Importance

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Abstract

An energy absorbing support for mailboxes and the like devices mounted alongside roadways where they are exposed to impact by vehicles has a post of generally reverse 'C' shape with a depending upright leg secured in the socket of an anchor driven in the ground, an upwardly inclined generally horizontal lateral leg portion, an outwardly sloping generally vertical leg portion extending from the outer end of the lateral portion, and a reverse horizontal top leg portion overlying the lateral leg portion and having mountings thereon carrying mailboxes and the like. The depending leg portion is vertically adjustable in the socket of the ground anchor so that the upper end of the lateral leg portion and the lower end of the sloping vertical leg portion will be at a height above ground level within the range of the height of an automobile front bumper to receive initial impact of a vehicle crashing into the support. The socket anchor mounts the support parallel with the roadway and projecting towards oncoming traffic in the adjacent road lane so that any initial impact from a vehicle will bend and rotate the upright leg causing the support to tilt under the vehicle and prevent any portion thereof or any mailboxes carried thereby from crashing into the occupied area of the vehicle. The support can be extended by a complementary identically 'C' shaped post secured to the depending upright leg and the free end of the top horizontal leg of the main post presenting a closed loop configuration lying in a flat plane. Mailboxes of the like are attached to the horizontal top legs of both posts. The posts can be composed of metal tubing with the upright leg portion having a weakened fracture zone just above the ground anchor. Mounting brackets carried by the horizontal leg of the post attach mailboxes and the like thereto and shear type attachments can be used to allow the boxes to leave the post upon severe impact.

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First Claim