Patent ID: 6938882

Claim:
An apparatus formed as a frame for a gate defining longitudinal, lateral, and transverse directions substantially orthogonal to one another, the apparatus comprising: a tie comprising an exterior vertex with first and second legs extending therefrom; longitudinal members oriented longitudinally; lateral members oriented laterally and being separably distinct from the tie and the longitudinal members; a fixing member to fix a longitudinal member of the longitudinal members with respect to the first legs of the tie; a fastener formed to secure a lateral member of the lateral members to the second leg of the tie; and the tie, securable to fix the longitudinal member and the lateral member substantially rigidly at a selected angle with respect to one another; and a sheathing member formed as a homogeneous unit, the sheathing member substantially covering at least one of the longitudinal member and the lateral member and extending therefrom to at least the exterior vertex of the tie.