Fence spool apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6533215
  • Patent Number
    6,533,215
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, March 14, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 18, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A fence spool apparatus includes ground penetration element for penetrating a portion of ground, ground contacting plate element from which a portion of the ground penetration element extend downward therefrom, vertical stabilizer element positioned on top of the ground contacting plate element, ground penetrator driver element for driving a portion of said ground penetration element into the ground, spindle shaft and spool reception element stabilized by the vertical stabilizer element, and top of shaft control element supported by the spindle shaft and spool reception element. In one embodiment, the ground penetrating member is fixed to a base plate, and the ground penetrating member is hammered into the ground with the employment of a small hammer-impaction member. In another embodiment, the ground penetrating member is independent of the base plate and is hammered into the ground using a spindle shaft unit.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to devices for paying out flexible material wound on a spool and, more particularly, to a device especially adapted for paying out flexible fencing material wound on a spool.




2. Description of the Prior Art




Flexible fence material is a type of fence material that is easy to pay out from a spool for installation onto fence posts. In general, the art of paying out flexible material from a spool is crowded with many innovations, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 524,657, 1,674,709, 1,871,483, 3,162,390, and 5,497,958. More specifically, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 524,657, 1,674,709, and 1,871,483 discloses a device for paying out relatively small diameter strands of wire from a spool. Such devices are not suitable for paying out sheets of flexible fence material. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for paying out flexible fence material.




U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,390 discloses a device from which flexible cloth material can be dispensed from a spool. The cloth material is wound into a bolt of cloth which is supported by a spindle. However, there is no disclosure of dispensing flexible fence material from a spool. Moreover, it is noted that this device does not disclose structures attached to the spindle, either at the top or the bottom of the spindle, for centering the bolt of cloth on the spindle. In the art of dispensing flexible fence material, it is important that a spool of fence material be centered on a spindle and be prevented from sliding upward on the spindle and potentially slipping off of the spindle. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device, that provides flexible fence material from a spool, includes structures for centering the spool on the spindle.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,958 discloses a device for dispensing flexible fence material from a spool. Stabilization of the device in the ground is accomplished by the use of four relatively short base member stakes are arrayed circumferentially around the spool. In addition, extra stake members are provided in the ground outside the base member. A total of six stake members are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,958. For purposes of simplicity, it would be desirable if a fence spool apparatus were provided which includes a ground penetrating member that is located coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the spool.




Still other features would be desirable in a fence spool apparatus. For example, good stabilization of the apparatus depends upon secure stabilization of the apparatus in the ground. In this respect, it would be desirable if fence spool apparatus were provided which includes an adaptor which is designed to receive hammer blows for driving a ground-penetrating member into the ground.




Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use devices for dispensing flexible material from a spindle, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a fence spool apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides for paying out flexible fence material; (2) provides flexible fence material from a spool which includes structures for centering the spool on a spindle; (3) provides a ground-penetrating member that is located coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the spool; and (4) includes an adaptor which is designed to receive hammer blows for driving the ground-penetrating member into the ground. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique fence spool apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, briefly described in general terms, a fence spool apparatus includes ground penetration means for penetrating a portion of ground, ground contacting plate means from which a portion of the ground penetration means extend downward therefrom, vertical stabilizer means positioned on top of the ground contacting plate means, ground penetrator driver means for driving a portion of said ground penetration means into the ground, spindle shaft and spool reception means stabilized by the vertical stabilizer means, and top of shaft control means supported by the spindle shaft and spool reception means.




More specifically, with respect to the first embodiment of the invention, the ground penetration means include base fixing portion, the ground contacting plate means include base plate portion, and the base fixing portion and the base plate portion are unified as a base unit.




The vertical stabilizer means include bottom spindle unit which includes spindle plate portion and bottom shaft-reception sleeve depending upward from the spindle plate portion. The ground penetrator driver means include hammer-impaction member, and spindle-reception well, in the base plate portion, which receives a portion of the hammer-impaction member. The spindle shaft and spool reception means include spindle shaft unit. The top of shaft control means include fence spool centering assembly supported by the spindle shaft unit.




Even more specifically with respect to the first embodiment of the invention, a fence spool apparatus includes a base unit which includes a base plate portion, a base fixing portion projecting out from a bottom side of the base plate portion, and a spindle-reception well extending into a top side of the base plate portion. A bottom spindle unit includes a spindle plate portion, a spindle member projecting out from a bottom side of the spindle plate portion, and a bottom shaft-reception sleeve extending up from a top side of the spindle plate portion. A spindle shaft unit is received in the bottom shaft-reception sleeve.




The base fixing portion is in a form of a pointed spike. A hammer-impaction member can be received in the spindle-reception well when the spindle member is not received in the spindle-reception well. The base fixing portion and the spindle-reception well are located along a longitudinal axis.




A bottom fence spool centering assembly extends between the spindle plate portion and the bottom shaft-reception sleeve. The bottom centering assembly includes a plurality of bottom centering rod members which extend between the spindle plate portion and the bottom shaft-reception sleeve.




A top fence spool centering assembly is attached to a top portion of the spindle shaft unit. The top centering assembly includes a top shaft-reception sleeve attached to a top portion of the spindle shaft unit. A plurality of top centering rods are connected to a top portion of the top shaft-reception sleeve and a bottom portion of the top shaft-reception sleeve and extend radially outward from the top shaft-reception sleeve.




The spindle shaft unit includes a first spindle shaft member received in the bottom shaft-reception sleeve, and a second spindle shaft member is connected to the first spindle shaft member. The first spindle shaft member can be connected to the second spindle shaft member by screwing the two shaft members together.




To use the first embodiment of the fence spool apparatus, the base unit is secured to the ground, a roll of wire fence is mounted on the spindle shaft unit, the bottom spindle unit is placed on the base unit, the top centering assembly is placed on the spindle shaft unit, and a free end of the wire fence is pulled, whereby the roll of wire fence is unrolled with the roll of wire fence spinning on the fence spool apparatus.




More specifically with respect to the second embodiment of the invention, the ground penetration means include a ground penetration member which includes a ground penetration point at a distal end and a shaft reception well at a proximal end. The ground contacting plate means include a base plate portion. The vertical stabilizer means include a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve attached to a top side of the base plate portion. The ground penetrator driver means include a spindle shaft unit received in the shaft reception well. The spindle shaft and spool reception means include a spindle shaft unit which is received in the shaft reception well. The top of shaft control means include a shaft jacket portion for placement over a top portion of the spindle shaft unit and include a handle portion attached to a top portion of the shaft jacket portion.




Even more specifically with respect to the second embodiment of the invention, the fence spool apparatus includes a base plate portion and a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve connected to the base plate portion and extending upward therefrom. A ground penetration member is received in the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve, for penetrating the ground therethrough. The ground penetration member includes a ground penetration point at a distal end and a shaft reception well at a proximal end. A spindle shaft unit includes a distal shaft end and a proximal shaft end. The distal shaft end is received in the shaft reception well. A shaft jacket portion is positioned around the proximal shaft end, and a handle portion is connected to a top portion of the shaft jacket portion. The handle portion is perpendicular to the shaft jacket portion.




Preferably, top centering wings are connected between the handle portion and the shaft jacket portion. Optionally, a cover plate is placed on top of the base plate portion. The cover plate includes a ground-penetration-member reception channel. Optionally, a bottom centering unit is placed on top of the cover plate. The bottom centering unit includes a ground-penetration-member-reception channel and bottom centering wings attached to walls of the ground-penetration-member-reception channel.




The ground penetration member can include notches located at a top rim of walls forming the shaft reception well. The distal shaft end can include a shaft end hammer head and a shaft end groove located proximal to the shaft end hammer head.




The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will be for the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.




In this respect, before explaining two preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.




As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.




It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which is of durable and reliable construction.




An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such fence spool apparatus available to the buying public.




Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which provides for paying out flexible fence material.




Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus that provides flexible fence material from a spool which includes structures for centering the spool on a spindle.




Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus which provides a ground-penetrating member that is located coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the spool.




Even another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fence spool apparatus that includes an adaptor which is designed to receive hammer blows for driving the ground-penetrating member into the ground.




These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood and the above objects as well as objects other than those set forth above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:





FIG. 1

is a side view showing a first embodiment of the fence spool apparatus of the invention installed in the ground and holding a roll of wire fence which is being unrolled from the fence spool apparatus.





FIG. 2

is an enlarged, partially exploded side view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIG. 1

, removed from the ground and with the wire fence removed from the apparatus.





FIG. 3

is an enlarged top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIG. 2

taken along line


3





3


thereof.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIG. 3

taken along line


4





4


thereof.





FIG. 5

is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIGS. 1-4

.





FIG. 6

is a side view showing a second embodiment of the fence spool apparatus of the invention installed in the ground.





FIG. 7

is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIG. 6

, taken along line


7





7


thereof.





FIG. 8

is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in

FIG. 6

, taken along line


8





8


thereof.





FIG. 9

is a side view of the second embodiment of the invention being loaded with a roll of wire fence.





FIG. 10

is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference to the drawings, a new and improved fence spool apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention will be described.




Briefly described in general terms, a fence spool apparatus includes ground penetration means for penetrating a portion of ground, ground contacting plate means from which a portion of the ground penetration means extend downward therefrom, vertical stabilizer means positioned on top of the ground contacting plate means, ground penetrator driver means for driving a portion of said ground penetration means into the ground, spindle shaft and spool reception means stabilized by the vertical stabilizer means, and top of shaft control means supported by the spindle shaft and spool reception means.




Turning to

FIGS. 1-5

, there is shown a first embodiment of the fence spool apparatus of the invention generally designated by reference numeral


10


. In the first embodiment, fence spool apparatus


10


includes a base unit


12


which includes a base plate portion


14


, a base fixing portion


16


projecting out from a bottom side of the base plate portion


14


, and a spindle-reception well


18


extending into a top side of the base plate portion


14


. A bottom spindle unit


22


includes a spindle plate portion


24


, a spindle member


26


projecting out from a bottom side of the spindle plate portion


24


, and a bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


extending up from a top side of the spindle plate portion


24


. A spindle shaft unit


32


is received in the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


.




The base fixing portion


16


is in a form of a pointed spike


16


. A hammer-impaction member


33


can be received in the spindle-reception well


18


when the spindle member


26


is not received in the spindle-reception well


18


. The base fixing portion


16


and the spindle-reception well


18


are located along a longitudinal axis


20


.




A bottom fence spool centering assembly extends between the spindle plate portion


24


and the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


. The bottom centering assembly includes a plurality of bottom centering rod members


30


which extend between the spindle plate portion


24


and the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


.




A top fence spool centering assembly


31


is attached to a top portion of the spindle shaft unit


32


. The top centering assembly


31


includes a top shaft-reception sleeve


38


attached to a top portion of the spindle shaft unit


32


. A plurality of top centering rods


40


are connected to a top portion of the top shaft-reception sleeve


38


and a bottom portion of the top shaft-reception sleeve


38


and extend radially outward from the top shaft-reception sleeve


38


.




The spindle shaft unit


32


includes a first spindle shaft member


34


received in the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


, and a second spindle shaft member


36


is connected to the first spindle shaft member


34


. The first spindle shaft member


34


can be connected to the second spindle shaft member


36


by screwing the two shaft members together.




With one way of using the fence spool apparatus


10


of the invention, a portion of the ground


11


is selected where a wire fence


13


is to be installed. The base unit


12


is obtained, and the hammer-impaction member


33


is placed in the spindle-reception well


18


. The pointed spike


16


of the base unit


12


is placed on the ground


11


, and the pointed spike


16


is driven into the ground by hammering on the hammer-impaction member


33


. When the base plate portion


14


rests upon the ground


11


, the hammer-impaction member


33


is removed from the base plate portion


14


.




Then, the bottom spindle unit


22


is obtained, and the spindle shaft unit


32


is fitted into the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


. With the two-part spindle shaft unit


32


shown in the drawings, the first spindle shaft member


34


is fitted into the bottom shaft-reception sleeve


28


, and the bottom portion of the second spindle shaft member


36


is screwed into the top portion of the first spindle shaft member


34


.




Then, the unified spindle shaft unit


32


and bottom spindle unit


22


are laid on the ground


11


, and a roll of wire fence


13


is slipped onto the spindle shaft unit


32


. With the roll of wire fence


13


mounted on the spindle shaft unit


32


, the combination is lifted off of the ground


11


so that the roll of wire fence


13


is oriented vertically.




Then, the spindle member


26


of the bottom spindle unit


22


is moved into the spindle-reception well


18


. Then, the top centering assembly


31


is mounted on the top of the spindle shaft unit


32


. In this way, the roll of wire fence


13


is centered between the bottom centering rod members


30


of the bottom centering assembly and the top centering rods


40


of the top centering assembly


31


.




Then, a free end of the roll of wire fence


13


can be pulled, such as in the direction shown by arrow


35


in FIG.


1


. When this occurs, the bottom side of the spindle plate portion


24


rotates on the top side of the base plate portion


14


, and the spindle member


26


rotates in the spindle-reception well


18


.




When the fence spool apparatus


10


is no longer needed, the top centering assembly


31


is removed from the spindle shaft unit


32


, the spindle shaft unit


32


is tilted down, the remainder of the roll of wire fence


13


is removed from the spindle shaft unit


32


, the bottom spindle unit


22


is separated from the base unit


12


, and the base unit


12


is pulled out from the ground


11


. The components of the fence spool apparatus


10


can be stored until they are needed further.




With the second embodiment of the invention, shown in

FIGS. 6-10

, the ground penetration means include a ground penetration member


50


which includes a ground penetration point


51


at a distal end and a shaft reception well


76


at a proximal end. The ground contacting plate means include a base plate portion


52


. The vertical stabilizer means include a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


attached to a top side of the base plate portion


52


. The ground penetrator driver means include a spindle shaft unit


66


received in the shaft reception well


76


. The spindle shaft and spool reception means include a spindle shaft unit


66


which is received in the shaft reception well


76


. The top of shaft control means include a shaft jacket portion


68


for placement over a top portion of the spindle shaft unit


66


and include a handle portion


70


attached to a top portion of the shaft jacket portion


68


.




More specifically, the second embodiment of the fence spool apparatus includes a base plate portion


52


and a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


connected to the base plate portion


52


and extending upward therefrom. A ground penetration member


50


is received in the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


, for penetrating the ground


11


therethrough. The ground penetration member


50


includes a ground penetration point


51


at a distal end and a shaft reception well


76


at a proximal end. A spindle shaft unit


66


includes a distal shaft end


53


and a proximal shaft end


55


. The distal shaft end


53


is received in the shaft reception well


76


. A shaft jacket portion


68


is positioned around the proximal shaft end


55


, and a handle portion


70


is connected to a top portion of the shaft jacket portion


68


. The handle portion


70


is perpendicular to the shaft jacket portion


68


.




Preferably, top centering wings


72


are connected between the handle portion


70


and the shaft jacket portion


68


. Optionally, a cover plate


54


is placed on top of the base plate portion


52


. The cover plate


54


includes a ground-penetration-member reception channel


58


. Optionally, a bottom centering unit


60


is placed on top of the cover plate


54


. The bottom centering unit


60


includes a ground-penetration-member-reception channel


62


and bottom centering wings


64


attached to walls of the ground-penetration-member-reception channel


62


.




The ground penetration member


50


can include notches


78


located at a top rim of walls forming the shaft reception well


76


. The distal shaft end


53


can include a shaft end hammer head


80


and a shaft end groove


82


located proximal to the shaft end hammer head


80


.




To use the second embodiment of the invention, shown in

FIGS. 6-10

, a portion of the ground


11


is selected, and the base plate portion


52


is placed on the selected portion of the ground


11


. For a roll of wire fence


15


having a relatively large diameter core, the cover plate


54


is placed on top of the base plate portion


52


by having the ground-penetration-member reception channel


58


pass around the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


. The bottom centering unit


60


is placed around the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


by having the ground-penetration-member-reception channel


62


pass around the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


.




Then, the distal end of the ground penetration member


50


is threaded through the tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve


56


so that the ground penetration point


51


contacts the ground


11


. The distal shaft end


53


of the spindle shaft unit


66


is placed in the shaft reception well


76


so that the shaft end hammer head


80


rests on the bottom of the shaft reception well


76


. The shaft jacket portion


68


is placed over the proximal shaft end


55


of the spindle shaft unit


66


, and the handle portion


70


is grasped by a user.




Then, using a vertically up and down longitudinal motion, depicted by straight arrow


57


, the user hammers the proximal shaft end


55


with the inside of the handle portion


70


, or another structure inside the top of the shaft jacket portion


68


. As the proximal shaft end


55


is hammered, the shaft end hammer head


80


drives the ground penetration member


50


into the ground


11


.




After the ground penetration member


50


has been driven into the ground sufficiently, the roll of wire fence


15


can be loaded onto the apparatus. To do so, as illustrated in

FIG. 9

, the shaft jacket portion


68


is placed around the spindle shaft unit


66


, and the combination of the spindle shaft unit


66


and the shaft jacket portion


68


is threaded through the core of the roll of wire fence


15


as the core is oriented in a horizontal direction. The longitudinal positioning of the shaft jacket portion


68


with respect to the spindle shaft unit


66


can be adjusted to adjust leverage and to adjust to accommodate the height of the wire fence


15


. Then, the shaft end groove


82


is placed in a notch


78


at the top of the ground penetration member


50


, and the handle portion


70


is lifted upwards so that the shaft end groove


82


pivots upon and rotates around the notch


78


, as depicted by curved arrow


59


. When the roll of wire fence


15


is oriented vertically, the shaft end groove


82


slips off of the notch


78


, and the shaft end hammer head


80


slides down into the shaft reception well


76


. Once the roll of wire fence


15


is installed on the apparatus, the wire fence


15


can be payed out as described above relating to the first embodiment of the invention.




If the roll of wire fence


15


has a relatively large diameter core, both the bottom centering wings


64


and the top centering wings


72


will partially enter the core and help to center the roll of wire fence


15


as the wire fence


15


is payed out.




Preferably, the bottom centering unit


60


is independent of the cover plate


54


. In this respect, when a roll of wire fence


15


is employed that has a relatively small diameter core, the roll of wire fence


15


can fit snugly on the shaft jacket portion


68


without the need for the bottom centering unit


60


. Also, if desired, the bottom centering unit


60


can be placed on top of the base plate portion


52


, and the cover plate


54


can be placed on top of the bottom centering unit


60


. Alternatively, the bottom centering unit


60


can be unified with the cover plate


54


by welding them together.




The components of the fence spool apparatus of the invention can be made from inexpensive and durable metal and plastic materials.




As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same is apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly, no further discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation need be provided.




It is apparent from the above that the present invention accomplishes all of the objects set forth by providing a new and improved fence spool apparatus that is low in cost, relatively simple in design and operation, and which may advantageously be used for paying out flexible fence material. With the invention, a fence spool apparatus provides flexible fence material from a spool which includes structures for centering the spool on a spindle. With the invention, a fence spool apparatus provides a ground-penetrating member that is located coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the spool. With the invention, a fence spool apparatus is provided which includes an adaptor which is designed to receive hammer blows for driving the ground-penetrating member into the ground.




Thus, while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use.




Hence, the proper scope of the present invention should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all such modifications as well as all relationships equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.




Finally, it will be appreciated that the purpose of the annexed Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Accordingly, the Abstract is neither intended to define the invention or the application, which only is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.



Claims
  • 1. A fence spool apparatus, comprising:ground penetration means for penetrating a portion of ground, ground contacting plate means from which a portion of said ground penetration means extend downward therefrom, vertical stabilizer means positioned on top of said ground contacting plate means, ground penetrator driver means for driving a portion of said ground penetration means into the ground, spindle shaft and spool reception means stabilized by said vertical stabilizer means, and top of shaft control means supported by said spindle shaft and spool reception means.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:said ground penetration means include base fixing portion, said ground contacting plate means include base plate portion, and said base fixing portion and said base plate portion are unified as a base unit.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:said vertical stabilizer means include bottom spindle unit which includes spindle plate portion and bottom shaft-reception sleeve depending upward from said spindle plate portion.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ground penetrator driver means include:hammer-impaction member, and spindle-reception well, in said base plate portion, which receives a portion of said hammer-impaction member.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spindle shaft and spool reception means include a spindle shaft unit.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said top of shaft control means include a fence spool centering assembly supported by said spindle shaft unit.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:said ground penetration means include a ground penetration member which includes a ground penetration point at a distal end and a shaft reception well at a proximal end, said ground contacting plate means include a base plate portion, said vertical stabilizer means include a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve attached to a top side of said base plate portion, said ground penetrator driver means include a spindle shaft unit received in said shaft reception well, said spindle shaft and spool reception means include spindle shaft unit which is received in said shaft reception well, and said top of shaft control means include a shaft jacket portion for placement over a top portion of said spindle shaft unit and include a handle portion attached to a top portion of said shaft jacket portion.
  • 8. A fence spool apparatus, comprising:a base unit which includes a base plate portion, a base fixing portion projecting out from a bottom side of said base plate portion, and a spindle-reception well extending into a top side of said base plate portion, a bottom spindle unit which includes a spindle plate portion, a spindle member projecting out from a bottom side of said spindle plate portion, and a bottom shaft-reception sleeve extending up from a top side of said spindle plate portion, a spindle shaft unit received in said bottom shaft-reception sleeve, a bottom fence spool centering assembly extending between said spindle plate portion and said bottom shaft-reception sleeve, and a top fence spool centering assembly attached to a top portion of said spindle shaft unit.
  • 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said base fixing portion is in a form of a pointed spike.
  • 10. The apparatus of claim 8, further including:a hammer-impaction member received in said spindle-reception well when said spindle member is not received in said spindle-reception well.
  • 11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said base fixing portion and said spindle-reception well are located along a longitudinal axis.
  • 12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said bottom fence spool centering assembly includes a plurality of bottom centering rod members extending between said spindle plate portion and said bottom shaft-reception sleeve.
  • 13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said top fence spool centering assembly includes:a top shaft-reception sleeve attached to a top portion of said spindle shaft unit, and a plurality of top centering rods connected to a top portion of said top shaft-reception sleeve and a bottom portion of said top shaft-reception sleeve and extending radially outward from said top shaft-reception sleeve.
  • 14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said spindle shaft unit includes:a first spindle shaft member received in said bottom shaft-reception sleeve, and a second spindle shaft member connected to said first spindle shaft member.
  • 15. A fence spool apparatus, comprising:a base plate portion, a tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve connected to said base plate portion and extending upward therefrom, a ground penetration member received in said tubular ground-penetration-member reception sleeve, for penetrating the ground therethrough, wherein said ground penetration member includes a ground penetration point at a distal end and a shaft reception well at a proximal end, a spindle shaft unit which includes a distal shaft end and a proximal shaft end, wherein said distal shaft end is received in said shaft reception well, a shaft jacket portion placed around said proximal shaft end, and a handle portion connected to a top portion of said shaft jacket portion.
  • 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said handle portion is perpendicular to said shaft jacket portion.
  • 17. The apparatus of claim 15, further including:top centering wings connected between said handle portion and said shaft jacket portion.
  • 18. The apparatus of claim 15, further including:a cover plate optionally placed on top of said base plate portion, wherein said cover plate includes a ground-penetration-member reception channel.
  • 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further including:a bottom centering unit placed on top of said cover plate.
  • 20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said bottom centering unit includes a ground-penetration-member-reception channel and bottom centering wings attached to walls of said ground-penetration-member-reception channel.
  • 21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said ground penetration member includes notches located at a top rim of walls forming said shaft reception well.
  • 22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said distal shaft end includes a shaft end hammer head and a shaft end groove located proximal to said shaft end hammer head.
RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/872,534, filed Jun. 1, 2001 now abandoned; which in turn, is based on Provisional Application Serial No. 60/210,790, filed Jun. 12, 2000.

US Referenced Citations (8)
Number Name Date Kind
472593 Tache Apr 1892 A
1871483 Uitendaal Aug 1932 A
1933163 Coplen Oct 1933 A
2480461 Gabrielson Aug 1949 A
2562650 Trunkhill Jul 1951 A
3414211 Roberts Dec 1968 A
5167377 Chalmers Dec 1992 A
5497958 Orf et al. Mar 1996 A
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/210790 Jun 2000 US
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/872534 Jun 2001 US
Child 10/097770 US