US2006060749A1PendingUtilityA1

Helical ground anchor and method of its use

43
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 17, 2004Filed: Sep 17, 2004Published: Mar 23, 2006
Est. expirySep 17, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Per Dahlstrom
A45F 3/44E04H 12/2269E04H 12/2223E04H 17/22
43
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Claims

Abstract

A ground anchor system for anchoring a post comprises a base plate, a housing extending above the base plate, an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix having a thread encircling a tube which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor, and a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor. The tapered helical thread of the anchor firmly engages with the ground into which it is threaded to provide a solid support to a post inserted in the housing. Helix taper and length, and thread taper and pitch may be selected to optimize retention and lateral support of a post in a particular ground type.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A ground anchor system for anchoring a post comprising: 
 a base plate,    a housing extending above the base plate,    an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix having a thread encircling a tube which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor, and    a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor.    
   
   
       2 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are structurally integrated.  
   
   
       3 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by injection over-molding onto a metal tube.  
   
   
       4 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by extrusion.  
   
   
       5 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by casting.  
   
   
       6 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the upper end of the helix begins at the base plate.  
   
   
       7 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the helix begins below the base plate a distance of no greater than 25% of the combined length of the anchor and boring tip.  
   
   
       8 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the lower end of the helix ends above the end of the boring tip a distance of no greater than 50% of the combined length of the anchor and boring tip.  
   
   
       9 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the helix tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor at a constant angle of between 1 and 30 degrees relative to the vertical plane.  
   
   
       10 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the helix tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor at a continuously increasing angle in the range between 1 and 30 degrees relative to the vertical plane.  
   
   
       11 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the angular pitch of the thread is constant and is between 3 and 30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.  
   
   
       12 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the thread tapers from a first width proximal to the tube to a second narrower width distal to the tube.  
   
   
       13 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises solid walls.  
   
   
       14 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises non-solid walls.  
   
   
       15 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein at least one interior wall of the housing comprises friction enhancing means.  
   
   
       16 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the friction enhancing means comprises at least one vertical ridge.  
   
   
       17 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the friction enhancing means comprises a plurality of fins.  
   
   
       18 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises post attachment means.  
   
   
       19 . The ground anchor system of  claim 18  wherein the post attachment means comprises one or more bolts.  
   
   
       20 . The ground anchor system of  claim 18  wherein the post attachment means comprises one or more screws.  
   
   
       21 . The ground anchor system of  claim 18  wherein the post attachment means comprises a threaded adaptor lining the housing for receiving a threaded post.  
   
   
       22 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises one or more insertable elements to reduce the horizontal cross-sectional area of the housing.  
   
   
       23 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the boring tip is crimped.  
   
   
       24 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  further comprising an opening between the housing and the tube of the anchor.  
   
   
       25 . The ground anchor system of  claim 1  wherein the material used to manufacture the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip is a plastic.  
   
   
       26 . The ground anchor system of  claim 25  wherein the plastic is a recycled polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       27 . The ground anchor system of  claim 25  wherein the plastic is a dark colour.  
   
   
       28 . A ground anchor system for anchoring a post comprising: 
 a base plate,    a housing extending above the base plate,    an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix having a thread encircling a tube which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor, and    a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor    wherein the helix begins at the base plate and ends above the end of the boring tip a distance of no more than 50% of the combined length of the anchor and boring tip and tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor at an angle of between 1 and 30 degrees relative to the vertical plane,    the thread has a constant angular pitch of between 3 and 30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane and tapers from a first width proximal to the tube to a second narrower width distal to the tube, and    the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by injection over-molding onto a metal tube.    
   
   
       29 . A ground anchor system for anchoring a post comprising: 
 a base plate,    a housing extending above the base plate,    an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix having a thread encircling a tube which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor, and    a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor    wherein the helix begins at the base plate and ends above the end of the boring tip a distance of no more than 50% of the combined length of the anchor and boring tip and tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor at an angle of between 1 and 30 degrees relative to the vertical plane,    the thread has a constant angular pitch of between 3 and 30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane and tapers from a first width proximal to the tube to a second narrower width distal to the tube, and    the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by extrusion.    
   
   
       30 . A ground anchor system for anchoring a post comprising: 
 a base plate,    a housing extending above the base plate,    an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix having a thread encircling a tube which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor, and    a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor    wherein the helix begins at the base plate and ends above the end of the boring tip a distance of no more than 50% of the combined length of the anchor and boring tip and tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the anchor at an angle of between 1 and 30 degrees relative to the vertical plane,    the thread has a constant angular pitch of between 3 and 30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane and tapers from a first width proximal to the tube to a second narrower width distal to the tube, and    the base plate, housing, anchor and boring tip are manufactured by casting.    
   
   
       31 . A post anchoring system comprising: 
 a base plate,    a housing extending above the base plate,    an anchor extending below the base plate, the anchor comprising a tapered helix encircling a tube which tapers inward at its lower end,    a boring tip at the lower end of the anchor, and    a post inserted into the housing, wherein the length of the anchor is at least 25% of the length of the overall post anchoring system.    
   
   
       32 . The post anchoring system of  claim 31 , wherein the base plate, housing, anchor, boring tip and post are structurally integrated.  
   
   
       33 . A method of inserting a post anchor comprising the steps of: 
 vertically positioning the post anchor in a selected location with the tip of the post anchor in contact with the ground surface,    driving the post anchor by driving means into the ground to a position in which the thread of the helix of the post anchor is in contact with the ground surface,    placing a lever arm in the housing of the post anchor,    simultaneously applying sufficient downward pressure and rotational torque to the lever arm to rotate the post anchor into the ground to a position in which the base plate is in contact with the ground surface,    removing the lever arm, and    positioning and affixing a post into the housing of the post anchor.    
   
   
       34 . The method of inserting a post anchor of  claim 33 , wherein the driving means comprises a drive shaft integrated with the lever arm.

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