Ground moisture probe
First Claim
1. A soil moisture probe comprising a solid cylindrical rod having a sharp soil-insertable tip end, an opposite handle end and a longitudinal fixed diameter intermediate portion sized to be inserted into soil;
- an insertion handle extending from the handle end;
an integral protuberance extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer arc surface of said rod adjacent to said soil-insertable tip end, said protuberance having an upper generally flat surface forming a shelf extending outwardly beyond the diameter of said fixed diameter intermediate portion, and a fairing extending from said shelf to said tip end; and
a longitudinally tapered slot extending from said shelf and merging with said fixed diameter intermediate portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ground soil moisture probe is constructed of a solid cylindrical rod with a solid soil-piercing bottom conical tip end an inverse conic section hard facing protuberance extending from above the rod tip end and fairing into the rod tip end. A tangential slot extends thereabove, forming with a flat stop of the protuberance a soil-collection and soil-holding shelf. The probe is inserted into the soil or sod being moisture tested to a predetermined depth, controlled by a depth-adjustable circular depth stop extending from the rod. The sample is obtained by a scraping action of the shelf outer edge on the sides of the hole made by insertion of the probe. A finger pinch test is described where a lop-sided sample ball of soil is pinched from the shelf and the general comparative amount of moisture in the sample determined by the feel and appearance of the soil sample to the operator.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A soil moisture probe comprising a solid cylindrical rod having a sharp soil-insertable tip end, an opposite handle end and a longitudinal fixed diameter intermediate portion sized to be inserted into soil;
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an insertion handle extending from the handle end; an integral protuberance extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer arc surface of said rod adjacent to said soil-insertable tip end, said protuberance having an upper generally flat surface forming a shelf extending outwardly beyond the diameter of said fixed diameter intermediate portion, and a fairing extending from said shelf to said tip end; and a longitudinally tapered slot extending from said shelf and merging with said fixed diameter intermediate portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
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4. A soil moisture probe comprising a solid cylindrical rod having a sharp soil-insertable tip end and an opposite handle end;
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an insertion handle extending from the handle end; an integral protuberance extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer arc surface of said rod adjacent to said soil-insertable tip end, said protuberance having an upper generally flat surface; and a fairing extending from said shelf to said tip end; and wherein said fairing has an axis spaced from and parallel to a central axis of the cylindrical rod.
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8. A soil moisture probe comprising a solid cylindrical rod having a sharp soil-insertable tip end and an opposite handle end;
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an insertion handle extending from the handle end; an integral protuberance extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer arc surface of said rod adjacent to said soil-insertable tip end, said protuberance having an upper generally flat surface; and wherein said protuberance is a ground hard facing weldment extending from said rod.
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Specification