Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a fence stake including a lateral rod side connected to a vertical rod at spaced intervals. An alternative embodiment includes bending the vertical stake in a complete reversal to also connect the end of the vertical rod to the lateral rod to provide a second connection location and directly transfer hammer blow to the lateral rod. A further alternative embodiment includes adding an angled rod that is connected to the lateral rod, connected to the vertical rod, or connected to both the lateral rod and the vertical rod.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/229,854, filed Aug. 27, 2008 now abandoned entitled DIG DEFENCE which claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Application 60/965,672, filed Aug. 21, 2007 entitled Quick Fix Pen Stakes. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     RESERVATION OF RIGHTS 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but not limited to copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to improvements in fencing. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements particularly suited for securing the bottom of fences using ground stakes. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to an elongated fence and ground engaging stake system for impact insertion into the ground. 
     2. Description of the Known Art 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, fences are known in various forms. A typical fence has the problem of either a gap at the bottom of the fence that needs to be covered, or may be a flexible fence such as wire or chain link that allows for the bottom of the fence to be pushed out of the way by animals. Also, it is known that animals dig under fences to get past the fence. The present invention is designed to overcome these problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an elongated staking device using an elongated lateral rod welded to the upper end of vertical rods having lower ground engaging extensions at equally spaced intervals along the lateral rod. In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the angled rods are positioned in association with the vertical rods to form hooks for engaging a fence rail or wire. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent by reviewing the following detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a fence stake. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a second embodiment of the fence stake with nine vertical stakes. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a the second embodiment with two vertical stakes. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a third embodiment of the fence stake with nine vertical stakes. 
         FIG. 5  is a relative font view showing the vertical installation and relative angled installation orientations of the third embodiment with two vertical stakes. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fence stake  100  as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 . The quick fix stake  100  consists of a lateral rod  200  having a first lateral rod end  202  starting a rod body  204  that extends laterally to a second lateral rod end  212 . The rod body  204  forms a side  205  with lateral side welding locations  206  and a top  207  with lateral top welding locations  208  and a lateral angled welding location  209 . The rod body  204  also defines a rod thickness  210 . The rod body  204  has a length broken up by the spacing interval  214 . The rod body  204  is connected by welding to vertical rods  300  at lateral side welding locations  206  at each of the spacing interval  214 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, each vertical rod  300  includes a first vertical rod end  302  beginning a rod body  304  that extends to a second vertical rod end  320 . The rod body  304  defines vertical side welding location  306  separably defining an upper vertical extension  308  from a lower vertical extension  316 . The upper vertical extension  308  includes a neck extension  310 . A one half inch neck extension  310  is used in the preferred embodiment. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , only one welding location is used and the second rod end  320  is at the most distal point of the neck extension  310 . The vertical rods are placed over the bottom wire of any fence that needs to be repaired, and hammered into the ground to help hold the fence down and to correct the problem area or to make the entire perimeter dig resistant. Different gauges of material, such as plastic or steel, and different shapes, lengths and designs are envisioned to prevent predators from digging in and animals from digging out under a fence, and a one quarter inch round steel rod is used in the preferred embodiment. Typical spacing is three and one half inches as these gaps are suitable to stop most animals. Lateral rod lengths of twenty eight inches or shorter are preferred for ease of handling and installation. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a second embodiment of the fence stake with nine vertical stakes and  FIG. 3  is a front view of a the second embodiment with two vertical stakes. In these figures, it may be seen how the upper vertical extension  310  includes a neck extension  310  that ends at a returning head bend  312  of one hundred and eighty degrees to connect to a neck return  314  of sufficient length to return the second rod end  320  to the top  207  of the lateral rod  200 . In this manner, the neck return  314  places the second rod end  320  at a lateral top welding location  208 . This allows for both the side and a top weld to hold the vertical rod in position. This is important for impact hammering of the rod into the ground to reduce stress on the side weld. It is recommended to bend the wire before welding to be able to handle the vertical wire freely during the bending process. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of a third embodiment of the fence stake  100  with nine vertical stakes and  FIG. 5  is a relative font view showing the angled installation and relative vertical installation orientations of the third embodiment with two vertical stakes. In this embodiment, an angled rod  400  is welded at an angle  412  referenced against the vertical rod  300 . An angled rod is about one inch in length in the preferred embodiment and may be separate from the vertical rod, welded to the vertical rod, or formed by bending the vertical rod one hundred and thirty five degrees. The angled rod is connected by welding at a first angled welding location  401  at an angle of one hundred and thirty five degrees from the vertical rods and in a orientation perpendicular to the lateral rod  200  in this embodiment. Each angled rod  400  includes a first angled rod end  402  starting an angled rod body  404  that extends to a second angled rod end  410 . The angled rod body  404  includes a rod bottom  405  having the first angled welding location  401  in this embodiment. A top welding location could also be used. The angled welding location  401  separates the upper angled extension  406  from the lower angled extension  408 . The upper angled extension is shown welded at a second angle welding location  414  located at the second angled rod end  410  in this embodiment to connect to the second vertical rod end  212  to provide a second welding location in this embodiment. 
     Reference numerals used throughout the detailed description and the drawings correspond to the following elements: 
     Fence stake  100   
     Lateral rod  200 
         First lateral rod end  202     Lateral rod body  204 
           Lateral side welding location  206     Top  207     Lateral top welding location  208     Lateral angled welding location  209     Rod thickness  210     
           Second lateral rod end  212     Spacing lateral interval  214         

     Vertical rod  300 
         First vertical rod end  302     Vertical body  304 
           Vertical side welding location  306     Upper vertical extension  308 
               Neck extension  310     Reversing head bend  312     Neck return  314     
               Lower vertical extension  316 
               Second vertical rod end  320     
               
               

     Angled rod  400 
         First angled welding location  401     First angled rod end  402     Angled body  404 
           Angled rod bottom  405     Upper angled extension  406     Lower angled extension  408     
           Second angled rod end  410     Angle  412     Second angle welding location  414         

     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     When interpreting the claims of this application, method claims may be recognized by the explicit use of the word ‘method’ in the preamble of the claims and the use of the ‘ing’ tense of the active word. Method claims should not be interpreted to have particular steps in a particular order unless the claim element specifically refers to a previous element, a previous action, or the result of a previous action. Apparatus claims may be recognized by the use of the word ‘apparatus’ in the preamble of the claim and should not be interpreted to have ‘means plus function language’ unless the word ‘means’ is specifically used in the claim element. The words ‘defining,’ ‘having,’ or ‘including’ should be interpreted as open ended claim language that allows additional elements or structures. Finally, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element of the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.