GB2160237A

GB2160237A - Ground engaging member

Info

Publication number: GB2160237A
Application number: GB08413456A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Albert Hollinshead
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-05-25
Filing date: 1984-05-25
Publication date: 1985-12-18
Also published as: GB8413456D0

Abstract

A ground-engaging member comprising an elongate part (10) having a helical thread (14) and an operating member (19). Rotation of the elongate part (10) about its longitudinal axis enables the ground-engaging member to be securely engaged in the ground so as to provide a support of an umbrella, parasol or any other object, the upper end (12) of the elongate part may afford a supporting socket, the operating member (19) may have a position in which it projects at least partly into the socket afforded by the upper end (12) so as to prevent separation of any article supported by the ground-engaging member and the ground-engaging member itself. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground engaging member The present invention relates to a new or improved ground-engaging member capable of providing supporting means to support a structure extending upwardly from the ground or means for securing an article to the ground.

According to one aspect of the present invention, I provide a ground-engaging member comprising an elongate part having a ground-engaging end, and an opposite, upper end, said elongate member comprising an external helical thread form and, in the region of said upper end being provided with an operating member secured to said groundengaging member or locatable thereon to enable said operating member to be manually operated in a manner to rotate the elongate member about its longitudinal axis and, through engagement of the helical thread form with the ground cause insertion of the ground-engaging member into the ground.

Preferably, said upper end or a part affixed thereto or associated therewith affords an arti cle contacting or supporting means.

Preferably said operating member is secured to said elongate member and conveniently the means by which it is secured to the elongate member affords at least limited relative movement between the operating member and the elongate member.

Conveniently, the means by which the operating member is secured to said elongate member may comprise pivotal mounting means permitting of pivotal movement of the operating member relative to the elongate member from a stored position in which the operating member lies alongside the elongate member, to an operating position in which the operating member extends substantially at right angles to the axis of the elongate member.

Preferably operation of the operating member in an opposite direction will enable the ground-engaging member to be removed from the ground.

Preferably the operating member has a third, locking, position in which it co-operates with said article supporting or contacting means, and an article supported thereby or contacted therewith, in a manner to prevent ready separation of the article from the ground-engaging member.

Conveniently, said third position is different from said stored position or said operating position.

Conveniently, said article supporting means comprises a socket afforded, at least in the upper region of said elongate member.

Preferably said elongate member is tapered in the region of the ground-engaging end to facilitate insertion of the elongate member into the ground.

According to another aspect of the invention, I provide in combination an umbrella or parasol and support means, said support means comprising an elongate ground-engaging member having a helical thread on the outer surface thereof and an operating member secured to or adapted to co-operate with said elongate member and capable of being manually engaged to rotate said elongate member and, through contact of the helical thread with the ground, cause said elongate member to be inserted into the ground, said elongate member forming a support for, or being formed integrally with, a supporting member or structure of said umbrella, parasol or the like.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

The ground-engaging member shown in Fig. 1 comprises an elongate part generally indicated at 1 0, the elongate part 1 0 having a ground entering end 11 and an opposite upper end 1 2. The elongate member 10 may be of tubular form, the ground entering end 11 being tapered to form a point 1 3 to assist in entry into the ground of the ground-engaging member.

The elongate part 10 is formed with a helical thread form 1 4 which, in the embodiment shown, is of continuous form from one end to another, however, it is envisaged that the thread form may be of fragmentary form provided there is sufficient thread form not only to engage the ground but, on rotation of the elongate part about its longitudinal axis 16, the thread form causes the ground-engaging member to enter the ground in one direction of rotation.

The upper end 1 2 of the elongate part 10 is formed with a collar-like member 1 7 to which is pivotally secured through a pivotal axis 18 an operating member 19.

The operating member 1 9 is movable from a stored position. shown in dotted outline at 20, to an operative position shown in dotted outline at 21 in which it extends substantially at right angles to the axis 1 6 and to a locking position as shown in Fig. 2, in which it has been pivoted through substantially 180 from the stored position 20.

In use of the ground-engaging member, the ground-engaging end 11 is inserted into the ground until at least the leading end of the helical thread form is in contact therewith and the elongate member is then rotated about its axis 1 6 by manual engagement and movement of the operating member 1 9 until the ground-engaging member is firmly secured to the ground.

The upper end 1 2 of the elongate part which is provided with a collar-like member 1 7 affords a socket 22 in which, for example, the support element 23 of an umbrella or any other object it is desired to support above the ground may be inserted.

The operating member 1 9 may then be moved to its locking position, as shown in Fig. 2, in which the edge 25 thereof interferes with the external surface of the external surface of the support member 23 and clamps the support member 23 in the socket 22.

It will be appreciated that additional or alternative locking means may be provided or in some cases the socket of other mounting means afforded by the ground-engaging part may be sufficient to provide adequate support and securement of any article thereto without further locking means.

As an alternative to the socket 22, the ground-engaging member may afford a spigot or any other suitable formation by means of which an article may be supported thereby, or alternatively secured to the ground by the ground-engaging member.

The ground-engaging member may be made of any suitable material or combinations of material and, for example, it is envisaged that the elongate part may be metallic and the helical thread form formed thereon or secured thereto.

Alternatively, the thread form 14 and elongate member 10 and any formation provided at the upper end 1 2 may be formed as an injection moulding from a plastics material, as may the operating member 1 9.

Whereas the operating member 1 9 has been shown in the described embodiment as pivoted to the upper end 1 2 of the elongate member, any form of complementary co-operating forms on the operating member 1 9 and elongate member 10 which enable the operating member to rotate the elongate member 10 will suffice.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed results, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A ground-engaging member comprising an elongate part having a ground-engaging end, and an opposite, upper end, said elongate member comprising an external helical thread form and, in the region of said upper end being provided with an operating member secured to said ground-engaging member or locatable thereon to enable said operating member to be manually operated in a manner to rotate the elongate member about its longitudinal axis and, through engagement of the helical thread form with the ground cause insertion of the ground-engaging member into the ground.

2. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 1 wherein said upper end affords an article contacting or supporting means.

3. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 1 wherein said upper end has affixed thereto or associated therewith an article contacting or supporting means.

4. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein said article supporting means comprises a socket.

5. A ground-engaging member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said operating member is secured to said elongate member by securing means enabling at least limited relative movement between the operating member and the elongate member.

6. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 5 wherein the means by which said operating member is secured to said elongate member comprises pivotal mounting means permitting of pivotal movement of the operating member relative to the elongate member from a stored position in which the operating member lies alongside the elongate member, to an operating position in which the operating member extends substantially at right angles to the axis of the elongate member.

7. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 6 wherein the operating member has a third, locking, position in which it co-operates with said article supporting or contacting means, and an article supported thereby or contacted therewith, in a manner to prevent separation of the article from the groundengaging member.

8. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 7 wherein said third position is different from said stored position or said operating position.

9. A ground-engaging member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said elongate member is tapered in the region of the ground-engaging end to facilitate insertion of the elongate member into the ground.

10. A ground-engaging member according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein said groundengaging member comprises the socket afforded at least in the upper region of said elongate member and said operating member when in its locking position projects at least partly into said socket.

11. A ground-engaging member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein operation of the operating member in a direction opposite to that required to insert the ground-engaging member into the ground will enable the ground-engaging member to be removed from the ground.

12. In combination an umbrella or parasol and support means, said support means comprising an elongate ground-engaging member having a helical thread on the outer surface thereof and an operating member secured to or adapted to co-operate with said elongate member and capable of being manually engaged to rotate said elongate member and, through contact of the helical thread with the ground, cause said elongate member to be inserted into the ground, said elongate member forming a support for, or being formed integrally with, a supporting member or structure of said umbrella, parasol or the like.

1 3. A ground-engaging member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

14. In combination an umbrella or parasol and ground-engaging member substantially as hereinbefore described.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompaying drawings.