Fence post cap

Abstract

A fence post cap is fabricated of thin-walled material with a cap portion above a plurality of depending walls. A first wall has an inwardly and upwardly extending thin-walled first protrusion with a first upper edge providing a mouth between the first wall adjacent the first upper edge and the first upper edge. Likewise, a second side wall, opposite the first side wall, has an inwardly and upwardly extending thin-walled second protrusion with a second upper edge providing a mouth between the second side wall adjacent the second upper edge and the second upper edge. The protrusions can be positioned so that they are opposite one another such that a shortest distance between the first wall adjacent the first protrusion and the second wall adjacent the second protrusion is greater than a shortest distance between the first wall inwardly extending portion and the second wall inwardly extending portion. Each protrusion can be a wall of a dimple that inclines inwardly and upwardly to an upper edge where the upper edge is separated from the side wall from which the dimple extends. The dimple wall can have a notch extending from this upper edge. The cap can be a unitary structure fabricated of sheet metal.

1 . A fence post cap, comprising:
 a thin-walled cap portion above a plurality of depending thin walls;   a first wall of said walls having an inwardly and upwardly extending thin-walled first protrusion with a first upper edge providing a mouth between said first wall and said first upper edge;   a second wall of said walls, opposed to said first wall, having an inwardly and upwardly extending thin-walled second protrusion with a second upper edge providing a mouth between said second wall and said second upper edge.   
     
     
         2 . The fence post cap of  claim 1  wherein said first wall is a first side wall and said second wall is a second side wall opposite said first side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The fence post cap of  claim 2  wherein said first protrusion is an upturned bottom lip of said first side wall and said second protrusion is an upturned bottom lip of said second side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The fence post cap of  claim 3  wherein said first protrusion is a tongue projecting inwardly and upwardly from said first side wall and said second protrusion is a tongue, projecting inwardly and upwardly from said second side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The fence post cap of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first thin-walled dimple, said first protrusion being an inwardly and upwardly inclining wall of said first dimple rising to said first upper edge; and 
 a second thin-walled dimple, said second protrusion being an inwardly and upwardly inclining wall of said second dimple rising to said second upper edge. 
 
     
     
         6 . The fence post cap of  claim 5  wherein said wall of said first dimple has a notch extending from said first upper edge; and said wall of said second dimple has a notch extending from said second upper edge. 
     
     
         7 . The fence post cap of  claim 6  wherein said notch of saidfirst dimple is a tapered notch and wherein said tapered notch of said second dimple is a tapered notch. 
     
     
         8 . The fence post cap of  claim 6  wherein said notch of said first dimple is a V-shaped notch and wherein said tapered notch of said second dimple is a V-shaped notch. 
     
     
         9 . The fence post cap of  claim 1  wherein said cap portion, said depending walls, and each said protrusion comprise a unitary structure fabricated of sheet metal. 
     
     
         10 . A fence post cap, comprising:
 a unitary structure fabricated of sheet metal, said unitary structure having a sheet metal cap portion above a plurality of depending sheet metal walls;   a first wall of said walls having an inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion;   a second wall of said walls, opposed to said first wall, having an inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion, said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion being opposed to said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion;   wherein a shortest distance between said first wall adjacent said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall adjacent said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion is greater than a shortest distance between said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion.   
     
     
         11 . The fence post cap of  claim 10  wherein said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion is a mirror image of said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion. 
     
     
         12 . The fence post cap of  claim 11  wherein said first wall is a first side wall and said second wall is a second side wall and further comprising a third side wall and an opposed fourth side wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The fence post cap of  claim 10  wherein each of said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion is an inwardly and upwardly projecting projection which projects to an upper edge. 
     
     
         14 . The fence post cap of  claim 13  wherein each projection is a finger having a free end. 
     
     
         15 . The fence post cap of  claim 14  wherein each said finger has a generally step-shaped profile with steps stepping inwardly and upwardly. 
     
     
         16 . The fence post cap of  claim 13  wherein each projection is an upturned bottom lip of one of said first wall and said second wall. 
     
     
         17 . The fence post cap of  claim 10  wherein each of said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion has an inwardly and upwardly projecting projection which projects to an upper edge and wherein said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion is separated from an adjacent portion of said first wall along an upper edge of said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and is unitarily formed with another adjacent portion of said first wall sheet metal portion along at least two opposed sides of said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion. 
     
     
         18 . The fence post cap of  claim 17  further comprising a notch extending from said upper edge. 
     
     
         19 . The fence post cap of  claim 18  wherein said notch is a V-shaped notch. 
     
     
         20 . A fence post cap, comprising:
 a thin-walled cap portion above a plurality of depending thin walls;   a first wall of said walls having an inwardly extending thin-walled first dimple;   a second wall of said walls, opposed to said first wall, having an inwardly extending thin-walled second dimple;   said first dimple having a first dimple wall inclining inwardly and upwardly to a first upper edge, said first upper edge separated from an adjacent portion of said first wall, said first dimple wall having a notch extending from said first upper edge; and   said second dimple having a second dimple wall inclining inwardly and upwardly to a second upper edge, said second upper edge separated from an adjacent portion said second wall, said second dimple wall having a notch extending from said second upper edge.   
     
     
         21 . A method of making a fence post cap, comprising:
 die punching a single piece of sheet metal so as to form a first unitary structure having a sheet metal cap portion and a plurality of depending planar sheet metal walls;   die punching said first unitary structure so that a first wall of said walls has an inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and a second wall of said walls, opposed to said first wall, has an inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion, said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion being opposed to said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion wherein a shortest distance between said first wall adjacent said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall adjacent said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion is greater than a shortest distance between said first wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion and said second wall inwardly extending bent sheet metal portion.