U.S. patent application number 12/152261 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for earth anchor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Foresight Products, LLC. Invention is credited to Dennis A. Gross, William G. Stahm.
Application Number | 20090041549 12/152261 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41318946 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090041549 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stahm; William G. ; et
al. |
February 12, 2009 |
Earth anchor
Abstract
An earth anchor of the pivoting type having an essentially
cylindrical body, a blind bore extending thereinto from a trailing
axial end of the cylindrical body and a leading edge projecting
from a leading end of the body, the leading edge being formed as a
rounded surface adapted for penetration through reinforcement paths
while minimizing severing of the strands of the mat.
Inventors: |
Stahm; William G.;
(Brighton, CO) ; Gross; Dennis A.; (Lake Forest,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNIS A. GROSS;D|B|A THE HILL FIRM
666 DUNDEE RD, SUITE 1201
NORTHBROOK
IL
60062
US
|
Assignee: |
Foresight Products, LLC
|
Family ID: |
41318946 |
Appl. No.: |
12/152261 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11891090 |
Aug 10, 2007 |
|
|
|
12152261 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/259.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 5/803 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/259.1 |
International
Class: |
E02D 5/80 20060101
E02D005/80 |
Claims
1. In a driven pivoting anchor of the type having a leading end to
be driven into the ground, an intermediate main body portion and a
trailing end adapted to receive a driving instrument for applying a
longitudinal driving force to the anchor, the anchor having an
attachment point for attaching a withdrawal member, the improvement
of the leading end being rounded and provided with an axially
extending small diameter guide nib projecting from the leading
end.
2. The anchor of claim 1 wherein the leading end is generally
semi-spherical.
3. The anchor of claim 1 wherein the leading end is generally
parabolic.
4. The anchor of claim 1 wherein a plurality of ribs extends
forward of the main body portion to the leading end, the ribs
having generally planer opposite sides and outer edges, the outer
edges converging towards one another to the leading edge, and the
outer edges being rounded or flat.
5. A driven pivoting anchor comprising a main body portion, a
leading edge and a trailing edge, with a blind bore extending into
the main body portion from the trailing edge, a raised rib or
section on the main body portion having an attachment point for
attachment of a withdrawal member, with a plurality of rib-like
members extending from the main body member to the leading edge the
leading edge comprising a rounded surface and the rib members
having outer edge surfaces converging to the leading edge, the
outer edge surfaces being generally blunted, the leading edge
having a small projecting nib extending axially therefrom.
6. The anchor of claim 5 wherein four ribs are provided spaced
equal distantly apart, two of the ribs extending backwardly from
the leading edge beyond a forward portion of the main body portion
and blending into side wings formed alongside the main body
portion.
7. The method of securing a stranded soil retention mat to the
soil, which comprises the steps of providing a driven and pivoting
anchor having a non-sharp, curved leading edge having a protruding
nib extending axially from the rounded edge, the nib being small in
diameter and acting as a guide, positioning mat having openings
therein on the surface of the soil to be retained, positioning the
leading edge of the anchor against the mat with the nib end
positioned in an opening in the mat, driving the anchor into the
mat spreading the strands of the mat apart, continuing the driving
of the anchor to a predetermined depth in the soil with an
attachment member attached to the anchor and extending through the
mat to a point opposite the mat from the driven anchor, causing
rotation of the anchor by pulling on the attachment member and
thereafter securing the mat to the attachment member.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the anchor has a generally part
ball-shaped leading portion defined by converging rounded rib outer
edges extending forward of the main body portion of the anchor, the
outer edges being blunted or curved.
9. The anchor of claim 4 wherein the outer edges curve towards one
another as they converge to the leading edge, the curvature
providing a rounded leading edge.
10. The anchor of claim 9 wherein the rounded leading edge is
generally part spherically shaped in the areas formed by the edges
of the ribs.
11. The anchor of claim 1 wherein the projecting nib is
substantially conical blending into the forward edge of the leading
end.
12. The anchor of claim 1 wherein the nib has a cylindrical
extension extending axially forward leading end and terminating in
a curved forward surface.
13. The anchor of claim 1 wherein the nib is pointed.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/891,090 filed Aug. 10, 2007 entitled
"Improved Earth Anchor."
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to ground anchors, and more
specifically to driven pivoting ground anchors.
[0004] 2. General Background
[0005] Ground anchors, or earth anchors, of the driven and pivoting
or tilting type are well known and generally include a main body
portion having a leading edge adapted to be driven into the ground,
a trailing edge including an outturned lip and a cable or rod or
guide wire attachment point intermediate the leading and trailing
edges generally positioned from about the midpoint of the overall
length of the anchor or towards the trailing edge so that upon
exertion of the force on the cable or attached rod or guide wire,
after insertion of the anchor into the ground, the trailing edge's
outturned lip will bite into the earth, causing the anchor to
rotate or pivot to a locked position generally at a right angle to
the withdrawal force.
[0006] Widely currently used driven pivoting anchors of the type
described are available from the assignee of this application under
its Duckbill trademark and generally employ a somewhat cylindrical
main body portion having an attachment point intermediate its ends
and having at its forward end a plurality of forwardly extending
guiding plane surfaces which terminate in chiseled edges. The
cylindrical body shaped member, at its trailing end, has a bore
extending into the body of the cylindrical member for receipt of a
drive rod for driving the anchor into the earth and is provided
with an outturned lip on a side of the cylindrical body portion
opposite the side having the cable or guide wire attachment
point.
[0007] Such anchors are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,044,513 and 4,096,673, both of which are assigned to the assignee
of this application. Improvements of such anchors are well known
and include, for example, applicant's pending Design application
No. 29/270,187 and U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 11/803,138
filed May 14, 2007.
[0008] Other variants of such anchors are sold, for example, by
Foresight Products, LLC under trademarks Manta Ray and Stingray and
employ extensive side projecting wings that extend backwardly and
outwardly from the leading edges to a greater or lesser degree and
provide greater resistance to withdrawal of the anchor after the
anchor has been driven into the ground and rotated to the point
where the wings lie substantially normal to the tension direction
of the cable.
[0009] Such anchors, both of the wingless, small-winged and large
wing design, have found successful utility in many applications,
including use in connection with revetment and soil retaining mats.
However, the chiseled or sharpened leading edges which facilitate
penetration into the ground can, in certain instances, cause damage
to certain types of soil retaining mats which are commonly used in
turf reinforcement and ground stabilization. Such mats, often known
as High Performance Turf Reinforcement Mat (HPTRM) of the type
available under the mark Pyramat from Propex, Inc. or of the type
shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,399 entitled "Geotextile
Fabric Woven or a Honeycomb Weave Pattern and having a Cuspated
Profile after Heating," may consist of individual strands
essentially woven or overlaid together and formed or fused to
provide the mat. The strands are generally manufactured of plastics
material. Other fabric-like woven mats utilizing similar or
different materials are also known, as are non-woven mats. Where it
is desired to anchor such mats to the underlying soil, the use of
the previously known driven pivoting anchors can cause damage to
the mat, particularly since the chiseled or sharpened leading edges
will have a tendency to cut through the material of the mat,
thereby weakening the mat.
[0010] It would therefore be an advance in the anchoring field to
provide an anchor suitable for use with such turf reinforcement
mats, which could be driven through the mat with a reduced
likelihood of damage to the mat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The above advances are provided by the current invention by
utilizing a driven pivotal anchor where the leading end is provided
with a curved or rounded non-sharp leading end and flattened or
rounded guiding plane edges.
[0012] In an embodiment of the invention a plurality of ribs or
guiding plane leading edges extend forwardly of a generally
cylindrical main body portion of the anchor (which may include a
raised rib defining the attachment feature for the cable or rod)
with each edge being either blunt or rounded and with each edge
converging to a common leading end which is generally rounded.
[0013] In an embodiment of the invention the leading edges
projecting forward of the generally cylindrical main body portion
are circumferentially spaced from one another and formed as the
outside surface of ribs or guiding planes with their edges formed
blunted or rounded and which converge to a common leading front
end, the leading front end being rounded or covered so as to
prevent a non sharp leading end.
[0014] In an embodiment of the invention the generally cylindrical
body member has four leading edges formed as orthogonal ribs or
planes extending forwardly of the generally cylindrical body
portion and tapering to a common leading end which is rounded
generally in a partial spherical configuration.
[0015] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
ground anchor having improved utility for use with mat structures
having leading edge surfaces having a reduced tendency to damage
the mat during driving of the anchor through the mat structure.
[0016] It is a further and more specific object of this invention
to provide a driven pivoting anchor having a curved, rounded or
ball-like leading end.
[0017] It is an additional object of this invention to provide a
driven-pivoting anchor having a curved leading end formed at an
apex of at least three leading edges spaced circumferentially apart
from one another about a longitudinal axis wherein the curved apex
has an axial projection extending axially thereof forwardly of the
anchor body, the projection being substantially reduced in cross
section with respect to the curved leading end and providing a
guide for insertion into a mat in a manner which minimizes damage
to the mat.
[0018] It is a further object of this invention to provide a ground
anchor of a pivoting type having a leading end, which is curved
providing a non sharp or chiseled leading edge and which has
projecting axially therefrom a small diameter short nib or guide
member to facilitate initial insertion of the anchor into a
mat.
[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention the ground anchor
is provided with a main body section having a forward end from
which projects a plurality of spaced apart ribs, which are spaced
from one another circumferentially about a central axis of the
forward portion of the anchor and which converge to a curved
leading end from which projects axially a relatively small
diameter, relatively short post, nib or guide member, which can be
introduced into the intersects of the web of a mat to position the
anchor to be driven through the mat while causing minimal damage to
the mat. The forward projection functions as a leading guide.
[0020] These and other objects will be apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art from a description of the illustrated
preferred embodiment, being understood that this is only one such
embodiment of this invention and that many variations of shape and
dimension are within the scope of this invention. Specifically the
generally overall shape of the anchor, the shape of the main
central body portion, the shape and extent of the side wings and
the number of leading edges or ribs are all modifiable as is
generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art and practice
in differing commercially available embodiments of driven pivoting
anchors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the anchor of this
invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the anchor of this
invention taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the anchor taken along
the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.
[0024] FIG. 4 is an enlarged respective view of the leading end of
the anchor of FIG. 1 equipped with a guide nib.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a slightly
axially longer extending guide nib.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing a guide
nib which tapers to a point.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a ground or earth anchor 10 of the type
often referred to as a driven and rotating or pivoting anchor in
that the anchor is driven into the ground by force and after having
being driven to the desired depth, a cable or rod attachment member
attached to the anchor is pulled in a direction to withdrawal the
anchor from the ground. Because of the design of the anchor and the
position of the attachment of the cable or pulling rod to the
anchor, the pulling of the anchor by the attachment member causes
the anchor to undergo a pivoting or rotation in the ground towards
a final position in which the longitudinal axis of the anchor is
positioned more towards a position normal to the pulling cable or
rod.
[0028] Such anchors often include a main body section 11, which may
be generally cylindrically formed (other shapes are known in the
art, including rectangular and oval and are included herein), a
leading edge 12, a trailing edge 13, a raised section 14 having
means 2 for attachment of a cable, shackle, pivot bolt or the like,
which may comprise or be attached to the withdrawing force member
which causes the anchor to rotate or pivot from its driven position
to its final locked position. As shown in FIG. 1, oftentimes the
attachment means 2 is merely an opening through a raised rib 16 on
one side of the main body portion 11. The opening may receive a
looped crimped cable end or a shackle bracket or the like.
Alternative structures are well known such as where the rib-like
structure includes attachment means for receipt of the end of a
T-shaped rod or other type of swiveling device. An open bore 17 in
the trailing edge extends into the main body portion 11 terminating
in a blind end 18 which may, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, be flat or
which may be rounded or otherwise configured. A driving rod extends
into the bore 17 and is used to drive the anchor into the earth.
The driving rod may simply be impacted by a hammer for smaller
anchors or may be driven by a pneumatic or hydraulic reciprocating
power driver for larger anchors.
[0029] In the embodiment illustrated the main body portion is
generally cylindrical and terminates at a leading end 11a of the
main body portion in a frustoconical section 11b and four
equally-distanced spaced ribs of which three, 15, 19 and 23 can be
seen in FIG. 1, the fourth being on the bottom opposite the rib 19.
Each of the ribs has an outer edge surface 18 and the rib surfaces
18 converge towards the leading end 12. The outer edges 18 may be
flat or blunt as shown in FIG. 1 or may be outwardly curved but
preferably are not provided with a sharp edge. The ribs 15, 19, 23
may have different shapes. The ribs 15 and 23 extending back behind
the frustoconical portion 11b and converge into side wings 20 and
21, which also preferably have rounded or non-sharp outer edges 22.
The rib 19 has its edge 18 extending back to the leading end of the
generally conical section 11a and blending into the top edge
surface 14 of the raised rib 16.
[0030] The four ribs, in this embodiment, converge together to a
rounded nose 25 at the end 12. Although different shapes can be
provided for the nose, a part spherical or partial ball shape is
preferred, although a parabolic shape or some other curvature is
acceptable, it being important that the leading end 12 not be
provided with a sharp edge. By providing a rounded leading edge 12,
the anchor is able to be driven through the mat with minimal damage
to the stranding of the mat and, in fact, for smaller anchors
without severing any of the strands of the mat as the ball-like
nose 25 pushes its way between the strands and non-sharp, rounded
or blunt edges 18 force the strands apart as the main body portion
of the anchor begins to pierce through the mat.
[0031] The side 31 of the anchor opposite the raised rib 16 is
provided at its trailing edge 32 with an outturned lip 33 to
facilitate pivoting during drawback, as is well known in the
art.
[0032] In use the mat schematically shown at 60 is placed in
position on the surface to be retained or secured and the ball-like
nose of the anchor is placed against the mat surface and is then
begun to be driven through the mat. As the ball-like, rounded or
curved nose, enters the structure of the mat it will cause the
strands of the mat to be pushed aside. As the anchor is driven
further into the mat, the degree by which the strands are pushed
aside will increase to allow the anchor to pass through the mat. In
many instances utilizing normally stranded mats and standard
smaller sized anchors equipped with the rounded or ball-like nose
leading edge, the entire anchor can be pushed through the mat
without breaking the strands of the mat. In other instances when
slightly larger anchors are used one or more of the strands may be
stretched beyond its limit and separate, but damage to the mat is
minimal compared to the use of sharper or chiseled or leading edges
or sharper edges extending backwardly from a leading point. While
the use of blunted, rounded non-sharpened nose portions and leading
side edges on the ribs and along the body may increase the
resistance to driving of the anchor into the ground, when such
anchors are used for soil erosion or soil stabilization, they are
most often used in connection with looser or less resistant soil
conditions such that the disadvantage, which may rise from an
increase in resistance to driving in comparison to chiseled edged
or sharpened edged anchors is minimized.
[0033] It will therefore be understood from the above that this
invention improve upon the prior art driven pivoting anchors by
providing an intentionally rounded non-sharp leading nose or
leading end which can be pushed through a woven or non-woven
retaining mat with minimal damage to the mat.
[0034] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of the rounded
nose ground anchor of this invention. A guide nib or small
protrusion 25 has been provided at the apex of the leading edge 12,
which is formed at the converging area of the ribs 15, 19, 23, and
the fourth rib, if present, on the underside opposite the rib 19.
The leading end 12 has its rounded nose 25 provided with an axially
extending nib 25, which as shown in FIG. 4 may, for example, be
basically conical as at 40, having a rounded tip 41 at the apex of
the cone, the cone, as shown, blending outwardly into the rounded
end 12 at the nose.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a nib 43 initially formed similar to the nib 25
having the conical section 44 at the nose 12, however the conical
section 44 of FIG. 6 ends in a short rod or cylinder 43 which
extends forwardly to a slightly greater distance than the nib 40 of
FIG. 5. The section 43 terminates in a rounded end 45.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows yet another form of the nib 25, in this
instance having a pyramidal or pointed shape 46 extending outwardly
from the nose 12.
[0037] The purpose of the nibs 25 is to provide a leading guide
member at the forward most portion of the anchor which is, with
respect to the remainder of the anchor, extremely small and which
extends only for a short distance from the rounded nose. This guide
can be used to help align the anchor during initial setup with the
nib inverted into the gap, opening or intersect of the weave of the
mat, or in the case of a non-woven mat to a point to position an
anchor at a precise point before the anchor begins to be driven
through the mat. The smallness of the guide will have essentially
almost no effect on the mat and will help align the curved surface
of the nose with an appropriate entry point for the anchor into the
body of the mat, the anchor in all other respects having the
rounded, balled or curved nose of the anchor of FIGS. 1-3.
[0038] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that
this invention may be practiced in embodiments other than that
illustrated. It is not intended that this invention be limited to
the particular anchor shape shown.
* * * * *