US3516171A

US3516171A - Flexible grade stake with driving tool

Info

Publication number: US3516171A
Application number: US617267A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ross E Martin
Original assignee: ROSS E MARTIN
Current assignee: ROSS E MARTIN
Priority date: 1967-02-20
Filing date: 1967-02-20
Publication date: 1970-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1987-06-23

Description

R. E. MARTIN FLEXIBLE GRADE STAKE WITH DRIVING TOOL June 23, 1910 Filed Feb 20. 1967 INVENTOR 3,516,171 FLEXIBLE GRADE STAKE WITH DRIVING TOOL Ross E. Martin, 1138 SW. Military Drive, San Antonio, Tex. 78221 Filed Feb. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 617,267 Int. Cl. G01c 15/08 US. CI. 3374 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A high tensile strength, tough, durable, flexible grade stake including visual graduations adapted to assist and guide a grading machine operator in cutting the final grade of a sub-base for paving. A driving tool including a surveying rod base pin capable of receiving a surveying rod the said driving tool adapted to enclose the flexible grade stake and receive and transmit a driving force sufficient to penetrate compacted soil.

The combination of a flexible grade stake and drving tool designed for use in the final steps of surveying and grading prior to paving. The stake is flexible with color graduations above the final grade, the driving tool includes a survey rod base pin coinciding with the final grade level and the blue top coloration on the flexible grade stake. The stake is driven to final grade survey position and the tool removed, after completing final cut or fill the top of the stake may be removed by cutting and the paving completed.

The final stages of cutting and filling to form a base for paving must be accomplished with a high degree of accuracy to avoid thin spots in the paving material used or unnecessary thick spots which are extremely costly. The conventional widely used procedure is to fully prepare the preliminary final grade by cutting, filling, and rolling to a level slightly above the desired final grade level. Final grade stakes commonly referred to as blue tops are driven into the grade to such a position that the top of the stake is at the final grade level. A marking stake is driven into the grade adjacent the blue top. These marking stakes are usually removed by hand just in advance of the grader making the final cut. If any additional cut is required, the marking stakes are replaced. If the final out should inadvertently be too deep and the blue top disturbed, they must be surveyed back into position. The foregoing procedures are time consuming, costly, and wasteful of manhours.

This invention alleviates many of the objectionable features of the conventional procedures used by placing into the preliminary final grade a flexible grade stake with color graduations. The top of the blue graduation coincides with the fiinal grade level desired. The one (1) inch color graduations above the blue graduation and the remainder of the stake extends above the final grade to assist the grading machine operator in making his final cut. The base of the stake and its surveyed position are not disturbed by the blade passing over it. If the cut is excessive, refill may be added, and if additional cut is required, the stake remains in position to guide the operator. After the final grade is completed, the top of the flexible grade stake may be removed by cutting and the paving placed into position.

One object of this invention is to reduce the final cost of paving by marking the final survey in a semi-permanent manner which will not be disturbed by passage of the grading machine thereby conserving manhours.

Another object is to provide an improved guide to the grading machine operator making the final cut.

Another object is to assist in obtaining a more accurate United States Patent final grade cut, thereby reducing cost of paving while improving the quality of the product.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of the specification and claims.

This invention will be more particularly described in the following several views and detailed descriptions wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding components throughout the various views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the flexible grade stake including color coded graduations.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the driving tool for positioning the stake to the final survey grade level.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the combination of the flexible grade stake and driving tool as used in driving the stake to the final survey grade level.

FIG. 4 is a plan view partially in section depicting a flexible grade stake as used in the final grading in comparison with the conventional blue top with marking stake.

FIG. 1 illustrates the general configuration of the flexible grade stake 10 which may be constructed of a tough flexible plastic with color graduations impregnated therein. Another method of construction could utilize metal with the elongated portion of the stake comprising of a substantially flat shaft of spring steel or resilient steel cable might be utilized with durable paint for the color coding. The grade stake 10 is constructed with a cone shaped point 11 with a driving shoulder 12 at the junction of the point 11 and the elongated body 13 of the stake. The body of the stake includes color graduations selected to contrast with the color of the soil in the grade. The final grade line 14 is indicated on the grade stake 10 at the division line between the below final grade one (1) inch! blue 15 graduation and red 16 graduation extending one (1) inch above final grade. The stake might be constructed with virtually any number of one 1) inch color coded graduations. In the preferred embodiment illustrated a one (1) inch green '17 and brown 18 color graduations have been selected for utilization above the blue 15 and red 16 graduations.

The driving tool 19 as illustrated in FIG. 2 is preferably constructed of thick walled metal pipe or tubing. The driving tool body 20 is of identical length to the elongated body 13 of the flexible grade stake 10. The driving tool body 20 has an aperture 21 extending for the entire length of the tool 19. The aperture 21 is of sufficient diameter to receive the elongated body 13 of the flexible grade stake 10 permitting the driving tool 19 to rest firmly on the driving shoulder 12 of the flexible grade stake 10. Projecting from the side of the driving tool 19 is a survey base pin 22; said pin is attached to the driving tool 19 with the upper edge of the surveying base pin 22 exactly coinciding with the final grade line 14, when the tool 19 is placed in driving position over the flexible grade stake as in FIG. 3. The driving shoulder 12 of the stake 10 is preferably constructed with a diameter approximately one-fourth A) inch greater than the diameter of the driving tool to facilitate removal of the driving tool 19 after the stake 10 has been surveyed and driven into the grade to the exact depth desired. The variation in diameter 23 is illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is illustrative of the prior art method of establishing final grade level by utilizing a blue top 24 with a marking stake 25. A comparable illustration of the flexible grade stake 10 is shown placed in the grade at 26 and in the depressed or flexed position 27 as it would be as the grader passes over the stake.

The flexible grade stake 10 and the driving tool 19 is designed for use in conjunction with a transit and a surveying rod for surveying the final slope for the final cut for grading prior to paving. The final grade is determined by the engineering plan. The fill dirt is compacted and the preliminary final grade made. The flexible grade stake and driving tool is surveyed into position using a transit and a surveying rod in virtually an identical manner to the conventional practice in placing the well known blue tops 24 in surveying and grading the final finished surface prior to paving.

The utilization of this combined tool 19 and stake 10 is made after the preliminary final grading has been completed. This grade is normally slightly above the desired final grade to be accomplished. A small indentation should be made in the grade to clear the survey rod and the surveying base pin 22. The driving tool 19 is placed over a grade stake 10 and the unit preliminarily driven into the grade. The surveying rod may then be placed on the surveying base pin 22 and the flexible grade stake 10 tapped into the exact position desired. The device can be utilized without a surveying base pin 22 by subtracting from the rod setting the distance from the final grade line 14 to the top of the stake or the driving tool which is six (6) inches in the preferred embodiment illustrated. If such an arbitrary adjustment is made, the top of the tool may be utilized as a base for the surveying rod.

After the flexible grade stakes have been properly positioned in the preliminary final grade, the skilled operator of the grading machine has an accurate guide to assist him in making his final cut. The color coded graduations will tell an operator the exact depth of the cut required to arrive at the final grade.

It is believed that a proper utilization of this device will result in substantial savings in paving construction where exact thicknesses and uniform surfaces are required.

It is recognized that one preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described in detail and one possible modification suggested. Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a detailed study of this disclosure. It is desired to claim all embodiments or modifications of this device which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a flexible grade stake with a rigid driving tool,

(a) said flexible grade stake comprising a flexible elongated body,

(b) a substantially rigid point secured to the end of said elongated body,

(0) a driving shoulder at the juncture of said elongated body and said rigid point,

(d) said driving tool including an aperture of greater diameter than said elongated body but of lesser diameter than the diameter of said driving shoulder, said tool being telescopingly received on said body with an end thereof engaging the driving shoulder, and

(e) a surveying base pin secured to the exterior of said driving tool constructed and arranged to receive a surveying rod.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said elongated body of said flexible grade stake includes evenly spaced visible graduations adapted to assist the grading machine operator.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said driving tool includes a surveying pin projecting at substantially right angles to said driving tool body constructed and arranged to receive a surveying rod.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said elongated body of said flexible grade stake includes evenly spaced visible graduations comprising uniformly spaced contrasting multi-colored segments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,780,869 2/ 1957 Long.

2,798,317 7/1957 Hargus.

2,867,041 1/ 1959 McMillan.

3,391,647 3/1968 Shopbell.

3,378,967 4/1968 Baumeister 52-403 X 3,117,378 1/1964 Bowen.

3,307,264 3/ 1967 Wolfe.

HARRY N. HAROIAN, Primary Examiner