Ground marker

Abstract

A ground marker for marking a location on the ground to indicate the location and possibly the orientation of a buried object, such as an underground utility line. The ground marker includes a ground penetrating stake, and a substantially planar marker plate. The stake has at one end a head with a long dimension and a short dimension, and a substantially planar point with outwardly biased barbs at the other end. The marker plate also has a long dimension and a short dimension, and has an opening for receiving the stake, configured such that the long dimension of the stake head will align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the stake is extended through the opening, and such that relative rotation of the stake and marker plate is prevented.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A ground marker for marking a location on the ground, comprising: 
 a ground penetrating stake, having a stake head at one end thereof, and an insertion end at an opposing end thereof, the insertion end having outwardly biased barbs thereon, and the stake head having a long dimension and a short dimension;    a stake shaft disposed between the stake head and the insertion end, the stake shaft having a cross-section with a long axis and a short axis, the long axis being disposed substantially in a plane of the insertion end, and aligned with the long dimension of the stake head;    a substantially planar marker plate, having a long dimension and a short dimension, and having an opening therethrough for receiving the stake, the opening being configured such that the long dimension of the stake head and the long axis of the stake shaft will align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the stake is extended through the opening; and    interengaging means on the stake shaft and the opening in the marker plate, to prevent relative rotation therebetween.    
     
     
         2 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , wherein the ground marker includes indicia to mark the identity of a buried object.  
     
     
         3 . The ground marker of  claim 2 , wherein the long dimension of the marker plate serves as a directional indicia for indicating an orientation of the buried object.  
     
     
         4 . The ground marker of  claim 2 , further comprising directional indicia disposed on a top surface of the marker plate, indicating an orientation of the buried object.  
     
     
         5 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , wherein the short axis of the stake shaft gradually tapers from a maximum dimension at a location adjacent the head, to a minimum dimension at a location adjacent a distal end of the insertion end.  
     
     
         6 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one elongate groove disposed in the marker plate and aligned with the long dimension thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The ground marker of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one groove is formed in a bottom surface of the marker plate.  
     
     
         8 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , wherein the stake head is substantially elliptical in shape, and the marker plate is substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         9 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion end of the stake comprises a substantially planar arrow-head shaped point, and the outwardly biased barbs comprise outwardly projecting integral tabs, which deflect inward when the stake point is driven into the ground, and which deflect outward into the surrounding earth in response to force which would remove the stake from the ground.  
     
     
         10 . The ground marker of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the stake shaft is substantially cruciform in shape; and    the opening in the marker plate has a corresponding substantially cruciform shape to (i) allow passage of the stake shaft, and (ii) prevent relative rotation of the stake and the marker plate, the opening further comprising an elongate extension aligned with the long dimension of the marker plate, for accommodating the substantially planar stake point.    
     
     
         11 . The ground marker of  claim 1 , wherein the marker plate is formed of pultruded fiberglass, and the stake is formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE).  
     
     
         12 . A ground marker for indicating the location of underground utilities, comprising: 
 a ground penetrating stake, having an integral impacting head at one end thereof, an integral non-removable point at the other end thereof, and a shaft therebetween, the head having a long dimension and a short dimension, the point having outwardly biased barbs thereon, and the shaft having a long axis and a short axis, the short axis gradually tapering from a maximum dimension at a location adjacent the head to a minimum dimension at a location adjacent the end of the point;    a substantially planar marker plate, having a long dimension, and having an opening therethrough for receiving the stake, the opening being configured to permit passage of the point and shaft of the stake, but not permit passage of the head of the stake, the opening shaped to interengage the stake shaft and to prevent relative rotation of the shaft within the opening.    
     
     
         13 . The ground marker of  claim 12 , wherein the long dimension of the marker plate serves as a directional indicia for indicating an orientation of the underground utility.  
     
     
         14 . The ground marker of  claim 12 , further comprising directional indicia disposed on a top surface of the marker plate, indicating an orientation of the underground utility.  
     
     
         15 . The ground marker of  claim 12 , wherein the stake point comprises a substantially planar arrow-head shape, and the outwardly biased barbs comprise outwardly projecting integral tabs, which deflect inward when the stake point is driven into the ground, and which deflect outward into the surrounding earth in response to force which would remove the stake from the ground.  
     
     
         16 . The ground marker of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the stake shaft has a substantially cruciform shape; and    the opening in the marker plate has a corresponding substantially cruciform shape, so as to engage the stake shaft and prevent relative rotation of the stake shaft within the opening, the opening further comprising an elongate portion for accommodating the substantially planar stake point.    
     
     
         17 . The ground marker of  claim 12 , wherein the stake head is substantially elliptical in shape, and the marker plate is substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         18 . The ground marker of  claim 12 , wherein the marker plate is formed of pultruded fiberglass, and the stake is formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE).  
     
     
         19 . A ground marker for indicating the location of buried objects, comprising: 
 a ground penetrating stake, having an integral impacting head at one end thereof, an integral non-removable arrowhead shaped point at the other end thereof, and a shaft therebetween, the head being substantially elliptical in shape, the point having outwardly biased barbs disposed rearwardly on the arrowhead shape, and the shaft having a long axis and a short axis, the short axis gradually tapering from a maximum dimension at a location adjacent the head, to a minimum dimension at a location adjacent the point;    a substantially planar marker plate, having a long dimension and a short dimension, and having an opening therethrough for receiving the stake, the opening being configured to permit passage of the shaft of the stake, but not to permit passage of the head, and oriented such that the long dimension of the stake head will align with the long dimension of the marker plate when the stake is extended through the opening; and    interengaging means on the stake and the marker plate to prevent relative rotation therebetween.    
     
     
         20 . The ground marker of  claim 19 , wherein the interengaging means comprises: 
 the stake shaft having a substantially cruciform shape; and    the opening in the marker plate having a corresponding substantially cruciform shape to (i) allow passage of the stake shaft, and (ii) prevent relative rotation of the stake and the marker plate, the opening further comprising an elongate extension aligned with the long dimension of the marker plate, for accommodating the substantially planar stake point.