You are an expert at summarizing long articles. Proceed to summarize the following text:

You are an expert at summarizing long articles. Proceed to summarize the following text: 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    Architectural columns, though in use for centuries, have in recent years become increasingly popular for commercial and residential construction. Architectural columns can provide vertical support in engineering and architectural applications, and they add a classic, elegant appeal to any building project. 
         [0002]    Architectural columns are typically hollow and are constructed of wood or composite materials. Therefore, in an exterior application, architectural columns are subject to the destructive forces of nature. Traditional installation techniques for columns have left columns vulnerable to internal rot and decay through exposure of the column to wind, rain, insects and debris. In addition, traditional installation techniques have relied exclusively upon the vertical weight of the structure supported by the column to prevent any horizontal, or lateral, movement or shifting of the upper end of the column. While crude metal “flashing” is occasionally installed on an ad hoc basis in exterior column applications in an attempt to guard against rot and decay, these present flashing installation techniques do not provide, and are not intended to provide, any lateral support to the column. 
         [0003]    Furthermore, many architectural columns used for commercial and residential building employ decorative capitals and like structures at the top and bottom of the columns for aesthetic appeal. The capitals are placed in a defined relationship to the top end of the architectural columns and to the structure being supported by the column for maximum aesthetic appeal. Therefore, the capitals are required to be secured to the architectural columns to prevent unwanted rotation of the capitals with regard to the columns. A number of devices and methods are presently used for this purpose, although such devices and methods generally require additional installation steps, thereby increasing the time and the cost of column installation. 
         [0004]    As a result of the foregoing, during the installation of architectural columns, the installer is required to use several methods and or devices to accomplish protection of the columns to guard against rot and decay, to provide lateral support to the columns and to provide stabilization of the capitals. As discussed above, the use of multiple devices and/or methods increases the time and the cost of column installation and can lead to variations in the quality of column installation. 
         [0005]    Using the present installation techniques for columns, an installer would need the use of separate devices to address these issues. Therefore, the art is in need of a single device for use with architectural and other columns that accomplishes these diverse functions required for successful column installation. 
         [0006]    The present disclosure provides a combination flashing cap for use with architectural and other columns. The disclosed combination flashing cap provides for at least one of the following functions: (i) protection against rot and decay; (ii) providing lateral support to the column; and (iii) providing stabilization to the capitals installed with the column. The disclosed combination flashing cap, by providing a solution to common issues encountered in column installation, will make column installation cheaper and more efficient and will increase the overall quality of column installation. Such a combination flashing cap has not been heretofore described in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are side views of the flashing cap. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are views of the under side (or column side) of the flashing cap showing the relative placement of the column retention member and the capital retention element. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a final installation of the flashing cap showing the column retention member of the flashing cap inserted within the interior column shaft of the hollow column and the exterior of the decorative column capital inserted within the capital retention element. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a final installation of the flashing cap showing the column inserted within the column retention member of the flashing cap and the exterior of the decorative column capital inserted within the capital retention element. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  are side perspective views of the flashing cap showing the relative placement of column retention member and the capital retention element. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The present disclosure provides a flashing cap for use with columns, such as but not limited to, architectural columns. The disclosed combination flashing cap provides for at least one of the following functions: (i) protection against rot and decay; (ii) providing lateral support to the column; and (iii) providing stabilization to the capitals installed with the column. The disclosed flashing cap provides for protection against rot and decay by covering the top of the hollow column thereby preventing access by water, insects and debris to the interior of the column. The flashing cap provides stabilization against lateral/horizontal movement of the upper end of the column by serving as an installation bracket. Finally, the disclosed flashing cap provides for proper alignment of the decorative column capital relative to the column and the structure being supported by the column by serving as a mounting bracket for the capital. In one embodiment, the disclosed flashing cap performs all three functions. However, in alternate embodiments the flashing cap may provide only 1 of the three functions or two of the three functions. 
         [0013]    The flashing cap of the present disclosure also provides for increased efficiency and improvement in installation compared to the methods known in the art. By providing a mechanism for affixing the lateral movement of the column during installation, the flashing cap provides permanent support to the column. Furthermore, since the disclosed flashing cap is a pre-fabricated element, the disclosed flashing cap eliminates time presently used by the column installer to fabricate flashing for the column from whatever materials may be present at the installation site. In addition, since the disclosed flashing cap is pre-fabricated and designed for use with a given column, variations in installation will be decreased, thereby increasing the overall quality of column installation. 
         [0014]    In addition, this disclosed flashing cap will result in efficiencies in the labor necessary for manufacturing, stocking, and shipping the of the architectural column package. The flashing cap of the present disclosure is pre-fabricated in different shapes and sizes to fit a corresponding number of shapes and sizes of columns and capitals. Thus, the flashing cap of the present disclosure will achieve an efficiency effect similar to that of prefabricated building systems having only a few basic building elements that can be delivered to the column owner or installer without the need to engineer or fabricate flashing or lateral column support from components or miscellaneous materials that may be ill fitted for such purposes. 
         [0015]    The drawings illustrate a typical architectural type of column incorporating the flashing cap of the present disclosure. However, the disclosed flashing cap may be used with other columns as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several figures,  FIGS. 1(   a  and  b ),  2 ( a  and  b ), and  5 ( a  and  b ) depict the flashing cap  101  comprising at least one of a column retention member  102  and a capital retention element  105 . 
         [0016]    In its most general configuration, the disclosed flashing cap comprises a base  126  to be secured and at least one of a column retention member  102  and a capital retention element  105  depending from an inside surface  125  of the base  126 . The column retention member  102  in combination with the base  126  serves to stabilize the column  110  against lateral/horizontal movement while the capital retention element  105  serves to stabilize the capital  120  in a desired configuration. 
         [0017]    In a particular embodiment, see  FIGS. 1   a ,  2   a  and  5   a , the column retention member  102  is an interior wall or flange that is of integral construction with the base  126  of the flashing cap  101  and depends from the inside surface  125  of the base  126  of the flashing cap  101 . The interior wall or flange has an outer surface  103  and an inner surface  104 . The interior wall or flange may have a closed or open configuration. By closed configuration it is meant that the interior wall or flange forms a continuous structure, with no gaps or openings in the interior wall or flange. By open configuration it is meant that the interior wall or flange forms a non-continuous structure with at least one gap or opening in the interior wall or flange. In an alternative embodiment, see  FIGS. 1   b ,  2   b  and  5   b , the column retention member  102  is a plug that is of integral construction with the base  126  of the flashing cap  101  and depends from the inside surface  125  of the base  126  of the flashing cap  101 . In a particular embodiment, see  FIGS. 1-5 , the capital retention element  105  is a marginal wall of integral construction with the base  126  of the flashing cap  101  and also depends from the inside surface  125  of the base  126  of the flashing cap  101 . 
         [0018]    While these drawings depict the column retention member  102  having a circular configuration and the capital retention element  105  having a square configuration, it will be understood that the configuration of the column retention member  102 , the configuration of the capital retention element  105  and the marginal configuration of the flashing cap  101  (derived from the configuration of the capital retention element  105 ) may incorporate a number of design configurations that are linked to the corresponding configurations and dimensions of the associated column  110  and decorative capital  120 . 
         [0019]      FIGS. 3 and 4  depict the column  110  erected and the flashing cap  101  affixed in their final locations. Before the final erection of the column assembly in its desired location, a decorative capital  120  will have been positioned, but not affixed, atop the column  110  by inserting the column  110  through the interior chamber of the decorative capital  120 . Through installation of the column  110  in its final position through methods understood in the art, the flashing cap  101  will be aligned in its proper reference to the supported structure  130  and then affixed to the underside of the supported structure  130  by connecting mechanisms  108 , such as screws for wood or sheet metal, through a series of annularly disposed openings  109 , here depicted as four in number and located within the base  126  of the flashing cap  101  that is bounded by the capital retention element  105 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  depicts the column  110  having an interior chamber  111  that receives the column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101 . In this embodiment, the column retention member  102  can be the interior wall or flange as depicted in  FIGS. 1   a ,  2   a  and  5   a  or the plug as depicted in  FIGS. 1   b ,  2   b  and  5   b . It will be appreciated that the preferred dimension of the outer configuration of the column retention member  102  in this embodiment should approximate the configuration of the interior surface  112  of the interior chamber  111  of the column  110  and that the column retention member  102  will be of sufficient depth to provide lateral support to the column  110  when the base  126  is secured to the underside of the supported structure  130 . Following this insertion, and once the column  110  is erected in its final position and the flashing cap  101  is affixed to the supported structure  130 , the outside surface  103  of the column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101  is adjacent to or is in contact with the interior surface  112  of the interior chamber  111  of the column  110 . Prior to the final positioning of the decorative capital described below, commercially available caulk or grouting may be applied between the exterior surface of the column  110  and the inside surface  125  of the base  126  of the flashing cap  101 . 
         [0021]    It should be understood that the above described aspect of the disclosure can also be achieved through a column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101  that receives the column  110 .  FIG. 4  illustrates this alternative embodiment in which the column retention member  102  is an interior wall or flange, as depicted in  FIGS. 1   a ,  2   a  and  5   a , that receives the column  110  in a cavity formed by the interior wall or flange. It will be appreciated that the preferred dimension of the interior surface  104  of column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101  in this embodiment should approximate the configuration of the exterior surface  113  of the column  110  and that the column retention member  102  will be of sufficient depth to provide lateral support to the column  110  when the base  126  is secured to the underside of the supported structure  130 . Following this insertion, and once the column  110  is erected in its final position and the flashing cap  101  is affixed to the supported structure  130 , the exterior surface  113  of the column  110  is adjacent to or is in contact with the interior surface  104  of column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101 . Prior to the final positioning of the decorative capital described below, commercially available caulk or grouting may be applied between the exterior surface  113  of the column  110  and the interior surface  104  of the column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101 . 
         [0022]    As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , following the insertion of the column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101  into the interior chamber  111  of the column  110  ( FIG. 3 ) or the insertion of the column  110  into the column retention member  102  of the flashing cap  101  ( FIG. 4 ), the capital retention element  105  of the flashing cap  101  receives the exterior surface  121  of the decorative capital  120 . It will be appreciated that the preferred dimension of the interior surface  106  of the capital retention element  105  of the flashing cap  101  should approximate the configuration of the exterior surface  121  of the decorative capital  120 . Upon this insertion, the exterior surface  121  of the decorative capital  120  is adjacent to or is in contact with the interior surface  106  of the capital retention element  105  of the flashing cap  101 , and commercially available caulk or grouting may be applied between the exterior surface  121  of the decorative capital  120  and the interior surface  106  of the capital retention element  105  of the flashing cap  101 .

Summary:
This disclosure relates generally to structural columns used in both residential and commercial construction. The disclosure describes a fabricated cap for columns and column capitals that provides flashing protection to the column from deterioration through exposure to the elements, lateral support to the column at its upper end and proper alignment of the column&#39;s decorative capital. The disclosure is of novel design such that interfitting keys are provided which prevent the encroachment of external elements—rain, debris, insects, etc.—into the top of the interior shaft of the hollow column, thereby protecting against decay of the axial support strength of the column, which provide significant support to the column to resist lateral forces that may be applied to and cause the displacement of the upper end of the column from its desired position and which provide a means for aligning the column&#39;s decorative capital relative to the supported structure.