Wildlife guard assemblies for line post insulators

A wildlife guard assembly, comprising:

• two cover sections hinged for movement about a hinge axis between an open position and closed position, which defines a cavity sufficient to capture the line post insulator between the cover sections, the two cover sections each having a structural rib protruding outward therefrom, wherein the structural rib defines a hollow region in the cavity;
• a biasing member that normally bias the two cover sections to the closed position;
• and
• a toggle action lever mechanism connected to the two cover sections, the toggle action lever mechanism having an over-center position that corresponds with the open position,
• wherein the toggle action lever mechanism releasably holds the two cover sections in the open position when in the over-center position, and
• wherein the hollow region is sized and positioned to receive the toggle action lever mechanism when in the closed position.

A method of installing a wildlife guard assembly on a line post insulator, comprising:

• pivoting two cover sections of the wildlife guard assembly about a horizontal hinge axis to an open position by overcoming a biasing member such that a toggle action lever mechanism within the wildlife guard assembly moves to an over-center position that holds the two cover sections in the open position;
• and
• placing the wildlife guard assembly over a top of the line post insulator, wherein the placing step further comprises:
• interacting the toggle action lever mechanism and the line post insulator such that the toggle action lever mechanism moves from the over-center position allowing the biasing member and the toggle action lever mechanism to move the two cover sections to a closed position capturing the line post insulator in the wildlife guard assembly.