US2660276A

US2660276A - Ground anchor

Info

Publication number: US2660276A
Application number: US193237A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry B Mckee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-10-31
Filing date: 1950-10-31
Publication date: 1953-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-24

Description

Nov. 24, 1953 H. B. MCKEE 2,660,276

GROUND ANCHOR Filed Oct. 31, 1950 BY m Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a ground anchor for holding guys of poles, tents, and other structures, and has as a principal object the provision of an anchor particularly suited for use in trailer camps for anchoring awnings, in that such structures are temporary and require, not a permanent anchor, but one which may be easily installed and withdrawn.

Although ease of intentional withdrawal is a primary object of my invention, it is a further object thereof to provide an anchor which will hold firmly until it is intentionally withdrawn, and which may in fact be installed in duplicate to double the holding strength of any particular installation.

Many of the anchors hitherto in use for similar purposes screw into the ground and thereby soften and dislodge the earth through which they are screwed, making them relatively easy to pull out. holes and then expand, which is the principle utilized in my invention, but these earlier anchors suffer the disability of having exposed screw or cam mechanisms which become clogged with earth or corroded, and also have to be buried, requiring that the holes be filled in above them when the anchors are set and then dug out again when the anchors are lifted. It is a specific object of my invention to provide an anchor which occupies all of the hole in which it is set, requiring no filling in and subsequent digging out, and which has its operating mechanism, except for the actual anchor blades, contained within its body so as to be protected from corrosive and clogging contacts.

In broad terms, my invention comprises a hollow cylinder, adapted to be placed upright in a post-hole, and carrying axially a rotatable shaft adapted to receive a guy wire and also an operating tool such as a Wrench or handle. The shaft carries a plurality of anchor-blades, hinged thereto, with their free ends guided in circumferential slots in the cylinder so that rotation of the shaft in one direction causes the blades to extend outwardly through the slots, and rotation in the other direction retracts the blades within the cylinder. The shaft is arranged to be coupled at either end to the shaft of a like unit, so that two or more units may be arranged in vertical tandem, completely filling the hole in which they are sunk, so that no filling in or digging out is required, the blades of all the units acting responsively to rotation of the shaft of the uppermost unit.

Other anchors fit into prepared In the accompanying drawing, illustrative of a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of my ground anchor, taken on the plane of section l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane of section 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the anchor blades in retracted position.

Having reference now to the details of the drawing, I have shown in Fig. l, a cylindrical case 5 provided with end closures 6 and. 1. The closures 5 and l have axial openings 8 through which extends a shaft 9. The shaft 9 is threaded at its upper end it and lower end II, and a nut 12 is run upon the lower end II to serve as a support bearing for the shaft. A plate I4 is secured to the shaft 9 a little above the nut l2, and a plurality of blades I5 are pivotally secured to the plate [4 by pivot bolts It. At the level of the blades I5, the case 5 is perforated by circumferential slots ll equal in number to the blades, each of the blades entering and being guided by a slot respective thereto. Rotation of the plate I4 by means of the shaft 9 in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2 will retract the blades to the position shown in Fig. 3. Reversed rotation of the plate It will again extend the blades to the position of Fig. 2.

The blades l5 extend inwardly from their pivot bolts I6, as well as outwardly therefrom, their inward ends I9 being of such lengths that, as shown in Fig. 3, they will come into abutment with the outer ends of the blades next preceding them in the direction of rotation which causes retraction of the blades. Abutment of the blades, one against another, in this manner arrests the retractive movement, thus defining a position of full retraction. The outer ends of the blades l5 are of such length that when the position of full retraction is attained, as shown in Fig. 3, they will still be engaged in the slots l1 and thus will be prevented from yielding to pressure of the abutting blades. The extreme outer ends 20 of the blades are bevelled so as to be substantially flush with the outer surface of the cylinder 5 when the blades are in fully retracted position, and for this purpose the bevel may be curved to conform to the surface of the cylinder. The pointed ends of the blades are thus also suited for cutting into the earth when the blades are extended, and the bevels 20 may be sharpened to further assist the cutting action.

The slots l I closely fit the blades l5, so as not only to guide them without unnecessary free motion but to prevent entry of dirt and moisture into the cylinder 5, which except for the narrow clearance of the Openings 8 around the shaft 9, is otherwise sealed, and to prevent rotation of the shaft 9 beyond the position in which the blades are fully extended. For this purpose the end margins of the slots I1 are not radial to the cylinder but are parallel to the chords assumed by the blades when the blades are in fully re,- tracted position. The distance between point llaon the inner surface of the cylinder (see Fig. 2) and llb on the outer surface of the cylinder is just sufiicient to permit the respective blade It to extend therethrough radially to the cylinder; the blade may turn to its retracted position with very little clearance. As the upper and lower margins of the slots ll may have practically slide contact with the blades, it will be seen that the operating mechanism within the cylinder is afforded nearly complete protection against the ingress of dirt. The points l'ia and llb engage the sides of the blades at different distances from the pivot bolts 16, the points We toward which the plate M turns to extend the blades being slightly closer to the pivot bolts. These points of the end margins of the slots ll will therefore bind upon the blades if an attempt is made to turn the shaft 9. in clockwise rotation as shown in Fig. 2 beyond the position therein shown, thus def ning the position of maximum extension of the blades and preventing retraction from resulting from an attempt to extend the blades further. Such a limiting effect is obviously desirable when the anchqr cylinder is inserted in the ground and blocirs all view of the blades.

Suitable fittin s are provided for installation upon the threaded ends It] and II of the shaft 9 for connecting thereto the guys. to be anchored, ancther anchor in tandem, and to receive an o eratin tool- Obviou y, many types of fittin s would serve the above purposes, and I have shown in Fig 1 only a very simple and effective assemblage A nut. 2a, of ordinary reducer type hav-. ing' an external threaded portion 2011, may be placed upon. the upper shaft end IE] and will receive both a wrench and a flat nut Zl. The flat nut 2( has holes Zia. which may receive a key wrench to turn, the shaft and may then be laced with the end of a. u not shown. An ordinary cqupling 22 will serve to. connect. the lower shaft end ll to the upper shaft end it. of a tandem ancher, the fittings. Z8. and 2i. notbeing' installed on the. upper end of the lower member of the andem...

To, install improved. anchor, a hole is first dug or bored in the ground, to a. depth to, receive. as anchor units. as, may be required and pr ferablyo. that. the upper closure & -the upper anchor unit is just above ground level, for

drainage, and the hole will require no filling in above the unit. The hole is also preferably just undersize for the width of the cylinder or cylinders 5 so that the units when pushed into the hole will fit tightly therein. The required number of units are then connected in tandem by couplings 22, the fittings 20 and 2| are placed on the shaft of the upper unit, and the anchor units are pushed into the hole with their blades l5 fully retracted. A one-eighth turn (approximate) on the shaft of the uppermost unit will then cause the blades of all the units to expand into the ground, without, however, materially softening or disledging the earth around them. No filling-in of the hole is necessary. A one-eighth reverse turn of the uppermost shaft will retract all the blades to. permit the anchor to be raised, and no uncovering is required as the anchor extends to the ground surface. The stop at both ends of the turn is automatic. A guy will ordinarily be laced in the fitting 2| after the anchor is grounded and will be removed before the anchor is lifted.

Having described and illustrated a preferred form of my invention byway of example, I wish it understood that changes and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as embodiments, of the spirit of my invention and included therein.

I claim:

In a ground anchor: a cylindrical case, for insertion in a prepared ground hole in substantially vertical axial position, Said case havin end olosures. and having a, plurality of circumferentially extending short slots; a shaft axially mounted in said case and rotatably supported by one of said closures and extending upwardly from said case; support means carried by said shaft within said case; and blades respective to. said slots pivotally carried by said support. means for simultaneous and horizontal like movement, and having their outer ends. guided, in said slots for extension. and retraction therethrough when said shaft is. re.- tated; said slots closely fitting said blades. to provide opposed fulcrums upon which, said blades. m y swing; said blad pivotin o said s pport means, in an Or it spaced medially between said. haft and s se; t l ast one f said lades extending inw rd y from he. pivo l axis. ther f as wh n retr c ed. to but upon. n ad acen ad while th o ter n of sa d blad s are stil ngaged n he slots r ec her t sa ic i abutting then arresting further retraetive. movement.

HARRY B. McKEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number