US2780869A - Grade line stakes - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12, 1957 G. E. LONG GRADE LINE STAKES Filed April 7, 1955 lN VEN TOR. GEO/86E EnLo/ve QMQW GRADE LINE STAKES George E. Long, Seattle, Wash.

Application April 7, 1955, Serial No. 499,908

3 Claims. (Cl. 33-74) This invention relates to improvements in what are generally referred to as grade and line stakes and it has for its principal object to provide such a stake that is equipped with means whereby a target, as mounted thereon, may be quickly and accurately adjusted to and secured at a desired point of adjustment which will indicate grade and line, or both.

More specifically stated, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a grade and line stake that may be driven into the ground near the location of the desired reference point, and on which stake a horizontal arm is mounted for adjustment both vertically and radially thereof, and in which arm the target is mounted for movement therealong; the arm and the target both being adapted to be fixed at any set position of adjustment by the tightening of a single clamping bolt that is applied through the arm.

Further objects, advantages and uses of the present invention reside in the specific details of construction of the stake, the arm, and the target and its carrier; in the assembled relationship of these parts and in the manner or mode of use of the stake, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a grade and line stake embodying the improvement of the present invention therein.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the stake, indicating various positions of vertical adjustment of the arm along the stake, and different positions of horizontal adjustment of the target along the arm.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat enlarged vertical section taken on line 44 in Fig. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

El designates a round stake which may be of any suitable material, but preferably of cold rolled steel, of substantial length, formed with a flat upper end surface 1x and having at its lower end, a flattened and somewhat fiared head 2 of arrow head form, pointed downwardly to provide for easy driving of the stake into the ground and to prevent any rotative movement thereof after being driven. This head 2 might be formed from the stake itself, or separately formed and then welded to the stake end. For ordinary uses, the stake would have an over-all length of approximately two feet, and a diameter of approximately one inch.

Mounted on the stake for adjustment therealong is a horizontal arm 4. This arm would ordinarily be about six inches long, and cast of aluminum or other suitable material. It is formed with a somewhat enlarged hearing portion 4x at one end which has a vertical bore 5 therethrough made to slidably contain the round stake, and permiting the arm, when applied to, but not clamped States v Paten ice on the stake, to be swung radially thereabout and to be adjusted vertically therealong. The arm 4, as best shown in Fig. 3, is formed substantially from end to end and vertically therethrough with a slot 6 which is of substantial width and opens at one end into the bore 5 which contains the stake, and at its other end it is closed by the end wall 7. The opposite side rails of the arm, as produced by the longitudinal slotting thereof, and designated in Figs. 3 and 4 by reference numerals 4a and 4b, respectively, are formed along their inner surfaces with concaved channels 8-8, as noted in Fig. 4. Contained within the slot of the arm and seated at its opposite sides in the channels 8-8, is a metal ball 9 in which a pin or target 10 is fixed to extend vertically upwardly from the slot and arm. The pin is formed at its upper end with a flat, circular shoulder 11 and this might be formed with an upwardly opening axial bore, as at 10x, to receive a nail. The ball is slidably adjustable along the arm within the slot and it can be fixed at any position of adjustment therealong by means of a clamping bolt 12 that extends horizontally through the arm and whereby the side rails 4a and 4b may be sprung v slightly together.

It is shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 thatthe opposite side members of the arm, near their inner ends, are longitudinally slotted as at 13 and the clamp bolt 12 extends through these slots. The bolt has a head 12h at one end and a nut 14 as in Fig. 1, or with a Wing nut 14 as in Fig. 3, threaded onto its other end. By drawing the nut down tight, the opposite side rails of the arm, which are resiliently yieldable, may be drawn or sprung toward each other, thus to clamp the bearing portion 4x of the arm against sliding or rotating movement on the stake, and also to clamp the ball 9 against movement in the arm slot. When the nut 14 is loosened on the bolt 12, the clamping effect of the bolt is removed and the arm 4 then is freely adjustable along the stake, as also is the ball freely movable along the arm slot. The adjustability of the ball in the arm slot permits the target pin to be adjusted to a vertical position even though the stake be driven at an angle.

It is anticipated also that the upper end of the stake 1 instead of having the fiat upper end surfaces 1x, might be shaped to accommodate mechanical stake driving means, such as air hammers.

Stakes of this kind are adapted for various uses, but especially for the running of grade and lines for highway construction. In using the stakes, they would first be driven into the ground near the locations of the desired reference points, then the arms 4 would be placed thereon, each with the mounting ball 9 of its pin target 10 sufliciently free for adjustment in or along the arm slot. The fiat upper end shoulder of the pin target is then brought to the desired elevation in the vertical plane by raising or lowering the arm along the stake, and it is then brought to the desired location in the horizontal plane by rotation of the arm about the stake and movement of the target toward or from the stake in the slot 4 in the arm.

When the top of the shoulder 11 of the pin 10 has been brought to the desired elevation, and the center of the top surface of the shoulder is at the desired position in the horizontal plane, the nut 14 is drawn tight on the clamp bolt thus to secure both the adjustments of the arm and the target.

Grade stakes of this kind are easy to use, satisfactory and convenient in use, and provide for the quick and accurate establishment of grade and lines for various uses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A grade and line stake of the character described comprising a round straight rod of substantial length, having a pointed and flattened lower end portion adapting the rod to be easily driven into the ground for its functional support and to prevent rotation of the driven stake, an arm amounted at one end on the rod and extended radially thereof; said arm being adapted to be adjusted along the rod and to be rotated the-reabout, and having a slot formed longitudinally thereof, and a target member extended upwardly from the arm and having a mounting member contained in the slot and adjustable therealong, and a clamp bolt applied through the arm and adapted to be tightened to clamp the arm at a set position on the rod and to secure the target in a set position of adjustment on the arm.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the said arm has a bore vertically through one end that fits the rod for support of the arm, and wherein the said slot is formed through the arm in the direction of the bore and opens at one end into said bore; and wherein said clamp bolt extends through the slotted portion of the arm and is operable when tightened to draw the opposite side portions of the arm together to effect the clamping of the mounting portion of the target between them to secure the set position of adjustment of the target, and also to cause the clamping of the mounting portion of the arm against movement on the rod.

3. A grade and line stake of the character described comprising a straight, round rod of substantial length, adapted to be driven into the ground and formed at its lower end with a flattened and downwardly pointed head portion to facilitate the rod being driven into the ground and to prevent its rotation after being driven, an arm of resilient material mounted at one end on the rod to extend radially therefrom, and adapted to be adjusted upwardly and downwardly therealong and to be adjusted rotatably thereabout; said arm having a vertical bore through one end, in which said rod is fitted, and formed with a longitudinal slot, substantially to its full length and vertically therethrough and opening at one end into said bore and setting off spaced, opposite side bars to the length of the slot; said bars being formed in their inside surfaces with coextensive concaved channels facing each other, a ball shaped target carrier contained within the arm slot and with opposite side portions seated in the said bar channels for the adjustment of the ball along the arm, a target pin mounted in said target carrier and extended radially upwardly therefrom and from the arm slot, and a clamp bolt extended transversely through the bars and a nut thereon adapted to draw the bars together to clamp the arm at a set position on the rod, and to clamp the ball shaped target carrier at a set position of adjustment in the arm slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,007 Adams Nov. 28, 1911 1,767,519 Duncan June 24, 1930 1,991,907 Platt Feb. 19, 1935 2,071,823 Duncan Feb. 23, 1937 2,429,485 Pleasant Oct. 21, 1947 2,433,314 White Dec. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 364,986 Germany Dec. 6, 1922

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