U.S. patent application number 10/431244 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for ground mounted pole construction.
Invention is credited to Eleas, Chrestos H., Eleas, Chrestos H. II.
Application Number | 20040221543 10/431244 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33416415 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040221543 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eleas, Chrestos H. ; et
al. |
November 11, 2004 |
Ground mounted pole construction
Abstract
A structure for mounting a pole firmly in the ground, the
structure having an anchor section and a pole section, wherein the
anchor section is an auger, wherein the sections are hinged
together with the pole section lying on the ground after the auger
is screwed into the ground, and wherein the pole section can then
be hoisted or lifted around hinge to an upright position, and
wherein cooperating elements of connector structure are provided on
the sections for firmly affixing the sections together with the
anchor section remaining in the ground and with the pole in a
desired upright position.
Inventors: |
Eleas, Chrestos H.; (Bluff
City, TN) ; Eleas, Chrestos H. II; (Bluff City,
TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DONALD W. SPURRELL
PATENT ATTORNEY
P.O. BOX 970
JOHNSON CITY
TN
37605-0970
US
|
Family ID: |
33416415 |
Appl. No.: |
10/431244 |
Filed: |
May 7, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/153 ; 52/157;
52/165; 52/169.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 12/187 20130101;
E04H 12/2223 20130101; E02D 27/42 20130101; E02D 5/56 20130101;
F21V 21/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/736.1 ;
052/157; 052/165; 052/169.13 |
International
Class: |
E04C 003/30; E02D
027/42 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A ground mounted pole construction comprising an elongated
ground anchor section having a proximal end portion, a distal end
portion, and a longitudinal axis, thread means on said distal end
portion and adapted to be forcibly screwed into the ground, a
connector means first segment on said proximal end portion, an
elongated pole section having a upper end portion, a lower end
portion, and a longitudinal axis, a connector means second segment
on said lower end portion, cooperating hinge bearing means on said
first and second segments, said first and second segments when
connected together providing a hinge means whereby when said anchor
section has been screwed into the ground to a desired level, and
with the pole section lying on the ground or other surface, said
pole section can be hoisted by pivoting on said hinge means to a
desired upright position, and cooperating elements of fastening
means on said pole section and said anchor section for securing
said pole section to said anchor section in said upright position
with said anchor section in the ground.
2. The construction of claim 1 wherein each said connector means
segment comprises a steel plate welded to its said section with a
contact plane of each plate oriented substantially normal to the
longitudinal axis of its section, wherein a hinge bearing means is
provided on an edge portion of each plate and are adapted to be
pivotally mounted on a shaft to form a hinge means between said
plates whereby said pole section can be pivotally hoisted or lifted
from a down position to a desired upright position around said
hinge means after said anchor section has been screwed into the
ground.
3. The construction of claim 2 wherein said anchor section is
screwed into the ground, said pole section is secured to said
anchor section in an upright position, and said shaft has been
removed from said hinge bearing means.
4. The construction of claim 1 wherein said distal end portion of
said anchor section is a conventional hole digging auger.
5. The construction of claim 1 wherein said thread means comprises
flutes formed inwardly in a spindle means.
6. The construction of claim 1 wherein said thread means comprises
flutes formed outwardly on a spindle means.
7. A method for mounting a pole firmly in the ground in a desired
upright position, wherein a structure is provided having an anchor
section and a pole section, wherein the anchor section is an auger,
and wherein the sections are adapted to be hinged together and
subsequently fastened together, said method comprising screwing
said auger into the ground, then with the pole lying on the ground
or other substrate, hinging said sections together and hoisting or
lifting the pole around the hinge to a desired upright position,
and firmly affixing the sections together with the anchor section
remaining in the ground and with the pole in said desired upright
position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] This invention concerns the fixing of poles, stanchions or
the like, either permanent or temporary such as light poles, sign
poles, power poles, or flag poles to the ground in a manner
providing great stability with minimum of time, effort and
expense.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] Heretofore, the conventional method for firmly planting a
post or stanchion in the ground has been to dig a hole, place the
post into the hole and then pack soil, crushed stone, or concrete
around the post portion within the hole. This is a time consuming
excavation and refill procedure which often does not produce the
desired stability in that material has to be packed into the
excavated hole from which the more firm, original packed soil has
been removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a method and mechanism for
anchoring a pole in the ground without having to excavate the soil,
wherein an anchor section is provided and screwed into the ground,
and wherein the pole is then affixed to the upper portion of the
anchor section which has been left in the ground.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The invention will be further understood from the following
description and drawings wherein the structural portions in the
various figures are preferably of steel and are not drawn to scale
or actual proportions and are intended to elucidate the inventive
concepts involved, wherein in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112 the
best mode of practicing the present invention is clearly described,
and wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned elevational view of the
present pole section and anchor section in assembled upright
mounted position;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in
FIG. 1 with portions broken away for clarity;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view of the anchor section affixed to a
conventional power auger attachment of a Skid Steer machine by way
of an adapter means and in position to be screwed into the
ground;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a view as in FIG. 1 and further showing a pole and
its second segment of a connector means in dotted outline in an
on-the-ground initial position wherein the first and second
segments are connected by a pin to form a hinge;
[0011] FIG. 5 shows an inwardly fluted variation of the threaded
portion of the anchor section;
[0012] FIG. 6 shows an outwardly fluted variation of the thread
means; and
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an auger attachment to a
Skid Steer power drive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Referring to the drawings with particular reference to the
claims hereof, the present ground mounted pole construction
generally comprises an elongated ground anchor section 10 and an
elongated pole section 22. Anchor section 10 has a proximal end
portion 12, a distal end portion 14, and a longitudinal axis 16.
Thread means 18 of any form or pitch is provided on said distal end
portion and is adapted to be forcibly screwed into the ground. A
first segment 20 of a connector means is provided on said proximal
end portion 12.
[0015] Pole section 22 has an upper end portion 24, a lower end
portion 26, and a longitudinal axis 28. A second segment 30 of a
connector means is provided on said lower end portion and is
constructed substantially the same as segment 20. These first and
second segments when connected together provide a hinge means
generally designated 32 whereby when the anchor section has been
screwed into the ground to a desired level, e.g., at or above
ground level, and with the pole section lying on the ground or
other surface, the first and second segments can be connected to
form the hinge means 32 and the pole section can be hoisted by hand
or machine by pivoting on the hinge means to an upright position. A
fastening means such as bolts 34 mounted thru bolt holes 21 and 23
and nuts 36 are engageable with the segments 30 and 20 of the pole
and anchor sections for securing these sections together in a
desired upright position. It is noted that shims may be used
between the contact surfaces of the plates 20 and 30 to adjust the
planes 17 and 19 respectively thereof and the posture or
verticality of the pole, however, such is typically not required
where care is taken in the operation of the power auger
machine.
[0016] The anchor section 10 preferably is in the form of a
conventional auger 38 which is adapted to connect to the motor
output shaft 40 (FIG. 3) of a power auger or power drill as is
readily commercially available as an attachment on a Skid Steer,
front loader, or other such earth moving equipment. It is noted
that the only modification of such an auger attachment which
applicant employs is shown in FIG. 3 wherein an adapter means
generally designated 44 comprises an adapter plate 46 which is
substantially identical to plate or first segment 20 of the anchor
section and is provided with a hub 48 into which the end of said
output shaft 40 is inserted and pinned by bolt 50 or the like.
[0017] The construction of hinge means 32 can be conventional
wherein a bearing member 54 is welded or otherwise formed on first
segment 20 and wherein bearing segments 56 are welded or otherwise
formed on second segment 30. A hinge pin or bolt 58 of any
construction is removably mounted thru the bearing segments and
preferably is provided with a handle means 60 to facilitate its
removal from the hinge means after segments 20 and 30 are bolted
together or otherwise firmly fastened together.
[0018] In accordance with the present invention, the auger member
can be inwardly fluted as at 42 or outwardly fluted as at 52 in or
on spindle 53 as in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the pitch of the flutes or
threads or the blades of a conventional auger can be widely varied
as long as the power means 40 can be regulated to screw the anchor
section into the ground rather than simply pounding it into the
ground. Further in this regard, the auger attachment must be
operated in a manner to screw the anchor section into the ground
rather than to excavate a hole. This is accomplished by maintaining
adequate downward pressure on the anchor section during its
rotation to prevent lifting of the soil upwardly by rotation of the
auger.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 7, the auger adapter means 44 shown in
FIG. 3 is employed and the structures numbered the same. The output
or drive shaft 40 is powered typically by an hydraulic motor 41
connected to the hydraulic system of the Skid Steer and carried by
an adapter structure 43 which is configured to be latched to the
face plate of the Skid Steer or other work vehicle or machine.
[0020] It is noted that one of the many advantages of the present
invention is that it can be employed to remove posts or the like
which have been screwed into the ground, without the need for
digging out packed fill dirt, concrete, crushed stone or the like.
This is particularly advantageous where temporary poles such as
light poles or power poles at construction sites are needed.
[0021] The invention has been described in detail with particular
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be
understood that variations and modifications will be effected with
the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *