Post sleeve assembly

Abstract

A post sleeve includes a reinforced concrete body preformed around a liner that defines a cavity extending longitudinally within the body, sized to receive a post. Standoff ribs run lengthwise within the cavity and extend inward from inner walls of the cavity. A post in the cavity is supported laterally by the standoff ribs. Drain channels between the ribs permit water to flow past the post and exit the cavity via a lower aperture. A drain tube is coupled to the lower aperture, and extends downward where it is covered with gravel at the bottom of a post hole. Concrete is poured around the post sleeve in the hole. The cavity is adaptable to receive posts of varying sizes, and at various depths. A collar closes a space between the post and the top of the cavity, permitting air circulation within the cavity while shedding water and substantially preventing insects from entering the cavity.

1 . A post sleeve comprising:
 a rigid body installable in the ground to structurally support a post;   a post receiving cavity formed in the rigid body to receive an end of the post therein; and   an identifier comprising unique information pertaining to the post sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the identifier uniquely differentiates the post sleeve from other post sleeves from among a grouping of post sleeves. 
     
     
         3 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the identifier comprises elements denoting one or more of: a location of the post sleeve, a manufacturer's serial number, a model number of the post sleeve, a date of manufacture of the post sleeve, a name of a manufacturer of the post sleeve, and a place of manufacture of the post sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein a cross sectional area of the post receiving cavity is between two square inches and thirty-six square inches. 
     
     
         5 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the identifier is in a machine-readable form. 
     
     
         6 . The post sleeve of  claim 5  wherein the identifier comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         7 . The post sleeve of  claim 5  wherein the identifier comprises a radio-frequency identification tag. 
     
     
         8 . The post sleeve of  claim 7  wherein the radio-frequency identification tag includes a memory configured to receive and store data related to the post sleeve or the post supported thereby. 
     
     
         9 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the post sleeve is configured to be permanently embedded in a rigid footing in the ground. 
     
     
         10 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the rigid body includes a drainage aperture to permit fluid to drain from the post receiving cavity when the post sleeve is installed in the ground. 
     
     
         11 . The post sleeve of  claim 10  wherein the post sleeve includes a plurality of drain channels in fluid communication with the drainage aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The post sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the rigid body is integrally formed as a single piece. 
     
     
         13 . A post sleeve, comprising:
 a rigid body installable in the ground to structurally support a post;   a post receiving cavity formed in the rigid body to receive an end of the post therein; and   a radio frequency identification tag coupled to the rigid body.   
     
     
         14 . The post sleeve of  claim 13  wherein the radio frequency identification tag includes a memory configured to store unique data related to the post sleeve or the post supported thereby. 
     
     
         15 . The post sleeve of  claim 13  wherein the radio frequency identification tag is embedded in the rigid body of the post sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The post sleeve of  claim 13  wherein at least a portion of the post sleeve is configured to be permanently embedded in a rigid footing in the ground. 
     
     
         17 . A post sleeve comprising:
 a rigid body having a post receiving cavity extending longitudinally within the rigid body and having a drainage aperture in fluid communication with the post receiving cavity to allow fluid to drain from the post receiving cavity; and   an identifier having unique information pertaining to the post sleeve.   
     
     
         18 . The post sleeve of  claim 17  wherein the rigid body includes a plurality of drain channels in fluid communication with the drainage aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The post sleeve of  claim 17  wherein the identifier is in machine readable form. 
     
     
         20 . The post sleeve of  claim 17  wherein the identifier is a radio frequency identification tag that includes a memory having data stored thereon pertaining to the post sleeve or a post supported thereby. 
     
     
         21 . The post sleeve of  claim 17  wherein at least a portion of the rigid body is configured to be permanently embedded in a rigid footing in the ground. 
     
     
         22 . The post sleeve of  claim 17  wherein the rigid body is integrally formed as a single piece.