Abstract:
A hand-removable nail/stake comprises a bottom component with at least one elongated spike point for inserting into the ground for anchoring an item; and a top component with an aperture through which a user&#39;s hand will fit for removing the nail/stake from the ground when no longer needed for anchoring. The top component has an uppermost surface for hammering and preferably includes at least one hammering face from one side. Optionally, the aperture includes a plurality of finger-gripping indents.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a perfection of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/142,106, filed on Apr. 2, 2015, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention pertains to devices for securing various products to outdoor environs, like the ground. It can be used for holding a fishing chair to a sandy shore or adjacent riverbed. Alternate variations can be used to hold sporting equipment, tenting, leisure chairs and/or various animal traps to the ground (i.e. a lawn or forest bed). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is an object of this invention to provide securement means that properly holds (anchors) an item to the ground so that it cannot be accidentally loosened. It is another object to provide a yard nail/stake that includes means for using one such device to hammer into the ground a second such device. It is a further object to provide these securement devices with hand holes for assisting with extraction when no longer needed for anchoring. It is yet another object to provide these devices with a common aperture (or central hook, in the alternative), for securing together multiple nails/stakes in storage until needed for anchoring. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Further features, objectives and advantages for these inventions will become clearer when referring to the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1A  is a front plan view showing one embodiment of hand removable nail/stake according to this invention, said embodiment having an inverted triangular-shaped top; 
           [0006]      FIG. 1B  is a front plan view showing a first alternative to the hand removable nail/stake of  FIG. 1A  with a hammering head extending outwardly from one (i.e. the left) lateral side; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2A  is a front plan view showing a second alternative embodiment of hand removable nail/stake according to this invention, said alternative embodiment having a semi-circular, or dome-shaped top. This view also shows an optional hinging of the nail/stake head with its own release pin; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2B  is a front plan view showing the second alternative embodiment of  FIG. 2A  but with a hammering head extending from one (i.e, the left) lateral side; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front upper perspective of a third alternative embodiment of hand removable nail/stake (whose shaft is shown in partial cutaway), said third alternative embodiment having a substantially rectangular or square-shaped top and having a hammering head extending from one lateral side; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front plan view showing a fourth alternative embodiment of hand removable nail/stake according to this invention, said fourth alternative embodiment having a hairpin-shaped base with two stake components for securing piping or another object (such as a snake trap) to the ground, and then easily pulling it back out of the ground when no longer needed for ground securement; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  show a front perspective view of a fifth alternative embodiment of nail/stake according to this invention whose shaft is shown in partial cutaway, said fifth alternative embodiment having an oval or ring-like configuration; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a front plan view for a sixth alternative embodiment of nail/stake having a cross-like shape with an upper and lower crossbar to the vertical stake component, the upper bar being suitable for pulling out the stake when no longer needed for anchoring. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Note that the various embodiments of hand-removable nail/stakes described herein, in detail, are for representative/exemplary purposes. It is understood that these same concepts are subject to many different variations in structure, design, application and methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
         [0014]    The aforementioned hand-removable nail/stakes should be made from a sturdy enough material so as to securely anchor a tent, chair, sporting equipment (fishing rod, volleyball net, etc.) or other outdoor implement to the ground to a sufficient depth so as to not be easily removed therefrom by the wind and/or any other activity within or adjacent the anchored part. Ideally, that means having a stake component, beneath the head component, that is at least about 8-10 inches long, and more preferably about 12-15 inches for heavier items needing anchoring herewith. 
         [0015]    Referring now to the accompanying FIGS, it should be noted that common elemental components between the various embodiments are commonly numbered though in the next hundred series. 
         [0016]    As for the first device embodiment, generally  10 , it consists of s main head element  12 , a connector  14  and an elongated spike shaft  16  that terminates into a point  18 . Main head component  12  for the first embodiment is shaped like an inverted triangle. Atop the upper most plane  22  of head element  12 , there is included a striking (or hammering) surface  24  for readily pounding the device  10  into the sand/ground, etc. for anchoring something therewith. On the reverse of upper plane  22 , or inner plane  26 , there is a hand-gripping component  28  with optional, individualized finger sections F as shown. 
         [0017]    For ease of collecting several such devices and storing them altogether until needed, the connector  14  of device  10  (as shown), includes an aperture  30 . That aperture may be replaced by or supplement a common hook head (not shown) in still alternate variations. 
         [0018]    The primary difference between  FIGS. 1A and 1B  concerns the express addition of a hammering head  140  to the latter device  110  of  FIG. 1B . That hammering head  140  would extend from one lateral side (the left side  142  being shown for representative purposes) though it is to be understood that the reverse side could be hammer-headed or both left and right sides in the alternative. Ideally, hammering head  140  is sufficiently sized and weighted so as to provide ample strength when using a first device to strike the hammering surface  124  of a second such device into the ground. 
         [0019]    In accompanying  FIGS. 2A and 2B , still other head shape variations are depicted. The device  210  of  FIG. 2A  has a semi-circular shaped upper head element  222  with its own hammering surface  224  situated thereon. In the hammer-headed alternative at  FIG. 2B , once again the left side  342  to that device  310  is fitted with its own striking hammerhead face  340 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show another optional variation with the purposeful hinging of the handle components  250 ,  350  to their respective lower frame components  252 ,  352 . With the pushing in-pulling out of locking pin  254 ,  354  on these models, the main body of the upper head elements may be flipped or rotated back (or forward) for exposing an uppermost protruding head  215 ,  315  to the respective spike shafts  216 ,  316 . That protruding head can assist with better securing/driving each such device into the ground in addition to, or in place of repeatedly striking hammering surface  224 ,  324  with the hammerhead  340  of a second such nail/stake device. 
         [0021]    In the next alternative embodiment, device  410  of  FIG. 3  shows a rectangular (or almost square-shaped) head element  412  with all other components consistent with earlier numbered variations. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows yet another alternative in which that nail/stake device  510  has a pair (or two) intentionally forked or split spacer arms  516 A and  516 B. In this doubly-staked alternative, the optional use of a finger pull up  528  and hammering head  540  are shown with dotted lines. The “hairpin” shape of this variation lets the device better situate about piping or tubing (or possibly even a necked-animal trap) for better securement to the ground between its spaced tines  516 A and B and spaced lower points  518 A and B. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows yet another alternative device  610  in which the shape to upper head  512  is more oval or ring-like. It nevertheless has a striking top head component  514  situated directly thereon. 
         [0024]    Finally, the more open-framed variation of device  610  in  FIG. 6  shows more of a cross configuration with an upper crossbar  622  and lower frame bar  652  therebeneath. IN this last representative alternative, the device gets secured by striking directly onto the protruding uppermost head  615  of stake element  616 ; while removal (when anchoring is no longer necessary) gets accomplished by pulling up form one or both sides of upper bar  622  alone. 
         [0025]    It is expected that this invention will make these nail/stakes from durable/reusable materials, preferably metals like steel, aluminum or the like. For less critical applications, however, it may be possible to make the same invention from hardened plastics or other composite materials that are able to withstand repeated hammerings against one of its own types of anchor components.