Plastic sheath products for studded steel T-posts, and production

• US 6,330,998 B1
• Filed: 11/08/1999
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Outdoor Technology Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outdoor Technology Group, LLC
• Inventors: Roy, Christopher H. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUTTON JR, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/436,312
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 256/59, 256/60, 256/65, 256/66, 256/2, 256/9, 256/6, 256/10, 256/19, 406/06, 406/07
• US Class Current: 256/19
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 17/12 the wire being placed in slots, grooves, or the like

Abstract

An extruded plastic sheath product is provided to cover studded steel T-posts and hence give fence lines or sign posts and improved, even aesthetic appearances. The plastic sheath product is formed with a series of internal projections which abut against features of the internal T-post and hence prevent the sheath from spinning about the T-post. For the fence line filed of use, the plastic sheath product is further given an external spine which has formations or else studs formed in it to prevent fence wire strapped to the sheath from slipping. For the sign post field of use, the sheath is further provided with a series of coupling accessories in order to construct frames and the like. Such coupling accessories optionally include Ell'"'"'s, Tee'"'"'s, crosses, or y-shaped splitters. The shape and arrangement of the extruded tubular sheath is especially designed to accommodate certain shape anomalies which result from the extrusion process.

Claims

1. A combination studded steel T-post and an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, the combination comprising:

a studded steel T-post having generally a T-shaped cross-section defined by a stem and a haunched flange having a belly side and a dorsal side, wherein the stem inserts into the belly side of the haunched flange and wherein the flange has opposite eave portions which extend from origins in the stem insertion to respective free edges, and extending down the lengthwise axial run of the dorsal side there is formed a row of generally uniformly spaced studs; and

wherein said T-post the has such a size that the T-post is capable of sliding inside a hole having a nominal inside diameter D;

with,

an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, comprising;

a tubular wall having inner and outer sides and surrounding a main lumen sized sufficiently large to allow the T-post to slide axially therein;

a series of rails which project into the lumen from origins on the inner side of the tubular wall, wherein the series of rails comprise a pair of generally parallel temple rails for defining a close-fitting slideway for the row of studs, a pair of cooperating base rails defining a close-fitting slideway for the stem of the T-post and being located generally diametrically opposite the temple rails, and, a pair of generally opposed eave rails intermediate the temple and base rails for guiding the belly sides of the opposite eaves;

wherein said tubular wall is sized to define a nominally round conduit having a nominal inside diameter in excess of 30% greater than D in order to facilitate sliding of the extrusion-produced sheath over the T-post and thereby avoid undue binding or sticking.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheath tubular wall defines such a nominally round conduit as having such an inside diameter in excess of 33% greater than the nominal measure D associated with the T-post.

3. The combination of claim 1 further comprising external means on the outer side of the tubular wall for preventing axial slipping of fence wire strapped to the sheath.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the external means is located generally directly outside the tubular wall from the temple rails.

5. The combination of claim 3 the external means comprises an extruded spine on the outer side of the tubular wall, said spine including slip-prevention means for preventing axial slipping of fence wire strapped to the sheath.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the slip-prevention means comprises one of a series of notches or a series of gaps leaving residual studs therebetween.

7. A combination studded steel T-post and an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, the combination comprising:

a studded steel T-post having generally a T-shaped cross-section defined by a stem and a haunched flange having a belly side and a dorsal side, wherein the stem inserts into the belly side of the haunched flange and wherein the flange has opposite eave portions which extend from origins in the stem insertion to respective free edges, and extending down the lengthwise axial run of the dorsal side there is formed a row of generally uniformly spaced studs; and

,

an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, comprising;

a tubular wall having inner and outer sides and surrounding a main lumen sized sufficiently large to allow the T-post to slide axially therein;

a series of internal projections which project into the lumen from origins on the inner side of the tubular wall, wherein the series of projections comprise a stud-slideway means for defining a close-fitting slideway for the row of studs, a stem-slideway means for defining a close-fitting slideway for the stem of the T-post and being located generally diametrically opposite the stud-slideway means, and, a pair of generally opposed eave-guiding means disposed intermediate the stud-slideway means and stem-slideway means for guiding the belly sides of the opposite eaves; and

a spine formed on the outer side of the tubular wall and which spine, as a matter of said sheath origin'"'"'s being an extruded article of production, would originally extend along the entire axial run of said sheath, wherein said spine is provided with a series of axially-spaced recessed formations while concurrently providing axial stiffening of the sheath whereby said recessed formations aid in maintenance of axial spacing among plural courses of axially-spaced fence wire that course across the sheath, which recessed formations do not breach into the main lumen in order to preserve electrical isolation of the T-post and not sever the spine.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the tubular wall is generally arrowhead shaped.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein the T-post has a such a size that the T-post is capable of sliding inside nominally a hole of nominal diameter D, and wherein the sheath is sized such that the inner side of the tube wall defines a nominally round conduit having an inside diameter between about at least 5 and 10% greater than the nominal measure D.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein the recessed formations of the spine on the outer side of the tubular wall comprise one of a series of notches or a series of gaps leaving residual studs therebetween.

11. The combination of claim 7 wherein the tubular wall is generally round.

12. A combination studded steel T-post and an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, the combination comprising:

a studded steel T-post having generally a T-shaped cross-section defined by a stem and a haunched flange having a belly side and a dorsal side, wherein the stem inserts into the belly side of the haunched flange and wherein the flange has opposite eave portions which extend from origins in the stem insertion to respective free edges, and extending down the lengthwise axial run of the dorsal side there is formed a row of generally uniformly spaced studs; and

wherein said T-post the has such a size that the T-post is capable of sliding inside a hole having a nominal inside diameter D; and

,

an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, comprising;

a tubular wall having inner and outer sides and surrounding a main lumen sized sufficiently large to allow the T-post to slide axially therein;

a series of internal projections which project into the lumen from origins on the inner side of the tubular wall, wherein the series of projections comprise a stud-slideway means for defining a close-fitting slideway for the row of studs, and a stem-slideway means for defining a close-fitting slideway for the stem of the T-post and being located generally diametrically opposite the stud-slideway means;

wherein said tubular wall is sized to define a nominally round conduit having a nominal inside diameter in excess of 30% greater than D in order to facilitate sliding of the extrusion-produced sheath over the T-post and thereby avoid undue binding or sticking.

13. The combination of claim 12 further comprising external means on the outer side of the tubular wall for preventing axial slipping of fence wire strapped to the sheath.

14. The combination of claim 13 the external means comprises an extruded spine on the outer side of the tubular wall which is located generally directly outside the tubular wall from the stud-slideway means, said spine including slip-prevention means for preventing axial slipping of fence wire strapped to the sheath comprising one of a series of notches or a series of gaps leaving residual studs therebetween.

15. A combination studded steel T-post and an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, the combination comprising:

a studded steel T-post having generally a T-shaped cross-section defined by a stem and a haunched flange having a belly side and a dorsal side, wherein the stem inserts into the belly side of the haunched flange and wherein the flange has opposite eave portions which extend from origins in the stem insertion to respective free edges, and extending down the lengthwise axial run of the dorsal side there is formed a row of generally uniformly spaced studs; and

,

an extruded plastic sheath for covering the studded steel T-post, comprising;

a tubular wall having inner and outer sides and surrounding a main lumen sized sufficiently large to allow the T-post to slide axially therein;

a series of internal projections which project into the lumen from origins on the inner side of the tubular wall, wherein the series of projections comprise a stud-slideway means for defining a close-fitting slideway for the row of studs, a pair of generally opposed eave-guiding means disposed approximately diametrically transverse to the stud-slideway means and for guiding the belly sides of the opposite eaves; and

a spine formed on the outer side of the tubular wall and which spine, as a matter of said sheath origin'"'"'s being an extruded article of production, would originally extend along the entire axial run of said sheath, wherein said spine is provided with a series of axially-spaced recessed formations while concurrently providing axial stiffening of the sheath whereby said recessed formations aid in maintenance of axial spacing among plural courses of axially-spaced fence wire that course across the sheath, which recessed formations do not breach into the main lumen in order to preserve electrical isolation of the T-post and not sever the spine.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the is located generally directly outside the tubular wall from the stud-slideway means.