Protective sleeve for a wooden post

Abstract

A sleeve for a wooden post protects the post from moisture, insects, and rot . The sleeve may be manufactured from an elastic material which stretches over the lower end of the wooden post, or a heat-sensitive material which shrinks to cling to the wood surface when exposed to sufficient heat. The sleeve completely protects the wood from penetration by moisture and insects, and is provided in sizes to fit 2″×4″, 4″×4″, and larger wooden posts if need be.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A protective sleeve for a wooden post, comprising:
 (a) a sleeve;   (b) said sleeve being flexible and waterproof;   (c) said sleeve being open at a proximal end;   (d) said sleeve being closed at a distal end; and   (e) said sleeve being configured to snuggly fit on a bottom end of a post.   
     
     
         2 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is made of an elastic material and said sleeve is configured to stretch over said bottom end of a post. 
     
     
         3 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 2 , wherein said elastic material is latex. 
     
     
         4 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 2 , wherein said sleeve is sized to fit a standard size post. 
     
     
         5 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 3 , wherein said sleeve is sized to fit a standard size post. 
     
     
         6 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 2 , wherein said sleeve is thirty inches in length and said sleeve is configured such that it may be cut to a shorter length. 
     
     
         7 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 3 , wherein said sleeve is thirty inches in length and said sleeve is configured such that it may be cut to a shorter length. 
     
     
         8 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is made of a heat sensitive material such that said heat sensitive material shrinks to cling to said post when exposed to sufficient heat. 
     
     
         9 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 8 , wherein said sleeve is sized to fit a standard size post. 
     
     
         10 ) The protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 8 , wherein said sleeve is thirty inches in length and said sleeve is configured such that it may be cut to a shorter length. 
     
     
         11 ) A method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post, the protective sleeve for a wooden post comprising:
 (a) a sleeve;   (b) said sleeve being flexible and waterproof;   (c) said sleeve being open at a proximal end;   (d) said sleeve being closed at a distal end;   (e) said sleeve being made of an elastic material; and   (f) said sleeve being configured to snuggly fit on a bottom end of a post;   
       the method comprising:
 (g) a human user stretching said sleeve over a lower end of said post; 
 (h) said human user sliding said proximal end upward until said lower end of said post rests against said distal end of said sleeve. 
 
     
     
         12 ) The method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 11 , wherein said elastic material is latex. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 11 , wherein said sleeve is sized to fit a standard size post. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 11 , wherein said sleeve is thirty inches in length and said sleeve is configured such that it may be cut to a shorter length. 
     
     
         15 ) A method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post, the protective sleeve for a wooden post comprising:
 (a) a sleeve;   (b) said sleeve being flexible and waterproof;   (c) said sleeve being open at a proximal end;   (d) said sleeve being closed at a distal end;   (e) said sleeve being made of a heat sensitive material such that said heat sensitive material shrinks to cling to said post when exposed to sufficient heat; and   (f) said sleeve being configured to snuggly fit on a bottom end of a post;   
       the method comprising:
 (g) a human user places said sleeve over a lower end of said post; 
 (h) said human user sliding said proximal end upward until said lower end of said post rests against said distal end of said sleeve; and 
 (i) said human user applies sufficient heat to said sleeve so that said sleeve shrinks tightly against said post. 
 
     
     
         16 ) The method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 15 , wherein said sleeve is sized to fit a standard size post. 
     
     
         17 ) The method of using a protective sleeve for a wooden post of  claim 15 , wherein said sleeve is thirty inches in length and said sleeve is configured such that it may be cut to a shorter length.