U.S. patent application number 11/271576 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for anchor system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cedar Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael A. Royals.
Application Number | 20070113491 11/271576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38024020 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070113491 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Royals; Michael A. |
May 24, 2007 |
Anchor system
Abstract
An anchor system which provides a threaded member which can be
advanced into a baled material upon rotational engagement of a
first member end terminal with the baled material.
Inventors: |
Royals; Michael A.; (Pierce,
CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CR MILES, P.C.;CRAIG R. MILES
405 MASON COURT, SUITE 119
FORT COLLINS
CO
80524
US
|
Assignee: |
Cedar Industries, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
38024020 |
Appl. No.: |
11/271576 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/161 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 5/74 20130101; E04H
15/62 20130101; F16B 25/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/161 |
International
Class: |
E02D 5/74 20060101
E02D005/74 |
Claims
1. An anchor, comprising: a. a member having a first member end, a
second member end, and a longitudinal axis disposed between said
first member end and said second member end about which said member
rotates; and b. a thread coupled to said member which advances said
member into a baled material upon rotational engagement of said
first member end with an external surface of said baled
material.
2. An anchor as described in claim 1, further comprising an article
engagement element coupled to said member which engages an article
proximate to said second member end.
3. An anchor as described in claim 2, further comprising a baled
material engagement element coupled to said member which engages
said external surface of said baled material to limit advancement
of said member into said baled material.
4. An anchor as described in claim 3, further comprising a rotor
receiver element coupled to said member which in mated engagement
to a rotor assembly operably rotates said member about said
longitudinal axis.
5. An anchor as described in claim 4, wherein said member comprises
a substantially cylindrical member having a first cylindrical
member end, a second cylindrical end, and said longitudinal axis
disposed between said first cylindrical member end and said second
cylindrical member end about which said substantially cylindrical
member rotates.
6. An anchor as described in claim 5, wherein said substantially
cylindrical member having said first cylindrical member end, said
second cylindrical member end, and said longitudinal axis disposed
between said first cylindrical member end and said second
cylindrical member end about which said substantially cylindrical
member rotates has a cylindrical member diameter "B" of between
about three eights inch and about five eights inch.
7. An anchor as described in claim 6, wherein said cylindrical
member diameter "B" comprises a cylindrical member diameter of
about one half inch.
8. An anchor as described in claim 7, wherein said helical thread
commences proximate to said first cylindrical member end and
terminates proximate to said baled material engagement element
coupled to said cylindrical member.
9. An anchor as described in claim 8, wherein said helical thread
further comprises a thread pitch measure "W", wherein said thread
pitch measure comprises a thread pitch measure range of between one
half and about one and one-half the cylindrical member diameter
"B".
10. An anchor as described in claim 9, wherein said thread pitch
measure "W" comprises a thread pitch measure "W" about equal to the
cylindrical member diameter "B".
11. An anchor as described in claim 10, further comprising a first
helical thread surface which faces toward said external surface of
said baled material upon rotational engagement of said first
cylindrical member end with said external surface of said baled
material, and wherein said first helical thread surface has a
thread angle "X" of between about forty degrees and about fifty
degrees.
12. An anchor as described in claim 11, wherein said thread angle
"X" comprises a thread angle "X" of about forty five degrees.
13. An anchor as described in claim 12, further comprising a second
helical thread surface which faces away from external surface of
said baled material upon rotational engagement of said first
cylindrical member end with said external surface of said baled
material, and wherein said second helical thread surface has a
thread angle "Y" of between about eighty degrees and about ninety
degrees.
14. An anchor as described in claim 13, wherein said thread angle
"Y" comprises a thread angle "Y" of about ninety degrees.
15. An anchor as described in claim 14, wherein said helical thread
has an internal thread diameter "Z" equal to said cylindrical
member diameter "B".
16. An anchor as described in claim 15, wherein said helical thread
has an internal thread diameter "Z" of about one half inch.
17. An anchor as described in claim 16, wherein said helical thread
has an external diameter "A" of about one half inch greater than
said internal thread diameter "Z".
18. An anchor as described in claim 17, wherein said helical thread
has an external diameter "A" of about one inch.
19. An anchor as described in claim 18, wherein said first
cylindrical member end terminates in a tip forcibly urged into said
baled material to engage said helical thread coupled to said
member.
20. An anchor as described in claim 19, wherein said baled material
engagement element comprises a substantially circular disk having a
first circular disk side and a second circular disk side disposed
in substantially parallel opposition, and wherein said first
circular disk side concentrically couples to said second
cylindrical member end of said cylindrical member.
21. An anchor as described in claim 20, wherein said article
engagement element further comprises a bore which communicates
between opposed article engagement element surfaces.
22. An anchor as described in claim 21, wherein said article
engagement element comprises at least one flange coupled to said
substantially circular disk, and wherein said at least one flange
has a pair of opposed flange sides between which a bore
traverses.
23. An anchor as described in claim 22, wherein said at least one
flange comprises a pair of flanges coupled in diametric opposition
to said substantial circular disk, each of said pair of flanges
having a pair of opposed flange sides between which a bore
traverses.
24. An anchor as described in claim 23, wherein said rotor receiver
element comprises a one each hexagonal rotor receiving element
which mates with a hexagonal socket coupled to said rotor.
25. An anchor as described in claim 24, wherein said baled material
is selected from the group consisting of: a baled agricultural
material; a baled crop material; a baled crop residue material; a
baled hay, a baled wheat grass, a baled straw, a baled corn stalks,
a baled alfalfa, a baled cotton, a baled agricultural material
configured as round bales, a baled crop material configured as
round bales, a baled hay configured as round bales, a baled alfalfa
configured as round bales, a baled cotton configured as round
bales, a baled hay configured as rectangular bales, a baled alfalfa
configured as rectangular bales, a baled cotton configured as
rectangular bales.
26. An anchor as described in claim 25, wherein said article is
selected from the group consisting of: an article capable of
engagement with said article engagement element, an article capable
of engagement with said bore which communicates between opposed
sides of said article engagement element, an article capable of
engagement with said at least one flange which extends from said
substantially circular disk, an article capable of engagement to at
least one of said pair of flanges coupled to said substantially
circular disk, a cord, an elastic cord, a resiliently elastic cord,
a hook coupled to a cord, a hook coupled to an elastic cord, a hook
coupled to a resiliently elastic cord, and a bungee cord, a baled
material cover capable of engagement with said article engagement
element, a baled material cover responsive to a cord capable of
engagement with said article engagement element, a baled material
cover responsive to an elastic cord capable of engagement with said
article engagement element, a baled material cover responsive to a
resiliently elastic cord capable of engagement with said article
engagement element.
27-75. (canceled)
Description
I. BACKGROUND
[0001] An anchor system which provides a threaded member which can
be advanced into a baled material upon rotational engagement of a
first member end terminal with the baled material.
[0002] Production of baled material can use a large amount of
resources (land, labor, seed, fuel, fertilizer, equipment, or the
like). The manner in which baled material is stored after baling
can affect baled material quantity and quality. As such, it can be
worthwhile investing additional resources (money, labor, equipment,
or the like) in baled material storage to preserve the value of the
baled material.
[0003] In this regard, baled material stored outside without cover
can incur substantial dry matter losses caused by the combination
of soil moisture and precipitation. For example, with respect to
baled forage materials in Oklahoma, researchers found 13.1% dry
matter loss for uncovered storage on the ground versus 2% loss for
covered storage on pallets. Similarly, Wisconsin researchers found
10.9% loss for uncovered storage on the ground versus 4.6% in a
barn. The studies further showed that average dry matter losses in
the uncovered baled material on sod were 11.2% versus 2.3% in the
barn. It appears that for eight to nine months of storage, a 6 to
11 percentage unit advantage can be obtained by keeping bales off
wet ground and under cover.
[0004] Besides losing dry matter, uncovered baled material can also
lose quality as determined by nutritional analysis and by
appearance. The loss in dry matter reduces weight available for
sale and the loss in quality can have a large impact on animal
performance and on baled material value. For example, the internal
parts of baled hay stored in a shed had a relative feed value (RFV)
of 133 and the bottom six inches of the bales at the bottom of the
pile had an RFV of 106. The internal parts of bales stored
uncovered, outside on sod had an RFV of 114 and the external parts
of the bales had RFVs ranging from 55 to 107. In just eight months,
the differences in the baled hay weight, quality, and price
resulted in baled hay stored in the shed being worth about $3350
(at then existing prices) more per 100 tons harvested than baled
hay stored outside on sod. These numbers indicate that it is worth
considering an investment in tarpaulins and gravel, or even hay
storage sheds.
[0005] Also, pests can infest baled materials, such as cotton,
requiring fumigation of the bailed material. Tarpaulin fumigation
involves the placement of a gas-tight material over the commodity
or structure to be fumigated. The tarpaulins made for fumigation,
can be impregnated nylon, or can be sheet polyethylene, or the
like. In some circumstances, many sections of impregnated nylon
tarps can be held together, so there is no limit to the size of the
stack or structure that may be covered. In addition to considering
the material to use for tarpaulin fumigation, consideration must be
given to the method of obtaining a seal which holds an adequate
concentration of fumigant for the time necessary to kill target
pests.
[0006] While there may be a variety of reasons to cover baled
materials and while a variety of cover materials are available to
cover baled materials either to protect baled materials from
moisture, to hold adequate concentration of fumigates to kill
pests, or otherwise, there appears to be a long felt but unresolved
need for an anchor to secure or seal the cover materials to baled
materials.
II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, a broad object of the invention can be to
provide an anchor which provides a threaded member which can be
advanced into a baled material upon rotational engagement of a
first member end terminal with the baled material.
[0008] Another broad object of the invention can be to provide a
thread which upon rotational engagement with a baled material
coordinates a plurality of discrete pieces of the material baled to
establish a baled material force receiving surface which
sufficiently opposes forces of engagement with at least one thread
surface to allow advancement of the member to which the thread is
coupled into the baled material.
[0009] Another broad object of the invention can be to provide a
method of securing a sheet material, tarpaulin, or other article to
the external surface of a baled material by engaging such sheet
material, tarpaulin, or other article directly or indirectly to an
anchor which has been rotationally advanced into the baled
material.
[0010] Naturally, further objects of the invention may be disclosed
throughout other areas of the specification, drawings, and
claims.
III. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 provides an illustration of how to use a particular
embodiment of the anchor invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 provides an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1
which illustrates how to use a particular embodiment of the anchor
invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 provides a cross section view of a particular
embodiment of the invention having a thread surface engaged with a
baled material.
[0014] FIG. 4 provides a top view of a particular embodiment of the
anchor invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 provides a side view of a particular embodiment of
the anchor invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 provides an isometric view of a particular embodiment
of the anchor invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 provides a cross section 6-6 shown by FIG. 3 of a
particular embodiment of the anchor invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 provides a cross section 7-7 shown by FIG. 3 of a
particular embodiment of the anchor invention.
IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] An anchor system which provides a threaded member which can
be advanced into a baled material upon rotational engagement of a
first member end terminal with the baled material.
[0020] First, referring primarily to FIG. 1, a particular method of
using the anchor invention can comprise the steps of engaging a
member (1) adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis (2) at a
location (3) on an external surface (4) of a baled material (5) and
then rotating the member (1) about the longitudinal axis (2) at the
location (3) on the external surface (4) of the baled material (5).
By transmitting rotational forces of the member (1) to the baled
material (5) through a thread (6) coupled to the member (1) the
further step of advancing the member (1) into the baled material
(5) a distance sufficient to anchor the member (1) in the baled
material (5) can be achieved.
[0021] With respect to the baled material (5), a bale provides a
pressed package of material typically bound with a baled material
restraint (7) such as a cord, wire, strap, or the like, or wrapped
with a sheet material such as paper sheet, plastic sheet, or the
like. A baled material (5) can comprise any of a numerous and wide
variety of raw materials or finished materials which can be pressed
and bound to generate the pressed package. Some non-limiting
examples of a baled material (5) include a baled crop such as a
baled hay, a baled alfalfa, a baled wheat grass, or a baled cotton;
and can further include a baled crop residue such as baled straw or
baled corn stalks; and can further include other naturally or
non-naturally occurring materials such as a baled cellulose fiber,
a baled synthetic fiber such as a baled polyester fiber, a baled
polypropylene fiber, a baled nylon fiber, or the like (or materials
made from such fibers). A baled material (5) can further include
various combinations of baled materials (those above-described or
otherwise) along with any impurities integral to, baled with, or
combined into the material baled, whether intentionally or
unintentionally. A baled material (5) can provide a pressed package
of the above-described materials, or others, in a wide variety of
configurations, for example and without limitation, a round bale, a
rectangular bale, a square bale, or the like. The external surface
(4) of the baled material (5) refers to the outside surface area of
the baled material (5) including the outside surface of features
generated during baling of a material, whether intentional or
unintentional, such as dimples, cleats, holds, insertion points,
grooves, gutters, projections or indentations (whether or not
mated), or the like, along with the surfaces of any restraint (7),
such as those above-described. The location (3) on the external
surface (4) means any location on the external surface (4) of the
baled material (5). Additionally, it is not intended that baled
material (5) be limited to any particular weight, volume, weight
per volume, density, measure, or similar characteristic.
Additionally, while embodiments of the invention can be advanced
into a baled material (5) as described, it is not intended that the
invention be so limited and it is understood that the invention can
also be advanced into other materials such as certain support
surfaces (35) on which the baled material (5) can be located, such
as the ground.
[0022] An operator (8) can perform the above-described steps by
engaging a first member end (9) (or first member end terminal (25))
at a location (3) on the external surface (4) of the baled material
(5) and generating rotation of the member (1) about the
longitudinal axis (2). Rotation of the member (1) about the
longitudinal axis (2) can be achieved by rotationally engaging a
second member end (10) (or other components of the anchor coupled
to the second member end (10), as described below) with a first
hand (11) or a second hand (12), or both hands. Alternately,
generating rotation of the member (1) about the longitudinal axis
(2) can be achieved by engaging a rotor (13) to a rotor receiver
element (14) coupled directly to the member (1) or indirectly
through other components of the anchor described below.
[0023] The rotor (13) can comprise any means that can be coupled,
connected, engaged, or mated (whether removably, fixedly, slidely,
frictionally, or otherwise) to the rotor receiving element (14) of
the member (1) capable of generating rotation of the member (1)
about the longitudinal axis (2). The illustrative rotor (13) shown
by FIG. 1 comprises a shaft responsive to rotation of a lever (15)
connected to a hexagonal socket (16) which can be removably coupled
to a hexagonal embodiment of the rotor receiver element (14).
However, it is not intended that the rotor (13) be limited only to
the configuration of a hexagonal socket (16), but rather the rotor
(13) can be selected from a numerous and wide variety of
configurations to provide a triangular socket, a rectangular
socket, a pentagonal socket, a hexagonal socket, or so forth, which
mates with the correspondingly configured rotor receiving element
(14); or alternately the rotor (13) can provide an rotor extension
element which inserts into a correspondingly configured socket of
the rotor receiving element (14); or can be any configuration which
during rotation achieves sufficient frictional or fixed engagement
with the rotor receiving element (14) to generate rotation of the
member (1) about the longitudinal axis (2). The rotor (13) can
further comprise a motor (whether driven by electricity, gas,
compressed air, compressed liquid, or other energy source) which
operates to turn the rotor (13) which sufficiently engaged with the
rotor receiving element (14) generates rotation of the member (1)
about the longitudinal axis (2).
[0024] Similarly, the rotor receiver element (14) while shown by
FIG. 2, as a hexagonal extension coupled to the member (1), it is
not intended to be so limited. Rather the rotor receiving element
(14) can as to certain embodiments can comprise any portion of the
member (1) which can be coupled, connected, engaged, or mated
(whether removably, fixedly, slidely, frictionally, or otherwise)
to the rotor element (13). As such, the rotor receiving element
(14) can be configured as a triangular, rectangular, pentagonal,
hexagonal, or other polygonal portion or extension of the member
(1) (or other component of the invention as described below) which
couples to a corresponding socket of the rotor element (12); or
could alternately be an socket into which inserts a correspondingly
configured extension of the rotor (13); or could be any
configuration which can achieve sufficient frictional engagement
with the rotor element (13) to generate rotation of the member (1)
about the longitudinal axis (2).
[0025] As shown by FIG. 2, the step of advancing the member (1)
into said baled material (5) by rotation of the thread (6) a
distance sufficient to anchor the member (1) in the baled material
(5) can further comprise engaging the baled material (5) with a
baled material engagement element (17) (further described below)
coupled to the member (1) to limit the distance the member (1)
advances into the baled material (5).
[0026] The method of anchoring can further include the steps of
engaging the baled material (5) with an article (18) and securing
the article to the member (1) directly, or indirectly by securing
the article (18) to an article engagement element (19), further
described below. The step of engaging the baled material (5) can
comprise engaging the external surface (4) of a baled material (5),
whether the baled material comprises one bale or a plurality of
bales, with the article (18), or whether engagement of the external
surface (4) is in whole or in part. As to certain embodiments of
the invention as shown by FIG. 1, the article (18) can be a
flexible sheet chosen from a numerous and wide variety of flexible
sheet materials which can comprise one flexible layer, or can
comprise a pair of flexible layers, or a plurality of flexible
layers located, bonded, or secured to one another in whole or in
part. The flexible layer(s) can be generated without limitation
from a plastic such as a vinyl, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a
nylon, a polyester, a ultraviolet treated polyester, a polyethylene
having a vinyl coat, a polypropylene having a vinyl coat, a nylon
having a vinyl coat, a polyester having a vinyl coat, a ultraviolet
treated polyester having a vinyl coat, or the like, a fabric
(whether of natural or synthetic fibers) such as canvass, or the
like, each utilized individually or in various permutations or
combinations. The flexible layer(s) need only be sufficiently
flexible to engage or cover the desired portion of the baled
material (5) and it is not intended that the flexible material be
limited further by any particular weight, volume, weight per
volume, density, tensile strength, resiliency, elasticity, or other
material characteristic. Alternately, the article (18) can comprise
a substantially inflexible material or a flexible material held in
a substantially inflexible configuration (whether or not configured
as a sheet material) which engages, or which provides a cover for,
the external surface of the baled material (5), whether in whole or
in part, such as a board or an enclosure generated from wood,
plastic, metal or the like. Additionally, the article (18) can
comprise only a line, cord, cable, rope, twine, bungee, or the
like, such as a cable of multiple metal strands, whether made from
stainless steel or galvanized steel, or whether twisted or braided;
or can be a cord of nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polysteel,
or Kevlar.RTM. strands; or can be a combination of various types or
kinds of metal, plastic, carbon fiber, or other fibers or strands,
in various combinations and permutations matched to the application
to provide a desired level of strength, elasticity, resiliency,
resistance to ultraviolet light, resistance to chemical compounds,
or the like.
[0027] As shown by FIG. 2, the step of securing the article (18) to
the member (1) can comprise coupling the article (18) to the member
(1) or to an article engagement element (19) (as further described
below). In this regard, the article (18) can be secured directly to
the member (1) or the article engagement element (19), for example
by inserting the article engagement element into loops, eyelets, or
other apertures integral to the article (18) or by tying a portion
of the article (18) directly to the member (1) or the article
engagement element (19) by integral cords, extensions, flaps,
projections, or the like; or by hooking a portion of the article
(18) to the member (1) or the article engagement element (19) by
hook(s), arcuate projection(s), or the like; or indirectly with an
intermediary attachment element (20) such as a cord, a line, a
hook, a bungee cord, a strap, or the like, each attached between
the article (15) and the member (1) or the article engagement
element (19).
[0028] Now referring to FIGS. 3-7, the invention can provide a
member (1) having a first member end (9), a second member end (10),
and a longitudinal axis (2) disposed between said first member end
(9) and said second member end (10) about which said member rotates
and a thread (6) coupled to said member (1) which advances said
member (1) into a baled material (5) upon rotational engagement of
said first member end (9) (first member end terminal (25)) with an
external surface (4) of the baled material (5). The term member (1)
broadly encompasses a wide variety of member (1) configurations
which can be advanced into a baled material by rotational
engagement of the thread (6) with the baled material (5). As such,
the member (1) can be configured to provide an ovoid, a triangular,
a rectangular, pentagonal, a hexagonal, or other geometric or
non-geometric configuration in perpendicular cross section to the
longitudinal axis (2). Additionally, without limitation the member
can taper from a greater cross sectional measure proximate to the
second member end (10) to a lesser cross sectional measure
proximate to the first member end (9). The member (1) can be
generated from a numerous and wide variety of materials such as
metal, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like, or combinations
thereof; or such as plastic, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene,
acrylic, vinyl, or the like, or combinations thereof. Moreover, it
is not intended that the member be limited to a solid member or a
hollow member or further limited by any particular weight, volume,
weight per volume, density, measure, or similar characteristic.
[0029] The term thread (6) is intended to encompass all thread (6)
configurations which can be coupled to the member (1), whether
directly or indirectly, capable of advancing the above-described
member (1) into a baled material (5) by rotation of the member (1)
to slidely engage at least one thread surface (22) with an opposed
baled material force receiving surface (21) having baled material
force receiving characteristics. Baled material force receiving
characteristics can be differentiated from the force receiving
characteristics of conventional materials such as wood, plastic, or
metal into which conventional threaded objects may be advanced by
rotation. Unlike wood, plastic, metal or other substantially
homogeneous single piece materials in which a rotating thread
slidely may engage an opposed force receiving surface to advance a
conventionally threaded object (such as a screw or a bolt) into the
conventional material, baled material (5) typically comprises a
plurality of non-homogeneous discrete pieces of the baled material
(5) which can be pressed to form a bale (without the use of other
binders such as adhesive, resin, polymer, to hold the discrete
pieces together). As such, the thread (6) of the invention upon
rotation into a baled material (5) slidely engages a baled material
force receiving surface (21) which comprises a plurality of
discrete pieces of baled material (5) each capable of discrete
directional travel in response to forces transmitted from slideable
engagement of at least one thread surface (22) upon rotation of the
member (1) into the baled material (5). To advance the member (1)
into the baled material (5) the thread (6) must be configured to
act upon the plurality of discrete pieces of the baled material (5)
in a manner that reduces randomness in discrete directional travel
of the discrete pieces of the baled material (5) and increases
homogeneity of such discrete directional travel among a plurality
of pieces of the baled material (5) sufficient to generate a baled
material force receiving surface (21) capable of opposing a
sufficient amount of force delivered from at least one thread
surface (22) to allow the first member end (9) to advance a
distance into the baled material (5). Also, once the member (1) has
been advanced a distance into the baled material (5) at least one
thread surface (22) must coordinate discrete travel of a sufficient
plurality of pieces of the baled material (5) to oppose
non-rotational travel of the member (5) in or from the baled
material (5) to an extent which allows the member (1) to be
utilized to secure the above-described article (18).
[0030] The particular embodiment of the member (1) shown by FIGS.
3-7 comprises a substantially cylindrical member (1) having a first
cylindrical member end (9) and a second cylindrical member end (10)
to which a helical thread (6) couples. As to certain embodiments of
the cylindrical member (1), a cylindrical member diameter "B" (see
FIG. 6) of between about three eights inch and about five eights
inch can be utilized. While as to other embodiments of the
cylindrical member (1), a cylindrical member diameter "B" of about
one half inch can be utilized. An embodiment of the cylindrical
member (1) having a cylinder diameter "B" of about one-half inch
can have a cylinder member length "L" of between about five inches
and twelve inches (see FIG. 6).
[0031] As shown primarily by FIGS. 4 and 7, the thread (6) of a
substantially cylindrical member (1) can comprise at least one
helical thread (6) having first helical thread surface (22) which
faces away from the external surface (4) of the baled material (5)
as the substantially cylindrical member (1) advances into the baled
material (5) and a second helical thread surface (23) which faces
toward the external surface (4) of the baled material (5) as the
substantially cylindrical member (1) advances into the baled
material (5). As shown by FIG. 5, the plane of the longitudinal
axis (2) of the substantially cylindrical member (1) and the plane
of the first helical thread surface (22) can join at an angle "X".
As to certain embodiments of the invention, angle "X" can include
an angle range of between about eighty degrees and about ninety
degrees. As to other embodiments of the invention angle "X" can be
about ninety degrees. As to the second helical thread surface (23),
the plane of the longitudinal axis (2) of the substantially
cylindrical member (1) and the plane of the second helical thread
surface (23) can join at an angle "Y". As to certain embodiments of
the invention, angle "Y" can include a range of between about forty
degrees and about fifty degrees. As to other embodiments of the
invention, angle "Y" can be about forty five degrees. The thread
pitch "W" can comprise a measure in the range of about three
quarters to about one and one half the measure of the cylindrical
member diameter "B" with certain embodiments of the invention
having a thread pitch "W" having measure about equal to the member
diameter measure "B". The internal thread diameter "Z" can be equal
to the cylindrical member diameter "B" while the external thread
diameter "A" can comprise a measure of between about one and
one-half to two and one-half the measure of the cylindrical member
diameter "B" with certain embodiments of the invention having a
external thread diameter of twice the cylindrical member diameter
"B". As to those embodiments of the invention having a cylindrical
member diameter "B" of about one-half inch the external thread
diameter can be about one inch.
[0032] Now referring again primarily to FIG. 4, the anchor
invention can further comprise a tip (24) coupled to the first
member end (9) which provides a tapered surface to provide a first
member terminal (25) having a configuration which reduces the
amount of force to urge the substantially cylindrical member (1)
into the baled material (5) to engage a portion of the coupled at
least one helical thread (6). The tip (24) of certain embodiments
of the invention can provide a pointed member terminal (25) which
can be introduced into the baled material (5) with reduced forcible
urging to engage a portion of the at least one helical thread (6)
coupled to the substantially helical member (1).
[0033] Now referring primarily to FIGS. 3-5, particular embodiments
of the invention can further provide a baled material engagement
element (17) coupled proximate to the second member end (10) which
engages the external surface (4) of said baled material (5) to
limit advancement of said member (1) into said baled material (5),
as above described. The baled material engagement element (17) can
provide a baled material engagement surface (26) which upon
engagement with the external surface (4) of the baled material (5)
generates sufficient resistance to rotation of the member (1) about
the longitudinal axis (2) to afford an indicia to the operator (8)
to cease further rotation of the member (1) about the longitudinal
axis (2), or generates sufficient resistance to rotation of the
member (1) about the longitudinal axis (2) to prevent further
rotation of the member (1) about the longitudinal axis (2), or
sufficient resistance to rotation of the member (1) to prevent or
limit further advance of the member (1) into the baled material
(5).
[0034] As to the embodiment of the invention shown by FIGS. 3-5,
the baled material engagement element (17) can comprise a
substantially circular disk having a first circular disk side (27)
and a second circular disk side (28) disposed in substantially
parallel opposition. The first circular disk side (27) can be
concentrically coupled to said second cylindrical member end (10)
of the substantially cylindrical member (1). The first circular
disk side (27) coupled to the second cylindrical member end (10)
can provide a first circular disk side surface area (29) which upon
engagement with the external surface (4) of a baled material (5)
provides sufficient resistance to further rotation of the
substantially cylindrical member (1) about the longitudinal axis
(2) to afford an indicia to the operator (8) to cease further
rotation of the substantially cylindrical member (1) about the
longitudinal axis (2), or prevents further rotation of the
substantially cylindrical member (1) about the longitudinal axis
(2), or prevents or limits further advance of the substantially
cylindrical member (1) into the baled material (5). Certain
embodiments of the substantially circular disk (17) can have a
diameter of between about one inch and about two inches and a
thickness of between about one quarter inch and about one half inch
with certain other embodiments of the substantially circular disk
(17) having a diameter of about one and one half inches and a
thickness of about three eights inch.
[0035] Now referring primarily to FIGS. 3-6, particular embodiments
of the invention can further include an article engagement element
(19) coupled to the member (1) which allows an article (18), as
described above, to be secured directly or indirectly to the member
(1). As to certain embodiments of the invention, the article
engagement element (19) can comprise a portion of the member (1)
which remains exposed after rotational advancement into the baled
material (5), or a bore (30) which communicates between opposed
surfaces of the member (1). Alternately, the article engagement
element (19) can be a discrete element coupled to the member (1) or
to the baled material engagement element (19). A particular
embodiment of the article engagement element (19), as shown by
FIGS. 3-6, includes at least one flange (31) coupled to the
substantially circular disk (17), above-described. The at least one
flange (31) can further include a pair of opposed flange sides
(32)(33) between which a bore (30) traverses. The particular
embodiment of the invention shown by FIGS. 3-6 further includes a
pair of flanges (31)(34) disposed in coupled opposition to the
substantially circular disk (17) each further including a pair of
opposed flange sides (32)(33) and (35)(36) each of the pair of
opposed flange sides traversed between by a bore (30) and (37).
[0036] Again referring to FIGS. 3-6, the anchor invention can
further include the rotor receiver element (14) of the numerous and
varied configurations above described which can be coupled to the
member (1) or coupled to the baled material engagement element (17)
depending upon the embodiment of the invention.
[0037] As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic
concepts of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of
ways. The invention involves numerous and varied embodiments of an
anchor and methods of making and using such anchor.
[0038] As such, the particular embodiments or elements of the
invention disclosed by the description or shown in the figures
accompanying this application are not intended to be limiting, but
rather exemplary of the numerous and varied embodiments generically
encompassed by the invention or equivalents encompassed with
respect to any particular element thereof. In addition, the
specific description of a single embodiment or element of the
invention may not explicitly describe all embodiments or elements
possible; many alternatives are implicitly disclosed by the
description and figures.
[0039] It should be understood that each element of an apparatus or
each step of a method may be described by an apparatus term or
method term. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make
explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is
entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all
steps of a method may be disclosed as an action, a means for taking
that action, or as an element which causes that action. Similarly,
each element of an apparatus may be disclosed as the physical
element or the action which that physical element facilitates. As
but one example, the disclosure of an "anchor" should be understood
to encompass disclosure of the act of "anchoring"--whether
explicitly discussed or not--and, conversely, were there
effectively disclosure of the act of "anchoring", such a disclosure
should be understood to encompass disclosure of an "anchor" and
even a "means for anchoring." Such alternative terms for each
element or step are to be understood to be explicitly included in
the description.
[0040] In addition, as to each term used it should be understood
that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent
with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be
understood to included in the description for each term or element
as contained in the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary,
second edition, each definition hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0041] Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at
least: i) each of the anchors herein disclosed and described, ii)
the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar,
equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices
and methods, iv) those alternative embodiments which accomplish
each of the functions shown, disclosed, or described, v) those
alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the
functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is
disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step
shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications
enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the
resulting products produced by such systems or components, ix)
methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and
with reference to any of the accompanying examples, x) the various
combinations and permutations of each of the previous elements
disclosed.
[0042] The claims set forth in this specification are hereby
incorporated by reference as part of this description of the
invention, and the applicant expressly reserves the right to use
all of or a portion of such incorporated content of such claims as
additional description to support any of or all of the claims or
any element or component thereof, and the applicant further
expressly reserves the right to move any portion of or all of the
incorporated content of such claims or any element or component
thereof from the description into the claims or vice-versa as
necessary to define the matter for which protection is sought by
this application or by any subsequent continuation, division, or
continuation-in-part application thereof, or to obtain any benefit
of, reduction in fees pursuant to, or to comply with the patent
laws, rules, or regulations of any country or treaty, and such
content incorporated by reference shall survive during the entire
pendency of this application including any subsequent continuation,
division, or continuation-in-part application thereof or any
reissue or extension thereon.
[0043] The claims set forth below are intended describe the metes
and bounds of a limited number of the preferred embodiments of the
invention and are not to be construed as the broadest embodiment of
the invention or a complete listing of embodiments of the invention
that may be claimed. The applicant does not waive any right to
develop further claims based upon the description set forth above
as a part of any continuation, division, or continuation-in-part,
or similar application.
* * * * *