Fence Post Guide Assembly

Abstract

A fence post guide assembly is disclosed that includes a fence post and a fence post guide for assisting the installation of the fence post in a desired orientation. The fence post guide includes a housing member that is configured to encircle the fence post and a plurality of support members attached to the housing member. Spikes on the bottom surface of the support members extend into the ground to hold the housing member and fence post therein in a desired vertical orientation. The housing member and attached support members are placed at or near ground level so that the fence post is maintained in a desired vertical orientation without additional parts or equipment and no or minimal physical effort by an installer of the fence post.

1 . A fence post guide assembly comprising in combination an elongated fence post member and a fence post member guide for orienting the fence post member in a desired orientation,
 wherein the housing member comprises an upper opening aligned with a lower opening, the housing member having a circular cross section or a quadrilateral cross section comprising a plurality of connected sides wherein the upper opening is aligned with the lower opening to receive the fence post member there through,   wherein a plurality of support members having an upper surface and a bottom surface are attached to the sides of the housing member proximate to the lower opening of the housing member wherein the support members are configured to extend outwardly from the housing member and are parallel to and substantially coplanar with the lower opening of the housing member; and   wherein a plurality of spikes extends downwardly from the bottom surfaces of the support members.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the desired orientation is a vertical orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising bubble levels on sides of the housing member. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the support members are attached to intersections of the sides of the housing member. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the support members are configured as arms extending outwardly from the housing member and at least a plurality of spikes extends below ground level when the lower opening of the housing member is proximate to ground level. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing member has a quadrilateral cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6  wherein the quadrilateral section is square. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein four spikes extend downwardly from the lower surfaces of the support member. 
     
     
         9 . A post member guide for orienting a post member in a desired orientation comprising,
 a housing member having an upper opening and a lower opening, the housing member having a circular surface or a plurality of connected sides wherein the upper opening is aligned with the lower opening to receive an elongated post member there through,   a plurality of support members having an upper surface and a bottom surface attached to sides of the housing member proximate to the lower opening of the housing member wherein the support members are configured to extend radially outwardly from the housing member and are parallel to and substantially coplanar with the lower opening of the housing member; and   a plurality of spikes extends from the bottom surfaces of the support members.   
     
     
         10 . The guide of  claim 9  further comprising bubble levels on sides of the housing member. 
     
     
         11 . The guide of  claim 9  wherein the support members are attached to intersections of the sides of the housing member. 
     
     
         12 . The guide of  claim 9  wherein the support members are configured as arms extending outwardly from the housing member and at least a plurality of spikes extends below ground level when the lower opening of the housing member is proximate to ground level. 
     
     
         13 . A post assistant guide for orienting a fence post at or below ground level, the guide having a housing having a quadrilateral cross section wherein the guide comprises,
 an open ended housing member having an upper opening, a lower opening, and four intersecting sides configured to form corners;   four support members, each support member having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein each support member is attached to sides of the housing member proximate the lower opening of the housing member and is substantially coplanar with the lower opening of the housing member; and   one or more spikes extends downwardly from the lower surface of the support members wherein the support members and the spikes are configured so that a portion of one or more of the spikes extends below ground level,   wherein the cross section of the housing member corresponds with the cross section of the fence post member to enable the housing member to slide over the fence post member so that the support members are positioned proximate to ground level so that a portion of one or more of the spikes is below ground to support the fence post member in a vertical orientation.   
     
     
         14 . The guide of  claim 13  wherein four spikes extend downwardly from the lower surfaces of the support members. 
     
     
         15 . The guide of  claim 13  wherein the quadrilateral section is square. 
     
     
         16 . The guide of  claim 13  wherein the support members are attached to the housing member at the corners of the housing member proximate the lower opening of the housing member. 
     
     
         17 . The guide of  claim 13  wherein the housing member further comprises two or more bubble levels. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the fence post member guide comprises:
 an open ended housing member having a quadrilateral cross section, an upper opening, a lower opening, and four intersecting sides configured to form corners; 
 four support members, each support member having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein each support member is attached to sides of the housing member proximate the lower opening of the housing member and is substantially coplanar with the lower opening of the housing member; and 
 one or more spikes extends downwardly from the lower surface of the support members wherein the support members and the spikes are configured so that a portion of one or more of the spikes extends below ground level, 
 wherein the cross section of the housing member corresponds with the cross section of the fence post member to enable the housing member to slide over the fence post member so that the support members are positioned proximate to ground level so that a portion of one or more of the spikes is below ground to support the fence post member in a vertical orientation.