TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a joint for adjustably joining two mailbox post segments together and a method for repairing a leaning mailbox post.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mailboxes are typically mounted horizontally on vertical posts. A vertical post and horizontal mailbox are desirable for ease of installation, safety, stability, durability, aesthetics and for functionality of the mailbox. Mailboxes are designed to function best when the bottom of the mailbox is horizontal. Therefore, it is important to maintain the mailbox post in a vertical orientation so that the mailbox remains in a horizontal orientation.

According to United States Postal Service (USPS) guidelines, the best curbside mailbox supports are stable but bend or fall away if hit by a car. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) also recommends that mailbox posts should not be unyielding and that posts should be buried no more than 24″ deep in the ground. Such laudable emphasis on safety may admit for a higher incidence of posts losing verticality over time.

A post may lose vertical alignment by various causes such as by a lateral force of an object hitting the post or by movement of the ground in which the post is erected. To restore a leaning post to vertical, one typically would adjust, repair or replace the base of the post to reestablish verticality of the entire post. Such a repair may require significant time, effort, expense, skills, tools, and materials that people do not have or wish to expend.

There is a need for better way to adjust the alignment of a post without having to adjust the base of the post.

The present invention is directed to an improved means for adjusting the orientation of the upper elevations of a post without having to adjust the orientation of the lower elevations of the post.

The present invention is directed to an improved joint for adjustably connecting two post segments together. The adjustable joint of the present invention allows one to adjust the orientation of upper elevations of a misaligned post without adjusting the orientation of the base of the post. Instead of adjusting the base of the post, one may sever the post into two segments then reconnect the base segment with the upper segment with the adjustable joint. The joint may be manipulated to adjust the orientation of the upper segment without having to adjust the orientation of the base segment. Once the upper segment is in its desired orientation, the joint may be releasably tightened to releasably fix it in that orientation. Thus, there is no need to repair, replace or adjust the foundation of the post.

If there is further movement of the base after the initial repair, or if the upper post segment otherwise needs to be re-oriented, the joint may be loosened, re-adjusted and re-tightened to releasably fix the upper post segment in the desired new orientation.

A new post may be provided with an adjustable joint of the present invention in anticipation of future misalignment so that the post may be realigned with a simple adjustment of the joint. The adjustable joint may be integral to an uninstalled new post.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an adjustable mailbox post joint comprising a first post adapter having a first body comprising a first interface surface for aligning a first extension in a longitudinal direction from the end of a first post segment; a first extension extending longitudinally from said first body, said first extension comprising a convex surface; a second post adapter having a second body comprising a second interface surface for aligning a second extension in a longitudinal direction from the end of a second post segment; a second extension extending longitudinally from said second body, said second extension comprising concave surface; a first peripheral surface defining a first lateral-facing opening through said convex surface for receiving a connecting member; a second peripheral surface defining a second lateral-facing opening through said concave surface for receiving a connecting member; a connector member comprising a shaft having a shaft axis and shaft surface; said connector member disposed through the first and second openings so that said peripheral surfaces and shaft surface provide mechanical constraint to prevent said first post adapter from longitudinal separation from said second post adapter; said first post adapter and second post adapter connected rotatably about the shaft axis with the concave surface facing the convex surface.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a mailbox post comprising a first post segment extending a length in a first longitudinal direction; a second post segment connected to the first post segment by an adjustable joint and extending a length in a second longitudinal direction; the adjustable joint comprising a convex surface, a concave surface slidably engageable with said convex surface, a first lateral-facing opening through said convex surface for receiving a connecting member, a second lateral-facing opening through said concave surface for receiving the connecting member; and the connector member comprising a shaft disposed through the first and second openings transversely to the first longitudinal direction; said convex surface and concave surface connected rotatably about the connector member with the concave surface facing the convex surface; and the second longitudinal direction adjustable by rotating the second post segment relative to the first post segment about an axis of the connector member

In a third aspect, the present invention provides an adjustable mailbox post joint kit comprising a first post adapter having a first body comprising a first interface surface for aligning a first extension in a longitudinal direction from the end of a first post segment; a first extension extending longitudinally from said first body, said first extension comprising a convex surface and a lateral-facing opening through said convex surface; a second post adapter having a second body comprising a second interface surface for aligning a second extension in a longitudinal direction from the end of a second post segment; a second extension extending longitudinally from said second body, said second extension comprising concave surface and a lateral-facing opening through said concave surface; said concave surface forming a hollow for receiving the convex surface; and a connector member comprising a shaft for insertion through the first and second openings to connect said first post adapter and second post adapter rotatably about the connector member shaft

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method of repairing a leaning post, comprising the steps of severing the post transversely to a longitudinal axis into a first post segment and second post segment; providing a first post adapter comprising a longitudinally extending first extension having a convex surface and a first lateral-facing opening through said convex surface; attaching the first post adapter to the first post segment so that said first lateral-facing opening faces laterally; providing a second post comprising a longitudinally extending second extension having a concave surface and a second lateral-facing opening through said concave surface; attaching the second post adapter to the second post segment so that said second lateral-facing opening faces laterally; aligning the first and second lateral-facing openings so that the concave surface faces the convex surface; inserting a connector member comprising a shaft through the first and second lateral-facing openings so as to connect the first and second post adapters together rotatably about an axis of the shaft; rotating the second post adapter to a desired position in relation to the first post adapter; and releasably tightening the fastener to releasably fix the first post adapter in place in relation to the second post adapter.

