Underground marking systems and methods for identifying a location of an object underground

• US 6,941,890 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ann Murphy-Taylor, Kim L. Baines, Michael P. Cristo Jr
• Original Assignee: Kim L. Baines, Michael P. Cristo Jr
• Inventors: Baines, Kim L., Cristo, Michael P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURSON, TANIA C
• Application Number:
  US10/265,059
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 116/209, 116/201, 116/200, 116/DIG.14
• US Class Current: 116/209
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/11 for the detection or protection of pipes in the ground

Abstract

An underground marking system for marking buried objects is constructed from synthetic, brightly colored materials, which provides redundant horizontal and vertical markers and the ability to trace back to the buried object. The system is economical and easily installed. In one embodiment, the system includes a base disposable adjacent to the object, a hollow member having a lower end attachable to the base. The upper end is disposable adjacent to the ground. A cord is disposed in the hollow member and extends from the lower end to the upper end of the hollow member. The system provides a way of easily locating the marker either above or immediately below the ground surface. The hollow member may include a calibrated marking system to identify the depth to either the base or the buried object from the point of discovery of the hollow member.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a location of an object under a surface of the ground, the method comprising:

attaching a lower end of a hollow member to a base;

attaching a lower end of a cord to the base, the cord consisting of nonconductive material;

passing the cord through the hollow member;

locating the base and the lower end of the cord adjacent to the object below the surface of the ground;

positioning an upper end of the hollow member and an upper end of the cord adjacent to the surface of the ground; and

backfilling around the object, the base, and the cord to the surface of the ground.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting at least one of the cord and the hollow member having a color based on the object.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising indicating on the hollow member indicia for indicating the distance from at least one of the base and the object.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting the cord having a color based on the object, and indicating on the hollow member indicia for indicating the distance from at least one of the base and the object.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising indicating on at least one of the end of the cord and the end of the hollow member a description of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching comprises passing a lower end of the cord through a plurality of apertures in the base.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising passing the cord around the object.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the upper end of the cord into a loop under the surface of the ground.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the hollow member comprises a rigid hollow member and the base comprises a rigid base.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the base extends laterally from the hollow member.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the hollow member comprises indicia for indicating the distance from at least one of the base and the object, and indicia for describing the object.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the base extends laterally from the hollow member about 2 inches to about 6 inches and the base comprises a thickness of about ⅜

inch to about 1 inch.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the cord comprises plastic.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the cord comprises braided plastic.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the cord is freely movable relative to the hollow member.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 4 inches to about 12 inches.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 6 inches to about 8 inches.

19. A method for finding an object under the surface of the ground, the method comprising:

locating an upper end of a hollow member and an upper end of a cord disposed in the hollow member of an underground marker adjacent to the surface of the ground to determine a horizontal position of the object disposed adjacent to a laterally-extending base attached to a lower end of the hollow member and to a lower end of the cord of the underground marker, the cord consisting of nonconductive material; and

at least one of a) locating indicia on the hollow member to determine a distance to the object below the surface of the ground, and b) determining an identity of the object based on a color of the elongated member.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising following at least one of the hollow member and the cord to the object.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the determining comprises determining the identity of the object based on the color of the cord.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the cord comprises plastic.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the cord comprises braided plastic.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the cord is freely movable relative to the hollow member.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 4 inches to about 12 inches.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 6 inches to about 8 inches.

28. An underground marking system for locating an object below a surface of the ground, said underground marking system comprising:

a base disposable adjacent to the object;

a hollow member having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end attached to said base and said upper end disposable adjacent to the ground; and

a cord disposed in said hollow member and extending from said lower end to said upper end of said hollow member, a lower end of the cord attached to the base, said cord consisting of nonconductive material.

29. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said hollow member comprises indicia for identifying a distance from at least one of said base and the object.

30. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein at least one of said hollow member and said cord comprises a color based on the object.

31. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said hollow member comprises indicia for identifying the distance from at least one of said base and the object, and said cord comprises a color based on the object.

32. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said upper end of said cord is disposable in a loop below the surface of the ground.

33. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said base comprises a plurality of apertures for attaching an end of said cord to said base.

34. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said base comprises a disc-shaped member.

35. The underground marking system of claim 28 therein said hollow member is threadably attached to said base.

36. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said hollow member and said cord comprise weather resistant material.

37. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said cord comprises plastic.

38. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said cord comprises braided plastic.

39. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said cord is freely movable relative to the hollow member.

40. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said base comprises a disc-shaped member.

41. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 4 inches to about 12 inches.

42. The underground marking system of claim 28 wherein said base comprises a disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 6 inches to about 8 inches.

43. An underground marking system for locating an object below a surface of the ground, said underground marking system comprising:

a disk-shaped base disposable adjacent to the object, said disc-shaped member having a diameter of about 4 inches to about 12 inches;

a hollow member having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end attached to said base and said upper end disposable adjacent to the ground; and

a cord disposed in and freely movable in said hollow member and extending from said lower end to said upper end of said hollow member, a lower end of the cord attached to the base, said cord consisting of nonconductive plastic material.

44. The underground marking system of claim 43 wherein said cord comprises braided plastic.

45. The underground marking system of claim 43 wherein said base comprises a plurality of apertures for attaching an end of said cord to said base.

46. The underground marking system of claim 43 wherein said hollow member comprises indicia for identifying a distance from at least one of said base and the object.

47. The underground marking system of claim 43 wherein at least one of said hollow member and said cord comprises a color based on the object.