Occasions are know where arsonists have poured inflammable liquid through a letterbox of a building and then set light to the liquid by means of a burning rag or other material. On several such occasions, widespread damage to the property and loss of life to the occupants has occurred.

Earlier proposals for meeting this problem are disclosed in GB 2324334, GB 2271385, GB 2268224 and SE 470455. None of these proposals, however, provide an arrangement in which a letterbox is completely sealed off to prevent egress of fire to a building in the event that burning material is purposely or accidentally placed in the letterbox.

The present invention set out to provide protection against such activities.

According to present invention in one aspect there is provided a fire- proofed container for attachment to a surface of a door or wall in the vicinity of a letterbox or other opening, the container being produced from a flexible fibrous fabric sheet coated or lined on at least one of its surfaces with a material which intumesces in the presence of fire, the container including an elongate opening dimensioned and shaped to complement the opening of the door or wall, a metallic frame secured to the sheet around the elongate opening of the container, and an openable lid having a downwardly projecting lip which overlies and makes contact with the upper edge of the container when in its closed position, the arrangement being such that in the event of burning material being placed in the container the coating or lining intumesces immediately to seal off the container interior and to prevent the egress of fire into the building.

Means for providing a seal between the adjoining surfaces of the metallic border and the door or wall to which the container is secured is preferably provided.

In another aspect, the invention provides a fire-proofed container formed with an opening to receive posted items and produced from a fibrous fabric sheet coated internally with a material which intumesces in the presence of fire.

The invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an isometric view of a fire-proof container in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the container shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a rear view of the container illustrated in Figure 1.

The illustrated container is produced from one or more sheets of a fibrous fabric material (e. g. glass fibre) folded and stitched to take the general shape illustrated in the drawings. As will be seen from the drawings, the container comprises a front panel 1, a rear panel 2, side panels 3 and a base 4. The rear panel 2 has sufficient length to enable its upper portion to be folded over the container opening to define a lid 5. The rim of the lid 5 is formed with a downwardly extending lip 6 which overlies the adjoining front and side panels of the container to seal off the container interior when the lid is closed. Strips 7 of Velcro (RTM) may be provided along the opposed surfaces of the container and the lid to retain the lid in place when in its closed position. Catches 8 are also be provided for this purpose.

Typical dimensions of the container are height 335mm, depth 130mm and length 425mm.

An elongate opening 9 of similar shape and dimensions to a letterbox opening is formed in the rear panel 2 of the container and is bordered a metallic frame 10 by which the container is secured to the inner surface of a door or wall with the elongate opening of the container opposite a letterbox opening of the door or wall.

Strips of intumescent material are located between the frame and the adjoining face of the door or wall.

The fibrous fabric is coated or lined with a material which intumesces in the presence of fire thereby substantially filling the container interior and extinguishing any fire therein.

In use the container is secured to the inner surface of a door or wall of a building with its elongate opening 9 opposite a letterbox opening of the door or wall. The container is secured to the door or wall by screws or other fixings with strips of intumescent material positioned between the frame 10 and the adjoining surface of the door or wall. Letters or other materials introduced legitimately into the container via the letter box are removed simply by opening the container lid to gain access to the container interior.

In the event of inflammable or burning material being introduced by intent or by accident into the container via the opening 9, the coating applied to the fibrous fabric rapidly expands to seal the container interior thereby preventing the egress of fire into the building interior.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary or fire- proof containers in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.