AU2008249195A1

AU2008249195A1 - Support Means

Info

Publication number: AU2008249195A1
Application number: AU2008249195A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ivan Haeane
Original assignee: Transnet NZ Ltd
Current assignee: Transnet NZ Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2008-11-25
Publication date: 2009-07-09

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: TRANSNET NZ LTD Actual Inventor: Ivan Haeane Address for service in A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT Australia: 2601, Australia Invention Title: Support Means Ihe following statement is a full descripton of this invention, including the chest method of performing it known to us.

-2 The prCSCnL invention relates to a support means. More particularly, but not exclusively it relates to supporting chocks for placement adjacent a pole, such as a telephone line or power line support pole having at least one end buried in the ground, for purposes of providing support to the pole to prevent it frorn bcing pulled or pushed over. Poles such as telephone poles or poles supporting power cables, can be subject to high moment forces caused by tension in the power or telephone cables that they are carrying. This is particularly relevant where the pole is located on a larger arc of the telephone or power cables, where the tension of the cables acts to pull it over in the direction of the inside of the arc. In sonic cases, these poles may be supported by rope or cable anchors extending from the top of the pole outwardly, to help prevent them from being pulled over. However, there may not always be sufficient space required to put in such rope or cable anchors. Additionally, consent from adjacent landowners may be required. In these cases, it is particularly advantageous to be able to provide support at the bottom buried end of the pole to help prevent it from being pulled over. Typically, support panels in the form of wooden boards or concrete panels are provided for such purpose. These are typically placed in two positions. A first panel (the "breast" panel) is placed just below the surface of the ground adjacent the pole, aligned perpendicularly to the net force exerted by any tension in the cables being carried (or to be carried) by the pole. A second panel (the "heel" panel) is placed adjacent the side of the pole towards its bottom end, on a side of the pole in a direction opposite to that of the breast panel. The first panel partly acts as a fulcrum against which the pole acts to pressurisc the second panel. Both panels act to spread the force exerted by the pole on the ground over a wider area, thereby providing a greater resistance to the pole moving through the ground and leaning over. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with the panels used currently. The wooden poles may be heavy, and can be expensive. Concrete support panels can be heavy, and in addition, since concrete is not generally good in tension, they may be largely ineffective, or if tensile reinforcement is provided, they could end up bemig expensive. For the purposes of this specification, the tenn "plastic" is defined to incan a generic name for an organic material, whether synthetic, seni-synthetic or natural which under heat and pressure becomes plastic and can then be shaped, cast in moulds, and/or -3 extruded as products, or used in the formation of such products, and nay be thermosetting or thennoplastic. In this specification, where reference has been made LO exLernal sources of infonnation, .including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. It is an object of the present invention to provide support means which overcomes or at least ameliorates some of the above mentioned disadvantages, or which at least provides the public with a useful choice. In a first aspect, the present invention broadly consists in a support means suitable for operationally providing support to a pole which is at least partially buried in the ground, when the support means is disposed adjacent said pole so that the pole is exerting a force on said support means, said support means comprising a body member adapted and configured to distribute the pole force exerted by said pole to said support means to the ground over a support face having a larger surface area than that area over which the pole force is distributed onto the body member; and wherein said body member is composed at least in part of a plastic material. Preferably, the body member includes at least one reinforcing formation. Preferably, the reinforcing formation is integrally formed with the body member. Preferably, the reinforcing formation is an indentation in said body member. Preferably, the indentation is in the forra of a shaped channel in the body member Preferably, said body nemnbet is configured in the foa of a planar board. Alternately, said body member is tapered. Preferably, said body member is tapered outwardly to the support face. Preferably, the support face has a greater surface area than the locating formation. Preferably, the body member has a locating formation for locating the pole against the body member. Preferably, the locating fornation is an apertute through the body member. Preferably, the body member includes a reinforcing insert to stiffen the body members.

-4 Alternatively, the body member includes a reinforcing laminate to stiffen the body member. Preferably, the body member is composed of polyethylene. Preferably the body member is made of polyethylene which is made up of 9050/70 off-cut virgin Courtenay material. Preferably, the body member has a length of between 400mm-2000mm. Preferably, the body member has a height of between 200mm-2000mm. Preferably, the body member has a width of between 100mm-500mm. Alternatively, the body member is cylindrical. Alternatively, the body member has an outside diameter of between 200mm 1500mm. Preferably, the reinforcing insert and/or the reinforcing laminate is composed of inorganic materiaL Preferably, the reinforcing insert and/or the reinforcing laminate is composed of one or more selected from " plastic material; " mctal; " wood; and - cemnctitious material In another aspcct, the present invention broadly consists in a supported pole comprising a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; a breast support panel disposed alongside the pole in the ground at a level towards the surface of the ground; a heel support panel disposed alongside the pole at an opposed side of the pole from the breast panel, and at a level towards the buried end of the pole; wherein at least one or more selected from the breast panel and the heel panel are at least partially composed of plastic material. In another aspect, the present invention broadly consists in a supported pole comprising a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; a breast support panel disposed alongside the pole i the ground at a level towards the surface of the ground; wherein the breast panel is at least partially composed of plastic material.

In another aspect, the present invention broadly consists in a supported pole comprising a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; a heel support panel disposed alongside the pole at a level towards the buried end of the pole wherein the heel panel is at least partially composed of plastic materiaL In another aspect, the present invention broadly consists in a method of supporting a pole that has at least one end buried in the ground, said method comprising the steps of providing a support means as described above; placing the support means in the ground adjacent the pole for operational support of the pole. The method may further comprise the steps of providing a pair of support means; and placing a first of the support means in the ground adjacent the pole for operational support of the pole at a level towards the surface of the ground; placing a second of the support means in the ground adjacent die pole at least on the opposite side to that of the first support means, and at a level towards the lower end of the pole. Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both. As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular fonns of the noun. Ihe term "comprising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of'. When interpreting statements in this specification [and claims] which include that term., the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner. The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference. This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elernems or -6 features, and where specific integers are menioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.) The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference Lo the drawings in which: Figure 1: shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a support means; Figure 2: shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a support means; Figure 3: shows a perspective cutaway view of a supported pole supported by a pair of support means; Figure 4: shows a side view of a supported pole supported by a pair of support means; Figure 5: shows a top view of a third embodiment of a support means nested adjacent a pole; Figure 6: shows a perspective view the third embodiment of a support means shown in figure 5; Figure 7: shows a top view of a fourth embodiment of a support means nested adjacent a pole; Figure 8: shows a cutaway cross sectional side view of an embodiment of a support means having a reinforcing insert; Figure 9: shows a cutaway cross sectional side view of an embodiment of a support means having a reinforcing laminate; Figure 10: shows a top view of a round embodiment of a support means; Figure 11: shows a side view of the round embodiment shown in figure 10; and Figure 12: shows a top perspective view of the round embodiment shown in figure 10. With reference to the above drawings, in which like features are generally indicated by like numerals, a support means according to a first aspect of the invention is indicated by the numeral 100. In one embodiment now described there is provided a support means 100 suitable for operationally providing support to a pole 500 which is at least partially buried in the ground 600, when the support means 100 is disposed adjacent said pole 500 so that the pole 500 is exerting a force on the support means 100. The support means 100 comprises a body member 110, which is adapted and configured to distribute the pole force exerted by the pole 500 to the support means 100 over a larger surface area of ground 600 than that area over which the pole force is distributed onto the body inetnbc 110- The body member 110 is composed of plastic material, and in particular polyethylene which is made up of 9050/70 off-cut virgin Courtenay material. While this is the preferred material, it should be understood that a wide variety of plastic materials are suitable. The body member 110 shown in figure 1 includes ac least one integrally formed reinforcing formation 120 in the form of a shaped channetl122, while the body member 110 shown in figure 2 only includes one such shaped channel 122. It will be appreciated that the invention should not be limited to these embodiments, as it is envisaged that such reinforcing formations 120 could be of a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Further, while the embodiments shown in figures 1 and 2 are shown as hexahedral boxes forming a planar board, it is envisaged that the body member 110 could be of any shape or form. In the embodiment shown in figures 5-6, the body member 110 is shown as a tetrahedron. It is further envisaged that the body member 110 could be in the form of any solid of revolution, or any polyhedron, or the like. As an example, a further embodiment is shown m figures 10, 11 and 12. In these embodiments, the support means is intended to be used adjacent the lower end of a pole 500. The lower end of the pole 500 will be inserted into the locating formation 130 in the body member 110, and buried, so that the support means 100 will completely surround the pole operationally. In particular, the body member 110 shown in figures 5-6, includes a locating formation 130 for snugly locating the pole 500 against the body member 110. As shown in figure 5, the pole 500 is located within the locating formation 130. The body member 110 tapers outwardly froni the locating formation 130 to a support face 140 having a larger surface area than the locating formation 130. The tension on the pole shown as arrow F in figure 3 is exerted as pressure (shown as arrow A in figure 5) which the pole 500 exerts on the body member 110. This pressure A is translated through the body member and onto the ground 600 over a larger area than that area over which the pressure A was exerted. This means that the pressure exerted on the ground (shown as arrows B) is less, making the ground less likely to be penetrated. A similar principle will apply to the embodiment shown in figure 7. It is envisaged that thermoplastic material will provide sufficient rigidity to be able to distribute the pole force without failing, however, if necessary, it is envisaged that the support means could include a reinforcing element to stiffen the body member. A reinforcing element could be a reinforcing insert 150, as shown in figure 8, or a reinforcing laminate 160 on its outside as shown in figure 9, or both. Preferably, such a reinforcing -8 insert 150 or reinforcing laminate 160 is composed of hard material such as metaI, concrete, other cementitious material, wood, hard plastic, or the like. It is envisaged that the body member could have a wide variety of ditnensions, but in preferred embodiment shown in figures1-4, it will be approximately 1500mm long by 3 0 0mm high by 150mm wide. A pole 500 would typically be supported by the support means in the following manner. When the pole 500 is erected, it is normally already established that it will be subject to a tension force which will push or pull on it. The support means 100 are accordingly installed during erection of the pole 500 with a view to supporting it against these expected forces. When the pole 500 is inserted into the ground 600, a support means 100 called a heel pane 510 is inserted at the base of the pole 500, disposed adjacent the side of the pole which is opposed to the side to which the pole 500 will be pulled (as shown in figure 3 and 4). Then, as the hole is filled in, a second support means called a breast panel 520 is installed just under the ground 600 surface, adjacent the pole 500 on a side towards the direction the pole 500 is being pulled or pushed in (shown as arrow F). It should he noted that the heel panel 510 and the breast panel 520 need not necessarily be the same size, and this may vary according to soil characteristics and the like. Where in the foregoing description reference has been miadc to elements or integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are included as if they were individually set forth. Although the invention has been described by way of example and with reference to particular etnbo diments, it is to be understood that modifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

Claims

1. A support means suiLable for operationally providing support to a pole which is at least partially buried in the ground, when the support means is disposed adjacent said pole so that the pole is exerting a transverse force on said support means, said support means compismng a body member adapted and configured to distribute the transverse force exerted by said pole to said support means to the ground via a support face having a larger surface area than that area over which the pole force is distributed onto the body member; > wherein said body member is composed at least in part of a plastic material.

2. A support means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body member includes at least one reinforcing formation.

3. A support means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reinforcing formation is integrally formed with the body member.

4. A support means as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the reinforcing fonnation is an indeitation in said body member.

5. A support means as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indentarian is in the form of a shaped channel in the body member

6. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the body member is configured in the form of a planat board.

7. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the body member is tapered.

8. A support means as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body member is tapered outwardly to the support face.

9. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-8, wherein the body member has a locating formation for locating the pole against the body member.

10. A support means as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support face has a greater surface area than the locating formation.

11. A support means as claimed in daim 9 or10, wherein the locating funnation is an aperture through the body member.

12. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-11, wherein the body member includes a reinforcing insert to stiffen the body member.

13. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-12, wherein the body member includes a reinforcing laminate to stiffen the body member. - 10

14. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-13, wherein the body member is composed of polyethylene

15. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-14, wherein the body member is trade of polyethylene which is nade up of 9050/70 off-cut virgin Courtenay material.

16. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-15, wherein the body member has a length of between 4 00 mm-2000nni.

17. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-16, wherein the body member has a height of between 200mm-2000rnm.

18. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-17, wherein the body member has a width of between 100mm-500mm.

19. A support means as claimed in any of claims 1-5 and 7-18, wherein the body member is substantially cylindrical.

20. A support means as claimed in claim 19, wherein the body member has an outside diameter of between 2 0 0 mm-1500mm.

21. A support means as claimed in any of claims 13-20, wherein the reinforcing insert or the reinforcing laminate or both is composed of inorganic material.

22. A support means as claimed in any of claims 13-21, wherein the reinforcinginsert or the reinforcing laminate or both is composed of one or inore selected from plastic material; Metal; wood; and > cernentitious raterial.

23. A supported pole comprising > a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; > a breast support panel disposed alongside the pole in the ground at a level towards the surface of the ground; and > a heel support panel disposed alongside the pole at an opposed side of the pole from the breast panel, and at a level towards die buried end of the pole; > wherein at least one or more selected from the breast panel and the heel panel are at least partially composed of plastic material.

24. A supported pole comprising a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; and P a breast support panel disposed alongside the pole in the ground at a level towards the surface of the ground; > wherein the breast panel is at least partially composed of plastic material . - 11

25. A supported pole comprising a pole at least partially buried in the ground at one end; and a heel support panel disposed alongside the pole at a level towards the buried end of the pole; > wherein the heel panel is at least partially composed of plastic material.

26. A method of supporting a pole that has at least one end buried in the ground, said method comprising the steps of > providing a support means as described above; and > placing the support means in the ground adjacent the pole for operational support of the pole.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the method further comprises the steps of ) providing a pair of support means; and > placing a first of the support means in the ground adjacent the pole for operational support of the pole at a level towards the surface of the ground; > placing a second of the support means in the ground adjacent the pole at least on the opposite side to that of the first support means, and at a level towards the lower eud of the pole.