Abstract:
A geomatics pole support comprises a body and pole engaging members for connecting the support to a geomatics pole so that the body is retained by the pole engaging members projecting generally laterally outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the pole. The body further includes a terrain engagement surface adapted to engage a ground surface and to hold at least a portion of the pole in a stable position out of contact with the ground surface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/536,468, filed Jan. 13, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to devices which support various surveying and geomatics poles, and more particularly to a support suitable for steading poles during measurements, permitting calibration verification of leveling indication vials, and holding a portion of the pole out of contact with the ground.  
         [0003]     During a typical survey, multiple and various measurements are often taken requiring varies degrees of accuracies. For example, measurements of property boundaries may require a greater degree of accuracy than measurements locating the position of fire hydrants, yet both measurements may be performed in the same survey using the same geomatics target device. In order to meet the specific accuracy or speed efficiency requirements of a particular measurement, survey crew members may be required to change the support holding a geomatics target device. The target devices include prismatic retroreflectors, global positioning system receivers and optical targets.  
         [0004]     Commonly, various types of geomatics poles are used to support geomatic target devices. These geomatics poles typically are fitted with a ground engaging point on a base end, permitting precise indication of a ground point. To provide desired line of sight clearances, the target device is typically located on the apex of the pole, opposite of the base end. A level indication vial is commonly located at a point along the length of the pole to facilitate vertical collimation of the pole over the ground point in a process known as plumbing. Geomatics poles, which may be either fixed length or telescopic, are capable of retaining an established length throughout multiple measurements. Known and constant target heights save measurement calculation time. As a result, measurements can be obtained much faster with geomatics poles than with other supporting devices, such as tripods.  
         [0005]     However, geomatics poles have several disadvantages. For one, the level indication vials of these poles often lose their accuracy calibration, which may cause inaccurate measurements. Because of this deficiency, level vial accuracy must be verified periodically. Many prior art level vial checking devices are dedicated only to the function of checking level vials and require being fixed to a wall. Thus, these wall mounted level vial checking devices are not available for use in the field.  
         [0006]     For some measurements, geomatics poles may be handheld in vertical collimation over a ground point. Positioning a geomatics pole positioning by hand provides a fast and convenient method of taking measurements. However, the practice of handheld positioning of geomatics poles also has disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that precise and extended retention of pole position is very difficult. Therefore, measurements taken with handheld poles are less precise than supported ones. Another disadvantage with handheld poles becomes evident when a surveyor must perform a task not involving the pole, such as installing a monument or making a note. In these instances, the pole is often laid directly on the ground, subjecting the pole and target to damage and malfunction as a result of ground borne debris (e.g., sand, mud).  
         [0007]     A number of dedicated prior art devices are offered to steady or support geomatics poles, which permit more precise measurement observations to be taken. Many of these prior art pole support devices provide supporting legs in the form of bipods or tripods. One version of a geomatics pole supporting bipod is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,130 to Boehm. A version of a dedicated geomatics pole tripod is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,549 to Ashjaee. These pole support devices have disadvantages, among which is that they only perform one function.  
         [0008]     In some instances, tripod stands, which are typically designed to support primary instruments such as transits, theodolites and total stations, are also used to support geomatics targets. In other instances, dedicated target support tripods are used. One version of a dedicated target support tripod is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,234 to Glidden. While the tripods are quite stable, they also have a number of disadvantages. For instance, in the case of instrumentation tripods, adaptors (commonly known as tribrachs) are required to provide a connective interface between the target and the tripod. Additionally, these tripods are slow and difficult to set up with targets because the procedures for establishing precise vertical collimation, and determination of height of targets, are quite time consuming. Dedicated target tripods have an additional disadvantage of performing only one function. The disadvantages of using tripods for geomatic target supports often limit their use to those measurements requiring great accuracy.  
         [0009]     Standard (i.e., nondedicated) tripods may be adapted to support geomatics poles so that the target devices can remain on the poles, a practice which saves time. One prior art surveying tripod type pole support device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,207 to Browning. These types of support devices also have many disadvantages, such as being capable of only one use; providing a pole to tripod interface. Also, the positive coupling connections found in many of these pole supports tend to inhibit free rotation of the poles, which inhibits level vial calibration confirmations. These positive connections also resist sliding the support along the pole thereby resisting gravitational forces on the pole and limiting bearing support of the point on the ground surface. Additionally, these pole supports tend to be complex in design, heavy, and expensive.  
         [0010]     One prior art tripod type geomatics pole support, marketed under the name Hold A Pole, permits free rotation, and free sliding of the geomatics pole. However, this pole support also has disadvantages, one of which is that the captivity of the geomatics pole is rather flimsy, as the pole is retained with an elastic band. Additionally, the elastic band must be manually attached and detached when the geomatics pole is installed and removed, which is inconvenient and also requires two hands to perform. Additionally, in order to prevent friction and thus permit free sliding and rotation of the pole, the elastic band must be rather weak in design, which may cause the pole to be unstable and possibly result in inaccurate measurements. Additionally, the force of wind can critically load the elastic band allowing the geomatics pole to fall to the ground thereby subjecting the pole, the level vial and its geomatics target to damage.  
         [0011]     In addition to taking measurements, persons performing surveys must also engage in other activities such as installing monuments or making notes. In order to free surveyors hands while engaged in activities other than measuring, geomatics equipment is often placed directly on the surface of the ground. The exposure of survey equipment to ground borne debris such as mud or sand can render the equipment inaccurate or even inoperable. Moreover, field conditions in surveying often include rough and remote terrains, and surveying equipment must often be transported by hand, so features of weight and convenience have particular importance to surveyors.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     Generally, a geomatics pole support of the present invention comprises a body and pole engaging members adapted to connect the support to a geomatics pole so that the body is retained by the pole engaging members projecting generally laterally outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the pole. The body further includes a terrain engagement surface adapted to engage a ground surface and to hold at least a portion of the pole in a stable position out of contact with the ground surface.  
         [0013]     In another aspect of the present invention, a geomatics pole support generally comprises a body having a first end and a second end. Arms extend from the first end of the body. Engaging members are mounted on each of the arms at a location remote from the body. The engaging members are adapted to grip the geomatics pole to simultaneously retain the body in a position projecting laterally outwardly from the pole and permit the support to slide lengthwise of the pole.  
         [0014]     In still another aspect of the present invention, a geomatics pole support generally comprises a body having a first end and a second end, and arms extending from the first end of the body. An engaging members is mounted on each of the arms at a location remote from the body. At least one of the engaging members is formed for snap-on engagement with the geomatics pole to simultaneously retain the body in a position projecting laterally outwardly from the pole.  
         [0015]     In a further aspect of the present invention, a supporting device capable of being erected on a ground surface in an upright position generally comprises a pole support comprising a body having a first end and a second end. The pole support is adapted to support the geomatics pole in a first position wherein at least a portion of the second end of the body is in contact with the ground surface and at least a portion of the pole is held by the pole connector in a stable position out of contact with the ground surface, and a second position wherein the pole support is connected to the supporting device and the geomatics pole capable of being held in a substantially upright position.  
         [0016]     These and other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of a geomatics pole support device.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of the underside of the pole support device.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of a vertically positioned geomatics pole, pole support device and tripod.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 3 , showing the pole support device attached to the tripod and a segment of the geomatics pole.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a section taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  illustrating adjustable movement of the pole support device and pole in phantom.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a section taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  illustrating rotational movement of a level indication vial about the pole in phantom.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 4  seen from the vantage indicated by line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 , illustrating pole support device jaws engaging the geomatics pole.  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a section taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 , showing the pole support device attached to the tripod.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a perspective of the pole support device mounted in a cantilevered projection on the geomatics pole.  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is a perspective of the geomatics pole retained by the pole support device in a position substantially off the ground. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     The geomatics pole support device, generally indicated at  20 , of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The pole support device  20  comprises a body, generally indicated at  51 , and bifurcated jaw support arms  21  extending outwardly from the body. In the illustrated embodiment, the body  51  has a top  53  , a bottom  55  and four sides  57 ,  59 ,  61 ,  63 . The top  53  of the body  51  has a generally flat surface with beveled edges along its periphery. The four sides  57 ,  59 ,  61 ,  63  of the body, which generally form an isosceles trapezoid, extend downward (as the device is viewed in  FIG. 1 ) from the periphery of the top  53  of the body  51 . Accordingly, the body  51  has a front  57 , a back  59 , a right side  61  and a left side  63 . The front and back  57 ,  59  of the body  51  are generally parallel but have different lengths. The back  59  is longer than the front  57 . The right and left sides  63 ,  61  have approximately the same lengths but are not parallel. It is understood that the body  51  of the support may have different configurations (i.e., size, shape) without departing from the scope of this invention.  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bottom  55  of the body  51  includes four interior side surfaces  65  that collectively define a partitioned cavity. A rim  67  extends between interior side surfaces  65  and the sides  57 ,  59 ,  61 ,  63  of the body  51 . In addition, a matrix of structural support ribs  25  extend between the interior surfaces  65 . While it is contemplated that the pole support device  20  may have any number of ribs  25  or no ribs at all, in the illustrated embodiment, two lateral ribs and one longitudinal rib extend through the cavity.  
         [0029]     The bottom  55  of the body  51  also contains a socket  26  ( FIG. 2 ) that is capable of mating with a support, such as a surveying tripod, indicated generally at  33  ( FIG. 3 ). Referring again to  FIG. 2 , The socket  26  is approximately equidistant from the right and left sides  61 ,  63  but is closer to the back  59  than the front  57 . The illustrated socket  26  is shown as being threaded and adapted for receiving a threaded male coupling, such as a bell screw  39  of a tripod ( FIG. 8 ). Typically, the threads of the socket  26  are of a nominal ⅝ of an inch in diameter and pitched at 11 threads per inch, which is an accepted standard of the geomatics industry. It is understood that the pole support device  20  can be attached to a support using other methods within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0030]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the arms  21  of the pole support device  20  extend outwardly from the front  57  of the body  51 . Located at an end of each of the arms  21  are pole engagement jaws  22  (broadly, “pole engaging members”), which are capable of releasable connection along the length a pole. Collectively in the embodiment shown, the arms  21  and engagement jaws  22  form a “pole connector”. In the illustrated embodiment, the pole is a geomatics target support pole indicated generally at  29  in  FIG. 3 . The jaws  22  are resiliently deformable thereby providing a snap connection. Each of the jaws  22  contain a bulbous portion  69  with a surface having points  23  of pole engagement (see  FIG. 7 ). The points  23  provide rigid lateral support to the geomatics target support pole  29  while permitting free sliding and rotational movement of the supported pole. Thus, the jaws  22  of the support  20  form a pole connection capable of rigidly retaining the support in perpendicular appendage, as shown in  FIG. 9 , to the length of the pole  29 .  
         [0031]     The support  20  is molded of a high lubricity, polymeric material, such as Nylon 66, into a one-piece structure. Other materials and constructions, including multi-component constructions are envisioned.  
         [0032]     In a first mode of use, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , pole support device  20  is used to support the geomatics target pole  29  mounting a retroprism  30  in a vertical position. Other suitable geomatics target devices may be mounted on the pole  29  within the scope of the present invention. The pole support device  20  is coupled to a standard surveying tripod  33 . Using a level indication vial  31  mounted on the pole  29 , the pole can be pivoted into a position of precise collimation above a ground surface point of measurement  28 . In this mode of use, the ground engagement feet  35  of legs  34  of the surveying tripod  33  form a rigid, stable structure above a ground terrain surface  27 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 3  and more clearly illustrates the support device  20  connected to the geomatics pole  29  and the tripod  33 . The support  20  is positioned on a surface plane  37  of tripod head  36 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5  in phantom, the position of pole support device  20  is slidably adjustable on the planed surface  37  of the tripod head  36 . As these sliding adjustments are made, the supported geomatics pole  29  held by the support  20  bears and pivots on a fulcrum formed at a point  32  resting on the surface point  28  on the ground. In this manner, the geomatics pole  29  is adjusted to a precise vertical collimation over the surface point  28 .  
         [0034]     The pole support device  20  can be secured to the tripod head  36  ( FIG. 8 ). When mounted on the tripod, the support  20  lies on the plane surface  37  of the tripod head  36  and is secured to the tripod by the bell screw  39 . Tightening of the bell screw creates compression on a bell screw retainer yoke  38  and the under surface of the pole support  20  thereby preventing movement of the pole support with respect to the tripod head  36 . When compression of the bell screw  39  is relaxed, the pole support  20  is permitted to slide both laterally and pivotally within a tripod head aperture  40  thereby facilitating lateral and pivotal adjustment of supported geomatics pole being supported by the pole support  20 .  
         [0035]     In another mode of use, the support  20  provides a simple and accepted method of verifying the calibration of the level vial  31  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In practice, the accurate positioning of the target (i.e., retroprism  30 ) is dependant on the calibration of the level indication vial  31  mounted on the geomatics pole  29 . The calibration of the level vial  31  should be confirmed immediately prior to each use because harsh field conditions may have rendered the vial inaccurate. Calibration of the level vial  31  can be verified using the support  20  by retaining the pole  29  vertically collimated and rotating it about its longitudinal axis relative to the support from a first position (shown in solid lines) to a second portion (shown in phantom). Calibration of the level vial  31  is possible since the pole support  20  of the present invention permits free rotation of the pole  29 , while rigidly retaining it in vertical collimation.  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  provides a close up view of jaws  22 , which facilitate free rotation of the pole  29  while providing rigid vertical support. The jaws  22  are forcibly urged against the geomatics pole  29  by a resilient spring action in the jaw supporting arms  21 . In the illustrated embodiment, the resiliency is achieved by the material of the device  20 . The points  23  on the surfaces of jaw  22  that engage the pole  29  limit sliding friction by minimizing the surface area in contact with the pole but provide sufficient contact to inhibit lateral movements of the pole relative to the support  20 .  
         [0037]     With reference to  FIG. 9 , the pole support  20  can be coupled to a geomatics pole  29  independent of the tripod  33  or other support. When mounted in this manner, the support  20  forms a rigid, perpendicular appendage to the pole  29  thereby providing another mode of use, i.e., as a ground surface standoff structure as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . When used in the ground standoff mode, the relatively wide back  59  (broadly, “ground engagement surface”) of the pole support  20  acts as a support base, preventing the supported pole  29  from racking over and contacting the ground surface  27 . Thus, the majority of the pole  29 , the level vial  31 , and the retroprism  30  are supported by the support  20  in a position above the ground surface  27 . As mentioned above, the exposure of survey equipment (e.g., support pole  29 , level vial  31 , retroprism  30 ) to ground borne debris such as mud or sand can render the equipment inaccurate or even inoperable. As a result, the potential of the supported pole  29  becoming inoperable or otherwise compromised by ground contamination is significantly reduced. In addition, time spent cleaning the equipment is decreased.  
         [0038]     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.  
         [0039]     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.  
         [0040]     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.