Locking apparatus for community mailbox
OwnerKevin Russellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking apparatus for a community mailbox prevents the opening of the main access door through which a mail carrier may gain access to the interiors of all of the individual mailboxes of the community mailbox. The locking apparatus has a mounting plate which is configured to be attached to an outer housing of the community mailbox. A stop plate is pivotally attached to the mounting plate. The stop plate is configured to be locked into a first position which prevents the opening of the main access door. The stop plate is further configured such that when unlocked, the stop plate may be pivoted into a second position which allows the opening of the main access door.
Claims15
A locking apparatus for use in combination with a community mailbox, wherein the community mailbox comprises a plurality of individual mail compartments, each enclosed by an individual mailbox door, the plurality of individual mail compartments disposed in an array enclosed within an outer housing, wherein access to each one of the plurality of individual mail compartments is gained by activating a latch accessible through a main access door enclosing an outgoing mail drop box, the locking apparatus comprising:
- a mounting plate configured to attach to a side of the outer housing of the community mailbox;
- a stop plate pivotally attached to the mounting plate by a hinge, the stop plate comprising a first vertical member and a second vertical member wherein the first vertical member and the second vertical member are disposed in a right-angle configuration, the second vertical member comprising a lock engagement surface adjacent a right-angle corner of the stop plate, wherein the stop plate is configured to pivot from a first position wherein the first vertical member abuts the main access door without abutting any individual mailbox door to a second position;
- and
- a lock, the lock comprising a backside attached to the lock engagement surface, the lock configured to be manually engaged to lock the stop plate in the first position and the lock configured to be unlocked and allow the stop plate to pivot to the second position.
A method of locking and unlocking a community mailbox, the community mailbox having an outer housing, a first double door, a second double door, a main access door enclosing an outgoing mail drop box, and a plurality of individual mail compartments, each enclosed by an individual mailbox door, the plurality of individual mail compartments disposed in an array enclosed within the outer housing, wherein the first double door and the second double door are configured to be opened by accessing a latch through the main access door, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
- attaching a locking apparatus to the community mailbox, wherein the locking apparatus comprises a mounting plate configured to a side of the community mailbox, a stop plate pivotally attached to the mounting plate, the stop plate comprising a first vertical member and a second vertical member wherein the first vertical member and the second vertical member are disposed in a right-angle configuration, wherein the second vertical member comprises a lock fixedly attached to a lock engagement surface, wherein the stop plate is configured to pivot from a first position adjacent the main access door to a second position, wherein, in said first position, the stop plate abuts the main access door without abutting any individual mailbox door and, in said second position, the stop plate does not abut the main access door;
- placing the stop plate into the first position;
- and
- activating the lock to cause a shackle to engage a hasp which extends through the lock engagement surface when the stop plate is in the first position, thereby locking the stop plate in the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.