1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signalling device for rural mailboxes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mailbox signal unit that when applied to the Standard Model 1-1 Mailbox will show if the box has been serviced.
2. Prior Art
Often times circumstances such as traffic and weather make checking the mailbox for delivery an unpleasant and sometimes hazardous undertaking. In the past, the mailbox would have to be physically checked everyday to determine if any mail has been put in the box.
Other signal devices of some nature have been patented, but none has any reference or likeness to the unit stated in this paper other than having the same purpose. Patent numbers of known signal devices back to 1969 are as follows U.S. Pat. Nos.:
1. 2,613,031 PA1 2. 2,864,553 PA1 3. 3,559,876 PA1 4. 4,066,209 PA1 5. 4,344,559 PA1 6. 4,382,541 PA1 7. 4,706,880 PA1 8. 4,771,941 PA1 9. 4,596,357 PA1 10. 4,685,612 PA1 11. 4,524,905 PA1 12. 4,171,086 PA1 13. 4,728,028 PA1 14. 4,877,180
All of the above patent numbers were checked on Jan. 8, 1993 for similiarities to this device--back to the year 1969. According to a computer run off sheet and the patent books at the D. H. Hill Library at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., there are no similiarities.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds