Textron Inc.
Self-orienting buried marker

Abstract:

A marker for burying adjacent an underground structure such that a location of the underground structure can be identified from above a ground surface. The marker comprises a housing, a self-orienting beacon retention device disposed within the housing. The self-orienting beacon retention device comprises a coil bobbin, and an inductance-capacitance beacon device carried by the self-orienting beacon retention device. A coil of the LC beacon device is disposed around an exterior surface of the coil bobbin. The self-orienting beacon retention device is structured and operable to orient the coil bobbin and the inductor coil in a desired orientation relative to a ground surface regardless of the orientation of the housing relative to the ground surface.