Post support and protector

Claim 1

A support for mounting an end of a post to the earth, comprising: a pair of support members formed as separate units, each said support member being formed as an elongate body having a first leg and a second leg extending the length thereof with the second leg being substantially perpendicular to the first leg, each said support member including: a first portion formed for attachment to a post, the post being retained between the pair of support members with the first legs and the second legs, respectively, positioned face-to-face, the first portion including in each of the first and second legs at least one passage for receiving a fastener to fasten the support members to the post; and a second portion extending from the first portion for anchoring within the hole to support the post and to protect the post from contact with the earth, the second portion including at least one flange projecting therefrom, said flange having a horizontal planar surface for receiving material thereon for securing a lower end of the support member in the hole.

Claim 5

A method for securing a post inside a hole in the earth, comprising the steps of: forming a pair of elongate support members, each of elongate support members having a pair of perpendicular legs, a first portion for attachment to the post and a second portion for anchoring within the hole; forming means for permitting insertion of fasteners through the legs to connect the legs to an end of the post; forming at least one flange projecting horizontally outwardly from the second portion of one of the support members; securing the first portions to the post; placing the second portion in the hole to a predetermined depth; and placing material in the hole around the support members to engage the second portions and the flange to anchor the support members and post to the earth.

Claim 6

A method for securing a post inside a hole in the earth, comprising the steps of: forming a pair of elongate support members, each of elongate support members having a pair of perpendicular legs, a first portion for attachment to the post and a second portion for anchoring within the hole; forming means for permitting insertion of fasteners through the legs to connect the legs to an end of the post; forming at least one flange projecting horizontally outwardly from the second portion of one of the support members; securing the first portions to the post; placing the second portion in the hole to a predetermined depth; and placing material in the hole around the support members to engage the second portions and the flange to anchor the support members and post to the earth.

Claim 8

A method for forming a pair of members for supporting a post in a post hole, comprising the steps of: forming a pair of rectangles of sheet metal; punching a slot in each rectangle; bending material outward from the slots to form projections for supporting an end of a post; forming a plurality of passages in the rectangles to provide means for receiving fasteners to fasten the members to a post; forming at least one passage in each rectangle for permitting cement to pass therethrough for retaining the member within the post hole; bending each rectangle to form each member to have an L-shaped cross section having a pair of generally perpendicular legs for engaging the sides of the post; and bending an end of each rectangle to form a flange at one edge of the member for engaging material placed adjacent the member to retain the member against movement out of the post hole.

Claim 9

A method for forming a pair of members for supporting a post in a post hole, comprising the steps of: forming a pair of rectangles of sheet metal; punching a slot in each rectangle; bending material outward from the slots to form projections for supporting an end of a post; forming a plurality of passages in the rectangles to provide means for receiving fasteners to fasten the members to a post; forming at least one passage in each rectangle for permitting cement to pass therethrough for retaining the member within the post hole; bending each rectangle to form each member to have an L-shaped cross section having a pair of generally perpendicular legs for engaging the sides of the post; and bending an end of each rectangle to form a flange at one edge of the member for engaging material placed adjacent the member to retain the member against movement out of the post hole.

Claim 10

A method for repairing a fence post that is attached to a fence without removing any fence post from the fence and without removing structurally sound fence posts comprising the fence from their post holes, comprising the steps of: cutting off the lower end of the fence post above ground level while leaving the upper end of the post attached to the fence; digging in hole in the earth under the fence post to remove the cut off portion from below the fence post; forming a pair of elongate support members to each have a pair of generally perpendicular legs, a first portion for attachment to the fence post and a second portion for anchoring within the hole under the fence post; forming at least one outwardly projecting flange on at least one of the elongate support members; placing the second portions of the elongate support members in the hole with the first portions of the elongate support members being adjacent the end of the post nearer to the ground; securing the first portions of the elongate support members to the post above ground level to substantially enclose a portion of the post between the perpendicular legs; and placing material in the hole around the second portions of the elongate support members to engage the flange to anchor the elongate support members to the earth.

Claim 11

A method for repairing a fence post that is attached to a fence without removing any fence post from the fence and without removing structurally sound fence posts comprising the fence from their post holes, comprising the steps of: cutting off the lower end of the fence post above ground level while leaving the upper end of the post attached to the fence; digging in hole in the earth under the fence post to remove the cut off portion from below the fence post; forming a pair of elongate support members to each have a pair of generally perpendicular legs, a first portion for attachment to the fence post and a second portion for anchoring within the hole under the fence post; forming at least one outwardly projecting flange on at least one of the elongate support members; placing the second portions of the elongate support members in the hole with the first portions of the elongate support members being adjacent the end of the post nearer to the ground; securing the first portions of the elongate support members to the post above ground level to substantially enclose a portion of the post between the perpendicular legs; and placing material in the hole around the second portions of the elongate support members to engage the flange to anchor the elongate support members to the earth.