Patent ID: 6981684

Claim:
An apparatus for supporting a post which is to be driven into the ground by an individual wherein the post has a ground-engaging lower end, the apparatus comprising: a platen base for resting upon the ground and having an upper surface upon which an individual can stand while the post is being driven into the ground, the base defining a through-opening therein which is located within the upper surface of the base so that when an individual stands upon the upper surface while the post is being driven into the ground, the through-opening is disposed between the feet of the individual; guide means for providing an elongated cavity having rigid walls and two opposite ends, the cavity being sized to slidably receive a post inserted end-wise therein; and attaching means interposed between the guide means and the platen base for attaching the guide means to the base so that the cavity of the guide means is positionable in registry with the through-opening of the base so that when an individual stands upon the base with his feet disposed on opposite sides of the through-opening and a post is received by the cavity so that the lower end of the post engages the ground through the through-opening of the base, the post is supported by the guide means in a steady condition for being driven into the ground; the guide means being pivotally attached to the attaching means to accommodate a pivotal adjustment of the guide means relative to the platen base between one condition at which the cavity of the guide means is oriented substantially normal to the platen base and another condition at which the cavity of the guide means is oriented in a non-normal angular relationship with the platen base; the through-opening of the platen base is disposed in such a relationship to the guide means that the through-opening is maintained in registry with the cavity of the guide means as the guide means is pivotally adjusted between said one and another conditions; and means for releasably locking the guide means in a fixed position relative the attaching means when the guide means is positioned in a non-normal angular relationship relative to the platen base; and wherein the attaching means includes rotatable means which is adapted to be rotated relative to the platen base about an axis of rotation which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the platen base to permit the guide means to be rotated in position relative to the platen base about said axis of rotation while the guide means is fixedly positioned in a non-normal angular relationship relative to the platen base to accommodate a rotational adjustment in position of a post which is supported by the guide means in a non-normal angular relationship relative to the plate base without requiring that the position of the platen base be altered; and the cavity of the guide means is at least about twelve inches in length to enhance the steadiness of the post positioned within the guide means.