Cap for a fence picket and picket combination therewith

Abstract

A picket cap is provided for a fence picket, wherein the cap has an exterior upper portion and a shank. The shank has slotted openings, generally vertically disposed, extending part way up the shank, for adding flexibility and facilitating the insertion of the shank into a hollow end of a picket. The shank also has friction ribs, generally vertically disposed, for facilitating an interference fit when the shank of the cap is inserted into a hollow end of a picket. The upper exterior of the cap can align with the exterior surfaces of the picket into which the shank of the cap is inserted.

1 . A picket cap adapted for application to a hollow end of a fence picket, comprising: 
 (a) an exterior cap portion of a first outer horizontal cross-sectional size, adapted for placement against an outside end of a hollow picket;    (b) a shank cap portion, carried by the exterior cap portion and being of a second outer horizontal cross-sectional size, less than said first outer horizontal cross-sectional size and adapted for placement inside the hollow end of a picket;    (c) said shank cap portion having a skirt of a first vertical height between the exterior cap portion and a lower end of the skirt cap portion;    (d) said shank cap portion having a plurality of generally vertical slotted openings of a second vertical height, extending upwardly from the lower end of the skirt cap portion toward said exterior cap portion, but less than the full vertical height of said skirt cap portion, and dividing the lower end of the skirt cap portion into skirt segments;    (e) said slotted openings comprising means providing lateral flexibility to the lower end of said skirt cap portion when said skirt cap portion is pressed into the hollow end of a picket; and    (f) said shank cap portion having a plurality of generally vertical friction ribs protruding generally radially outwardly of said skirt cap portion and comprising means for frictionally gripping the hollow inside of a picket into which the skirt cap portion is inserted.    
   
   
       2 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the slotted openings extend to approximately half the height of the skirt cap portion.  
   
   
       3 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the friction ribs extend substantially over the full height of the skirt cap portion.  
   
   
       4 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the shank cap portion comprises a cylindrical sleeve.  
   
   
       5 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the shank cap portion has four said slotted openings.  
   
   
       6 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein each skirt segment includes a friction rib.  
   
   
       7 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the external cap portion has an upper surface of generally pyramidal configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein said friction ribs provide means resisting twisting of the cap out of position when the shank cap portion is inserted into the hollow inside of a picket.  
   
   
       9 . The picket cap of  claim 1 , wherein the slotted openings extend to approximately half the height of the skirt cap portion, wherein the friction ribs extend substantially over the full height of the skirt cap portion, wherein said friction ribs provide means resisting twisting of the cap out of position when the shank cap portion is inserted into the hollow inside of a picket, wherein the shank cap portion comprises a cylindrical sleeve, wherein the shank cap portion has four said slotted openings and wherein each skirt segment includes a friction rib.  
   
   
       10 . The picket cap of  claim 9 , wherein the external cap portion has an upper surface of generally pyramidal configuration.  
   
   
       11 . The combination of a picket cap and a fence picket, wherein the picket cap comprises: 
 (a) an exterior cap portion of a first outer horizontal cross-sectional size, adapted for placement against an outside end of a hollow picket;    (b) a shank cap portion, carried by the exterior cap portion and being of a second outer horizontal cross-sectional size, less than said first outer horizontal cross-sectional size and adapted for placement inside the hollow end of a picket;    (c) said shank cap portion having a skirt of a first vertical height between the exterior cap portion and a lower end of the skirt cap portion;    (d) said shank cap portion having a plurality of generally vertical slotted openings of a second vertical height, extending upwardly from the lower end of the skirt cap portion toward said exterior cap portion, but less than the full vertical height of said skirt cap portion, and dividing the lower end of the skirt cap portion into skirt segments;    (e) said slotted openings comprising means providing lateral flexibility to the lower end of said skirt cap portion when said skirt cap portion is pressed into the hollow end of a picket;    (f) said shank cap portion having a plurality of generally vertical friction ribs protruding generally radially outwardly of said skirt cap portion and comprising means for frictionally gripping the hollow inside of a picket into which the skirt cap portion is inserted; and    wherein the picket is provided with a hollow end; wherein the friction ribs of the shank cap portion are sized to fit into the hollow end in an interference fit when inserted therein.    
   
   
       12 . The combination of a picket cap and fence picket of  claim 11 , wherein the exterior cap portion of the picket cap has a horizontal cross-sectional size and configuration that is essentially the same horizontal cross-sectional size and configuration as the outer surface of the picket end into which the shank cap portion of the picket cap is inserted.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the slotted openings extend to approximately half the height of the skirt cap portion.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the friction ribs extend substantially over the full height of the skirt cap portion.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the shank cap portion comprises a cylindrical sleeve.  
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the shank cap portion has four said slotted openings.  
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein each skirt segment includes a friction rib.  
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the external cap portion has an upper surface of generally pyramidal configuration.  
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said friction ribs provide means resisting twisting of the cap out of position when the shank cap portion is inserted into the hollow inside of a picket.  
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the slotted openings extend to approximately half the height of the skirt cap portion, wherein the friction ribs extend substantially over the full height of the skirt cap portion, wherein said friction ribs provide means resisting twisting of the cap out of position when the shank cap portion is inserted into the hollow inside of a picket, wherein the shank cap portion comprises a cylindrical sleeve, wherein the shank cap portion has four said slotted openings, wherein each skirt segment includes a friction rib and wherein the exterior cap portion of the picket cap has a horizontal cross-sectional size and configuration that is essentially the same horizontal cross-sectional size and configuration as the outer surface of the picket end into which the shank cap portion of the picket cap is inserted.  
   
   
       21 . The combination of  claim 20 , wherein the external cap portion has an upper surface of generally pyramidal configuration.