US2230392A

US2230392A - Means for capping posts and the like

Info

Publication number: US2230392A
Application number: US304951A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mark C Storms
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-11-17
Filing date: 1939-11-17
Publication date: 1941-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1958-02-04

Description

M. c. STORMS 2,230,392

MEANS FOR CAPPING POSTS AND THE LIKE v Feb. 4, 1941.-

Filed Nov. 17., 1939 .5 mM m TD..\ M mU/o W m E E F/ R w Y post or like will offer considerable extended Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT} OFFICE 2 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a capping means for piles, posts and like that is economical in manufacture and durable and efficient in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means for capping posts and the like that may be accomplished on posts of various types and diameters.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a means for capping posts, securing the cap to the post and fastening a cross beam or like to the capped end of the post.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a post or like suitably capped with my device and with a cross beam or like resting on and secured to the cap member and post.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my cap before the same has been cut to fit a post, pile, beam or like for a specific diameter.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a post or' like capped with my device.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a dowel bar that may be used for holding the cap to the post or like and a cross beam or like on the end of the post or like.

It is well known that weather seriously affects the useful life of posts, piles, cylindrical poles, beams and like. In most instances, such posts or like are installed in a vertical condition with their tops cut transversely and exposed to the elements. Obviously rain, snow and like attacks 40 and runs down into the top of the post from its top surface. In the top surface of the post will be found the softest and most porous parts of the post and these exposed sections of th post will be the ones most easily attacked by the elements. Obviously the outer skin surface of the Such posts are usually of circular construction in cross section and it is to the tops of such posts that I secure .my cap which Iwill now describe. The numeral ll generally designates my metallic cap cut and bent to flt various sizes of posts. This member II is first of disc construction, as shown in Fig. 2 and may be of any suitable nonrusting metal, suchas copper, galvanized iron or like. The numeral I2 designates a plurality of evenly spaced apart radially extending marks on the upper outer rim portion of the disc portion II, as shown in Fig. 2. These radial marks may be stamped, painted, embossed or otherwise placed on the disc I I. One or more circles I3 may also be marked on the upper surface of the disc 15 II, the same to be concentric with the disc. To install my post cap, it is merely necessary to note the approximate diameter of the top of the post to be capped. The disc is then cut accordingly by tin snips or like on the radial marked lines I2. The inner cut area in the center of the disc II should be of a diameter slightly greater than that of the diameter of the top of the post. Obviously if the diameter of the post is comparatively great, the cuts on the lines I2 will be very shallow while on the other hand, if the diameter of the post to be capped is comparatively small, the cuts on the lines I2 are extensive and perhaps even to the line I3, as shown in Fi 2.. The lengths of the cuts, of course, will depend entirely upon the diameter of the post to be cut. After the disc II has been suitably cut on the lines II, the segments so formed around the periphery of the disc II are bent downwardly at right angles, thus changing the disc II into an inverted cup element. Obviously by bending these sections of the outer portion of the disc II downwardly, the sections will overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, I have used the numeral I4 'to designate these downwardly extending sections and the numeral I5 to designate the cut lines that created these sections I4. To install my device, it is merely necessary to place the inverted cup member over the top of the post to be capped and drive nails I6 through the lower end portions of the sections I4. If th sections I 4 overlap, the nails should be driven through the overlapping portions so that'each nail will pass through two sections and into the post I0. Ob- 50 viously these nails will not only secure the cap rigidly to the post, but will holdthe sections It in lapped formation downwardly and around the cylindrical side of the post III, as shown in Fig. 3. Tar, asphalt, or like may be placed on the upper portion 0! the post before my cap is placed thereon, if desired.

In many instances, timbers or beam I! are placed across the tops of such posts M as shown in Fig. 1. When this is done, I recommend the use of my dowel pin II. This pin has a washer I! fixed around its center portion and also is provided with swedges or prongs 20 as shown in Fig. 4. These prongs 20 on each side of the washer is extend outwardly and toward the washer as shown in Fig. 4. When this dowel pin is used, a hole 2| may be placed in the top center of the disc ll.

After the cap has been placed on the top of the post, the dowelpin is driven downwardly through this hole 2| into the post III. If desired, a hole may be drilled in the top of the post for the reception of the lower end of this pin. In any event, the upwardly and outwardly extending members 20 on the pin will prevent its removal. The washer I9 will engage the center top of the cap cup member as shown in Fig. 1, thereby holding the central portion of the cap downwardly on the top of the post. A hole may be drilled in the beam I! for the reception of the upper end portion of the dowel pin as shown in Fig. l. The prongs 20 on the upper end portion of the pin will prevent the removal of the beam II from the dowel pin. By this construction, the member I! and member ID will be rigidly held together with the upper end of the post in encased by the cap.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved means for capping posts without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination with a post element and a timber element, a means for securing the ends of said two elements together comprising, an inverted cup member having a circular central area between the two ends of said two elements and downwardly bent overlapping segments embracing the end of said post element, nails extending through said segments at points where they overlap and into said elements surrounded by said segments, a dowel pinextending through the center of said cup member having one end penetrating the end of one of said elements and its other end penetrating the end of the other said element, a washer element secured to the central portion of said dowel pin and engaging the top center of said inverted cup member, prongs .on the upper end portion of said dowel pin extending downwardly and outwardly, and prongs on the lower portion of said dowel pin extending upwardly and outwardly.

2. In combination with the end of a post, a cap means, comprising, an inverted cup member having a circular central area extending over the top of said post and downwardly extending overlapping segments, and nails extending through said segments at points where said segments overlap; each nail extending through at least two segments.

MARK C. STORMS.