US3503163A - Surveyor's marker with information container - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1970 u-rz 3,503,163

SURVEYOR'S MARKER WITH INFORMATION CONTAINER Filed Sept. 27, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Charles L. 1.0!:

INVENTOR.

March 31, 1970 c. LUTZ 3,503,163

SURVEYOR'S MARKER WITH INFORMATION CONTAINER Filed Sept. 27, .1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

l I Fig.5 7 '53 I08 7 Char/es L. Lufz 1 N VEN TOR.

@W E ml WyZfW United States Patent 3,503,163 SURVEYORS MARKER WITH INFORMATION CONTAINER Charles L. Lutz, 8 N. Main St., Bel Air, Md. 21014 Filed Sept. 27, 1968, Ser. No. 763,086 Int. Cl. E01f 9/02; E04h 13/00 US. Cl. 52-103 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollowed stake having a laterally defiectable anchor device at the lower end thereof encloses a document container. Sealing members are fastened to the upward end of the stake to prevent water leakage therein. A marker rule attachment may be connected to the stake, the rule extends vertically upwardly to facilitate remote sightings.

The present invention relates to marker devices and more particularly to a hollowed stake marker having a document container sealed therein.

The prior art includes a number of hollowed stake devices permitting the insertion of documents therein. Such devices have been designed with straight shank portions which permit the stake to become loosened under the influence of external forces so that a permanent installation cannot be readily achieved. Further, certain prior art devices of this type are so constructed as to permit the easy removal of a hollowed stake cap by unauthorized persons to allow access to the documents contained there- The present invention includes a hollow stake portion with a laterally defiectable anchor structure attached to the lower end thereof. After the present stake is driven into the ground or other structure, the anchor assembly is actuated to a gripping position. The anchoring of the stake virtually ensures a permanent installation thereof. Further, a security cap member having a slot therein of special configuration covers the hollowed stake and requires a special tool to remove the cap. Still further the present invention contemplates the utilization of a marker plate which may be conveniently attached to the top cap member of the stake for serving to identify a particular stake. A marker rule attachment may be connected to the stake for permitting remote sighting without the necessity of hand holding a rule.

These together with other objects and advantages which Will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of the present marker stake illustrating the interior components thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the components of the present marker stake.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing a security cap device for covering the hollowed stake portion.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating particular stake anchoring assemblies.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a marker rule attachment.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of the attachment illustrating the interior components thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view along a plane pass ing through section line 77 in FIGURE 6.

Referring specifically to the drawings and more par ticularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, a right cylindrical hollowed marker stake is generally denoted by reference numeral 10 and is seen to include a document container 12 concentrically disposed within the interior of the stake.

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This container by way of example may be fabricated from glass, metal, plastic or the like. A document or microfilm strip 14 is rolled up and inserted within the container. As will be noted from the figures, the lower end of the container is closed while the upper end 16 is opened for permitting the insertion and removal of a document therein. A composite cap member 18 serves as a stopper for container 12 as well as a cover for the upper opened end of the stake. In particular, the cap member 18 is seen to include a circumferentially threaded disk member 20 having a stopper or gasket 22 attached to the lower, circular-planar surface thereof by means of a suitable fastener 24. The stopper 22 is preferably fabricated from Neoprene or other chemically inert elastomeric material.

The head portion 26 of the marker stake 10 includes a hollowed frusto-conical wall portion 28 terminating at a lower end thereof in an optional annular concrete retainer ring 30 which is advantageously employed when the marker stake is embedded within poured concrete. A first annular rib member 32 extends laterally from the wall surface 28 at the upper end thereof and integrally mounts a second annular rib 34 along the upper portion thereof. As will be noted, the second rib 34 is of larger diameter than rib 32 so that an annular step-like surface is produced therebetween for purposes of increasing the anchoring effect of the stake within a soil or concrete medium. An annular V-shaped groove 33 between ribs 32 and 34 increases the effect.

The upward end 40 of the annular rib 34 includes an axial bore 38 extending perpendicularly therethrough. Thus as will be noted from FIGURE 2, an interior annular shoulder 36 is produced by the intersection of this bore and the annular rib 32. The wall surface of the bore 38 is threaded so as to engage the threaded capping member 18 therein. Shoulder 36 serves as a sealing mechanical stop for the capping member 18.

A tubular member 42 serves as an intermediate portion of the stake 10. As will be noted by referring to FIGURE 1, this tubular section 42 may be frictionally retained within the stake head member 26, thereby permitting relatively easy assembly and disassembly of the marker stake when the same is not in use. However, the upper portion of the tubular member 42 may be threaded in a manner to mate an interiorly threaded surface of stake head 26.

Attention is invited to FIGURE 2 which illustrates a deflecting cam member 44 employed in conjunction with an anchor member 45 as explained hereinafter. The particular structure of a deflecting cam member 44 includes a paraboloidal nose portion 46 which extends to a transverse planar trailing end surface 48, the latter integrally mounting a cylindrically threaded shank portion 50- of smaller diameter. Four equally angularly disposed camming surfaces or grooves 52 extend longitudinally from the interior of threaded shank portion 50 to the external surface of the paraboloidal portion 46, along an intermediate length thereof. The camming member 44 is attached to the tubular section 42 by means of mating threaded surfaces 53 in the interior lower end of the tubular section 42 is retained in abutting relation with shoulder 48 of the cam member 44, the latter shoulder being produced at the intersection of the paraboloidal cam member portion and the threaded shank portion associated therewith.

The anchor member 45 is adapted for concentric insertion within the tubular section 42 so that it loosely concentrically engages the cam member 44. The particular structure of the anchor member 45 includes a hollow cylindrical body 54 terminating in a solid upper end 58. The opposite end of the cylindrical body 54 includes four equally angularly displaced tine elements 56' extending longitudinally outwardly. Each tine element is adapted to loosely contact a respective camming surface 52 in the cam member 44.

In operation of the device, the marker stake is prelimi-.

narily assembled so as to include cam member 44, anchor member 45, tubular section 42, and the stake head section 26, as seen in FIGURE 2. So assembled, the marker stake is driven into the ground or other structural medium. Once the stake has been driven to a proper depth, a rod (not shown) is lowered into tubular section 42 until the lower end of the rod engages the upper surface 58 of the anchor member 45. This rod is then driven or rammed downwardly by a suitable impact tool (not shown) thereby,

causing lateral deflection of tines 56 as they more intimately engage their respective camming surfaces 52 in cam member 44 as shown in FIGURE 1. Subsequently, the rod is removed and the document container 12 attached to its associated cap member 18 is then threadably inserted within the stake head section 26.

Insofar as it is generally desired that the cap member 18 be secured to the marker stake in a manner preventing the tampering thereof, the present cap member 18 includes a special socket therein which permits the removal thereof only by a special tool (not shown) possessed by an authorized individual. Referring particularly to FIGURE 3, this special socket will be seen to include a triangular recess 60 and a rod-like projection 62 extending upwardly.

through the center of the triangular recess. Insofar as the cap member 18 is flush mounted within the head section 26 of the marker stake, only a special tool mating with the recess and rod projection configuration may be employed to unscrew cap member 18. Thus, documents contained within the marker stake are retained therein with a high degree of security.

In several applications, it is desirable to include an indicia containing marker plate on the upward or top surface 40 of the stake. By way of example, such indicia may be in the form of numbers to denote a particular stake or may include personal information if the stake is utilized to mark a cemetery plot.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a typical marker plate is exemplified by a circular disk 64 suitably attached to the cap member 18, the disk being a diameter equal to that of the annular rib 34 as seen in FIGURE 1 and when installed is flush with the top surface 40 of annular rib 34. In order to increase the securement'of marker plate 64, a threaded bore 66 is formed perpendicularly inwardly of the surface 40. An aperture 68 is formed in the marker plate 64 so that when the marker plate is positioned on the stake head section 26, the aperture 68 and threaded bore 66 coincide. A suitable lock screw 70 passes through aperture 68, as seen in FIGURE 1. Further securement is rendered by fastening a rivet 71 between the plate 64 and rib member 34.

It is noted that although the previously discussed anchor member 45 and associated deflecting cam member 44 and tubular section 42 are described in terms of generally right cylindrical members, other configurations of different geometrical crosssections are possible. For example, a similar embodiment for anchor and cam members is illustrated in FIGURE 4. In this particular embodiment, a tubular member 72 of rectangular or square cross-section is employed, instead of the right cylindrical tubular section 42 of the previous embodiment. To cooperate with the tubular sections 72, a deflecting cam member 74 having a pyramidal nose portion 76 is employed and resembles the cam member 44 of the previous embodiment with the exception of the nose thereof. It is noted that the second mentioned cam member 74 includes camming surfaces therein identical with the camming surfaces 52 of the first mentioned cam member 44. The trailing end of the pyramidal nose portion 76 integrally mounts a stem section 80 of rectangular or square cross-section. The anchor member 75 utilized in connection with tubular section 72 generally resembles the anchor member 45 of the first embodiment with the exception of a square or rectangular cross-section instead of a circular section.

.4 The operation of the second embodiment is identical to that of the first so that a ramming rod driven against anchor member causes increasing intimate contact between anchor member 75 and cam member 74 so as t produce lateral deflection of the tines 86 as they are caused to ride across their respective camming surfaces.

By employing the paraboloidal cam member 44 and its associated anchor member 45 and cylindrical tubular section 42, as shown in FIGURE 1, the marker stake may be reused by unscrewing the tubular section 42 from the cam member 44 and lifting the tubular section 42 and head I section 26 upwardly out from the ground or outwardly from a structural medium. As will be appreciated, the permanent attachment between the cam and tubular section of the second embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 4, prevent easy removal of tubular section 72. Thus, in applications whereby marker stakes are removed and reused with some frequency, the first marker stake may be preferable.

Further, the basic marker stake may be fabricated in a form deleting the anchor means and instead including a pointed tip. This would allow one to drive the marker stake into a utility pole or the like. A document can be secured within the stake to identify the exact geographical location of the pole.

During the normal surveyors routine, it is often necessary for an assistant to maintain a marker or surveyors rule in a vertical position at a particular spot while the surveyor observes or sights the rule from a distant location. The present invention contemplates an attachment shown in FIG. 5 and denoted by reference numeral 88, the attachment being connected with a marker stake which retains a marker rule in a vertical position without the necessity of manual assistance. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the attachment is seen to include a threaded member 90 adapted to be screwed within threaded bore 38 in the head portion of the marker stake. The threaded member 90 is integrally connected with a threaded bolt portion 92 which extends upwardly for termination in a spherical portion 94. A second spherical portion 96 is disposed in underlying engagement with the first mentioned spherical portion and the second spherical portion includes an aperture 98 thereby permitting the bolt portion 92 to pass therethrough with suflicient clearance. The second spherical portion 96 extends laterally outwardly to four integrally attached pedestal legs 100 which rest on the upper surface 40 of the stake head 26. An arcuate jamnut 102 having a central bore therein is positioned in underlying engagement with the second spherical portion 96 and permits an intermediate section of bolt 92 to pass therethrough. A knurled kno'b 104 is concentrically disposed along a lower section of bolt 92, the upper portion of the knurled knob 104 including a boss extension which is adapted to engage the lower surface of jamnut 102. The knurled knob provides a means for fixing a set level as hereinafter described. A cross plate member 108 more clearly shown in FIG. 7 is disposed in parallel overlying spaced relation with the pedes- -tal legs 100. Each end portion of the cross plate member includes a leveling screw 110 terminating at a lower end thereof in a ball element 112, the latter contacting an underlying portion of an associated pedestal leg 100. A knurled knob is concentrically disposed along the length 4 of each screw 110 and by rotating the knurled knob 114,

the displacement of screw 110 is varied which in turn affects the angular inclination of the cross plate member 108. The object of these adjustments is to position the cross plate member in a perfectly horizontal position. This may be checked by observing the bubble in a cross level 118 which is received within a mating recess 116 formed within the top surface of cross plate 108. Once a perfectly horizontal disposition of the cross plate member 108 is achieved, the knurled knob 104 is tightened until bearing engagement between the first and second spherical portions 96 and 92 respectively is achieved.

A slotted cylindrical cap member 122 clearly shown in FIG. 5 partially encloses the central portion of cross plate member 108. The cap member includes rectangular apertures 124 therein for permitting passage of the cross plate member elements therethrough. The apertures are formed of sufficient size so that a view of the level bubble 120 is readily available. The upper surface 122 of the cap member integrally mounts a semi-spherical projection 126 which in turn integrally attaches an elongated generally cylindrical rod or marker rule 128, typically having a length of from six to eight feet. A slide member 130 is positioned along the length of a cylindrical rod to indicate a particular level above the ground plane.

In operation, the attachment 88 is quickly screwed Within the bore in the stake head. Next, the attachment is leveled by means of the aforementioned assembly similar in nature to the surveyors transit leveling assembly. The leveling operation is facilitated by means of a cross level. Finally, a slide member along the length of the marker rule is adjusted to indicate a predetermined height above the ground plane. The slide member may be viewed from a distant location by a surveyor utilizing a transit. By employing the present attachment, a single surveyor may set the attachment then move to a remote location and take sightings without the necessity of an assistant who usually holds a marker rule while a surveyor takes sightings.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A marker device comprising a hollowed stake section, a document container removably inserted within the stake section, means for sealing an upper end of said stake section, anchor means connected to the lower end of the stake section to complete a drivable unit, the anchor means comprising a deflecting cam member attached to the lower stake end, said cam member having a plurality of camming surfaces extending longitudinally therethrough, and a tubular body disposed in the lower stake section, the tubular body having laterally defiectable tine elements positioned to contact the camming surfaces, the tine element being outwardly deformed by the camming surfaces in response to application of a driving force exerted against the tubular body, wherein the sealing means comprises a hollowed and downwardly tapering frusto-conical portion connected in axially spaced relation to the upper end of the stake section, the conical portion having an annularly formed edge, serving to increase the anchoring of the marker device in a surrounding material, the top of the frusto-conical section appending upwardly to an axially spaced enlarged annular rib portion, and a second enlarged annular rib portion appending in upwardly stepped relation to the first rib portion, an annular shoulder being formed by the underside of the second rib portion for packing a surrounding material thereby rendering support to the marker device.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 together with an annular groove formed around the intersection between the first and second annular rib portions to allow the packing of surrounding material therein which increases the anchoring of the marker device.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein the sealing means includes an axially formed bore disposed in registry with the interior of the stake section, an annular opening having a greater diameter than the bore and being accessible from the upper end of the sealing means, stopper means for the document container being received in the opening for closing an opening in the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,656 7/1902 McBee 22039 958,127 5/1910 Horrud 5216O 2,038,962 4/1936 Schulthess 52103 461,753 10/1891 Hall 52160 LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner C. E. PHILLIPS, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R. 23 74; 248- 43

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