GB2042019A - Ground anchored posts - Google Patents

Abstract

A ground anchored post 11 includes an upright member formed from a tubular member and provided at one end region thereof with a plurality of spreadable fingers 13. The spreadable fingers 13 are defined by a plurality of longitudinal cuts in the material of the upright member and the fingers 13 are at the buried end of the post 11 in use. The fingers may be spread by a disc laid on the ground before the post is driven into the ground or by a ramming tool inserted within the post. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground anchored posts This invention relates to ground anchored posts, particularly fence posts, and to a method of anchoring such posts in the ground.

A known problem of conventional ground anchored posts such as fence posts is the need to excavate a hole of larger diameter than the upright section of the post to accommodate an anchoring device which may, for example, be a fabricated retaining member which is subsequently buried, or, more usually, a concrete mass in which the upright post is set. The excavation needed or each post is time consuming and therefore expensive, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a post and a method of anchoring a post wherein the aforementioned problem is minimized.

A ground anchored post according to the present invention includes an upright member formed from tubular metal, and provided, at one end region thereof, with a plurality of cuts which extend longitudinally of the upright member from one end thereof, said plurality of cuts defining at said one region of the upright member a plurality of spreadable fingers, the cut end region of the post being the buried end of the post in use.

Desirably the upright member has three spreadable fingers.

Preferably the upright member of the post is of circular cross-section and has three parallel equiangularly spaced cuts defining therebetween three spreadable fingers.

Conveniently the post includes a finger spreading device which is positioned in or on the ground prior to driving said one end region of the upright member of the post into the ground, said device co-operating with said one end region of the upright member, during driving of said one end region of the upright member into the ground to spread said fingers outwardly beneath the surface of the ground.

Desirably said finger spreading device is an elongate member having an uppermost region capable of being accommodated within the upright member of the post, a lowermost region and an intermediate region which cooperates with the fingers to spread them outwardly.

Desirably the intermediate region tapers.

Alternatively, the finger spreading device is a disc-like member of a larger diameter than the internal diameter of the upright member which forces the fingers apart, to spread them outwardly of the upright member as the upright member is driven into the ground.

A method of anchoring a post in the ground, in accordance with the present invention, includes the steps of driving one end region of a tubular metal upright member of a post into the ground, said one end region of the post being formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending cuts extending from said one end of the post, said cuts defining therebetween a plurality of spreadable fingers, and, after driving the upright member a predetermined distance into the ground, inserting through the upright member a ramming tool, and then compacting the core of earth within the upright member so as to spread said fingers outwardly of the upright member to anchor the upright member in the ground.

In a further aspect of the present invention a method of anchoring a post in the ground comprises positioning a finger spreading device in or on the ground at the intended location of the post, engaging one end region of a tubular metal upright member with the spreading device, the one end region of the upright member being formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending cuts, which extend from said one end of the upright member, and defined therebetwen a plurality of spreadable fingers, and driving the upright member into the ground, so that said one end region of the upright member co-operates with said finger spreading device whereby the fingers of said one region of the upright member occupy a spread configuration beneath the ground, and thus anchor the upright member of the post.

One example of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of part of an upright member of a post to be anchored in the ground, Figure 2 is an end view of the upright member of the post shown in Fig. 1, but to an enlarged scale, Figure 3 is a a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the upright member anchored in the ground.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a first form of finger spreading device which can be utilized with the upright member shown in Fig. 1, and Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a second form of finger spreading device which can be used with the upright member shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the upright member 11 of the post, which is intended as a fence post, is formed from galvanised tubular mild steel of circular cross-section, and includes an end region having four parallel axially extending saw cuts 1 2. The cuts 12 are equiangularly spaced around the circumference of the member 11 and thus define between them four fingers 1 3. The length of the saw cuts, and thus the length of the fingers 1 3 will be determined by the nature of the ground in which the post is to be anchored. However, a convenient length of the fingers 1 3 of an upright member of 5 feet overall length is around 6 inches.

The manner of applying the upright member to the ground so as to be anchored therein will depend largely upon the nature of the ground. Considering firstly what will be termed normal ground, that is to say ground which is neither densely compacted, -nor marshy, in other words the type of ground normally found at the boundary of a domestic garden, the upright member 1 1 can be anchored in the following manner.

The cut end of the upright member 11 is placed on the ground surface with the upright member 11 generally vertical. Using a mallet, or similar implement the upright member 11 is then driven vertically into the ground to depth of approximately 1 2 to 1 5 inches, and since the member 11 is hollow then it can redily be driven into this depth, and when so driven in will contain a core of earth. A ramming tool, for example a metal rod, of external diameter similar to the internal diameter of the member 11 is then inserted through the member 11 and is used to ram the core of earth within the member 11 downwardly.The ramming action compacts the core of earth within the member 11, and thereafter serves to deform the fingers 1 3 outwardly, so that the fingers 1 3 spread as shown in Fig. 3. The degree of spread shown in Fig. 3 is a slight exageration. It will be recognised that the action of spreading the fingers 13.provides a firm anchorage for the upright member 11 in the earth. Thus there is compacted earth between the fingers 13, and also there will be compaction of the earth on the outer surfaces of the fingers 1 3 as a result of their spreading action.

Where the earth is more compact than that described above then the spreading action of the fingers may be impeded, and where the earth is less compact than described above the ramming action may not exert sufficient force to spread the fingers sufficiently. In these circumstances the post includes a finger spreading device which can be of the form shown in Fig. 4 or of the form shown in Fig.

5. However in many cases a finger spreading device is not needed, sufficient anchorage being provided by ramming.

The spreading device 1 5 shown in Fig. 4 comprises a length of galvanised mild steel tube which has been drawn intermediate its ends so that the device comprises a lower section 1 6 of a diameter larger than the internal diameter of the member 11, an upper section 1 7 of an external diameter equal to or slightly less than the internal diameter of the member 11, and an intermediate section 1 8 which tapers from the diameter of the section 1 7 to the diameter of the section 1 6. The device 1 5 is conveniently driven into the ground again using a mallet or similar implement until the free end of the secion 17 is level with the ground surface.Thereafter the cut end of the member 11 is located on the section 1 7 and the member 11 is driven down into the ground in the manner described above. As the fingers 13 encounter the section 1.8 they are deflected outwardly by the -section 18 and so -achieve a spread formation similar to that shown in Fig. 3.

Using such an arrangement, the anchoring of the post 11 is achieved both by virtue of-the spreading of the fingers 13 and atso by the presence of the section 16 of the -member 1 5 which extends vertically down into the ground, and the section 17 of the member 15 which is located within the uncut region of the member 11 adjacent the root of the fingers 13.

The finger spreading device 19 shown in Fig. 5 comprises a disc-like blank of galvanised mild steel the upper surface of which is slightly domed, and the maximum diameter of which is fractionally larger than the internal diameter of the member 11. The device 1 9 is laid on the ground, or is -pushed into the ground -to a predetermined -depth, and is then engaged by the cut end of the member 11.

Thereafter the member 11 is again driven in the manner described above vertically downward into the earth and the resistance to downward motion of the member 1 9 causes the member 1 9 to co-operate with the fingers 13 to spread the fingers 1 3. In soft ground the member 1 9 m-ay be placed on the-surface of the ground, and will be driven downwardly with the member 11 until sufficient compaction of the earth beneath the member 19 occurs to support the member 1-9 and thus cause the member 1 9 to spread the fingers 1 3 outwardly.Similarly, if desired the device 1 5 can be placed vertically upright on the ground, and can be driven into the ground in conjuction with the member 11 until sufficient compaction occurs beneath the device 1 5 to cause the spreading of the fingers 1 3.

It will be recognised that it is possible to utilize a member 11 having four equiangularly spaced saw cuts defining four fingers rather than the three finger arrangement previously described. Clearly, the force necessary to spread four fingers is less than that required to spread three fingers for a given tube diameter and wall section, but in many situations three fingers is preferred.

It is further to be understood that a similar principle can be applied using rectangular section tubes, in which case it might be possible to provide four saw cuts defining only a pair of spreadable fingers. However, more than a pair of spreadable fingers is desirable to achieve good stability.

In place of galvanised tubing plastic coated tubing can be used if desired.

It will be recognised that irrespective of the nature of the tubing used to form the support member 11 the portion of the support member 11 above the ground will be provided with apertures, or mounting devices whereby a fence structure can be supported upon a row of similar support members. Moreover, the open upper end of each of the support members 11 will in use be closed by a cap to prevent rain water collecting inside the support member. While the ground anchored posts described above are primarily intended for use as fencing posts it is to be recognised that the principle can be applied to similar posts utilized for other permanent or temporarily supporting purposes.

Claims (11)

1. A ground anchored post including an upright member formed from tubular metal, and provided, at one end region thereof, with a plurality of cuts which extend longitudinally of the upright member from said one end thereof, said plurality of cuts defining at said one end region of the upright member a plurality of spreadable fingers, the cut end region of the post being the buried end of the post in use.

2. A post as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upright member has three spreadable fingers.

3. A post as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upright member is of circular cross-section and has three parallel equiangularly spaced cuts defining therebetween three spreadable fingers.

4. A post as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 further including a finger spreading device which is positioned in or on the ground prior to driving said one end region of the upright member of the post into the ground, said device co-operating with said one end region of the upright member, during driving of said one end region of the upright member into the ground to spread said fingers outwardly beneath the surface of the ground.

5. A post as claimed in claim 4 wherein said finger spreading device is an elongate member having a uppermost region capable of being accommodated within the upright member of the post, a lowermost region and an intermediate region which co-operates with the fingers to spread them outwardly.

6. A post as claimed in claim 5 wherein said intermediate region tapers.

7. A post as claimed in claim 4 wherein the finger spreading device is a disc-like member of larger diameter than the internal diameter of the upright member which forces the fingers apart, to spread them outwardly of the upright member as the upright member is driven into the ground.

8. A ground anchored post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of anchoring a post in the ground including the steps of driving one end region of a tubular metal upright member of a post into the ground, said one end region of the post being formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending cuts extending from said one end of the post, said cuts defining therebetween a plurality of spreadable fingers, and, after driving the upright member a predetermined distance into the ground, inserting through the upright member a ramming tool, and then compacting the core of earth within the upright member so as to spread said fingers outwardly of the upright member to anchor the upright member in the ground.

10. A method of anchoring a post in the ground comprising positioning a finger spreading device in or on the ground at the intended location of the post, engaging one end region of a tubular metal upright member with the spreading device, the one end region of the upright member being formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending cuts, which extend from said one end of the upright member, and defined therebetween a plurality of spreadable fingers, and driving the upright member into the ground, so that said one end region of the upright member co-operates with said finger spreading device whereby the fingers of said one end region of the upright member occupy a spread configuration beneath the ground, and thus anchor the upright member of the post.

11. A method of anchoring a post in the ground substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.