Permanent marker for utilities

• US 4,738,060 A
• Filed: 12/08/1986
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Communitex Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Communitex Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Marthaler, Robert H., Marthaler, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIDGILL JR, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US06/939,353
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 52/103, 52/104, 52/105, 52/153, 52/155, 52/163, 135/118
• US Class Current: 52/103
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/223 with movable anchoring elements; with separately driven anchor rods
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/04 Permanent marks; Boundary markers

Abstract

A marker assembly for permanently locating underground utility elements with a non-removable plastic stake and a tamper-proof marker held in place by the stake.

Claims

1. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects comprising:

a ground penetrating stake having an integral impacting head at one end thereof and an integral non-removable point at the other end thereof with outwardly projecting integral flexible barbs thereon, a generally flat marker having directional indicia on the surface thereof indicating the location of the buried object, said marker having a stake rceiving opening therethrough that engages and compresses the barbs on the stake permitting the stake to pass through the marker so the marker can be assembled to the stake prior to driving the stake in the ground, and interengaging means on the stake and the marker to prevent relative rotation there-between whereby the position of the directional indicia relative to the ground remains unchanged.

2. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 1, wherein the marker is constructed of a sufficiently flexible elastomeric material that after ground implantation it will bend upwardly easily preventing the stake from being pried upwardly by a prying implement without bending.

3. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, comprising:

a ground penetrating stake having an integral impacting head at one end thereof and an integral non-removable point at the other end thereof with integral barbs projecting therefrom, said stake being constructed of plastic and having a generally rectangular cross-section and a marker constructed of flexible plastic and having a generally rectangular opening therethrough slidably receiving the stake, said stake head being sufficiently large to prevent removal of the marker from the stake across the stake head, said rectangular opening in the marker preventing relative rotation of the marker and the stake, said rectangular cross-section of the stake preventing relative rotation of the stake to the ground, said point on the stake having integral flexible barbs that prevent removal of the stake from the ground after implantation, said opening in the marker being constructed to compress the stake barbs as the stake passes through the marker opening.

4. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 3, including directional indicia integrally formed on the marker to indicate the location of the buried object.

5. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 4, wherein the stake is a one-piece plastic molding.

6. A ground marker assembly for indicating the loccation of buried objects, as defined in claim 4, including a second marker receiving opening in the head of the stake adapted to receive a vertically extending second marker.

7. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 4, wherein the marker is cup-shaped having a diameter far greater than its height so that it lays close to the ground and permits mowing or other equipment to pass thereover unobstructed.

8. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 7, wherein the marker is thin walled and molded plastic having a Shore A durometer in the range of 75 to 100.

9. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects comprising a one-piece plastic stake including an elongated shank portion having a hammer impacting integral head at one end thereof and an integral ground penetrating point at the other end and including a plurality of outwardly and rearwardly projecting flexible integral barbs that when implanted prevent removal of the stake, and a locating marker slidably received on the stake and prevented from removal therefrom by the stake head.

10. A ground marker assembly for indicating the location of buried objects, as defined in claim 9, wherein the marker has an opening therethrough that slidably receives the stake, said point barbs being wider than the marker opening but sufficiently flexible so they can be compressed for insertion of the point through the opening as the marker is assembled to the stake.