# Patent

## Title
Protective post covering

## Abstract

A protective covering for a post, such as a mail box post, used to prevent damage to such a post by grass trimming devices such as weed-eaters. The protective covering, which may be rust resistant metal or other rust resistant material, may be formed by bending a single piece of material into a four-sided shape, open on top and bottom, with two open ends each having a complimentary interlocking fold formed on its open ends. The four-sided shape may be flexible so that it may be flexed into an open position, placed around the post to be protected, and closed upon itself being locked in place by the complimentary interlocking folds forming a protective covering surrounding the post. No screws, nails or other retaining hardware are required for holding the protective covering place.

## Background
BACKGROUND
For years there have been mail box posts in front of houses. Since the invention of the weedeater in around 1972, the wooden mailbox post has been getting whipped up by the plastic weedeater line. The grass grows next to the mailbox post and when the weedeater trims the grass around the post it can't help but strike the post with the weedeater line. This causes the post to get chewed up, and whipped away. The Protective Post Covering is designed to eliminate this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Protective Post Covering is designed as a strong, flexible, per-formed one piece unit, that is easy to install. The user simply flexes open the covering and places it around the wooden mailbox post, and the covering snaps back to its original shape, surrounding the post and protecting it from weedeater damage. The covering also has a self locking feature that holds it securely in place.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a side view of the covering open.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of the covering closed.
FIG. 3 shows a top view of the covering with the edges near one another.
FIG. 4 shows a top vie of the covering closed.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the protective covering of the invention may be formed by a material strip, which may be a strip of galvanized sheet metal or any other material that may be flexed, as depicted. The material strip may be folded along a first fold line 110, a second fold 111, a third fold 112 and a fourth fold 113 forming an enclosed shape having an open top and open bottom further forming an opening through the enclosed shape 150 for surrounding a post to be protected, and comprising first side 101, second side 102, third side 103 and fourth side 104 as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4. The enclosed shape may be rectangular in cross section, and, further, may be square. The protective covering may have an opening A that is expandable due to the flexibility of the material strip in general but specifically at fold lines 110, 111, 112 and 113. Side 101 and side 104, each of which have one end comprising one side of opening A, may further comprise interlocking folds forming a releasable engagement between them. Regarding side 101, a retaining fold 118 may be created by folding a section of the material strip back on itself at fold line 115 as depicted. Similarly, regarding side 104, folds 116 and 117 may be created by folding a section of the material strip back on itself at fold lines 113 and 114 as depicted, creating a V-section of material that is adapted to receive retaining fold 118 in a releasable engagement when the protective covering is closed upon itself as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, and specifically as depicted by area “C” in FIG. 4. In this manner, retaining fold 118 is received by the V-section formed by folds 116 and 117, securing sides 101 and 104 together in a releasable engagement and securely holding the covering into an enclosed shape having an open top and an open bottom. The covering may be opened to receive a post to be protected by expanding gap A. When the covering is disposed in an un-flexed but open position, gap A may be almost closed, as depicted by B in FIG. 3.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the protective covering the invention may be formed by a material strip, which may be strip of galvanized sheet metal or any other material that may be flexed, as depicted. The material strip may be folded along a first fold line 110, a second fold 111, a third fold 112 and a fourth fold 113 forming an enclosed shape having an open top and open bottom further forming an opening through the enclosed shape 150 for surrounding a post to be protected, and comprising first side 101, second side 102, third side 103 and fourth side 104 as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4. The enclosed shape may be rectangular in cross section, and, further, may be square. The protective covering may have an opening A that is expandable due to the flexibility of the material strip in general but specifically at fold lines 110, 111, 112 and 113. Side 101 and side 104, each of which have one end comprising one side of opening A, may further comprise interlocking folds forming a releasable engagement between them. Regarding side 101, a retaining fold 118 may be created by folding a section of the material strip back on itself at fold line 115 as depicted. Similarly, regarding side 104, folds 116 and 117 may be created by folding a section of the material strip back on itself at fold lines 113 and 114 as depicted, creating a V-section of material that is adapted to receive retaining fold 118 in a releasable engagement when the protective covering is closed upon itself as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, and specifically as depicted by area “C” in FIG. 4. In this manner retaining fold 118 is received by the V-section formed by folds 116 and 117, securing sides 101 and 104 together in a releasable engagement and securely holding the covering into an enclosed shape having an open top and an open bottom. The covering may be opened to receive a post to be protected by expanding gap A. When the covering is disposed an un-flexed but open position, gap A may be almost closed, as depicted by B in FIG. 3.
Still referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, when it is desired to assemble the protective covering onto a post, which may be for example a wooden post, gap A may be expanded as depicted in FIG. 1, which expansion is enabled by flexing of the material strip at fold lines 110, 111, 112 and 113. The covering may then be placed around a post to be protected and fold 118 may be received by the V-section formed by folds 116 and 117, securing sides 101 and 104 together and securely holding the covering into an enclosed shape surrounding the post to be protected without the need for retaining hardware such as screws or nails.

## Claims

1. A protective covering, comprising:
a material strip having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, wherein said first, second, third and fourth sides are folded along first, second and third fold lines between the sides, one of the fold lines between each of the sides;
said first side having an edge opposite the first fold line comprising a retaining fold, wherein said retaining fold is formed by a portion of said material strip folded back upon itself along a fourth fold line; and
said fourth side having an edge opposite the third fold line comprising a V-section formed by a first fold and a second fold along a fifth fold line and a sixth fold line, wherein said V-section is adapted to receive said retaining fold in said first side in a releasable engagement forming an enclosed shape having an open top and an open bottom.

2. The protective covering as in claim 1, wherein when said retaining fold in said first side is received by and is releasably engaged with said V-section in said fourth side.

3. The protective covering as in claim 1, wherein said material strip comprises galvanized metal.

4. The protective covering as in claim 2, wherein said material strip comprises galvanized metal.

5. The protective covering as in claim 2, wherein said enclosed shape is rectangular.

6. The protective covering as in claim 3, wherein said enclosed shape is rectangular.

7. The protective covering as in claim 4, wherein said enclosed shape is rectangular.

8. The protective covering as in claim 2, wherein said enclosed shape is square.

9. The protective covering as in claim 3, wherein said enclosed shape is square.

10. The protective covering as in claim 4, wherein said enclosed shape is square.