Light weight, hollow structural support column

Abstract

An elongated, light weight, maintenance free, hollow structural support post or column for supporting an overhanging roof segment in spaced relationship to a porch floor, for example. The post comprises a thin walled, generally rectangular plastic member containing a circular, metal tubular member therewithin, and spaced from the inner wall of the plastic member by plural elongated, plastic inserts press fit between the metal tubular member and inner wall of the rectangular plastic member. Additionally, the invention includes a pair of uniquely designed end base plates for anchoring the post to the overhanging structure and to the porch floor, where the base plates cooperate with the metal tubular member to prevent twisting of the post when maintained in a compressive or supporting mode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.