The present invention relates to a system and method for protecting post office personnel and customers from hazardous materials on or inside mail articles and, more particularly, to providing such protection in mail boxes.
All economies depend upon the physical shipment of materials for their functioning including the shipment of mail, merchandise, raw materials, and other goods.
Terrorist activities in the United States have caused an urgent need for a means of protecting the U.S. Postal Service mail carriers as well as the general public from contaminates placed in the “collection mail.” There are currently no means available which provide the appropriate protection which is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 237,315 discloses a letter box having a mail bag inside.
U.S. Pat. No. 358,632 discloses a letter box with a pouch inside.
U.S. Pat. No. 378,955 discloses a letter box arranged to prevent a person placing a hand inside the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 718,717 discloses apparatus for receiving and collecting mail arranged to be opened only when a letter-collecting bag is attached to it.
U.S. Pat. No. 787,476 discloses a mail box having a bag which is locked when it is removed from the box,
U.S. Pat. No. 1,027,524 discloses a mail bag and bag support having means for supporting the bag in open position.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,451,343 discloses a mail receptacle having a pouch to receive the mail.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,221 discloses a letter box in which a mail bag may be inserted into the letter box and placed into open condition, and closed when the mail is to be removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,244 discloses a mailbox unit which provides for delivery of packages near the conventional letter box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,448 discloses a garbage receptacle arranged to hold a sack open over a frame and there are draw strings attached to a slide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,690 discloses a mail box container which is inserted into a mail collection box to receive the mail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,438 discloses a mail box having a mail bag holding frame which holds the mailbag in open position and mounted on a holding frame carries on a slide structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,960 discloses a mailbox security bag which is a pouch with an open mouth and a strap is used to close the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,743 discloses a combined sack and tray system for mail collection which can hold sacks and trays of different sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. discloses a device for identifying and sorting objects.
U.S. published patent application, Pub. No.: US 2003/0106929 discloses an arrangement for the securing and handling of mail which provides for a worker, upon retrieving mail from a mailbox, to close the bag.