Method and apparatus for marking a location

• US 6,085,452 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Davis R.P. Stephen
• Original Assignee: Davis R.P. Stephen
• Inventors: Davis, R.P. Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOP, ANDREA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/763,607
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 33/293, 33/294, 40/605, 40/606, 40/607, 40/612, 40/645, 40/598, 40/610, 40/659, 40/637, 40/661.11, 40/368, 40/611, 52/103, 116/209, 248/530, 248/533, 47/44, 47/47, 403/292, 446/108, 446/111, 446/112, 446/113, 446/115, 446/122
• US Class Current: 40/607.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0037 supported by a post
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/00 Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols vehicle registration number plates B60R13/10; Panels or boards show-cards G09F1/00; indicating arrangements for variable information G09F9/00, G09F11/00; illuminated signs G09F13/00; boards for notices or posters G09F15/00

Abstract

A device and method for marking a location with a marker stake. An elongate wire-like rod is partially inserted in the ground at a location to be marked, and the rod is received in a pre-sized panel having a pair of flag faces and an open-ended longitudinal channel, the channel being dimensioned to receive the rod in friction fit. The flag faces are separated by a plurality of spacers in generally parallel orientation to each other, with the spacers defining the plurality of channels, and the panel has two longitudinal ends each having a sighting notch. While inserting the rod into the ground, the panel may be disposed at the ground to serve as a guide to retain the rod against deflection. Two or more panels and rods may be joined together to produce a larger marker stake, and the panels may be oriented at right angles to each other to give the marker stake a greater three-dimensional profile.

Claims

1. A marker stake for marking a location, comprising:

first and second elongate wire-like rods each having two ends, said first rod insertable into the ground at a location to be marked;

first and second pre-sized panels each having a pair of flag faces and an open-ended longitudinal channel dimensioned in cross-section to be capable of receiving in friction fit a portion of the longitudinal length of said first rod or said second rod, said panels each having two longitudinal ends in generally parallel orientation, each of said longitudinal ends having a notch formed therein, said notches being centered on said channel; and

said first panel for receiving a portion of said first rod and a portion of said second rod in said channel, said second panel for receiving a portion of said second rod in said channel, said first panel and said second panel disposed adjacent at respective longitudinal ends thereof with their said flag faces in right angle orientation with respect to each other about said second rod;

said first panel and said second panel being retained in right angle orientation by interengagement of the notches in the adjacent ends thereof.

2. The marker stake of claim 1, in which said pair of flag faces of each panel are separated by two or more spacers in generally parallel orientation, and said spacers define said channel.

3. A marker stake for marking a location, comprising:

first and second elongate wire-like rods each having two ends, said first rod partially insertable into the ground at a location to be marked;

first and second pre-sized panels each having a pair of flag faces and at least two longitudinal channels dimensioned in cross-section to be capable of receiving in friction fit a portion of the longitudinal length of said first rod or said second rod, said panels each having two longitudinal ends in generally parallel orientation, each of said longitudinal ends having a notch formed therein and centered on one of said channels; and

said first panel for receiving a portion of said first rod in one of said channels and a portion of said second rod in another of said channels, said second panel for receiving a portion of said second rod in one of said channels, said first panel and said second panel disposed adjacent at respective longitudinal ends thereof with their said faces in right angle orientation with respect to each other about said second rod;

said first panel and said second panel being retained in right angle orientation by interengagement of the notches in the adjacent ends thereof.

4. The marker stake of claim 3, in which said pair of flag faces of each panel are separated by at least three spacers in generally parallel orientation, and said spacers define said at least two channels.

5. A set of rods and panels for assembling into marker stakes for marking locations, comprising:

a bundle of individual straight rods each insertable into the ground at a location to be marked, each said rod including a plurality of gripping projections spaced along its length; and

a sheet of a plurality of panels folded in accordion fashion, each said panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by a plurality of spacers which define an open-ended channel having a cross-section dimensioned to receive a said rod in frictional gripping resistance between said channel and said gripping projections sufficient to support said panel at a vertical spacing above the ground, said panels being joined together only at lateral sides thereof by spaced separable connecting elements for easy separation of said panels for disposing said panels individually on said rods to form marker stakes;

wherein each said panel includes a sighting notch comprising an opening into said channel formed in a said flag surface thereof for viewing of a said rod when disposed in said channel.

6. A method of inserting a marker stake in the ground at a location, comprising the steps of:

providing a rod having a ground insertable end and a sighting end;

providing a panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by two spacers which define an open-ended channel dimensioned in cross-section for receiving therein said rod in frictional gripping resistance therewith sufficient to support the panel at a vertical spacing to the ground solely by said frictional gripping resistance;

inserting the rod in the channel and slidably disposing the panel at the ground insertable end of the rod;

positioning the rod with its ground insertable end at the location to be marked;

partially inserting the rod into the ground at the location to firmly anchor the rod in the ground while bracing the rod against deflection with the panel in abutment with the ground;

sliding the panel along the anchored rod to position the panel at the vertical spacing to the ground; and

retaining the panel in the position solely by the frictional gripping resistance.

7. A method of inserting a marker stake in the ground at a location for sighting thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing a rod having a ground insertable end and a sighting end;

providing a panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by two spacers which define an open-ended channel dimensioned in cross-section for receiving the rod therein with frictional gripping resistance therewith sufficient to support the panel at a vertical spacing to the ground, the panel including a sighting notch comprising an opening into said channel formed in a said flag surface;

positioning the rod with its ground insertable end at a location;

partially inserting the rod into the ground at the location to firmly anchor the rod in the ground;

sliding the panel along the anchored rod to position the sighting end of the rod within the opening of the sighting notch of the panel for sighting thereon; and

retaining the panel in the position solely by the frictional gripping resistance.

8. A method of inserting a marker stake in the ground at a location, said marker stake including first and second elongate wire-like rods, said first rod having a ground insertable end and an opposite end, said second rod having an insertable end and a sighting end, and first and second pre-sized panels each having a pair of flag faces, two or more open-ended longitudinal channels dimensioned in cross-section for receiving in friction fit a portion of the longitudinal length of one of said rods, and two longitudinal ends in generally parallel orientation, each of said longitudinal ends having a notch formed therein and centered on one of said channels, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting said first rod in said one of said channels of said first panel;

positioning said first rod with its ground insertable end at said location;

partially inserting said first rod into the ground at said location to firmly anchor said rod in the ground;

positioning said first panel at said opposite end of said first rod; and

inserting said insertable end of said second rod in another of said channels of said first panel and said sighting end of said second rod in said one of said channels of said second panel and disposing said second panel in right angle orientation with respect to said first panel about said second rod with the notches of the adjacent ends of said first panel and said second panel being in interengagement to retain said first and second panels in right angle orientation.

9. A marker stake for marking a location, comprising:

a rod insertable partially into the around at a location to be marked, said rod including a plurality of gripping projections spaced along its length; and

a panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by a plurality of spacers, said spacers defining an open-ended channel having a cross-section dimensioned to receive said rod therein in frictional gripping resistance between said channel and said gripping projections, said rod extending within said channel and supporting said panel at a vertical spacing above the ground solely by said frictional gripping resistance;

wherein said gripping projections also serve to frictionally retain said rod within the ground.

10. A marker stake for marking a location, comprising:

a rod insertable partially into the ground at a location to be marked, said rod including a plurality of gripping projections spaced along its length; and

a panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by a plurality of spacers, said spacers defining an open-ended channel having a cross-section dimensioned to receive said rod therein in frictional gripping resistance between said channel and said gripping projections, said rod extending within said channel and supporting said panel at a vertical spacing above the around solely by said frictional gripping resistance;

wherein said panel includes a sighting notch comprising an opening into said channel formed in a said flag surface thereof for viewing of a said rod disposed in said channel.

11. A set of rods and panels for assembling into marker stakes for marking locations, comprising:

a bundle of individual straight rods each insertable into the ground at a location to be marked, each said rod including a plurality of gripping projections spaced along its length; and

a sheet of a plurality of panels folded in accordion fashion, each said panel having a pair of flag surfaces separated by a plurality of spacers which define an open-ended channel having a cross-section dimensioned to receive a said rod in frictional gripping resistance between said channel and said gripping projections sufficient to support said panel at a vertical spacing above the ground, said panels being joined together only at lateral sides thereof by spaced separable connecting elements for easy separation of said panels for disposing said panels individually on said rods to form marker stakes;

wherein said gripping projections also serve to frictionally retain said rod within the ground.