US3778943A

US3778943A - Earth anchor

Info

Publication number: US3778943A
Application number: US00157352A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Day
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-06-28
Filing date: 1971-06-28
Publication date: 1973-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-18

Abstract

A device for anchoring a structure, e. g., a mobile home or the like, to the ground so that the structure has at least equal ability to withstand high winds as do conventional residential structures. The device is intended to be received in a prepared hole in the ground and includes a rod having an eye or the like at the one end for attachment of typical cable structure thereto. The opposite end of the rod has fixedly attached thereto a platelike member which freely pivotally supports a pair of extendable knifelike members. The device is lowered into the hole and the knifelike members are urged outwardly into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the hole, thus greatly increasing the area of the earth engaging structure. The lower end of the rod preferably carries a corkscrewlike member which may be screwed into the undisturbed earth immediately at the bottom of the hole to further increase the holding ability of the device, i. e., particularly while the loose earth, which obviously is used to refill the hole, has fully compacted.

Description

United States Patent [191 Day ['4 Dec. 18, 1973 EARTH ANCHOR [75] lnventor: Leon E. Day, Memphis, Tenn. [57] ABSTRACT [73] Asslgnees: winiam A- Rden; James sellers A device for anchoring a structure, e. g., a mobile Memphis, Tenn- P mteres to home or the like, to the ground so that the structure each has at least equal ability to withstand high winds as do [22] Filed: June 28, 1971 conventional residential structures. The device is intended to be received in a prepared hole in the ground PP 1571352 and includes a rod having an eye or the like at the one end for attachment of typical cable structure thereto. 52 us. c1. 52/157, 52/160 The opposite end of the red has fixedly attached 51 Int. Cl E021! 5/74 thereto a platelike member which freely Pivotally p- [58] Field of Search 52/159, 157, I62; P a P of extehdable khifelike members- The 30/262; 206/46 H DIG 6 vice is lowered into the hole and the knifelike membets are urged outwardly into the undisturbed earth [561 References Cited adjacent the bottom of the hole, thus greatly increas- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing the area of the earth engaging structure. The lower end of the rod preferably carries a corkscrewlike 1'22??? Sign; member which may be screwed into the undisturbed 2's99 029 8/1959 Bailew .11: 11:12:12.". 52/159 F immediately at thibotmm h q to further 219993572 9/1961 Hinckley 52/162 x mcrease the hldmg abmy of the devlce Partial Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland Assistant Examiner-Carl D. Friedman Attorney-John R. Walker, Ill

larly while the loose earth, which obviously is used to refill the hole, has fully compacted.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures EARTH ANCHOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to earth or ground anchoring devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art A preliminary patentability search revealed the following U. S. patents: Blackburn U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,343,384 and 1,455,163; Kuhn Pat. No. 1,960,639; Mafera, Jr., Pat. No. 2,771,163; and I-Iinckley Pat. No. 2,999,572. The main object'of the above patents appears to be that the respective devices include structure which enables them to penetrate the surface of the earth and bore into the earth a predetermined distance. Certain of the above patents include structure which may then be operated to expand certain subterranean structure thereof, i. e., the idea being to increase the surface area, thus increasing the holding ability of the device. However, none of the above patents includes expandable structure which is loosely pivoted to the main anchoring element or expanding structure which is dependent upon centrifugal force to initiate the expanding action. Additionally, none of the above patents includes expandable structure which increases the area of the platelike holding member substantially 100 percent.

earth anchor for anchoring structure, e. g., a mobile home or the like, to the ground so that the structure has at least equal ability to withstand high winds as does conventional residential structures. It should be pointed out that digging a plurality of holes in the earth for installation of an earth anchor, until rather recently, was not feasible. Therefore, prior devices known by the applicant are constructed in various ways to obviate the necessity of digging a hole, i. e., these devices were capable of self-penetrating the earth. However, since power devices are now prevalent in the use of digging holes for telephone poles and/or fenceposts or the like, the present invention is not only feasible but offers advantages non-existent with prior known devices.

The device of the present invention is intended to be received in a prepared hole in the ground and includes a rod having an eye or the like at the one end for attachment of a tie-down cable or strap. The opposite end of the rod, i. e., the end which is to be buried, has fixedly attached thereto a platelike member which freely pivotally supports a pair of extendable knifelike members. The knifelike members have extended and retracted positions and are retained in the retracted position by a resilient member, e. g., a rubber band or the like. The device is lowered into the hole while retained in said retracted position and manually rotated so that the earth at the bottom B of the hole H causes the rubber band 43 to break and then centrifugal force caused the knifelike members to swing outwardly and engage the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the hole. Subsequently to being engaged with the earth, rotatable force is exerted by any well known manner, e. g., a lever inserted through the eye. Thus, the knifelike members are urged further into the undisturbed earth until the reach their fully extended or locked position. When the device is in the fully extended position, the area of the earth engaging structure thereof is greatly increased, i. e., approaching percent. The lower end of the rod preferably carries a corkscrewlike member which may be screwed into the undisturbed earth immediately at the bottom of the hole simultaneously as the knifelike members are traveling from their retracted position to their extended position. The corkscrewlike member, being optional, centers the device and holds it in the center until the blades expand. Also, the corkscrew member increases the holding ability of the device, particularly while the loose earth which is used to refill the hole, has had time to become fully compacted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the earth anchoring device of the present invention in conjunction with a hole in the ground.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1. showing the expandable members being held in a retracted position by endless resilient means.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, the endless resilient means being deleted, and showing the expandable structure in an extended position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The earth anchor 11 of the present invention is intended to be inserted into a prepared hole H in the ground, i. e., as opposed to the known prior devices which include auger means for penetrating and pulling the anchor into the earth. The anchor 11 comprises an elongated rodlike member 13 having an eyelet 15 or the like constituting the upper end thereof. It will be understood that eyelet 15 may be flattened across the top to accommodate a pulldown strap, if desired. A circular platelike member 17, being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rodlike member 13, is fixedly attached to the lower end of the rodlike member 13. The anchorll also includes two knifelike blade members 19 having semicircular portions 21 and knife edge portions 23 thereto. The members 19 are freely pivotally attached to the platelike member 117 by a pair of rivets 25, bolts or the like.

The anchor 11 preferably includes a corkscrewlike member 27 depending from the platelike member 17.

The blade members 19 have extended and retracted positions, i. e., FIG. 2 of the drawings shows the blade members 19 in their retracted position and FIG. 3 of the drawings shows the members 19 in their fully extended position. Further, the blade members 19 respectively are arranged so that the semi-circular portions 21 or outermost portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of the platelike member 17 when the blade members 19 are in the retracted positions and the respective knife edge portions 23 thereof extend outwardly from the platelike member 17 when the blade members 19 are in the extended position.

It should be understood that the blade members 19 are freely operable from the retracted position (FIG. 2) to the extended position (FIG. 3) by centrifugal force generated thereon as the anchor 11 is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the rodlike member 13 in a manner yet to be described.

The dimensions of the platelike member 17 preferably are compatible with the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole H, i. e., the platelike member 17 is positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rodlike member 13, accordingly, the diameter of the hole H should be slightly greater than the diameter of the platelike member 17 so'that the anchor 11 may freely be inserted intothe hole.

The eyelet may be integrally formed with the rodlike member 13 or fixedly attached thereto in any other expedient manner obvious to those skilled in'the art. The platelike member 17 preferably is provided with a concentric aperture 29 for receiving the lower end of the rodlike member 13. A washer or small platelike member 31 preferably circumferentially engages the rodlike member 13 and contiguously engages an appropriate portion of the lower surface of the platelike member 17 to provide added strength to the anchor 1 l'. in other words, the rodlike member 13 preferably is welded to the washer 31 and the washer 31 preferably is welded to the platelike member 17 in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art.

The platelike member 17 also is provided with a pair of apertures 33 disposed substantially 180 one from the other and at a predetermined distance outwardly from the aperture 29 for loosely receiving the rivets 25. Additionally, each of the blade members 19 is provided with an aperture 35 positioned therein substantially as depicted in H08. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The apertures 35 also freely receive the rivets 25. In other words, the blade-members 19 are freely pivotally attached to the platelike member 17 and are arranged thereon so that the blade members l9contiguously overlappingly engage the platelike member 17 when the blade members '19 are in the retracted position. i The corkscrewlike member 27 preferably is formed from aresilient steel or is somewhat like a coil spring. Accordingly, the clockwise rotation of the anchor 11 causes the member 27 to auger into the undisturbed earth immediately below the bottom of the prepared hole in the ground. The corkscrewlike member 27 preferably is fixedly attached to the underneath surface of the platelike member l7 in any well known manner, e. g., as by welding or the like.

Close observation of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings will reveal that the centerlines of the apertures 33 are positioned along respective radii of the platelike member 17 at predetermined distances from the centers thereof. More specifically, the centers of the apertures 33 are slightly closer to the edge of the concentric aperture 29 than to the perimeter of the bladelike member 17, for reasons yet to be disclosed.

Additionally, the blade members 19 include shoulder portions 37 for bindingly engaging circumferential portions of the rodlike member 13 when the blade members l9 reach their respective fully extended positions.

in other words, the shoulder portions 37 of the blade members 19 limit the travel thereof beyond the extended position even though the anchor 11 is caused to rotate subsequently thereto.

More specifically, it may be stated that the blade members 19 are eccentrically pivotally attached freely to theplatelike member '17 so that movement of the blade members 19 toward their extended positions causes the respective shoulder portions 37 thereof to bindingly or lockingly engage a circumferential portion of the rodlike member 13.

The anchor 11 preferably includes a means for holding the blade members 19 in the retracted position until members 19 and under the platelike member 17 with opposite portions thereof being received in the first and

second notches

39, 41, as best illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. 7

in installing the anchor 11, the anchor is first placed in the hole H as shown in HO. 1. Then the anchor is turned clockwise as viewed from above so that member 27 draws the device down into the ground until the resilient member 43 engages the bottom B of the hole H and is caused to break. Next, the device 11 is backed up about one-fourth of a turn counterclockwise. Then, the device is rapidly rotated clockwise to cause centrif ugal force to move blades 19 outwardly into'biting engagement with the wall of hole H. It should be pointed out that, if necessary, this step may be repeated as for example in cases of hard dirt or if rocks encountered. Also, it should be pointed out that the principal functions of member 27 are to center the device 11 and to hold it in the center until blades 19 expand. After the blade'members l9 bite into the earth, counterclockwise motion is continued which causes the blade members to bite deeper into the earth until in the fully extended positions shown in FIG. 3.

It should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that when the anchor 11 has been installed in the above described manner, it forms a locked anchor in the bottom of the hole, even though the loose dirt has not been replaced therein. In other words, a pulling force upwardly would have to be of great magnitude to pull the extended blade members 19 up through the hard undisturbed earth. Obviously, the depth to which the blade members 19 are placed and the overall dimension of the platelike member 17 and the blade members 19 are factors which effect the holding ability of the anchor l 1. Accordingly, these factors and the anticipated pulling force should be taken into consideration in conjunction with practicing the instant invention.

Additionally, the corkscrewlike member 27 provides additional holding ability in a manner previously described. Further, when the loose earth is replaced in the hole and adequate time has allowed the earth to become fully compacted, the holding ability of the anchor 11 is greatly increased.

It should also be pointed out that the holding ability of the anchor 11 is also directly proportional to the thickness of the platelike member 17, the blade members l9, and the structural strength of the rodlike member 13. Accordingly, specifications for these structural members may be varied depending upon the anticipated pulling force to which the anchor 11 may be subjected, in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art.

Although the invention has been described and illus trated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited sincechanges and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, and at least one knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means contiguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member.

2. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor'comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least ,one knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with theplane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means continguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member, and cork- 'screwlike means depending'from said platelike means for corkscrewlike engagement into the undisturbed earth immediately below the bottom of the prepared hole in the ground as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member.

3. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto,-

pared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means continguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member, and means for holding said blade'in said retracted position. 4. The anchoring device of claim 3 in which at least two knifelike blade means are included and said plate like means includes circular structure, each of said blade means having a semi-circular portion thereto, said blade means being arranged on said platelike means so that said semi-circular portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of said platelike means when in said retracted position.

5. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least two knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, and means for holding said blade means in said retracted position; the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel withthe plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means contiguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said red like member, said platelike means includes circular structure, each of said blade means having a semicircular portion thereto, said blade means being arranged on said platelike means so that said semi circular portions thereof are in alignment with .the outer perimeter of said platelike means when in said retracted position, said means for holding said blade means in said retracted position includes endless resilient means, said platelike means being provided with a pair of first notches adjacent the perimeter thereof and disposed substantially apart, said semi-circular portions of said blade means respectively being provided with second notches, and said second notches respectively being in alignment with said first notches when said blade means are in said'retracted position and with said resilient means being looped over said blade means and under said platelike means with opposite portions thereof being received in said first and second notches.

6. The anchoring'device of claim 1 in which is included means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extended position.

7. The anchoring device of claim 5 in which said blade means includes a shoulder and said means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extendedposition includes means eccentrically pivotally attaching said blade means to said platelike means so that movement of said blade towards said extended position causes said shoulderthereof to bindingly engage a circumferential portion of said rodlike member.

8. An earth anchoring device comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, circular platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike memher, at. least two knifelike blade means respectively having semi-circular portions and knife-edge portions thereto are freely pivotally attached to said'platelike means, said blade means having extended and retracted positions with the planes thereof being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means, said blade means being arranged so that said semi-circular outermost portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of said platelike means when said blade means are in said retracted position and said respective knife edge portions thereof extend outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, corkscrewlike means depending from said platelike means, and said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike memher.

9. The anchoring device of claim 8 in which is included means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extended position.

10. The anchoring device of claim 9 in which said blade means respectively includes shoulders and said means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extended position includes means eccentrically pivotally attaching said blade means to said platelike means so that movement of said respective blade means towards said extended position causes said shoulders thereof to bindingly engage circumferential portions of said rodlike member.

l i i

Claims

2. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least one knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means continguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member, and corkscrewlike means depending from said platelike means for corkscrewlike engagement into the undisturbed earth immediately below the bottom of the prepared hole in the ground as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member.

3. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least one knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means continguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member, and means for holding said blade in said retracted position.

4. The anchoring device of claim 3 in which at least two knifelike blade means are included and said platelike means includes circular structure, each of said blade means having a semi-circular portion thereto, said blade means being arranged on said platelike means so that said semi-circular portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of said platelike means when in said retracted position.

5. An earth anchor for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground, said anchor comprisinG an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, said upper end of said rodlike member including eyelet means, platelike means having area dimensions slightly less than the cross sectional dimension of the prepared hole, said platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least two knifelike blade means for biting into the undisturbed earth adjacent the bottom of the prepared hole, said blade means having extended and retracted positions, and means for holding said blade means in said retracted position; the plane of said blade means being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means and said blade means being freely pivotally attached to said platelike means and being arranged so that said blade means contiguously overlappingly engages said platelike means when in said retracted position and a portion thereof extends outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member, said platelike means includes circular structure, each of said blade means having a semi-circular portion thereto, said blade means being arranged on said platelike means so that said semi-circular portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of said platelike means when in said retracted position, said means for holding said blade means in said retracted position includes endless resilient means, said platelike means being provided with a pair of first notches adjacent the perimeter thereof and disposed substantially 180* apart, said semi-circular portions of said blade means respectively being provided with second notches, and said second notches respectively being in alignment with said first notches when said blade means are in said retracted position and with said resilient means being looped over said blade means and under said platelike means with opposite portions thereof being received in said first and second notches.

6. The anchoring device of claim 1 in which is included means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extended position.

7. The anchoring device of claim 5 in which said blade means includes a shoulder and said means for limiting the travel of said blade means beyond said extended position includes means eccentrically pivotally attaching said blade means to said platelike means so that movement of said blade towards said extended position causes said shoulder thereof to bindingly engage a circumferential portion of said rodlike member.

8. An earth anchoring device comprising an elongated rodlike member having lower and upper ends thereto, circular platelike means being positioned with the plane thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rodlike member and said platelike means being fixedly attached to said lower end of said rodlike member, at least two knifelike blade means respectively having semi-circular portions and knife-edge portions thereto are freely pivotally attached to said platelike means, said blade means having extended and retracted positions with the planes thereof being disposed parallel with the plane of said platelike means, said blade means being arranged so that said semi-circular outermost portions thereof are in alignment with the outer perimeter of said platelike means when said blade means are in said retracted position and said respective knife edge portions thereof extend outwardly from said platelike means when in said extended position, corkscrewlike means depending from said platelike means, and said blade means being freely operable from said retracted position to said extended position by centrifugal force generated thereon as said anchor is caused to rotate about tHe longitudinal axis of said rodlike member.