Self-leveling form stake

Abstract

A form stake for use in securing wooden forms around an area of concrete to be poured. The stake has a flat body with a T-shaped flange structure protruding from its front face, while the rear face of the stake is flat to slide smoothly against the face of the form as the stake is driven into the ground. The T-shaped flange structure has a central vertical rib terminating at the upper end of the stake in a horizontal driving shelf centered over the vertical rib. The driving shelf has a flat, uniform upper driving surface that forms the uppermost end of the stake. The driving shelf terminates at the flat rear face of the stake so that its upper surface can be driven level with the upper edge of the form using any non-specialized driving tool, at which point the stake tends to level itself with the upper edge of the form without being unintentionally driven below the upper edge of the form. The stake has holes for inserting fasteners through the stake into the form once the stake has been fully driven into the ground.

1 . A form stake comprising a flat body with a front face, a flat rear face, an upper end, and a lower ground-penetrating end, the front face having a protruding T-shaped flange structure comprising a central vertical rib section bisecting the front face of the stake and a horizontal driving shelf, the vertical rib terminating in the horizontal driving shelf, the driving shelf being perpendicular to and centered over the vertical rib, the driving shelf having a flat, uniform upper driving surface overlying both the upper end of the stake body and the vertical rib.  
   
   
       2 . The form stake of  claim 1 , wherein the driving shelf has a rear edge that terminates at the flat rear face of the stake body.  
   
   
       3 . The form stake of  claim 1 , wherein the stake includes a plurality of holes formed in the flat body, with at least one hole on each side of the central vertical rib section.  
   
   
       4 . The form stake of  claim 1 , wherein the driving shelf has a lower surface portion that is at least perpendicular to the flat body of the stake.  
   
   
       5 . The form stake of  claim 4 , wherein the driving shelf lower surface portion is acutely angled relative to the flat body of the stake.  
   
   
       6 . The form stake of  claim 1 , wherein the distance the driving shelf protrudes from the front face of the stake is equal to the depth of the center rib.  
   
   
       7 . The form stake of  claim 6 , wherein the T-shaped flange structure protrudes a distance from the front face of the stake approximately equal to a thickness of the stake body.