Post cap
AssigneeGrape Essentials PTY Limited
InventorMichael John Nesbitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cap (1) is provided for fitting to the end of a hollow post. A number of hollow posts are used in viticulture to support wires on which grape vines are trained to grow. Caps (1) are fitted to the ends of the posts to inhibit snagging of netting which is placed over the posts to attempt to protect a crop of grapes from being eaten by birds. The cap (1) has a generally domed head (3) and a stem (5). The stem (5) has at least one radially outwardly extending abutment (13, 15) which, in use, engages with an inner wall of a hollow post. The abutment (13, 15) provides an interference fit of the stem (5) in the post such that to insert the stem (5) substantially all the way into the post requires force fitting and either deformation or shearing of material from the abutment (13, 15).
Claims24
A net support cap for an end of a hollow post, said net support cap comprising:
- a generally domed head which, in use, overlies and extends radially outwardly of the end of the post;
- a hollow stem under said domed head for inserting within the hollow post, said stem having a substantially smaller cross section profile than a corresponding profile of the hollow post;
- and
- at least one outwardly extending single wall flange extending generally perpendicular to said stem and also substantially the length of said stem for engaging with an inner wall of the post when said stem is inserted in end of the post, said single wall flange having a lead-in taper to assist insertion into the hollow post, said single wall flange having a substantial depth in the outward direction serving to provide an interference fit of the stem in the end of said post.
A net support cap for an end of a hollow post, said cap comprising:
- a generally domed head which, in use, overlies and extends radially outwardly of the end of the post;
- a stem under said domed head for inserting within the hollow post, said stem having at least one outwardly extending abutment means extending along the length of said stem, and being for engaging with an inner wall of the post when said stem is inserted in end of the post;
- said abutment means serving to provide an interference fit of the stem in the end of said post such that to insert said stem substantially all the way into the end of said post requires shearing of material from said abutment means;
- and
- said head being hollow and having head flanges formed on the undersurface of the dome, said head flanges having a slot therein to receive the thickness of the material of the end of the post when the stem is fitted as far as possible into the end of the post.
A system comprising:
- a hollow post;
- a net support cap in the end of the hollow post, said cap having a generally domed head which overlies and extends radially outwardly of the end of the post;
- a stem under said head and having a substantially smaller cross section profile than a corresponding profile of the hollow post, said stem having at least one outwardly extending single wall flange which extends outwardly generally perpendicularly to said stem and also substantially the length of the stem;
- and
- said single wall flange having a lead-in taper for assisting in the insertion of the stem into the hollow post, said single wall flange having a substantial depth in an outward direction and engaging an inner wall of the post with an interference fit caused by shearing of material from the single wall flange.
A system comprising:
- a hollow post;
- a net support cap in the end of the hollow post, said cap having a generally domed head which overlies and extends radially outwardly of the end of the post;
- a stem under said head and having a substantially smaller cross section profile than a corresponding profile of the hollow post, said stem having at least one outwardly extending single wall flange which extends outwardly generally perpendicularly to said stem and also substantially the length of the stem;
- and
- said single wall flange having a lead-in taper for assisting in the insertion of the stem into the hollow post, said single wall flange having a substantial depth in an outward direction and engaging an inner wall of the post with an interference fit caused by shearing of material from the single wall flange and deformation of said stem.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.