Abstract:
A support for plants or fences or the like has a lower portion configured for insertion into an underlying soil layer and an upper portion that telescopes within the lower portion. The upper portion has a reinforced end that is useful in transmitting impact force to an anvil member in the lower portion to drive it well into the soil layer. Subsequently, the upper portion is fixed in axial relation with the lower portion to obtain a support extending to a predetermined height above the soil layer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to apparatus for supporting and/or irrigating and feeding plants ranging from small shrubs or flowers to large trees. The invention may also be used to support flags or fences.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A variety of irrigation apparatus types are available for use in watering and/or feeding plants and trees. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,279 issued to the inventor in this disclosure. The apparatus disclosed in the &#39;279 patent is used to provide measured amounts of water and nutrients to a deep rooted plant&#39;s root system. A preferred embodiment utilizes a downwardly projecting cylindrical stem inserted into the ground. Generally, the device is placed within a hole that is dug out beforehand, although the stem is stated to allow “easy introduction of the apparatus into the ground”. In an upper portion of the stem is a mixing chamber wherein water is introduced to mix with plant food and, by the force of gravity, the water and nutrients are delivered to the region surrounding the plant&#39;s root system. The water and nutrients are allowed to dissipate into the surrounding soil.  
         [0003]     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,125, also issued to the instant inventor, structure is described for supporting plants and small trees to assure straight and healthy stem and trunk growth in the plants until the plants reach a self-support stage. Plant feeding features are described for the stakes, as well as stake stabilizing structure, to provide sufficient strength in the structure for accomplishing the intended purpose.  
         [0004]     Another U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,302, also issued to the instant inventor, describes a unitary garden stake supporting growing plants that has an upper anvil end and a lower wedge shaped end, wherein both the anvil and the wedge shaped end are formed utilizing formation of the wall of the tube from which the stake is fabricated. The stake of the &#39;302 patent is designed to be inserted wedge-end first into a soil layer by applying impact blows to the anvil end of the stake.  
         [0005]     It appears to be advantageous to provide a support stake for plants, trees, fences and the like, which may be readily inserted into an underlying soil surface with impact blows provided by the inertia of an upper member of the stake itself, or by hammer blows applied to the upper member of the stake, while providing deep root watering and plant feeding capability as well as final support stake length adjustment.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     A support is provided for insertion in an underlying soil layer wherein an upper elongate tubular member has a tubular wall as well as inner and other wall surfaces and opposing ends. Means is provided for reinforcing the tubular wall on each of the opposing ends of the upper member. A lower elongate tubular member has a tubular wall and upper and lower member ends. The upper end has an opening for receiving the upper elongate tubular member in telescoping relation. An impact absorbing member is provided on the lower end of the lower member and is disposed to be contact by one of the opposing ends of the upper member. A ground entry member extends beyond the lower end of the lower member and adjustable means is provided for releasably fixing the upper and lower elongate tubular members in predetermined axial relation, once the lower member is inserted into the soil layer.  
         [0007]     In another aspect of the invention, a support is provided for insertion in an underlying soil surface wherein an upper stake has an upper end and a lower end and a lower stake has a lower end and an upper opening for receiving the upper stake in telescoping relation. An impact portion is provided on the lower end of the upper stake and an impact absorbing portion is provided on the lower stake lower end exposed to the upper stake impact portion. A ground entry member is provided adjacent to and extending below the impact absorbing portion. In this fashion, impact imparted by the impact portion to the impact absorbing portion drives the ground entry member into the underlying soil surface. Additionally, means is provided for releasably fixing the upper and lower stakes in predetermined telescoped relation.  
         [0008]     In yet another aspect of the invention, a support is provided for entry into underlying soil for supporting plants, fences and the like. The support includes a ground entry member having a tubular body with a wall having an inside dimension and an open upper end. An anvil member is attached to the ground entry member at a lower end thereof, and is accessible through the open upper end. An upper support member has an outer dimension for sliding fit within the ground entry member inside dimension. A lower impact end on the upper support member is provided for imparting impact force to the anvil member. A lower end on the anvil member extends from the ground entry member and has a shape that facilitates entry into the underlying soil resulting from the impact force. Further, means is provided for releasably fixing the upper support member in axial position within the ground entry member.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1A  is a section of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1B  is a detail of another embodiment of the support stake.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a view along the line  2 A- 2 A of  FIG. 1A .  
         [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a view along the line  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 1B .  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of one embodiment of a stake length adjustment collar.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of one embodiment of a ground entry member useful in the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4A  is a partial section of the lower end of the lower portion of the stake of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4B  is an alternative embodiment of the lower end of the lower portion of the stake of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4C  is another section of the lower end of the lower portion of the stake of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4D  is yet another embodiment of the lower end of the lower stake portion of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4E  is an additional embodiment of the lower end of the lower stake portion of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5A  is a partial section of still another lower end of the lower stake member of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5B  is a further detail of an embodiment of the lower end of the lower stake portion of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     In many cases, unless an underlying soil layer is soft and porous, it is difficult to insert a plant support member or a plant feeder into the ground without first clearing a hole in the soil to accept the member. One preferred embodiment of the present invention that addresses this problem is seen at  10  in  FIG. 1A  of the drawings. An upper support member  11  is positioned within the inner diameter of a lower support member  12 . A collar  13  surrounds the upper support member  11  having a flared lower diameter that is sufficient to surround the upper end of the lower support member  12  when moved downwardly from the disengaged position shown in  FIG. 1A . The lower end of the lower support member  12  has an impact absorbing member  14  fixed thereto in various manners, as will be hereinafter described. Impact absorbing member  14  has a ground entry portion  16  extending from the lower end of the lower support member  12  that facilitates entry of the lower member  12  into an underlying soil layer when force is imparted to the impact absorbing member  14 . Force may be imparted to the impact absorbing member  14  by withdrawing the upper support member  11   a  distance within the lower support member inner diameter, and driving it by hand downwardly to strike the impact absorbing member  14  with the lower end  11   a  on the upper support member. Alternatively, the lower end  11   a  is placed in contact with the impact absorbing member  14  as shown in  FIG. 1A , and hammer blows are delivered to the opposing end  11   b  at the upper end of the upper support member  11 . As further seen in  FIG. 1A , a pair of holes  17  are formed in the wall of the tubular lower support member  12  adjacent to the position where the impact absorbing member  14  is attached to the lower support member.  
         [0023]     Once the lower support member  12  is driven a sufficient distance into the underlying soil layer, the upper support member is fixed in axial position within the lower support member  12  by means of the collar  13  and a pair of set screws  18  and  19 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . Collar  13  is lowered from the position seen in  FIG. 1A , so that the flared diameter thereof surrounds the upper edge of the lower support member  12 . Set screw  19  is configured to match threads in a hole  21  ( FIG. 3 ) to fix the collar in position relative to the lower support member  12 . The position of the upper support member  11  is then adjusted axially within the inner diameter of the lower support member  12  to provide the desired height of the upper end of the upper support member  11  over the underlying soil surface. At this point, set screw  18  is threaded into a hole  22  threaded to accepted set screw  18 , and brought to bear against the outside diameter of the upper support stake  11 . As a result, upper and lower support members  11  and  12  are fixed in a desired axial relationship to give the support assembly the desired extension length above the underlying soil surface. As an alternative embodiment to the use of the collar  13 , a threaded key  23  is configured to engage threads in a hole  24  in the upper portion of the lower support member  12 . As a result, when the upper support member  11  is placed in a desired position, it is releasably fixed in that position by pressure against the outside diameter of upper support member  11  exerted by the threaded key  23 .  
         [0024]     As described in the &#39;302 patent mentioned in the background of the invention herein, the lower and upper ends  11   a  and  11   b  of the upper support member  11  are formed in one embodiment to take on the configuration shown in  FIG. 2A . In this instance, the upper support member is fabricated from a single piece of tubing having a tubular body with a wall thickness as shown in  FIG. 2A . The upper support member  11  has a length that is appropriate for the specific purpose of the support assembly  10 . The tubular stock utilized for the support member of this invention must be formable either by mechanical means or by heat means. As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2A , ends  11   a  and  11   b  are formed by crimping the ends of a tubular body at 90° arc spacings around the circumference of the tubular body. The tubular walls are crimped to an extent that portions of the inside diameter of the tubular wall may abut or come into contact. As seen in  FIG. 1A , the lower end  11   a  of the upper support member  11  is configured similarly to the upper end  11   b  shown in  FIG. 2A . As further disclosed in the &#39;302 patent, the ends  11   a  and  11   b  on the upper support member may be formed by crimping the upper end of the tubular upper support member at three points separated by 120° of arc.  
         [0025]     An alternative embodiment for the opposing ends  11   a  and  11   b  of the upper support member is shown in  FIG. 1B . The ends of the upper support member  11  have plugs  11   c  and  11   d  (not shown) fixed therein to provide reinforcement of the upper support member at the lower end that contacts the anvil member  14  and, if necessary, at the upper end for absorbing hammer blows delivered thereto.  FIG. 2B  is a section showing the manner in which the plugs  11   c  and  11   d  (not shown) are fixed in the opposing ends of the upper support member  11 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows the impact absorbing member  14  formed as a solid of revolution. The impact absorbing member may have an impact receiving pad  26  and one or more recesses  27   a  and  27   b , recessed radially from a surface  28  that is sized for a friction fit within the lower end of the lower support member  12 . The ground entry portion  16  of the impact absorbing member may have a substantially conical shape or any convenient shape to facilitate entry of the ground entry portion  16  into the underlying soil surface.  
         [0027]     With reference now to  FIG. 4A , a detail is shown in section of one preferred manner in which the impact absorbing member  14  is affixed to the lower end of the lower support member  12 . It should be noted that there are portions  12   a  of the tubular wall of the lower support member  12  that are pressed into the radial recesses  27   a  and  27   b  in  FIG. 4A .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4B  shows that the pad  26  may or may not be included in the impact absorbing member  14 . Inclusion of the pad  26  depends upon the type of reinforced end formed on the upper support member I 1 . The ends represented by the item numbers  11   a  and  11   b  may cause the pad  26  to be of some advantage, while the use of the plugs  11   c  and  11   d  (not shown) may render the presence of the pad  26  less advantageous.  FIG. 4B  shows a continuous open channel  30  extending through the impact absorbing member  14  and through the surface of the ground entry portion  16  to allow water or other fluids to drain from the bottom of the lower support member  12  into the surrounding soil.  FIG. 4C  shows the impact absorbing member  14  being attached to the lower end of the lower support member  12  by means of a weldment  29 . The aforementioned moisture drain hole  17  is seen in  FIG. 4C  together with the impact absorbing member  14  and the ground entry portion  16  extending from the lower end of the lower support member  12 .  
         [0029]     With reference now to  FIG. 4D , the impact absorbing member  14  is shown with a plurality of radial recesses  31  in the surface  28  that is friction fit within the inside diameter of the tubular lower support member  12 . The recesses  31  are distinct from the recesses  27   a  and  27   b  seen in the previous figures in that they are not continuous around the circumference of the surface  28  of the impact absorbing member  14 . Portions of the tubular wall at the lower end of the lower support member  12  are pressed into the discrete radial recesses  31 , as shown in  FIG. 4D , to fix the impact absorbing member  14  in the lower end of the lower support member  12  with the ground entry portion  16  extending out of the end thereof  FIG. 4E  shows the ground entry portion  16  of the impact absorbing member  14  having a coarse thread  32  formed on the surface of the ground entry portion  16 . The purpose of the coarse thread  32  is to allow the impact absorbing member  14  and consequently the attached lower support member  12  to be inserted into an underlying soil layer by turning the lower support member  12  to advance the threads  32  into the soil when the soil is of an appropriate consistency. As a result, the lower support member  12  may be inserted into the ground by delivering impact force to the impact absorbing member  14  or by turning the lower support member  12  in an appropriate rotational direction.  
         [0030]     In those instances where the consistency of the underlying soil layer is appropriate, the impact absorbing member  14  may take the shape of the member  14   a  seen in  FIG. 5A . Note in  FIG. 5A  that the lower end of the lower support member  12  is configured similarly to the ends  11   a  and  11   b  of the upper support member  11  as described in conjunction with  FIG. 2A . In the configuration seen in  FIG. 5A , the lower end of the lower support member is designated by item number  16   a  for the ground entry portion, requiring a relatively soft underlying soil layer to be effective.  FIG. 5A  also shows the optional pad  26  and the moisture drain holes  17  adjacent to the impact absorbing member  14   a.    
         [0031]     An alternative embodiment for the lower end of the lower support member  12  will be described in conjunction with  FIG. 5B . The lower support member  12  is shown with an impact absorbing member  14   a  lodged in the inside diameter of the lower support member where the inside diameter begins to diminish as a result of formation of an alternative ground entry portion  16   c  in  FIG. 5B . Impact absorbing member  14   a  and the diminishing inside diameter of the lower support member  12  at the lower end are shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 5B . The ground entry portion  16   c  is formed by initially removing a segment from opposing sides of the lower end of the lower support member  12  tubular body as described in the referenced &#39;302 patent. The removal of the segments provides two depending wall sections of the tubular body. The depending wall sections are compressed together to close the openings formed by the removed segments to form a wedge shaped lower end as seen at  16   c  in  FIG. 5B . The lower end of the surface  16   c  may be rounded to facilitate the entry of the surface  16   c  into the underlying soil surface.  
         [0032]     Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.