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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/626,170, filed Nov. 9, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to decorative construction elements, and more particularly to capitals for being installed on building columns.  
         [0003]     Columns, both structural and decorative, are common construction elements. Often these columns will include a decorative capital at an upper end thereof. Many of the designs of such capitals originated in ancient times and often include complex features, such as curves, scrolls, flowers, etc., which would be expensive to reproduce directly on a column (i.e. by carving). Furthermore, commercially-available columns are made in many different lengths. Therefore, capitals are usually made as a separate component, for example, by carving or molding. The separate capital is then attached to the top of the column.  
         [0004]     In the prior art, capitals are typically attached by inserting a plug with a downwardly-extending post into the interior of the capital. The capital is then manually aligned with the column and attached thereto with screws or other fasteners. This process requires a substantial amount of time and skilled labor, and is therefore expensive.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a column capital which is simple to install.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the invention to provide a column capital which accommodates manufacturing variations in the column to which it is attached.  
         [0007]     These and other objects are met by the present invention, which according to one embodiment provides a column capital having a generally planar top surface; a generally cylindrical inner surface for receiving a column therein; a decorative outer surface spaced away from the inner surface; and a generally cylindrical liner which extends through the capital in a vertical direction and which defines the inner surface.  
         [0008]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the liner is an abradable material.  
         [0009]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the liner is paper.  
         [0010]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the capital is made from a polymeric resin.  
         [0011]     According to another embodiment of the invention, an absorbent filler is disposed in the resin.  
         [0012]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the absorbent filler is selected from the group consisting of pecan shells, flour, and calcium carbonate.  
         [0013]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the casting material consists essentially of a polyester resin and an absorbent filler.  
         [0014]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the casting material consists essentially of, by volume, about 30% to about 70% polyester resin and about 30% to about 70% absorbent filler.  
         [0015]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the capital is a solid casting.  
         [0016]     According to another embodiment of the invention, an interior void is disposed between the liner and the outer surface.  
         [0017]     According to another embodiment of the invention a column assembly includes a generally cylindrical column having an outer wall, an annular top rim, and a radially-extending neck ring encircling the outer wall, the neck ring spaced a predetermined distance from the top rim; and a capital. The capital includes a generally planar top surface; a outer decorative surface spaced away from the inner surface; and an annular lower rim which bears upon the neck ring to support the capital upon the neck ring and which receives the outer wall therein.  
         [0018]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the column assembly further includes a generally cylindrical, abradable liner which extends through the capital in a vertical direction and which defines an inner surface which receives the outer wall.  
         [0019]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the capital includes a generally cylindrical liner integrally cast therewith, the liner extending through the capital in a vertical direction and defining an inner surface which receives the outer wall.  
         [0020]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the capital is made from two joined halves each including a portion of the liner and the outer surface.  
         [0021]     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of making a capital for a column includes providing a mold having a predetermined shape; placing a generally cylindrical liner into the mold; introducing a fluid casting material into the mold and around the liner; allowing the casting material to cure to form a solid; and removing the solid with the liner attached thereto from the mold. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a prior art capital attached to a column;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a capital constructed according to the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is bottom view of the capital of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is view taken along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a column prior to installation of a capital;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the capital of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is cross-sectional view of the capital of  FIG. 2  attached to the column of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is another view of the column and capital shown in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a capital and a structural liner therefor;  
         [0032]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative capital;  
         [0033]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the capital of  FIG. 10  with a liner disposed therein;  
         [0034]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another alternative capital;  
         [0035]      FIG. 13  is a front view of a variation of the capital shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the capital of  FIG. 13 ; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 15  is a bottom view of the capital of  FIG. 13 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]     Referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views,  FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art capital  10  attached to a column  12 . The column  12  is a known cylindrical structure having an inner wall  14 , an outer wall  16 , a top rim  18 , and a neck ring  20  (only the upper portion of the column  12  is shown in  FIG. 1 ). The column  12  is formed from glass-reinforced plastic or a similar material and is available in various standardized lengths and diameters from numerous manufacturers.  
         [0039]     The capital  10  is a decorative element which has a cylindrical inner surface  22  and a outer surface  24  that is formed into a desired decorative shape. A plug  26  of wood or other material is secured in the interior of the capital  10 , and a cylindrical post  28  extends downward from the plug  26 . A vent tube  30  extends through the post  28  and the plug  26 , to relieve any differential pressure between the interior of the vent tube  30  and the outside environment.  
         [0040]     The capital  10  is secured to the column  12  by first severing the portion of the column  12  above the neck ring  20  (see  FIG. 5 ). The capital  10  is then placed on the top rim  18  thereof so that the post  28  extends into the interior of the column  12 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the column  12 , while it is intended to be circular, is often substantially out-of-round, as shown by the dashed line labeled “A”, because of variations in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the post  28  cannot be made large enough to self-center the capital  10  against the inner wall  14 . Accordingly, the capital  10  is manually centered on the column  12  by carefully driving multiple fasteners  32  through the column  12  into the post  28  from different directions, and adjusting the depth of each fastener  32  until the desired alignment is achieved. The capital  10  may be further secured with adhesives if desired. This installation process often requires as much as forty-five minutes. As this type of installation is usually done by a skilled finish carpenter charging a high hourly labor rate, the installation cost can be very high, especially in a building which uses multiple columns  12 .  
         [0041]      FIGS. 2-4  illustrate an exemplary capital  110  constructed according to the present invention. The capital  110  includes a bottom rim  114 , a top surface  116 , a cylindrical inner surface  118 , and a outer surface  120  which is formed into a selected decorative shape. In the illustrated example the decorative form is a known type of Roman Doric design; however the exterior design is merely an aesthetic feature. For example,  FIGS. 13-15  illustrate a capital  110 ′ which is substantially identical in overall construction to the capital  110  except for the outer surface  120 ′, which is formed in the shape of a known Roman Ionic pattern. Thus, the outer surface  120  may be any shape or form desired.  
         [0042]     The inner surface  118  of the capital  110  has an inside diameter “D 1 ”. The diameter “D 1 ” is selected to be generously larger than an outside diameter “D 2 ” of the portion of column  12  above the neck ring  20  (see  FIG. 5 ) so as to account for any possible out-of-round condition. For example, the diameter D 1  may be about 12.8 mm (½ in.) larger than the diameter D 2 , where D 2  is nominally about 25.4 cm (10 in.) This diameter D 1  plus the wall thickness of the capital  110  required for adequate strength, which in the illustrated example is about 6.4 mm (¼ in.), requires that a base diameter “BD” of the capital  110  be increased relative to the prior art capital  10 . To accommodate this increase, one or more major dimensions of the capital  110 , such as the outside diameter “OD”, overall height “H”, and base diameter “BD” are increased so that their relative proportions are the same as those of the prior art capital  10  having the same exterior design. It has been found that, when the major dimensions are changed in this way, observers do not perceive the change in dimensions of the capital  110  even though the absolute values are different. That is, the capital  110  has an acceptable appearance so long as its proportions are preserved.  
         [0043]     The capital  110  may be constructed from any material which will retain the desired features. Examples of suitable materials include wood, plaster, stone, and plastics. The capital  110  may be formed by any known methods, for example machining a blank of material, cold casting, injection molding, rotational molding, and the like.  
         [0044]     A cylindrical liner  122  may be disposed inside the capital  110  so that it defines the inner surface  118 . The liner  122  may be made from an abradable material, that is a material which may be easily cut, machined away, or otherwise removed. This is helpful in cases where the column  12  is severely out-of round, as described in more detail below. In the illustrated example, the liner  122  is a formed paper tube with a wall thickness of about 2.4 mm ( 3/32 in.) to about 3.2 mm (⅛ in.)  
         [0045]     In one exemplary manufacturing process, the capital is formed by introducing fluid casting material into a permanent mold and allowing it to cure through an exothermic reaction. It has been found that using a casting material with a filler, especially an absorbent filler that takes up the base resin, results in a finished product which is easy to machine, relatively lightweight, and which has good surface finish and the ability to “hold” delicate, sharp decorative features without crumbling. Examples of suitable absorbent fillers include ground pecan shells, flour, and calcium carbonate (often referred to as “marble dust”). Any base resin which is compatible with the filler may be used, for example polyester or polyurethane resins. One exemplary casting material composition includes about 30% to about 70% by volume percent polyester resin, about 30% to about 70% by volume absorbent filler, and a quantity of a catalyst effective to promote an exothermic reaction, for example about 1.25% by volume methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK) peroxide.  
         [0046]     Although it is possible to produce the capital  110  as a fully solid casting and then to machine away material to form the inner surface  118 , this is time-consuming and wasteful of material. Accordingly, the casting process may be carried out in such a way that a central opening  124  (see  FIG. 4 ) is formed during the casting process. This may be done by providing a cylindrical plug or mandrel (not shown) as part of the mold. To facilitate manufacture and avoid removal of a mandrel, the capital  110  may be cast with a liner  122  fixtured in place in the mold, serving as a mandrel. Especially if paper or other absorbent material is used, the liner  122  will tend to become bonded to the remainder of the capital  110  as the casting material cures. The capital  110  with the attached liner  122  may then be removed from the mold.  
         [0047]      FIGS. 5-7  illustrate the steps in installation of the capital  110  onto a column  12 . In contrast to the installation of the prior art capital  10 , the upper portion of the column  12  need not be removed. The capital  110  is simply slipped over the top of the column  12 . The weight of the capital  110  bears on the protruding neck ring  20  rather than the top rim  18 . If the column  12  is severely out-of-round, the liner  122  may be cut, abraded, machined, or otherwise partially or wholly removed to provide sufficient clearance. An adhesive  126  of a known type such as carpenter&#39;s glue may be applied to the outer wall  16  of the column  12  and the inner surface  118  of the capital, resulting in a finished column assembly  127 . If desired, the capital  110  may be wedged into a centered position by selectively inserting carpenter&#39;s wedges  128  or the like between the top rim  18  of the column  12  and the inner surface  118  of the capital  110  (see  FIG. 8 ). If desired, the capital  110  may be further secured by driving fasteners  130  such as the illustrated screws through the capital  110  into the column  12 .  
         [0048]     The configuration shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  is adequate for a non-structural column assembly. In some situations the column  12  is expected to support loads from a roof or ceiling. In these instances an optional structural insert  132  (shown in  FIG. 9 ) capable of supporting the intended loads may be inserted into the capital  110 . The structural insert  132  bears against the top rim  18  of the column  12  and is tall enough in the vertical direction that any compressive loads are transferred directly to the column  12  through the structural insert  132 , rather than the top surface  116  of the capital  110 . The structural insert  132  may be made from a material similar to the column  12 , such as glass-reinforced plastic.  
         [0049]      FIGS. 10 and 11  depict an alternative capital  210 . The capital  210  includes a bottom rim  214  defining an annular opening, a top surface  216 , and a outer surface  220  which is formed into a selected decorative shape. In the illustrated example the decorative form is a known type of Roman Doric design. The capital  210  is essentially a thin-walled hollow structure which may be formed, for example, by injection molding, rotational molding, or stamping. An upper opening  224  is formed through the top surface  216  to accommodate installation onto a column  10  as described above. As shown in  FIG. 11 , a cylindrical liner  222 , similar in construction to the liner  122  described above, may be disposed in the capital  210 . If desired, the void  226  between the outer wall  220  and the liner  222  may be filled with a material such as expanding foam (not shown) to add rigidity to the capital  210 .  
         [0050]      FIG. 12  illustrates yet another alternative capital  310 . The capital  310  is a hollow structure which includes a bottom rim  314 , a top surface  316 , and a outer wall  320  which is formed into a selected decorative shape. In the illustrated example the decorative form is a known type of Roman Doric design. The capital  310  may be formed, for example, by injection molding. A cylindrical liner  322  defining an inner surface  318  is integrally cast with the outer wall  320 . To facilitate production, the capital  310  may be molded in two separate halves  324 A and  324 B which are subsequently attached together, for example using adhesives, heat welding, sonic welding, or fasteners. If desired, the void  326  between the outer wall  320  and the liner  322  may be filled with a material such as expanding foam (not shown) to add rigidity to the capital  310 .  
         [0051]     The foregoing has described a column capital. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation, the invention being defined by the claims.

Summary:
A column capital includes a generally planar top surface; a generally cylindrical inner surface for receiving a column therein; and a outer decorative surface spaced away from the inner surface. The inner surface is sized to fit over a column and rest on a neck ring of the column. The capital may incorporate a cylindrical, abradable liner. A method for producing a column capital includes introducing casting material between a mold an liner, allowing the casting material to cure, and removing the casting material with the attached liner from the mold.