EP1518976A1 - Post with barbed anchors - Google Patents

Abstract

The stake has anchoring clamps (28) having an end mounted on clamps support for being deployable by an axial traction exerted by an actuating mechanism (66) in a direction opposite to a depression direction. The mechanism is connected with the support by a bayonet connection. A tube (14) has a wall (26) with two openings (30) whose geometry causes the deployment of the clamps along a length of the tube in a traction direction.

Description

INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to a stake comprising claws anchoring anchors for anchoring in a field of various objects, in particular for anchoring locating terminals, such as those used by geometers, poles of any kind, including fence posts, support posts for traffic signs.

STATE OF THE ART

Anchor stakes for marker posts (also called terminals cadastral) have long been known in many variants. These stakes must maintain ground bounds for several decades reliably despite the various attacks that this type of object can undergo, such as ground movements, farm vehicle passages or farm animals. Many solutions have already been proposed for increase the pull-out resistance of these stakes. We can globally group them into two classes.

The first class of stake uses a geometry anchoring system fixed. US 4,738,760 discloses such a peg for anchoring to the ground a Permanent marker of object buried in the ground. The stake includes a long body terminated at one end by a striking head and at a second end by a plurality of slightly bent elastic fins, arranged radially and directed outward of the post in the direction opposite to the point so as to form a harpoon. When the stake is depressed in the ground, the elastic fins fold up along the body under the thrust soil moved by penetration of the stake. If the stake is subsequently submitted a traction, the elastic fins unfold because their part slightly bent tends to anchor in the surrounding soil as a result of the elastic return force of the elastic fins. The practice has unfortunately shown that these harpoons are of limited effectiveness, especially in depending on the nature of the soil. Very often the ground packed in the area of elastic fins during the insertion of the harpoon prevents them from come back elastically, so that the fins do not oppose almost any tear resistance of the stake.

The second picket class provides deployable elements. In the EP 0 677 630 B1, such a peg has a longitudinal body of tubular section containing deployable elements. The stake is previously sunk into the ground and then it gets inside its tubular section a long rod terminated by a mandrel. This stem comes to rely on deployable elements and forces them out of the body of the picket through guide holes when the mandrel is substantially thrust axial. The appropriately sized guide holes and the floor curve the deformable elements in the course of their exit to the outside according to trajectories more or less helical. This type of stake currently has the widest diffusion among the market of anchoring products for surveyor, but it nevertheless has certain disadvantages. Deformable elements are usually placed in the axial extension of the post and in the same meaning that of the force necessary to the depression of the stake. This geometry does not have optimum pull-out capabilities. In effect, under the effect of a pull on the stake, the deployable elements have tendency to give way.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose a stake with a system anchor providing improved tear resistance. This goal is achieved with a stake according to claim 1.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION CLAIMED WITH ITS MAIN ADVANTAGES

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by a picket anchoring an object in a terrain according to claim 1. Such a peg comprises a tube with a tube wall, a driving tip and a head opposite the penetration point, the tube wall comprising at least two openings, and the driving point defining a direction of depression picket in the field. It further comprises deformable anchoring claws, which are mounted with one end on a movable claw holder axially inside the tube, so that the claws are deployable radially out of the tube through openings in the tube wall. According to an important aspect of the present invention, the claws are arranged on the claw support so as to be deployable by axial traction exerted on the claw support in the opposite direction to the driving direction, and openings have a geometry such that they cause a deployment of Angled anchoring claws along the tube in the direction of pulling. Such a picket allows the anchor claws to be deployed in the same direction as the force that the stake would suffer during an attempt to extract. The management of deployment of the claws directly opposes the extraction effort, allowing to obtain optimal resistance to tearing. The external form of picket without discontinuity, before deployment of the claws, facilitates the penetration picket in the ground. The claws being inside the peg during the depression of the stake, a deformation or break of the claws is excluded. Of Moreover, once the stake is depressed, the claws can be deployed in a medium which has not been weakened by the depression of the stake. On the contrary, the depression of the post locally tamped the middle around the stake. This packed medium provides a very good grip for anchoring claws.

Advantageously the stake has a harpoon shape once the claws are deployed. The shape of the harpoon allows a very good anchoring in multiple environments.

In a preferred execution of the post, some of the openings of passage for the claws are spaced axially along the tube. In this way, we can arrange more anchoring claws on the stake, and the anchoring claws unfold in the field at different depths. So in case of terrain with very heterogeneous density, we increase the chances of being able to deploy some claws in a mechanically stable area. In this execution, the claw support advantageously comprises a rod on which claws are fixed axially spaced.

Preferably, the peg is associated with a detachable actuating mechanism which is able to bear on the tube head and to mate with the support of claws to transmit axial traction. When sinking several stakes, all that is required is a single, unstressed actuation mechanism stay permanently on or in the stake. This naturally reduces the costs of stake.

Preferably, a helical or bonded coupling is used. bayonet between the removable actuating mechanism and the support of claws. These types of simple and easily achievable connections are suitable for transmit high efforts while allowing for implementation and very fast disassembly. This increases the flexibility of use of such stake.

In a preferred embodiment, the removable actuating mechanism includes a threaded rod and a nut. The nut is able to bear on the head of the tube, and the threaded rod is screwed into the nut and is able to be engaged in the tube to be coupled to the claw holder. The latter is blocked in rotation in the tube, so that a rotation of the nut in a first direction causes a translation of the threaded rod towards the outside of the tube to exert traction on the claw support.

It will be appreciated that a peg according to the invention also makes it possible to retract the anchoring claws, so that the stake can be retrieved again. he is sufficient for this purpose to exert on the support of claws an axial thrust, that is to say a force opposite to the axial traction which produced the deployment of the claws anchor. To produce this axial thrust, one can advantageously use the actuating mechanism described above. Indeed, it is enough for him associate a blocking means that can be connected to the tube head of way to form a counter-support for the nut when it is turned in a second direction opposite to the first, to cause a translation of the rod threaded towards the inside of the tube and thus bring the claws into the tube. Yes the nut comprises a base and the tube head comprises a collar, the means blocking may be a simple jumper placed astride the base of the nut and the neck of the tube.

We could also realize the traction force required for deployment anchoring claws with the following execution of the stake. The claw holder comprises a nut displaceable in axial translation but locked in rotation in the tube. The stake then comprises a threaded rod with a head that takes support on the tube head and which is screwed into the nut, so that a rotation of the threaded rod in a first direction causes a translation of the nut towards the head of the tube to exert the traction on the support of claws. he It should be noted that the threaded rod with head can remain permanently in the stake or can be removed after deployment of the anchoring claws. Retraction anchor claws is also possible using a counter-support as described above.

In a preferred embodiment, the claw holder comprises a shank substantially coaxial with the stake. The deformable anchoring claws are arranged, before deployment, along the stem, their lower ends being connected to the stem and their upper ends engaged in the openings. The undeployed claws are arranged compactly to inside the stake. The latter has an outer surface substantially without protrusion, which facilitates the penetration of the stake in the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet seul après son enfoncement dans le sol ;

FIG. 2 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet après mise en place d'un dispositif servant au déploiement des griffes d'ancrage ;

FIG. 3 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet montrant le déploiement des griffes d'ancrage ;

FIG. 4 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet après son ancrage définitif ;

FIG. 5 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet après mise en place d'un dispositif servant à la rétraction du système d'ancrage ;

FIG. 6 :

une vue schématique en coupe verticale d'un piquet montrant la rétraction des griffes d'ancrage ; et

FIG. 7 :

une vue schématique de dessus d'un piquet.

Other features and characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of some advantageous embodiments presented below, by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show:

FIG. 1:

a schematic view in vertical section of a stake alone after its insertion into the ground;

FIG. 2:

a schematic vertical sectional view of a peg after installation of a device for deploying the anchoring claws;

FIG. 3:

a schematic vertical sectional view of a peg showing the deployment of the anchoring claws;

FIG. 4:

a schematic view in vertical section of a peg after its final anchoring;

FIG. 5:

a schematic view in vertical section of a peg after setting up a device for retraction of the anchoring system;

FIG. 6:

a schematic vertical sectional view of a peg showing the retraction of the anchoring claws; and

FIG. 7:

a schematic top view of a peg.

In the figures, the same references designate identical elements or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXECUTION

Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a peg 10 according to the invention, the post 10 being driven into a medium 12, for example a ground. The stake 10 comprises a tube 14 having at one end a tip 16 and being open at its other end 18. The end 18 of the tube 14 is provided with a head plate 22 (also called a tube head) forming a collar. As seen in FIG. 7, the tube 14 has, in the embodiment shown, a square section.

A central rod 24 is disposed inside the tube 14. This central rod 24 is provided with a plurality of anchoring claws 28 integral with their part lower of the central rod 24. As seen in Fig.1, before deployment, the claws are arranged along the rod 24. The anchoring claws 28 are preferably of flexible steel, but may be of any other material allowing a plastic or elastic deformation of the claws without break during of their deployment.

The tube 14 comprises in its side wall 26 a plurality of openings 30. These receive the curved upper ends 32 of the claws anchoring 28 which, before deployment, do not protrude from the side wall 26 of the tube 14 and which are entirely housed in the tube 14. It will be noticed that the curved upper ends 32 and the openings 30 are spaced not only circumferentially around the tube 14 but also axially along the tube 14. The axial distribution of the claws 28 increases the chances of a good anchoring by avoiding a possible heterogeneity of middle 12 if it had to present areas more or less furniture to different depths. The number of openings 30 and anchor claws 17 can be selected according to the nature of the medium 12 or the which the present invention will face.

The first phase of implementation of post 10 consists in driving it down using a suitable tool, such as a hammer or a heavy hammer, in the field 12. FIG. 1 shows post 10 after this first phase.

Fig. 2 illustrates the second phase of implementation of the stake 10: the establishment of a detachable actuating mechanism 33. The mechanism actuator 33 fits on the head 22 of the tube 14 and comprises a rod threaded 36 and a nut 40. This mechanism is installed in practice in the manner next. Through an opening 34 in the head plate 22 is introduced the threaded rod 36 on which is screwed the nut 40. The lower end 42 of the threaded rod 36 has a tapped bore 44 and is screwed on one end threaded 44 'of the central rod 24, so as to obtain a connection allowing transmit a tensile force on the central rod 24. Those skilled in the art will not However, there is no difficulty in finding other coupling systems suitable for constitute such a link. A possible variant to a helical link between two threads is for example a bayonet coupling. With reference in FIG. 7, it will be noted that the central rod 24 is locked in rotation in the tube 14 using a square plate 45 fitted in square section of the tube 14. If the tube 14 had a circular section, it would be necessary, for example, to provide the inside of the tube 14 an axial guide which prevents the rotation of the plate 45. The nut 40 is then screwed to the post 10, until it bears on the head plate 22.

To exert traction on the central rod 24 in the direction of the arrow 47 of FIG. 3, that is, in the opposite direction of the direction of depression of the stake, the nut 40 is rotated by pressing on the head plate 22 with the aid of a key (not shown) in the direction of arrow 49. Indeed, as the central stem 24 is locked in rotation in the tube 14, the rotation in the direction of the arrow 47 of the nut 40 bearing on the head plate 22 causes a translation of the central rod 24 in the direction of the arrow 47, naturally provided that the threads of the nut 40 and the threaded rod 36 have a right step. When translation of the central rod 24 in the direction of the arrow 47, the claws anchor 28 are pushed through the openings 30 of the tube 14, for enter the adjacent field 12. The lower and upper edges of openings 30 are bevelled so that the anchoring claws 28 are guided, starting with the curved upper ends 32, in bias along the tube 14 in the direction of the arrow 47, that is to say in the direction traction. The trajectory of the anchoring claws 28 is determined for a the geometry of the openings 30, as well as the resistance to the opposite penetration by the medium 12. It will be appreciated that after deployment of the claws 28, the post 10 is firmly anchored in the field 12 in the manner of a harpoon. Indeed, the anchoring claws 28 present then an optimal opposition to any effort to extract the stake 10 of the land 12.

Fig. 4 shows post 10 which is anchored in the ground. Threaded rod 36 was unscrewed from the central rod 24 and removed together with the nut 40.

Fig. 5 illustrates the first recovery phase of stake 10. Stem threaded 36 is again screwed onto the threaded end 44 'of the central rod 24, in the same way as during the anchoring phase of post 10. We bring the nut 40 of the head plate 22 of the tube 14. Next, a jumper 50 is straddling the head plate 22 of the tube 14 and on a base plate 51 of the nut 40. A leg of the rider 50 is supported on the underside of the head plate 22 and the other leg forms a counter-support for the face upper plate 51 of the nut 40. The nut 40 is then rotated using a wrench (not shown) to obtain penetration indoors of the tube 14 of the threaded rod 36. By this translation, the central rod 24 is also translated towards the tip 16 of the tube 14. In so doing, she force the anchoring claws 28 to return through the openings 30 of the tube 14. It will be noted that to push the central rod 24 towards the tip 16 of the tube 14, the nut 40 is supported on the upper leg of the rider 50, which transmits the reaction of this force to the head plate 22 of the tube 14.

Fig. 6 shows the anchoring claws 28 fully retracted inside the tube 14 as a result of the proper rotation of the nut 40 in the direction of arrow 49 '. The beveled edges of the openings 30 facilitate the retraction of the anchoring claws 28 and prevent their breaking, so that the post 10 can be reused after its extraction from the ground 12.

Claims (14)

Post (10) anchoring an object in a terrain (12), said stake (10) comprising: a tube (14) with a tube wall (26), a push-in point (16) and a tube head (22), said tube wall (26) comprising at least two openings (30), and said tip driving device (16) defining a driving direction of said post (10) in said ground (12); deformable anchoring claws (28) mounted with one end on an axially displaceable claw holder inside said tube (14), so that said claws (28) are radially deployable out of said tube (14) at through said apertures (30) in said tube wall (26); characterized in that
said claws (28) are arranged on said claw holder so as to be deployable by axial traction exerted on said claw holder in the opposite direction to said driving direction; and
said openings (30) have a geometry such that they cause a deployment of said anchoring claws (28) diagonally along said tube (14) in the direction of traction. Post (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that with said claws (28) deployed, said post (10) has a harpoon shape. Post (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that among said at least two openings (30) some are spaced axially along said tube (14). Post (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that said support claws comprises a rod (24) on which the claws (28) are fixed axially spaced way. Post (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a mechanism (33) for removable actuation which is adapted to bear on said tube head (22) and to mate with said claw holder to transmit said axial traction. A stake (10) as claimed in claim 5, characterized by a helically connected or bayonet link coupling between said removable actuating mechanism (33) and said claw holder. Post (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said mechanism (33) for removable actuation comprises a threaded rod (36) and a nut (40), said nut (40) being able to bear on said tube head (22), and said threaded rod (36) being screwed into said nut (40) and being adapted to be engaged in said tube (14) to be coupled to said claw holder, said claw holder being locked in rotating in said tube (14), so that a rotation of said nut (40) in a first direction causes a translation of said threaded rod (36) to the outside of said tube (14) to exert said traction on said claw support. A stake (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that said actuating mechanism (33) further comprises a locking means (50) which can be connected to said tube head (22) so as to form a counter support for said nut (40) when said nut (40) is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first, to cause a translation of said threaded rod (36) towards the inside of said tube (14) and thus return said claws ( 28) in said tube (14). Post (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that : said nut (40) comprises a base (51); said tube head (22) comprises a collar; and said locking means (50) is a jumper astride said base (51) and said collar. Post (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that : the claw holder comprises a nut displaceable in axial translation but locked in rotation in said tube (14); and said stake (10) comprises a threaded rod with a head which bears on said tube head (22) and which is screwed into said nut, so that rotation of said threaded rod in a first direction causes translation said nut toward said tube head for exerting said traction on said claw holder. A stake (10) according to claim 10, characterized by a locking means (50) which can be connected to said tube head (22) so as to form a counter-support for said threaded rod head when said threaded rod is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first, to cause a translation of said nut to said tip of said tube and thus return said claws (28) in said tube (14). A post (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said claw holder comprises a rod (24) substantially coaxial with said tube (14); and said deformable anchoring claws (28) are disposed, prior to deployment, along said rod (24), their lower ends being connected to said rod (24) and their upper ends (32) engaged in said openings (30) . Post (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said object is a marker terminal. Post (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said object is a pole.

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