Picket fence cap

Abstract

The present invention is a decorative end cap which is mountable to the top portion of fence pickets. The decorative end cap is manufactured separately from the picket and is mountable to the top end of the picket after the picket fence has been manufactured to give the picket fence a more decorative appearance. The top cap consists of a substantially flat top portion, having a top surface, opposing sides and opposing ends. The top cap also has a bottom portion which is provided with a cavity, configured to receive the top end of the wooden fence picket. A decorative member is mounted on the top surface of the flat portion and extends upwardly from the flat portion between the opposing sides. The cap also has a mounting bracket, which is adapted to mount the cap on the top end of the picket.

1 . A top cap for capping a top end of a wooden fence picket having a opposite front and back faces, opposite side ends, a diameter and a width, the top cap comprising 
 a substantially flat top portion having a top surface, opposing sides and opposing ends,    a bottom portion having a cavity adapted to receive the top end of the wooden fence picket,  9     a decorative member mounted to the top surface of the flat portion, said decorative member extending upwardly from the flat portion between the opposing sides,    mounting bracket adapted to mount the top cap to the top end of the picket.    
     
     
         2 . A top cap as defined in    claim 1    wherein the bottom portion comprises a pair of edge portions located on the opposing sides of the flat portion, said edge portions extending integrally downward from the opposite sides of the flat portion, the cavity being defined by a distance between the edge portions, said distance being selected such that the top end of the fence picket can be snugly retained between the edge portions.  
     
     
         3 . A top cap as defined in    claim 1    wherein the top surface has an opening adapted to receive a retainer element for securing the cap to the end of the picket.  
     
     
         4 . A top cap as defined in    claim 2    further comprising a pair of end walls, said end walls integrally and downwardly extending from the opposing ends of the flat surface, the edge portions and the end walls defining the cavity.  
     
     
         5 . A top cap as defined in    claim 4    wherein the mounting bracket comprises an aperture located on the top surface, said aperture configured to receive a retainer element, said retainer element adapted to mount the cap to the end of the picket.  
     
     
         6 . A top cap as defined in    claim 5    wherein the mounting bracket comprises a pair of apertures, each aperture located on one side of the decorative member, each aperture configured to receive a retainer element, said retainer element adapted to mount the cap to the end of the picket.  
     
     
         7 . A top cap as defined in    claim 2    wherein the mounting bracket comprises a ridge located on at least one of the edge portions, said ridge extending into the cavity.  
     
     
         8 . A top cap as defined in    claim 4    wherein the mounting bracket comprises an aperture located on the end walls, said aperture configured to receive a retainer element, said retainer element adapted to mount the cap to the end of the picket.