Patent ID: 8714864

Claim:
A coupler for use in coupling together end-to-end abutting sections of post sections to form a composite post, each said post section including a pair of flanges intersecting at an angle, said coupler comprising: a pair of coupler flanges also intersecting each other at said angle, each coupler flange having an exterior surface; a reverse bend flange extended transversely from an edge of each coupler flange alongside a respective coupler flange and defining a gap with said exterior surface of said respective coupler flange; each reverse bend flange having respective end edges; a projection extending longitudinally from each end of each said coupler flange, each said projection having an end edge tapering non-linearly into a respective end edge of each reverse bend flange; and each said reverse bend flange extending longitudinally with each respective coupler flange and having a length shorter than a distance between respective end edges of said projections; and wherein each said projection end edge is rounded.