U.S. patent application number 09/738498 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-20 for ground marker.
Invention is credited to Howard, Michael.
Application Number | 20020073915 09/738498 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24968273 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020073915 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Howard, Michael |
June 20, 2002 |
Ground marker
Abstract
A ground marker for marking a location on the ground to indicate
the location and possibly the orientation of a buried object, such
as an underground utility line. The ground marker includes a ground
penetrating stake, and a substantially planar marker plate. The
stake has at one end a head with a long dimension and a short
dimension, and a substantially planar point with outwardly biased
barbs at the other end. The marker plate also has a long dimension
and a short dimension, and has an opening for receiving the stake,
configured such that the long dimension of the stake head will
align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the stake is
extended through the opening, and such that relative rotation of
the stake and marker plate is prevented.
Inventors: |
Howard, Michael; (Beaufort,
SC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David R. McKinney
THORPE, NORTH & WESTERN, LLP
P.O. Box 1219
Sandy
UT
84091-1219
US
|
Family ID: |
24968273 |
Appl. No.: |
09/738498 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
116/209 ;
52/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F 9/608 20160201;
G09F 19/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
116/209 ;
52/103 |
International
Class: |
E04H 013/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A ground marker for marking a location on the ground,
comprising: a ground penetrating stake, having a stake head at one
end thereof, and an insertion end at an opposing end thereof, the
insertion end having outwardly biased barbs thereon, and the stake
head having a long dimension and a short dimension; a stake shaft
disposed between the stake head and the insertion end, the stake
shaft having a cross-section with a long axis and a short axis, the
long axis being disposed substantially in a plane of the insertion
end, and aligned with the long dimension of the stake head; a
substantially planar marker plate, having a long dimension and a
short dimension, and having an opening therethrough for receiving
the stake, the opening being configured such that the long
dimension of the stake head and the long axis of the stake shaft
will align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the
stake is extended through the opening; and interengaging means on
the stake shaft and the opening in the marker plate, to prevent
relative rotation therebetween.
2. The ground marker of claim 1, wherein the ground marker includes
indicia to mark the identity of a buried object.
3. The ground marker of claim 2, wherein the long dimension of the
marker plate serves as a directional indicia for indicating an
orientation of the buried object.
4. The ground marker of claim 2, further comprising directional
indicia disposed on a top surface of the marker plate, indicating
an orientation of the buried object.
5. The ground marker of claim 1, wherein the short axis of the
stake shaft gradually tapers from a maximum dimension at a location
adjacent the head, to a minimum dimension at a location adjacent a
distal end of the insertion end.
6. The ground marker of claim 1, further comprising at least one
elongate groove disposed in the marker plate and aligned with the
long dimension thereof.
7. The ground marker of claim 6, wherein the at least one groove is
formed in a bottom surface of the marker plate.
8. The ground marker of claim 1, wherein the stake head is
substantially elliptical in shape, and the marker plate is
substantially rectangular.
9. The ground marker of claim 1, wherein the insertion end of the
stake comprises a substantially planar arrow-head shaped point, and
the outwardly biased barbs comprise outwardly projecting integral
tabs, which deflect inward when the stake point is driven into the
ground, and which deflect outward into the surrounding earth in
response to force which would remove the stake from the ground.
10. The ground marker of claim 9, wherein: the stake shaft is
substantially cruciform in shape; and the opening in the marker
plate has a corresponding substantially cruciform shape to (i)
allow passage of the stake shaft, and (ii) prevent relative
rotation of the stake and the marker plate, the opening further
comprising an elongate extension aligned with the long dimension of
the marker plate, for accommodating the substantially planar stake
point.
11. The ground marker of claim 1, wherein the marker plate is
formed of pultruded fiberglass, and the stake is formed of high
density polyethylene (HDPE).
12. A ground marker for indicating the location of underground
utilities, comprising: a ground penetrating stake, having an
integral impacting head at one end thereof, an integral
non-removable point at the other end thereof, and a shaft
therebetween, the head having a long dimension and a short
dimension, the point having outwardly biased barbs thereon, and the
shaft having a long axis and a short axis, the short axis gradually
tapering from a maximum dimension at a location adjacent the head
to a minimum dimension at a location adjacent the end of the point;
a substantially planar marker plate, having a long dimension, and
having an opening therethrough for receiving the stake, the opening
being configured to permit passage of the point and shaft of the
stake, but not permit passage of the head of the stake, the opening
shaped to interengage the stake shaft and to prevent relative
rotation of the shaft within the opening.
13. The ground marker of claim 12, wherein the long dimension of
the marker plate serves as a directional indicia for indicating an
orientation of the underground utility.
14. The ground marker of claim 12, further comprising directional
indicia disposed on a top surface of the marker plate, indicating
an orientation of the underground utility.
15. The ground marker of claim 12, wherein the stake point
comprises a substantially planar arrow-head shape, and the
outwardly biased barbs comprise outwardly projecting integral tabs,
which deflect inward when the stake point is driven into the
ground, and which deflect outward into the surrounding earth in
response to force which would remove the stake from the ground.
16. The ground marker of claim 15, wherein: the stake shaft has a
substantially cruciform shape; and the opening in the marker plate
has a corresponding substantially cruciform shape, so as to engage
the stake shaft and prevent relative rotation of the stake shaft
within the opening, the opening further comprising an elongate
portion for accommodating the substantially planar stake point.
17. The ground marker of claim 12, wherein the stake head is
substantially elliptical in shape, and the marker plate is
substantially rectangular.
18. The ground marker of claim 12, wherein the marker plate is
formed of pultruded fiberglass, and the stake is formed of high
density polyethylene (HDPE).
19. A ground marker for indicating the location of buried objects,
comprising: a ground penetrating stake, having an integral
impacting head at one end thereof, an integral non-removable
arrowhead shaped point at the other end thereof, and a shaft
therebetween, the head being substantially elliptical in shape, the
point having outwardly biased barbs disposed rearwardly on the
arrowhead shape, and the shaft having a long axis and a short axis,
the short axis gradually tapering from a maximum dimension at a
location adjacent the head, to a minimum dimension at a location
adjacent the point; a substantially planar marker plate, having a
long dimension and a short dimension, and having an opening
therethrough for receiving the stake, the opening being configured
to permit passage of the shaft of the stake, but not to permit
passage of the head, and oriented such that the long dimension of
the stake head will align with the long dimension of the marker
plate when the stake is extended through the opening; and
interengaging means on the stake and the marker plate to prevent
relative rotation therebetween.
20. The ground marker of claim 19, wherein the interengaging means
comprises: the stake shaft having a substantially cruciform shape;
and the opening in the marker plate having a corresponding
substantially cruciform shape to (i) allow passage of the stake
shaft, and (ii) prevent relative rotation of the stake and the
marker plate, the opening further comprising an elongate extension
aligned with the long dimension of the marker plate, for
accommodating the substantially planar stake point.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to devices for marking locations on
the ground. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
weather resistant ground marker which is easy to install and
difficult to remove.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Art
[0004] There are many devices which have been contrived to mark
locations on the ground, such as property lines, buried water
lines, gas lines, etc. Most of these comprise an upright post with
markings identifying the specific nature of the buried object
therebeneath--e.g. gas line, electric cable, etc. Other types
include some sort of stake which holds down a cap or marker. In
some cases, the marker includes a directional indicator, such as an
arrow, etc., intended to show the direction of the buried utility
line.
[0005] It is desirable to have a ground marker device which
includes a ground stake which is designed with barbs, etc. so as to
resist removal from the ground. It would also be desirable to have
a ground marker which provides additional resistance to removal
through interaction of the ground stake and the marker. It is also
desirable to have a directional indicator included as part of the
marker.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to
provide a ground marker having a ground penetrating stake with an
integral head which is configured to resist uplift applied against
the marker plate.
[0007] It is another advantage of this invention to provide a
ground marker in which the shape of the marker plate provides a
directional indication.
[0008] The above and other advantages are realized in a ground
marker for marking a location on the ground, comprising a ground
penetrating stake, and a substantially planar marker plate. The
stake has a head at one end, and a substantially planar insertion
end at the other end. The head has a long dimension and a short
dimension, and the insertion end has outwardly biased barbs which
allow the insertion end to be driven into the ground, but resist
removal. The marker plate also has a long dimension and a short
dimension, and has an opening for receiving the stake, the opening
being configured such that the long dimension of the stake head
will align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the
stake is extended through the opening, and such that relative
rotation of the stake and marker plate is prevented. The marker
plate may be placed upon the ground such that the long dimension
indicates the orientation of a buried object. The marker plate may
also have directional indicia disposed on a top surface
thereof.
[0009] Other advantages and features of the present invention will
be apparent to those skilled in the art, based on the following
description, taken in combination with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the ground marker of the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the marker plate with the ground
stake inserted therethrough;
[0012] FIG. 2B is a front elevational view of the ground stake;
[0013] FIG. 2C is a side elevational view of the ground stake shown
inserted through the cross-section of the marker plate;
[0014] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the stake taken through
line 3A of FIG. 2B;
[0015] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the stake taken through
line 3B of FIG. 2B; and
[0016] FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the stake taken through
line 3C of FIG. 2B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Reference will now be made to the drawings in which the
various elements of the present invention will be given numeral
designations and in which the invention will be discussed so as to
enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is
to be understood that the following description is only exemplary
of the principles of the present invention, and should not be
viewed as narrowing the pending claims.
[0018] The ground marker 10 of the present invention generally
comprises a marker plate 12 in combination with a ground
penetrating stake 14, for marking a location on the ground, such as
a location above an underground object 70 (see FIG. 1), such as a
buried gas, water, sewer, electrical, or communication line. The
stake 14 is a ground penetrating device having a stake head 16 at
one end, a substantially planar insertion end 18 at an opposing end
thereof, and a stake shaft 20 interconnecting the stake head and
the insertion end. The stake head, shaft, and insertion end are
preferably integrally formed as a single piece of relatively hard,
durable material. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is preferred,
but any material which is generally impact resistant, sunlight and
weather resistant, and otherwise suited for use as a permanent or
semi-permanent ground-penetrating stake may be used.
[0019] The top surface 22 of the stake head is configured to be
struck with a hammer or other device for driving the stake into the
ground. It will be apparent that the stake head must necessarily be
relatively thick and made of impact resistant material to serve
this function. The stake head 16 is preferably elliptical in shape,
having a long dimension X.sub.h and a short dimension Y.sub.h, and
a chamfer 24 formed around its top edge. The orientation of the
long dimension and short dimension relative to the marker plate are
discussed in more detail below.
[0020] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the stake shaft
generally comprises a tapering planar element 26, with a tapering
rib 28 disposed normal to said planar element. With this
configuration, the stake shaft 20 has a generally cruciform
cross-section, with a long axis X.sub.s and a short axis Y.sub.s,
which are aligned with the long dimension X.sub.h and short
dimension Y.sub.h, of the stake head, respectively. The long axis
X.sub.s of the shaft (representing the long dimension of the planar
element 26) is also aligned with the plane of the insertion end 18.
Other cross-sectional shapes may also be used for the stake shaft.
Almost any shape other than circular will be suitable, as discussed
below.
[0021] As can be seen from the drawings, the rib 28 gradually
tapers from a maximum dimension at a location near the head 16, to
become completely flush with the face of the insertion end 18 near
the point of the insertion end. The planar element 26 also tapers
from a maximum dimension near the stake head, to a minimum
dimension immediately adjacent to the connection of the insertion
end, approximately at the location of Section 3C. This tapering
configuration tends to reduce the force required to drive the stake
into the ground, while allowing the strength of the stake shaft to
be greatest toward the head.
[0022] Both the planar element 26 and rib 28 have outwardly flaring
flanges 30 immediately below the bottom surface 32 of the stake
head, so as to provide additional strength in the area where the
driving impact will be applied. These flanges also engage the
marker plate 12, as described in more detail below.
[0023] The insertion end 18 of the stake preferably comprises an
arrowhead shaped point 34 that is integrally formed with the planar
element 26 of stake shaft 20, and is non-removable. The top portion
of the point 34 includes outwardly biased barbs 38, which are
outwardly projecting integral tabs, formed as part of the point.
These barbs are configured to extend to a width W.sub.p
approximately equal to or slightly smaller that the width W.sub.f
of the flange 30 of the planar element 26. The barbs deflect inward
slightly when the insertion end is driven into the ground, but tend
to deflect outward slightly and hook into the surrounding earth in
response to any force which would tend to remove the stake from the
ground. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3C, the gap 40 between
the shaft and the barbs is visible. While the preferred shape of
the insertion end is that of an arrowhead shaped point as shown,
other shapes may also be used. For example, the insertion end 18
may comprise a broad flat blade, rather than a point, or any other
shape which may be driven into the ground.
[0024] The marker plate 12 generally comprises a substantially
planar piece of durable, weather resistant material, preferably
fiberglass, having a top surface 42 and a bottom surface 44. While
other materials may be used, fiberglass is preferred because it is
relatively rigid, it is low in cost, and it is generally resistant
to moisture, cold, sunlight, corrosive soil, and other potentially
adverse conditions it may encounter. Additionally, the preferred
marker plate may be formed through a pultrusion process, as is well
known in the art. In this process, several elongate fibers are
aligned with the long dimension of the plate, and are pulled
through a pultrusion die in combination with fiberglass resin
incorporating an appropriate quantity of randomly oriented fibers.
The resulting plate of fiberglass assumes a cross-sectional shape
that is the same as the shape of the die, which is cured into a
very rigid and resilient piece.
[0025] The marker plate 12 preferably is formed in a substantially
rectangular shape, having a long dimension L and a short dimension
W. In one illustrative embodiment, the length L is approximately 14
inches, the width W is approximately 4 inches, and the plate is
approximately 1/4 inch thick. It will be apparent, however, that
the actual dimensions of the marker plate may vary widely.
[0026] An opening 46 is formed through a central portion of the
marker plate from the top surface 42 to the bottom surface 44, and
is configured for receiving the stake 14. The opening 46 preferably
has a generally cruciform shape, which corresponds to the
cross-sectional shape of the top of the shaft 20 of the stake. The
opening is configured with a longer portion 48, configured for
receiving the flange 30 associated with the planar element 26 of
the stake shaft, and a shorter portion 50 configured for receiving
the flange 30 associated with the rib 28. This orientation allows
the long dimension X.sub.h of the stake head 16 and the long axis
X.sub.S of the stake shaft to align with the long dimension L of
the marker plate when the stake is extended through the
opening.
[0027] As noted above, the barbs 38 have a width W.sub.p which is
approximately equal to or slightly smaller that the width W.sub.f
of the flange 30 of the planar element 26. Accordingly, the
insertion end 18 will easily pass through the longer portion 46 of
the opening, allowing the shaft 20 to pass therethrough until the
top surface 42 of the marker plate 12 contacts the bottom surface
32 of the stake head 14, and flanges 30 substantially fill the
opening 46.
[0028] The matching shape of the opening 46 relative to the
cross-section of the top portion of the stake shaft 20 allows the
stake shaft and the opening to mechanically engage each other, such
that the stake 14 is prevented from rotating within the opening.
Accordingly, when the stake is driven into the ground at a
particular orientation, the orientation of the long dimension L of
the marker plate will be fixed relative to the stake, which cannot
rotate because of the generally planar shape of the insertion end
18. This feature of the invention allows the long dimension L of
the marker plate 12 to serve as a directional indicator for
indicating the orientation of the buried object. Moreover, the
large and easily visible nature of the marker plate makes it
visible from a relatively long distance away, such as from a moving
vehicle or an aircraft.
[0029] The marker plate 12 includes several elongate grooves 52
formed in its bottom surface 44. These are aligned with the long
dimension L of the plate and provide increased friction with the
ground to prevent rotation of the marker plate. For example, these
grooves will help grip sand, grass, etc. which is disposed within
the grooves below the marker plate.
[0030] As shown in the drawings, the marker may include directional
or other indicia 60 on its top surface 42. For example, the marker
may include a written message indicating the purpose of the marker,
such as a warning message 62 regarding a buried utility line, to
encourage care when digging. It may include one or more arrows 64
indicating the direction of the utility line, or indicating the
flow direction of a buried drainage or wastewater pipeline. It may
also include a telephone number, a warning about possible legal
liability for removing the marker without authorization, etc. Any
message is possible. These indicia may be applied to the top
surface of the marker plate through painting, silk screening, or
other similar means, or the indicia may be integrally formed in the
body of the plate, such as through stamping, injection molding,
engraving, etc. Any method which will produce durable numbers,
letters, or other symbols may be used.
[0031] The ground marker of the present invention may be used to
mark any location on the ground, including property lines, property
corners, but is preferably useful for marking the location of
buried objects 70 (FIG. 1), such as underground utilities,
including gas, water, sewer, electrical, and communication lines.
Its durable construction makes it resistant to adverse weather
conditions, and the configuration of the stake makes it difficult
to remove, thus providing a relatively permanent marker of unseen
things. Moreover, the preferably elongated configuration of the
marker plate allows the orientation of the device to be oriented in
line with an underground object, such as a pipeline or cable, and
this orientational feature is visible from a relatively long
distance away.
[0032] It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements
are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the
present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative
arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and
the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and
arrangements.
* * * * *