MAILBOX MOUNTING KIT AND METHOD OF MOUNTING THE SAME

NECESSAIRE ET TECHNIQUE DE MONTAGE DE BOITE AUX LETTRES

English Abstract

A mailbox mounting kit and a method of mounting the same .
A container is provided with an interior cavity accessible
through both a primary access opening and a secondary access
opening. A passage is cut through either a door or a wall of
a building. The container is mounted outside with a first
attachment flange surrounding the secondary access opening
inserted into a building exterior side of the passage. A frame
having a second attachment flange surrounding a door mounting
opening is inserted into a building interior side of the
passage. Mail is inserted into the container from outside
through the primary access opening and withdrawn from the
comfort and warmth of inside through the secondary access
opening.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A mailbox mounting kit, comprising:
a container having an outer shell and an interior cavity,
access being provided to the interior cavity through both a
primary access opening and a secondary access opening, the
container having a closure positioned on the primary access
opening, thereby preventing contaminants from entering the
interior cavity via the primary access opening, the container
having a first attachment flange extending from a periphery of
the secondary access opening outwardly from the outer shell of
the container; and
a door mounting frame having a first side, a second side
and a door receiving opening extending therethrough, the door
receiving opening having dimensions that are substantially the
same as those of the secondary access opening of the container,
the door mounting frame having a door securable in the door
receiving opening, the door mounting frame having a second
attachment flange extending from a periphery of the door
receiving opening outwardly from the second side of the door
mounting frame.
2. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein the
container and door mounting frame are metal with a corrosion
resistant coating.
3. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim l, wherein the
container and door mounting frame are polymer plastic.
4. The mailbox mounting kit door as defined in Claim 1,
wherein the door has a hollow cavity filled with insulation.
5. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein
a first sealing gasket is positioned on the second side of the
door mounting frame surrounding the second attachment flange.

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6. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein the
door has a peripheral flange that covers a portion of the first
side of the door mounting frame, a second sealing gasket being
positioned on the peripheral flange, thereby providing a
weather seal between the peripheral flange and the first side
of the door mounting frame.
7. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein the
door is pivotally attached to the door mounting frame along one
edge by a hinge.
8. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 7, wherein the
door has an open and a closed position, at least one latch
being provided to secure the door in the closed position.
9. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein a
passage liner is provided to connect the second access opening
with the second attachment flange.
10. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 9, wherein
the passage liner is a sleeve having dimensions that are
substantially the same as those of the secondary access opening
of the container.
11. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 1, wherein
a template is provided having dimensions that are substantially
the same as those of the secondary access opening of the
container, whereby the template can be used to assist in making
a passage through one of a door and a wall.

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12. A method of installing a mailbox, comprising the steps of:
providing a container having an interior cavity and an
outer shell with both a primary access opening and a secondary
access opening into the interior cavity, a first attachment
flange extending from a periphery of the secondary access
opening outwardly from the outer shell of the container;
providing a door mounting frame having a first side, a
second side and a door receiving opening extending therethrough
with a door positioned therein, the door receiving opening
having dimensions that are substantially the same as those of
the secondary access opening of the container, a second
attachment flange extending from a periphery of the door
receiving opening outwardly from the second side of the door
mounting frame;
cutting a passage through one of a door and a wall of a
building having dimensions that are substantially the same as
those of the secondary access opening of the container, the
passage having a building exterior side and a building interior
side;
inserting the first attachment flange into the building
exterior side of the passage and securing the first attachment
flange in the passage; and
inserting the second attachment flange into the building
interior side of the passage and securing the second attachment
flange in the passage.
13. The method as defined in Claim 12, a liner being
positioned in the passage and the first attachment flange and
the second attachment flange secured to the liner.
14. The method as defined in Claim 13, the liner being a
sleeve having dimensions that are substantially the same as
those of the secondary access opening of the container.
15. The method as defined in Claim 12 a template being used
to cut the passage, the template providing dimensions that are

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substantially the same as those of the secondary access opening
of the container.

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16. A mailbox mounting kit, comprising:
a container having an outer shell and an interior cavity,
access being provided to the interior cavity through both a
primary access opening and a secondary access opening, the
container having a closure positioned on the primary access
opening, thereby preventing contaminants from entering the
interior cavity via the primary access opening, the container
having a first attachment flange extending from a periphery of
the secondary access opening outwardly from the outer shell of
the container;
a door mounting frame having a first side, a second side
and a door receiving opening extending therethrough, the door
receiving opening having dimensions that are substantially the
same as those of the secondary access opening of the container,
the door mounting frame having a door securable in the door
receiving opening, the door having a peripheral flange that
covers a portion of the first side of the door mounting frame
and a hollow cavity filled with insulation, the door being
pivotally attached to the door mounting frame along one edge
by a hinge, the door having an open pivotal position and a
closed pivotal position, a latch being provided to secure the
door in the closed pivotal position, the door mounting frame
having a second attachment flange extending from a periphery
of the door receiving opening outwardly from the second side
of the door mounting frame, a first sealing gasket being
positioned on the second side of the door mounting frame
surrounding the second attachment flange and a second sealing
gasket being positioned on the peripheral flange, thereby
providing a weather seal between the peripheral flange and the
first side of the door mounting frame; and
a connecting sleeve having dimensions that are
substantially the same as those of the secondary access opening
of the container.
17. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 16, wherein
a template is provided having dimensions that are substantially

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the same as those of the secondary access opening of the
container, whereby the template can be used to assist in making
a passage through one of a door and a wall.
18. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 16, wherein
the container and door mounting frame are metal with a
corrosion resistant coating.
19. The mailbox mounting kit as defined in Claim 16, wherein
the container and door mounting frame are polymer plastic.

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20 . A method of installing a mailbox, comprising the steps of
providing a mailbox mounting kit including:
a container having an interior cavity and an outer
shell with both a primary access opening and a secondary access
opening into the interior cavity, a first attachment flange
extending from a periphery of the secondary access opening
outwardly from the outer shell of the container;
a door mounting frame having a first side, a second
side and a door receiving opening extending therethrough with
a door positioned therein, the door receiving opening having
dimensions that are substantially the same as those of the
secondary access opening of the container, a second attachment
flange extending from a periphery of the door receiving opening
outwardly from the second side of the door mounting frame;
a connecting sleeve having dimensions that are
substantially the same as those of the secondary access opening
of the container; and
a template having dimensions that are substantially
the same as those of the secondary access opening of the
container;
cutting a passage through one of a door and a wall of a
building using the template to ensure that the passage has
cross-sectional dimensions that are substantially the same as
those of the secondary access opening of the container, the
passage having a building exterior side and a building interior
side;
positioning the connecting sleeve in the passage as a
liner;
inserting the first attachment flange into the building
exterior side of the passage and securing the first attachment
flange in the passage coupled with the connecting sleeve; and
inserting the second attachment flange into the building
interior side of the passage and securing the second attachment
flange in the passage coupled with the connecting sleeve.

Description

CA 02288369 1999-11-02
1
TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Mailbox Mounting Kit And Method Of Mounting The Same
NAMES) OF INVENTOR(S):
Wade T. Demers
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mailbox mounting kit
and a method of mounting the same so the contents can be
accessed from within a residence.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Deliveries of materials such as mail, newspapers, and
fliers to a residence are normally made into a mailbox
installed on an external wall of the residence . Such mailboxes
can only be accessed by opening a door of the residence. As
soon as the door is opened, the temperature controlled interior
of the house is exposed to an influx of air from outdoors.
This can be troublesome when the ambient outdoor temperature
is 40 below zero and the occupant of the residence is
attempting to retrieve his or her morning paper while dressed
in pyjamas.
SU1~ARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is a mailbox mounting kit and a method
of mounting the same so that it can be accessed from outside
a residence by persons delivering newspapers or mail and then
accessed from inside the residence to retrieve the materials
that have been delivered.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a mailbox mounting kit which includes a container
having an outer shell and an interior cavity. Access is
provided to the interior cavity through both a primary access
opening and a secondary access opening. The container has a
closure positioned on the primary access opening, thereby
preventing contaminants from entering the interior cavity via

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2
the primary access opening. The container has a first
attachment flange extending from a periphery of the secondary
access opening outwardly from the outer shell of the container.
A door mounting frame is provided having a first side, a second
side and a door receiving opening extending therethrough. The
door receiving opening has dimensions that are substantially
the same as those of the secondary access opening of the
container. The door mounting frame has a door securable in the
door receiving opening. The door mounting frame has a second
attachment flange extending from a periphery of the door
receiving opening outwardly from the second side of the door
mounting frame.
According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a method of installing a mailbox. The mailbox
mounting kit is provided, as described above . A passage is cut
through either a door or a wall of a building. The passage has
cross-sectional dimensions that are substantially the same as
those of the secondary access opening of the container. The
passage has a building exterior side and a building interior
side. The first attachment flange is inserted into the
building exterior side of the passage and secured in the
passage. The second attachment flange is inserted into the
building interior side of the passage and secured in the
passage.
The mailbox mounting kit, when installed in accordance
with the teaching of the method, provides a stable mailbox
installation that can be accessed from the exterior of the
residence by opening the closure on the primary access opening
and from the interior of the residence by opening the door
positioned in the door mounting frame and then through the
passage into the secondary access opening.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the
use of the invention, as described above, there is a risk that
opening the closure of the primary access opening to deliver

CA 02288369 1999-11-02
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mail will allow outside air to enter the residence as a draft.
Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when
one or more of the following measures are taken to weather
proof the installation. It is preferred that a door is
provided that has a hollow cavity filled with insulation. It
is preferred that a first sealing gasket be positioned on the
second side of the door mounting frame surrounding the second
attachment flange. It is preferred that the door be provided
with a peripheral flange that covers a portion of the first
side of the door mounting frame and that a second sealing
gasket be positioned on the peripheral flange. This provides
a weather seal between the peripheral flange and the f first side
of the door mounting frame. It is preferred that the container
be made of materials that will be weather resistant. Materials
considered suitable include polymer plastic or metal with a
corrosion resistant coating. It is preferred that a passage
liner be provided to connect the second access opening with the
second attachment flange. This adds structural integrity to
installations involving a hollow wall or a hollow door. It
works in combination with the sealing gaskets to perfect the
weather seal. Beneficial results have been obtained through
the use of a sleeve having cross-sectional dimensions that are
substantially the same as those of the secondary access opening
of the container. Of course, if the passage is not cut to
precisely the right size it exacerbates the problem of weather
proofing the installation. It is, therefore, preferred that
a template be provided in the mailbox mounting kit that has
dimensions that are substantially the same as those of the
secondary access opening of the container. This template can
be used to assist in making a passage of the correct size
through a door or a wall. The shorter the length of time the
door remains open, the less the likelihood of a draft.
Withdrawing materials from the interior cavity of the container
will invariably occupy one hand. It is, therefore, preferred
that the door be capable of one handed operation. In order to
allow for one handed operation, it is preferred that the door
be pivotally attached to the door mounting frame along one edge

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by a hinge. This provides the door with an open pivotal
position and a closed pivotal position. A latch can be
provided to secure the door in the closed pivotal position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of components making
up a preferred form of mailbox mounting kit including a
container, a door mounting frame with door, a connecting sleeve
and a template.
FIGURE 2 is an exploded side elevation view of the door
mounting frame with door from the mailbox mounting kit
illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view, in section of the
mailbox mounting kit illustrated in FIGURE 1, installed in a
door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a mailbox mounting kit generally
identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with
reference to FIGURES 1 through 3.
Referring to FIGURE l, the preferred mailbox mounting kit
10 includes a container 12, a door mounting frame 14, a
connecting sleeve 16, a template 18 and a door 20 to be mounted
on door mounting frame 14.
Container 12 has an outer shell 22 and an interior cavity
24. Access is provided to interior cavity 24 through both a
primary access opening 26 and a secondary access opening 28.
Container 12 has a closure 30 positioned on primary access
opening 26, thereby preventing contaminants from entering
interior cavity 24 via primary access opening 26. Container
12 has a first attachment flange 32 extending from a periphery

CA 02288369 1999-11-02
34 of secondary access opening 28 outwardly from outer shell
22.
Connecting sleeve 16 has dimensions that are substantially
5 the same as those of secondary access opening 28 of container
12.
Door mounting frame 14 has a first side 36, a second side
38 and a door receiving opening 40 extending therethrough.
Door receiving opening 40 has dimensions that are substantially
the same as those of secondary access opening 28 of container
12.
Referring to FIGURE 3, door 20 is securable within door
receiving opening 40 of door mounting frame 14. Door 20 has
a peripheral flange 42 that covers a portion 44 of first side
36 of door mounting frame 14 and a hollow cavity 46 filled with
insulation 48. Door 20 is pivotally attached to door mounting
frame 14 along one edge 50 by a hinge 52. Referring to FIGURE
l, door 20 has a latch 54 and door mounting frame 14 has a
mating latch receiver 56 by means of which door 20 is secured
in the closed pivotal position. Door mounting frame 14 has a
second attachment flange 58 extending from a periphery 60 of
door receiving opening 40 outwardly from second side 38 of door
mounting frame 14. A first sealing gasket 62 is positioned on
second side 38 of door mounting frame 14 surrounding second
attachment flange 58, and a second sealing gasket 64 is
positioned on peripheral flange 42 of door 20, thereby
providing a weather seal between peripheral flange 42 of door
20 and first side 36 of door mounting frame 14.
Template 18 has dimensions that are substantially the same
as those of secondary access opening 28 of container 12.
Template 18 can be used to assist in making a passage through
one of a door and a wall in preparation for installation of
connecting sleeve 16, container 12, and door mounting frame 14.

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Container 12 and door mounting frame 14 are constructed
of a material that is resistant to corrosion when exposed to
the weather, such as a metal with a corrosion resistant coating
or a polymer plastic.
The preferred method of installing mailbox mounting kit
will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through
3. Mailbox mounting kit can be installed in either a wall of
a building or a door. The preferred method will be described
10 with reference to a door 68, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and
3. Referring to FIGURE 2, a passage 66 is cut through door
68. Template 18, illustrated in FIGURE l, is used to ensure
that passage 66 has dimensions that are substantially the same
as those of secondary access opening 28 of container 12.
Passage 66 has a building exterior side 70 and a building
interior side 72. Referring to FIGURE 3, connecting sleeve 16
is positioned in passage 66 as a liner. First attachment
flange 32 of container 12 is inserted into building exterior
side 70 of passage 66. First attachment flange 32 and
connecting sleeve 16 are secured in passage 66. Second
attachment flange 58 of door mounting frame 14 is inserted into
building interior side 72 of passage 66, and is secured in
passage 66 coupled with connecting sleeve 16. Hinge 52 is
secured by screws 74 to flange 42 of door 20 and one edge 50
of door mounting frame 14, thereby pivotally securing door 20
to door mounting frame 14.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.

Representative Drawing