Hollow Fence Post to Pipe Adapter

Abstract

A hollow fence post to pipe adapter device supports a rectangular hollow fence post on a pipe. The device has an outer peripheral surface which non-rotatably fits within the post and a pipe aperture in a web spanning the outer peripheral surface for receiving the pipe. The pipe aperture has a cross sectional shape which is elongate in a radial direction and which is angularly offset from all sides and diagonals of the outer peripheral surface for adjustably locating the pipe in the pipe aperture relative to post by adjusting both orientation of the adapter device and the location of the pipe along the elongate pipe aperture.

1 . An adapter device arranged for mounting a rectangular hollow fence post on a pipe, the device comprising: 
 an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension arranged such that the device fits non-rotatably within the rectangular hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the rectangular hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the rectangular hollow fence post;    a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending through the device in a direction of the main axis, the pipe collar having a cross sectional shape which is elongate in a radial direction in relation to the main axis in which a cross sectional dimension of the collar in the radial direction is arranged to be greater than a diameter of the pipe and a cross sectional dimension of the pipe collar perpendicular to the radial direction is arranged to closely fit the diameter of the pipe therein; and    a web spanning between the pipe collar and the outer peripheral surface arranged to support the pipe collar in fixed relation to the outer peripheral surface.    
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein a cross section of the pipe aperture overlaps the main axis of the outer peripheral surface such that pipe can be located in the pipe aperture coaxially with the main axis.  
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein a cross section of the pipe collar extends in the radial direction from the main axis in only one direction.  
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the cross sectional shape of the pipe collar extends in the radial direction from an inner end to an outer end in which the inner end is spaced from the main axis, opposite the outer end, by a radius of the pipe for locating the pipe in abutment therewith coaxially with the main axis.  
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the outer peripheral surface is square, having four sides, and wherein the radial direction is angularly offset from all four sides.  
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the outer peripheral surface is rectangular, defining a diagonal axis extending between two opposed corners and wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angularly offset from the diagonal axis.  
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 6  wherein the radial direction is angularly offset from the diagonal axis within a range of 1 to 45 degrees.  
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 6  wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angularly offset from the diagonal axis by approximately 22.5 degrees.  
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the outer peripheral surface is square including four sides and a pair of diagonal axis extending between respective opposed corners of the outer peripheral surface and wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angular offset from the sides and the diagonal axis of the outer peripheral surface.  
   
   
       10 . An adapter device in combination with a rectangular hollow fence post supported on a pipe, the device comprising: 
 an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension fitting non-rotatably within the rectangular hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the rectangular hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the rectangular hollow fence post;    a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture receiving the pipe therethrough, the pipe aperture extending through the device in a direction of the main axis, the pipe collar having a cross sectional shape which is elongate in a radial direction in relation to the main axis in which a cross sectional dimension of the collar in the radial direction is arranged to be greater than a diameter of the pipe and a cross sectional dimension of the pipe collar perpendicular to the radial direction closely fits the diameter of the pipe therein; and    a web spanning between the pipe collar and the outer peripheral surface arranged to support the pipe collar in fixed relation to the outer peripheral surface.    
   
   
       11 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein a cross section of the pipe aperture overlaps the main axis of the outer peripheral surface such that pipe can be located in the pipe aperture coaxially with the main axis.  
   
   
       12 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein a cross section of the pipe collar extends in the radial direction from the main axis in only one direction.  
   
   
       13 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein the cross sectional shape of the pipe collar extends in the radial direction from an inner end to an outer end in which the inner end is spaced from the main axis, opposite the outer end, by a radius of the pipe for locating the pipe in abutment therewith coaxially with the main axis.  
   
   
       14 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein the outer peripheral surface is square, having four sides, and wherein the radial direction is angularly offset from all four sides.  
   
   
       15 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein the outer peripheral surface is rectangular, defining a diagonal axis extending between two opposed corners and wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angularly offset from the diagonal axis.  
   
   
       16 . The combination according to  claim 15  wherein the radial direction is angularly offset from the diagonal axis within a range of 1 to 45 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . The combination according to  claim 15  wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angularly offset from the diagonal axis by approximately 22.5 degrees.  
   
   
       18 . The combination according to  claim 10  wherein the outer peripheral surface is square including four sides and a pair of diagonal axis extending between respective opposed corners of the outer peripheral surface and wherein the radial direction of the pipe collar is angular offset from the sides and the diagonal axis of the outer peripheral surface.  
   
   
       19 . In a rectangular hollow fence post supported on a pipe, an adapter device comprising: 
 an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension such that the device fits non-rotatably within the rectangular hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the rectangular hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the rectangular hollow fence post;    a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending through the device in a direction of the main axis, the pipe collar having a cross sectional shape which is elongate in a radial direction in relation to the main axis in which a cross sectional dimension of the collar in the radial direction is greater than a diameter of the pipe and a cross sectional dimension of the pipe collar perpendicular to the radial direction closely fits the diameter of the pipe therein; and    a web spanning between the pipe collar and the outer peripheral surface for supporting the pipe collar in fixed relation to the outer peripheral surface.