Anchor post

Abstract

Provided herein are methods, devices and systems comprising an anchor post that has a shaft, at least one stabilising element attached to the anchor post configured to resist movement of the anchor post, and at least one alignment element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An anchor post comprising:
 (a) a shaft having a first and a second end, provided that the first or the second end comprises steel;   (b) at least one stabilizing element attached to the anchor post configured to resist movement of the anchor post; and   (c) at least one convex or concave alignment element that is attached to the second end of the shaft and that is configured to connect to a load post, provided that the load post also comprises a concave or convex alignment element that is configured to adjustably connect to the convex or concave alignment element of the anchor post.   
     
     
         22 . The anchor post of  claim 21  that is connected to the load post. 
     
     
         23 . The anchor post of  claim 21  comprising at least three stabilizing elements. 
     
     
         24 . The anchor post of  claim 23  provided that each of the at least three stabilizing elements is attached to the shaft between about 1 millimeter and about 500 millimeters measured from the head of the anchor post. 
     
     
         25 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that at least one stabilizing element is attached to the shaft between about 1 millimeter and about 500 millimeters measured from the tail of the anchor post. 
     
     
         26 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the alignment element of the anchor post further comprises a central aperture. 
     
     
         27 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the first or second end comprises cast steel. 
     
     
         28 . The anchor post of  claim 27  provided that the first or second end comprises forged or stainless steel. 
     
     
         29 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the first end comprises steel. 
     
     
         30 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the first and second end comprise steel. 
     
     
         31 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the second end comprises a cross configuration. 
     
     
         32 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that that the alignment element of the anchor post is convex. 
     
     
         33 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the alignment element of the anchor post is concave. 
     
     
         34 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the alignment element of the anchor post is an adjustable joint. 
     
     
         35 . The anchor post of  claim 34  provided that the adjustable joint is a hemispheric ball joint. 
     
     
         36 . The anchor posted of  claim 21  provided that the shaft is configured to receive a drive rod. 
     
     
         37 . The anchor post of  claim 21  that is configured for installation into the ground with a hand-held bottom-driver device. 
     
     
         38 . The anchor post of  claim 21  provided that the shaft is at least about 50 millimeters in diameter. 
     
     
         39 . An anchor post-load post foundation system comprising:
 (a) an anchor post that comprises: a hollow shaft having a first and a second end, provided that the first end comprises steel; at least one stabilizing element attached to the anchor post; at least one convex or concave alignment element attached to the second end of the shaft; and   (b) a load post having a concave or convex alignment element that is adjustably attachable to the anchor post.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39  provided that at least one alignment element further comprises a central aperture. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39  provided that the anchor post is configured for installation into the ground at a drive-rate of at least about 20 millimeters of anchor post per second. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 39  provided that the anchor post is configured for installation into the ground at a drive-rate of at least about 25 millimeters of anchor post per second. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41  provided that the ground material comprises chalk, gravel, limestone, sand, silt, clay, marl, ballast, soil, fractured sandstone, peat, ash, alluvium, glacial till, miscellaneous fill, or other suitable displaceable ground material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         44 . A method of installing an anchor post into the ground comprising the steps of:
 1.) providing an anchor post having:
 (a) a hollow shaft, the shaft having a first and a second end provided that the first or second end comprises steel; 
 (b) at least one stabilizing element attached to the anchor post configured to resist movement of the anchor post; and 
 (c) at least one convex or concave alignment element attached to the second end of the shaft that is configured to connect to a load post, the load post comprises a concave or convex alignment element that is configured to connect to the anchor post; 
   2.) providing a drive element through a central aperture in the alignment element of the anchor post, and   3.) driving the anchor post into the ground.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  provided that the alignment element of the anchor post further comprises the central aperture. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  provided that a hand-held device is used to drive the anchor post into the ground.