Abstract:
A pole cap apparatus to prevent birds from nesting on top of high power electric poles, and a method of installing the apparatus on the pole. The pointed hat conical apparatus fits poles of various diameters. The apparatus is held in place on the hollow pole primarily by the tension of unitary flexible legs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a pole cap apparatus, and methods of making and using same. 
     More particularly, the present invention relates to a pointed pole cap apparatus which fits poles of various diameters, and methods of making and using same. 
     Conventional pole caps fail to prevent birds from nesting on the top of high power electric poles. 
     It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of conventional pole caps, and to provide a more universal and efficient pole cap apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a pole cap apparatus for a pole having at least a hollow upper portion thereof, comprising: a conical main member; said conical main member having a plurality of flexible legs depending from and unitary with said conical main member; and said flexible legs being adapted to be flexed when inserted into the hollow portion of the pole and being held therein by tension on said flexible legs to hold the pole cap apparatus onto the pole. 
     The present invention also provides an apparatus as described above, including: a first plurality of first double faced tape members; and each said flexible leg having one of said first double faced tape members secured to the outside of an associated flexible leg so that said first double faced tape member adheres to the inside of the pole when said flexible legs are flexibly inserted into the hollow portion of the pole. 
     The present invention also provides an apparatus as described above, including: a second plurality of second double faced tape members; and each said second double faced tape member being secured to an interior surface of said conical main member so that said second double faced tape member adheres to a top edge of the pole when the apparatus is lowered into the hollow portion of the pole and bottoms out on said top edge of the pole. 
     The present invention also provides an apparatus as described above, wherein: each said second double faced tape member is disposed between adjacent flexible legs. 
     The present invention also provides an apparatus as described above, wherein: said conical main member and said plurality of flexible legs are made in one mold to be a unitary integral pole cap apparatus. 
     The present invention also provides a method of installing a pole cap apparatus for a pole having at least a hollow upper portion thereof, the apparatus including a conical main member and a plurality of flexible legs depending from and unitary with the conical main member, said method comprising the steps of: flexing said flexible legs inwardly while inserting said flexible legs into the hollow portion of the pole; pushing said apparatus into the hollow portion of the pole until an interior surface of the conical mail member contacts a top edge of the pole; whereby the pole cap apparatus is securely held in place on the pole by tension of the flexible legs against an interior surface of the hollow portion of the pole. 
     The present invention also provides a method as described above, including the steps of: securing a first double faced tape member to the outside of an associated flexible leg; and securing said first double faced tape member to the inside of the hollow portion pole when said flexible legs are flexed outwardly in the hollow portion of the pole. 
     The present invention also provides any of the methods as described above, including the steps of: securing a second double faced tape member to an interior surface of said conical main member; and securing said second double faced tape member to a top edge of the pole when the apparatus is lowered into the hollow portion of the pole and bottoms out on the top edge of the pole. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus as described hereinabove wherein the apparatus fits multiplied-sized steel high power electric poles. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus as described hereinabove which prevents birds from nesting on top of high power electric poles. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus as described hereinabove in the shape of a pointed hat which fits multiple sizes and diameters of poles. 
     Other objects, advantages, features and modifications of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology and to other persons after having been exposed to the present patent application with its accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a pole cap apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a bottom view of the  FIG. 1  apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  shows the section of  FIG. 2  taken along the line  3 - 3   
         FIG. 4  shows a front elevational view of the  FIG. 1  apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  is sectional view showing the pole cap apparatus starting to be in inserted into a hollow portion of the utility pole. 
         FIG. 6  is sectional view showing the pole cap apparatus fully installed into the hollow portion of the utility pole. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, there is shown a pole cap apparatus  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The pole cap apparatus  10  is used for a pole  11  having at least a hollow upper portion  12  thereof, and includes a conical main member  13  having four flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  depending from and unitary with said conical main member  13 . 
     The flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are adapted to flex when inserted into the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11  and to be held therein by tension on said flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  to hold the pole cap apparatus  10  onto the pole  11 . 
     The pole  11  is typically a steel high power electric pole which is completely hollow. 
     Preferably, but not necessarily, the pole cap apparatus  11  is made of polypropylene or ABS material. 
     Preferably, but not necessarily, the conical main member  13  and the flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are made in one mold to be a unitary integral pole cap apparatus  10 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6 , the members  27 ,  28  and  29  are for increased support and strength. 
     The apparatus  10  is designed and configured to fit poles  11  of various diameters. 
     The legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  will have tension on them when they are flexed inside the pole  11 . 
     Smaller diameter poles will have more leg tension than larger diameter poles. 
     For more securement support, there are provided four first double faced tape members  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21 . 
     Each flexible leg  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  has one of the first double faced tape members  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21 , respectively, adhesively secured to the outside of an associated flexible leg so that said first double faced tape members  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  adhere to the inside of the pole  11  when said flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are flexibly inserted into the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11 . 
     The first double faced tape members  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  take the form of ¾-inch by 1-inch long double faced tape strips secured to the outside of each flexible leg  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17 , respectively. 
     The tape members will adhere to the inside of the pole  11 . 
     For further securement support, there are provided one or more second double faced tape members  22  and  23 . 
     Each second double faced tape member  22  and  23  is adhesively secured to an interior surface  24  of the conical main member  13  so that the second double faced tape members  22  and  23  adheres to a top edge  25  of the pole  11  when the apparatus  10  is lowered into the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11  and bottoms out on the top edge  25  of the pole  11 . 
     Each second double faced tape member  22  and  23  is disposed between adjacent flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17 . 
     The members  22  and  23  can take the form of 1-inch by 3-inch long double faced tape placed on the inside of the conical main member  13 . 
     When the apparatus  10  is lowered, it will bottom out on the top edge  25  of the pole  11 , with the strips  22  and  23  contacting the top edge  25  of the pole  11 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is illustrated a method of installing a pole cap apparatus  10  for a pole  11  having at least a hollow upper portion  12  thereof, the apparatus  10  including a conical main member  13  and a plurality of flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  depending from and unitary with the conical main member  13 , said method comprising the steps of: flexing the flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  inwardly while inserting the flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  into the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11 ; pushing the apparatus  10  into the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11  until the interior surface  24  of the conical main member  13  contacts the top edge  25  of the pole  11 ; whereby the pole cap apparatus  10  is securely held in place on the pole  11  by tension of the flexible legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  against the interior surface  26  of the hollow portion  12  of the pole  11 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the apparatus  10  with the legs  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  being flexed inwardly for insertion into the pole  11 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates  FIG. 5  arrangement when the insertion of the apparatus  10  has progressed to its final installation position onto the pole  11 . 
     While the foregoing describes only one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention covers all variations, modifications and changes thereof which will occur to those persons skilled in the art and to other persons after having been exposed to the present patent application. 
     There has been described hereinabove only one of the many possible embodiments of the present invention which can be practiced in many different ways. 
     Many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications will become apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology and to others after having been exposed to the present patent application. 
     Any and all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are therefore covered by and embraced within the patent claims set forth hereinbelow.