U.S. patent number 3,823,785 [Application Number 05/374,260] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-16 for self-drive support and anchor for supporting elements.
Invention is credited to George W. Toliver.
United States Patent |
3,823,785 |
Toliver |
July 16, 1974 |
SELF-DRIVE SUPPORT AND ANCHOR FOR SUPPORTING ELEMENTS
Abstract
A light-weight, portable, self-driving support and anchor for
parasols, umbrellas, flagpoles and other substantially vertical
supporting elements for temporary structures, enclosures or
decorative purposes, the support and anchor being characterized by
its ability to be easily fixed, driven and firmly positioned
without the use of extraneous tools in soils or ground of various
degrees of compactness, including sandy beaches, sun-baked
compacted soil and asphaltic cement pavements. The anchor and
standard of this invention includes a gravity-actuated driving pin,
movably retained within a standard adapted to cooperate with a
pole, picket, or other element of the structure to be erected and
means for positioning and stabilizing the anchor with respect to
the surface of the soil or ground.
Inventors: |
Toliver; George W. (Camarillo,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
23475984 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/374,260 |
Filed: |
June 27, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
173/90; 173/128;
248/156 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H
12/2215 (20130101); A45B 23/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04H
12/22 (20060101); B25d 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;173/90,91,139
;248/156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Leppink; James A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Miketta; C. A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A light-weight, portable, self-drive support and anchor for
parasols, umbrellas, flagpoles and other substantially vertical
supporting elements for temporary structures, enclosures or
decorative purposes, the support and anchor being characterized by
its ability to be easily fixed, driven and firmly positioned
without the use of extraneous tools in soils or ground of various
degrees of compactness, including sandy beaches, sun-baked
compacted soil and asphaltic cement pavements, the anchor and
standard comprising:
a tubular standard receptacle adapted to receive and hold a pole,
staff, picket or other element of a structure to be erected;
an anchor and positioning pin having an anvil head forming the
bottom of and attached to the tubular standard, the lower end of
said anchor pin being conical and extending downwardly from the
tubular standard receptacle;
means for stabilizing the device carried by the tubular standard
receptacle including an outwardly extending flange lying in a plane
passing through the anvil head of said anchor and positioning pin
and a drive pin slidably contained in the tubular receptacle and
removable through the upper, open end of such receptacle, said
drive pin being adapted to strike the anvil head when dropped or
inserted through such open, upper end of the receptacle.
2. A device as stated in claim 1, wherein the stabilizing flange is
provided with a collar ring attached to said tubular standard
receptacle.
3. A device as stated in claim 1, wherein the drive pin is of metal
and is axially longer than said tubular standard receptacle, the
upwardly extending end portion of such drive pin providing a handle
permitting said pin to be used as a lever when it is desired to
move the anchor pin laterally to facilitate its removal from the
ground into which it has been driven.
Description
There has been a need for a device whereby a sunshade or umbrella
could be easily and firmly anchored in a desired position whether
on a sandy beach or on a lawn or other dense and firm ground
without the use of sledges, tools, tripods or other heavy and bulky
elements or space-consuming auxiliary equipment. Most women and
children do not provide the weight and force necessary to permit a
sharp lower end of an umbrella or sunshade pole to penetrate soil
for a sufficient depth to provide stability to a parasol or
umbrella; circular, metallic tables provided with an axially
disposed socket have been used on lawns and in gardens, an umbrella
or sunshade stem or pole being inserted through the opening in the
table top into a receptacle therebeneath for holding the end of the
pole in position. However, this requires a special table of
considerable bulk and the arrangement can only be employed
occasionally and at considerable expense. Moreover, there are many
occasions wherein it is desired to set up a series of flagpoles
around a stage or at the borders of a walk and again it is
extremely difficult to sink the ends of the flagpoles into the
ground a sufficient distance to maintain the flagpoles in a
vertical position.
The present invention provides a compact, relatively light-weight
umbrella or parasol standard which can be easily anchored in
compacted soil, a sandy beach, or even a two-inch asphalt pavement
by a 10 year old child, without the use of extraneous tools and
provide a firm support for a 6 or 8 foot sunshade, parasol,
flagpole, or the like. A temporary picket fence can be readily
installed, provided the pickets are of a diameter or form capable
of fitting into the support retainer of the device.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and
provide a compact, portable, self-driving, relatively light-weight
standard and anchor for umbrellas, flagpoles and other temporary
structural elements for temporary structures, decoration, or the
like.
A further object of the present invention is to disclose and
provide a standard and anchor which can be easily driven into soils
or ground varying greatly in compactness by even a child and
without the use of sledges or other heavy tools, and after being
used, permit the anchor to be readily removed without the necessity
of exerting great force or using special tools, jacks and the
like.
Other objects, advantages and uses of the present invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following
description of exemplary forms of the invention, reference being
had to the appended drawings for the purpose of elucidating the
major characteristics of the device. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 pictorially represents an ordinary beach parasol or
umbrella;
FIG. 2 is a simplified side elevation of the device of the present
invention for the purpose of indicating the relative size of the
device to the size of a 6 or 8 foot beach parasol which the device
of the present invention could firmly anchor and position;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through one form of anchor and
support made in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of construction
of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken along the plane V--V in FIG.
4.
The principal components of the device of the present invention and
their relationship will be readily understood from a consideration
of FIG. 2, wherein an upstanding, hollow, tubular socket or
standard-receiving element 2 is firmly connected to a means for
stabilizing the standard, such means being particularly useful when
the device is used in loose or friable soil. This stabilizing and
positioning means is indicated at 3 and may comprise a plate or
disc extending in a plane transverse to the axis of the socket 2.
Extending below the stabilizing plate 3 is an anvil pin 4, of a
generally conical shape, terminating in a sharp lower point. The
element 4 is here called an anvil pin since it is provided with a
head which constitutes the bottom of the tubular socket or support
element 2, such anvil head being preferably firmly connected to the
stabilizing element 3 as well as the tubular socket 2. Slidably
contained within the upper portion of the socket 2 is a drive pin
5. The drive pin 5 is preferably slightly longer than the length of
the cylindrical standard 2.
One form of exemplary construction of the device is illustrated in
FIG. 3. As there shown, the tubular standard 2 may comprise a piece
of pipe whose lower end is externally threaded and engaged with an
upstanding, internally threaded boss 3' of the stabilizing plate 3.
The lower open end of pipe section 2 may be inwardly swaged as
indicated at 2' and a suitable hard, strong molten metal may then
be poured into the pipe 2 in quantity sufficient to cast the anvil
head 4' as well as the substantially conical drive pin 4. By
drilling one or more relatively small perforations in the
upstanding collar or boss 3' and the lower portion of the tubular
pipe section 2 (as indicated at 3") the molten metal which forms
the anvil head will simultaneously act as a key firmly holding the
positioning foot plate 3 and the boss 3' to the standard 2.
The device as described hereinabove can be readily positioned by
placing the sharp lower end of the pin 5 at the desired location
and then by partly withdrawing the drive pin 5 upwardly into a
position such as is indicated by 5a and then dropping or impelling
such drive pin downwardly, the blow of such drive pin upon the
anvil 4' will drive the pin 4 into substantially any underlying
material, whether it be compacted soil or an asphalt pavement. When
the device is used in loose or friable soil, the laterally
extending foot plate 3 will prevent undesired penetration and will
resist displacement of the device from a desired vertical position.
However, when it is desired to remove the anchor support from its
position, it is only necessary to again partially withdraw the
drive pin 5 into the position indicated in 5a, whereupon leverage
can then be applied laterally to such extended drive pin as
indicated by the arcuate arrows in FIG. 3, thereby loosening the
contact between the pin 4 and its surrounding soil or pavement and
permitting ready withdrawal by grasping the tubular standard socket
2 and exerting an upward pull thereon.
A somewhat modified form of device is illustrated in FIG. 4,
wherein the stabilizing flange 3 is an integral part of an
upstanding ring or collar 3' which receives the lower end of the
tubular socket or standard section 2. A bore 7 is drilled both
through the upstanding collar 3' and diametrically opposed sides of
the pipe 2, and a bolt or rivet 8 may be used in holding the
assembly together. Metal for the anvil head may be cast directly
around such bolt or rivet and again form a conical driving point.
However, in some instances it is desirable to employ a preformed
point having a fluted surface or a cross section of the character
indicated in FIG. 5, so as to provide greater surface area to
resist displacement; points of the character illustrated in FIG. 5
are particularly well adapted for use in sandy soils, on beaches,
etc.
It is to be understood that the term "tubular standard receptacle"
as used herein is not limited to receptacles of circular cross
section, since elements of polygonal section corresponding to the
section of the standard, pole or element to be supported can be
used. Moreover, although two alternate modes of connecting the
elements of the device have been exemplified, other connecting
methods and means, such as welding and riveting, may be employed.
It is also to be understood that weights and sizes and proportions
of parts may be modified as circumstances require to take advantage
of gravity in anchoring the device. All changes coming within the
scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.
* * * * *