Anchoring Device and Method

Abstract

An anchoring device and method of securing an anchoring device to strata are disclosed. The anchoring device (1) includes a drilling rod (2) and an anchoring sleeve (3) at least partially surrounding the drilling rod (2), the drilling rod (2) comprising a driving end (31) for coupling to a drilling apparatus and a drilling end (32) with a drilling head (26) for drilling a hole in strata, wherein the device is configured to be coupled with and driven by a drilling apparatus to cause the drilling head (26) to drill a hole into strata and to force, as the hole is drilled, the anchoring sleeve (3) into the hole to an inserted position in which the anchoring sleeve (3) engages the surrounding strata.

1 . An anchoring device for securement to strata, the device comprising a drilling rod and an anchoring sleeve at least partially surrounding the drilling rod, the drilling rod comprising a driving end for coupling to a drilling apparatus and a drilling end with a drilling head for drilling a hole in strata, wherein the device is configured to be coupled with and driven by a drilling apparatus to cause the drilling head to drill a hole into strata and to force, as the hole is drilled, the anchoring sleeve into the hole to an inserted position in which the anchoring sleeve engages the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         2 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1  comprising a resilient biasing means configured to bias the anchoring sleeve into engagement with surrounding strata when it is in the inserted position. 
     
     
         3 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drilling head is configured to drill a hole that is smaller than the outer dimension of the anchoring sleeve such that the anchoring sleeve is in interference fit with the hole. 
     
     
         4 . Anchoring device according to  claim 3 , wherein the anchoring sleeve is formed of a material that is elastically deformable so as to bias, in use, resiliently the anchoring sleeve against the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         5 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises gripping means on its outer surface for engaging the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         6 . Anchoring device according to  claim 5 , wherein the gripping means comprises a plurality of barbs. 
     
     
         7 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises a longitudinal slot along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         8 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises one or more stress relief features for reducing, in use, the peak stress experienced by the anchoring sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . Anchoring device according to  claim 8 , wherein the or each stress relief feature comprises a longitudinal groove extending along at least a portion of the length of the anchoring sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises a driving surface against which a driving collar of the drilling apparatus engages, in use, to force the anchoring sleeve into the hole. 
     
     
         11 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises a flange adjacent the driving end of the drilling rod. 
     
     
         12 . Anchoring device according to  claim 11  further comprising a resilient element at least partially surrounding the anchoring sleeve and configured to be compressed, in use, between the flange and the strata when the anchoring sleeve is in the inserted position, thereby to urge the anchoring sleeve along a direction that is opposite to the drilling direction. 
     
     
         13 . Anchoring device according to  claim 12 , wherein the resilient element comprises a resilient washer. 
     
     
         14 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drilling head is larger than the internal dimension of the sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . Anchoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drilling rod comprises a helical flute extending between the drilling head and the driving end. 
     
     
         16 . An anchoring system comprising a drilling apparatus and one or more anchoring devices according to  claim 1 , wherein the drilling apparatus comprises a chuck for coupling with the drilling end of the drilling rod and a driving collar for engaging a driving surface or flange of the anchoring sleeve to force, in use, the anchoring sleeve into the hole as the hole is drilled. 
     
     
         17 . A kit of parts for assembly into an anchoring device, the kit comprising an anchoring sleeve and a drilling rod for insertion into the anchoring sleeve such that the anchoring sleeve at least partially surrounds the drilling rod, the drilling rod comprising a driving end for coupling to a drilling apparatus and a drilling end with a drilling head for drilling a hole in strata, wherein the device, when assembled, is configured to be coupled with and driven by a drilling apparatus to cause the drilling head to drill a hole into strata and to force, as the hole is drilled, the anchoring sleeve into the hole to an inserted position in which the anchoring sleeve engages the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         18 . A method of securing an anchoring device to strata, the method comprising coupling a drilling apparatus to the drilling end of a drilling rod, driving the drilling end of the drilling rod to cause a drilling head thereof to drill a hole into strata and, as the hole is drilled, forcing an anchoring sleeve that at least partially surrounds the drilling rod into the hole to an inserted position in which the anchoring sleeve engages the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 18 , wherein the anchoring sleeve is urged into engagement with the surrounding strata by a resilient biasing means when the anchoring sleeve is in the inserted position. 
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 18 , wherein the hole that is drilled is smaller than the outer dimension of the anchoring sleeve such that the anchoring sleeve is forced into an interference fit with the hole. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the anchoring sleeve is formed of a material that is elastically deformable so as to bias resiliently the anchoring sleeve against the surrounding strata. 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 18 , wherein the anchoring sleeve comprises gripping means on its the outer surface that is urged into engagement with the surrounding strata when the anchoring sleeve is in the inserted position. 
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 18 , wherein the anchoring sleeve is forced into the hole by a collar of the drilling apparatus that engages a driving surface of the anchoring sleeve. 
     
     
         24 . Method according to  claim 23 , wherein a flange of the anchoring sleeve that is adjacent the driving end of the drilling rod is engaged by the collar to force the anchoring sleeve into the hole. 
     
     
         25 . Method according to  claim 24 , wherein a resilient element that at least partially surrounds the anchoring sleeve is compressed between the flange and the strata as the anchoring sleeve is forced into the inserted position. 
     
     
         26 . Method according to  claim 25  comprising retracting the collar of the drilling apparatus out of engagement with the flange after the anchoring sleeve is forced into the inserted position such that the resilient element urges the anchoring sleeve along a direction that is opposite to the drilling direction. 
     
     
         27 . Method according to  claim 18  comprising releasing the drilling rod after the hole is drilled such that the rod remains in the hole. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled)