Fence post anchoring system and method

Abstract

A fence post anchoring system embedded in a deck for providing anchoring holes in the deck includes a plurality of anchor links, and a plurality of post anchors that interconnects ends of the anchor links together, each post anchor having an opening sized to receive a fence post therein. In another embodiment, the fence post anchoring system includes an anchor base with side walls that define a channel, and a post anchor received in the channel, and the post anchor being retained in the channel of the anchor base in an upright position. Methods for providing anchoring holes for fence posts are also provided including pouring concrete to embed components of the fence post anchoring system while forming the deck.

1 . A fence post anchoring system embedded in a deck for providing anchoring holes in the deck comprising: 
 a plurality of anchor links; and    a plurality of post anchors that interconnects ends of said anchor links together, each post anchor having an opening sized to receive a fence post therein.    
     
     
         2 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of anchor links have at least one hole at ends thereof, said plurality of post anchors being received in holes of overlapping ends of anchor links to interconnect ends of said anchor links together.  
     
     
         3 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of anchor links have flanges at ends thereof, said holes of said anchor links being provided on said flanges, and said plurality of post anchors being received in holes of overlapping flanges.  
     
     
         4 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 3 , wherein said post anchors have integrated bases that are sized larger than said holes.  
     
     
         5 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one hole of at least one end of said plurality of anchor links is a plurality of holes.  
     
     
         6 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of holes overlap each other.  
     
     
         7 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one post anchor is tubular having a height dimension larger than a width dimension.  
     
     
         8 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of caps insertable in said openings of said post anchors to prevent concrete and debris from entering said post anchors.  
     
     
         9 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of anchor links and said plurality of post anchors are made of plastic.  
     
     
         10 . A fence post anchoring system for providing anchoring holes in a deck comprising: 
 an anchor base with side walls spaced apart from each other to define a channel;    a post anchor received in said channel between said side walls of said anchor base, said post anchor having an opening sized to receive a fence post therein; and    a retaining means for retaining said post anchor in said channel of said anchor base in an upright position.    
     
     
         11 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 10 , wherein said retaining means includes slots provided on said side walls, and at least one flange extending from a side of said post anchor that engages at least one of said slots in side walls of said anchor base.  
     
     
         12 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said side walls of said anchor base are spaced apart from each other at a distance less than a width of said post anchor with said at least one flange extending therefrom.  
     
     
         13 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said side walls of said anchor base further include vertically offset slots and said post anchor includes offset flanges positioned to engage said vertically offset slots of said anchor base.  
     
     
         14 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said slots are sized longer than a width of said at least one flange.  
     
     
         15 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 10 , wherein said anchor base includes lateral flanges that extend outwardly from said side walls.  
     
     
         16 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 15 , further including a base plate, said anchor base being secured to said base plate.  
     
     
         17 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 16 , wherein said base plate includes a hole extending therethrough to allow said base plate to be secured to a ground surface.  
     
     
         18 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 16 , wherein said base plate has upwardly extending arms with locking tabs that engage said lateral flanges of said anchor base.  
     
     
         19 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 18 , wherein said lateral flanges and said locking tabs include chamfers thereon to facilitate engagement.  
     
     
         20 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 15 , further including a drain conduit, said anchor base being secured to said drain conduit.  
     
     
         21 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 20 , wherein said drain conduit has upwardly extending arms with locking tabs that engage said lateral flanges of said anchor base.  
     
     
         22 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 21 , wherein said lateral flanges and said locking tabs include chamfers thereon to facilitate engagement.  
     
     
         23 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 20 , further including a drain cover with at least one post hole sized to allow said post anchor to extend partially therethrough.  
     
     
         24 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 10 , further including a plurality of caps insertable in said openings of said post anchors to prevent concrete and debris from entering said post anchors.  
     
     
         25 . The fence post anchoring system of  claim 10 , wherein said anchor base and said post anchor are made of plastic.  
     
     
         26 . A method of anchoring fence posts in a deck comprising: 
 providing a plurality of anchor links;    providing a plurality of post anchors, each post anchor having an opening sized to receive a fence post therein;    interconnecting ends of said anchor links together using said plurality of post anchors; and    pouring concrete to form the deck with said anchor links and at least a portion of said plurality of post anchors embedded in said concrete.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said plurality of anchor links have holes at ends thereof, said method further including overlapping ends of said anchor links to align said holes, and inserting said plurality of post anchors through said aligned holes to interconnect ends of said anchor links together.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further including inserting a plurality of caps in said openings of said post anchors to prevent concrete and debris from entering said post anchors.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further including inserting fence posts in said openings of said post anchors.  
     
     
         30 . A method of anchoring fence posts in a deck comprising: 
 providing an anchor base having side walls spaced apart from each other to define a channel;    providing a post anchor having an opening sized to receive a fence post therein;    inserting said post anchor in said channel between said side walls of said anchor base to retain said post anchor in an upright position; and    pouring concrete to form the deck with said anchor links and at least a portion of said plurality of post anchors embedded in said concrete.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said post anchor is retained in said anchor base by engaging at least one flange extending from a side of said post anchor with at least one slot in said side wall of said anchor base.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further including aligning said at least one flange with said channel to insert said post anchor in said channel, and rotating said post anchor to engage said at least one slot with said at least one flange.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said anchor base includes lateral flanges that extend outwardly from said side walls, said method further including securing said anchor base to a base plate.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said base plate has upwardly extending arms with locking tabs that engage said lateral flanges of said anchor base.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said anchor base includes lateral flanges that extend outwardly from said side walls, said method further including securing said anchor base to a drain conduit.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said drain conduit has upwardly extending arms with locking tabs that engage said lateral flanges of said drain conduit.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further including installing a drain cover with at least one post hole sized to allow said post anchor to extend partially therethrough.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , further including inserting a cap in said opening of said post anchor to prevent concrete and debris from entering said post anchors.