondence and mail parcels deposited within said body; and mail retrieval means acting in concert with said parcel access means and permitting the retrieval of the mail correspondence and mail parcels, said mail retrieval means further comprising a platform defined within said elongate and internally hollowed body and upon which is supported the deposited mail correspondence and mail parcels, a bi-directional drive assembly selectively elevating said platform proximate a retrieval door configured within said body and in a mail correspondence and mail parcel retrieval position, said drive assembly lowering said platform to the below ground location in a further mail depositing position.
- 18. The mailbox as described in claim 17, further comprising a bag supported within said internally hollowed body, said skirt being secured to an upper open end of said bag.
- 19. The mailbox as described in claim 18, said skirt further comprising a plurality of inwardly directed spear portions terminating in substantially pointed ends.
- 20. The mailbox as described in claim 19, further comprising at least one circumferentially extending and suspending lip associated with said bag and said skirt, said lip supporting said bag within said body.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/728,798, filed Dec. 1, 2000, for a Theft Preventative Mailbox with Underground Storage Capacity and Mail Retrieval Mechanism.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09728798 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
Child |
10391949 |
Mar 2003 |
US |