Mailbox signal or flag assembly

Claim 1

For use with a mailbox having a front door hinged at the lower portion thereof and comprising a body portion having sidewalls; a signal assembly comprising a signal flag having a signal standard, or support of elongated strap material bent intermediate its ends to provide a signal carrying arm, an intermediate double bend portion and an attaching arm offset from and extending at an angle to said signal carrying arm, pivot means for pivotally mounting said attaching arm portion to one side of the mailbox, said attaching arm of said signal standard including a pawl portion at one end for abutting contact with a signal latching member carried by said mailbox door, said signal latching member including a leaf spring portion extending across the front of said door and a latching portion extending at an angle to the mailbox door toward said pawl portion for cooperation with the pawl portion of the attaching arm to hold said signal carrying arm in upright position; and weather cover means for protecting the pivot means and associated mechanism from the elements comprising a box-like structure secured to the side of the mailbox and having a cover spaced from the mailbox side wall and overlying said pivot means and said attaching arm portion and open sides, said attaching arm extending through one of said open sides and swingable therein, said other side of said cover being open to permit said latching portion of said latching member to extend therethrough into abutting contact with said pawl portion of said attaching arm, said intermediate double bend portion forming a bight about said cover on said one open side to permit the attaching arm to extend into the weather cover means while the signal standard remains outside of said cover, said bight being engageable with said cover on said one open side to limit upward movement of said signal carrying arm, said pawl portion contacting said latching portion of said signal latching member when said mailbox door is closed and said signal carrying arm is raised, said latching member being yieldable upon manual manipulation of said signal carrying arm to permit said signal arm to be lowered from its raised and latched position while said door remains closed.