Patent ID: 7278240

Claim:
A post mounting apparatus, comprising: a base member for attaching to an end of a post, wherein the post end has an opening into an interior of the post, said interior having one or more interior walls; wherein said base member includes: (a1) a support member for inserting into the interior, said support member having one or more sides that slope relative to the interior walls of the post when the support member is provided in the interior, and (a2) a post receiving portion provided between a wall of the base member, and said support member, wherein when the post end is provided within said post receiving portion, said wall contacts an exterior of the post end; one or more gripping members, each gripping member having a portion for providing in a corresponding position between one of the sides and one of the interior walls; a tightening mechanism for securing the portion of at least one of the gripping members in the corresponding position; wherein said tightening mechanism includes at least one part that is moveable between: (b1) a first configuration, wherein the at least one gripping member is not secured to at least one of: any of the sides, and any of the interior post walls, and (b2) a second configuration, wherein the at least one gripping member is secured to both: one of the sides, and one of the interior post walls, wherein the at least one gripping member contributes to maintaining the post in a desired orientation.