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US 4,121,758 AGranted
Mailbox liner with mail removal slide
OwnerEmerson Bonnerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerEmerson Bonnerinventor
Estimating the term…
The invention provides apparatus for facilitating the removal of mail from a mailbox, particularly the relatively small individual mailbox units which comprise large banks or clusters of such units in post offices, apartment buildings, office buildings, and the like. In one basic embodiment of the invention, a movable bar-like slide disposed within the confines of the mailbox unit is fitted with a handle at the anterior end thereof so that the slide may be readily grasped and withdrawn from the mailbox unit. A lateral bar-like scoop member formed on the posterior end of the slide engages mail in the mailbox unit and withdraws the mail from the unit on forward movement of the slide. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable slide is disposed on the floor of a box-like insert or liner which is fitted into the mailbox unit, the movable slide being adapted to move within a groove formed in said floor.
A mail receptacle accessory for facilitating removal of mail or similar items from a mail receptacle having at least one access opening, comprising slidable means disposable in the lower portion of the mail receptacle for engaging mail in the receptacle, the slidable means comprising:
In combination with a generally horizontally disposed receptacle having an article supporting surface and an access opening associated therewith, a movable member associated with said supporting surface and extending substantially throughout the length thereof and provided with a handle adjacent the access opening and an article engaging portion at the opposite end portion thereof of the movable member to enable the handle to be manually engaged through the access opening and pulled outwardly thereof of the access opening, thereby moving the article engaging portion and articles on the supporting surface toward the access opening, the combination further including a liner adapted to be fitted into the receptacle, a lower wall portion of the liner comprising a floor and having a groove formed therein to receive the movable member therein, the movable member being slidable longitudinally of the receptacle within the groove both toward and away from the access opening and forming a portion or said floor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.