Post support assembly having a mounting socket and a rigid collar

A support assembly for supporting a post in the ground, said support assembly including:

• a mounting socket for location in the ground and dimensioned to receive the lower end of a post therein;
• a rigid collar assembly in the form of a stepped sleeve having an upper face in use extending radially outwardly from the post and a lower face in use extending radially outwardly of the mounting socket, a socket-engaging reaction face extending upwardly from the lower face and dimensioned to be accommodated in a close tolerance fit by an upper portion of said mounting socket so as to be removably supported thereon and located against lateral movement thereby, and a post-engaging abutment face extending downwardly from the upper face and dimensioned to accommodate a post to be supported by the said support assembly in a close tolerance fit;
• the arrangement being such that upon application to a post supported by the support assembly of a substantially transverse load sufficient to bend the post, the rigid collar assembly is not deformed and said close tolerance fits prevent substantial deformation of that portion of the post received within the mounting socket, whereby the post and the collar assembly remain removable from the mounting socket;
• and
• locating means interposable between the inner surface of said mounting socket and the outer surface of said post for locating said post co-axially in said mounting socket.