Mailbox

Claim 1

A MAILBOX COMPRISING A SUPPORT, SAID SUPPORT INCLUDING A GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING PLATE HAVING FORWARDLY PROJECTING SPACED ENDS AND ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE VERTICALLY EXTENDING SURFACE OF A WALL, A RECEPTACLE FOR MAIL EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID PLATE, SAID RECEPTACLE COMPRISING SPACED FRONT AND REAR WALLS CONNECTED TOGETHER AT THEIR ENDS BY SPACED END WALLS, A BOTTOM HAVING EDGES CONNECTED TO LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS, PIVOT MEANS CONNECTED TO A CENTRAL PORTION OF EACH OF SAID END WALLS AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID END WALLS TO THE ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT, A SEMI-CIRCULAR CAM FORMED ON THE UPPER REAR CORNER OF EACH END WALL AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A LID NORMALLY EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ACROSS UPPER EDGES OF SAID FRONT AND REAR WALL SO AS TO COVER THE TOP OF SAID RECEPTACLE, HINGE MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID LID DIRECTLY TO THE UPPER EDGE OF THE PLATE OF SAID SUPPORT WHEREBY SAID HINGE MEANS IS LOCATED ABOVE AND REARWARDLY OF SAID PIVOT MEANS, CAM MEANS SECURED TO THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID LID AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID SEMI-CIRCULAR CAM, SAID RECEPTACLE BEING PIVOTAL THROUGH AN ANGLE OF LESS THAN 90* ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS, A LOWER PORTION OF SAID RECEPTACLE CONTACTING SAID PLATE SO AS TO FUNCTION AS A LIMIT STOP WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS PIVOTED THROUGH SAID ANGLE, SAID SEMI-CIRCULAR CAM COACTING WITH SAID CAM MEANS SO AS TO FORCE SAID LID UPWARDLY TO A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE REAR WALL OF SAID RECEPTACLE WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS PIVOTED THROUGH SAID ANLGE, THE WEIGHT OF SAID LID ACTING THROUGH SAID CAM AND CAM MEANS TO HOLD SAID LID AND SAID RECEPTACLE IN THE OPEN POSITION AFTER THE RECEPTACLE HAS BEEN MOVED THROUGH SAID ANGLE, AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID RECEPTACLE BEING BELOW THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS AFTER THE RECEPTACLE HAS BEEN PIVOTED THROUGH SAID ANGLE.