AU632687B2

AU632687B2 - Anchorage device for use in sand or sandy soils

Info

Publication number: AU632687B2
Application number: AU76105/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rodney Walter Bellette
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-10-22
Filing date: 1991-04-29
Publication date: 1993-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-29
Also published as: AU7610591A

Description

Appli Comp i Priori i| Relat 632687 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class cation Number: Lodged: lete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: d Art: -d Art: Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: RODNEY WALTER BELLETTE R.M.B. 1050, Pyramid Hill, 3575, Victoria, Australia RODNEY WALTER BELLETTE DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "ANCHORAGE DEVICE FOR USE IN SAND OR SANDY SOILS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1- 910429shdat003,belette.etI i i-2a 10 ANCHORAGE DEVICE FOR USE IN SAND OR SANDY SOILS I tThe present invention relates to an anchorage device for use in sand or j sandy soils.

S 15 A requirement exists for an anchorage device which can be set into sand or sandy soil to provide a secure anchorage therein. Anchorage devices for beach umbrellas and the like have been prepared in the form of a coarse screw thread at the end of the shaft of the umbrella. The device screws into c the sand and provides a degree of anchorage, but not a firm anchorage and can easily be displaced.

According to the present invention, there is provided an anchorage device for use in sand or sandy soils, said device comprising a shank portion and a spike portion at a lower end of he shank portion, said spike portion comprising a first pair of downwardly convergent plates, said device further comprising a second pair of downwardly convergent plates extending from a position above the upper ends of the first plates to a position beneath the upper ends of the first plates to funnel sand into the zone between the interior surfaces of the first plates.

In a preferred embodiment, the first ancu second pairs of plates are 910426,rshspe.003,sis.spe,2 -3 mounted on a substantially planar web, with the plates extending perpendicularly to the web and on opposite sides of the web.

Advantageously the upper ends of the second plates are outwardly flared.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- 0 4% 10 Figure 1 is a side view of an anchorage device in accordance with the oo.o invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the device; S0 0 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device; and 00 Figures 4 to 6 show, schematically, modified forms of the device.

0 0 0 The anchorage device shown in the drawings comprises a tubular shank 2 leading to a spike portion 4 which can be set firmly into sand to provide a 0 °Q "0 secure anchorage within the ground. The shank 2 is open at its upper end to 000 00o receive the shaft of, for example, a beach umbrella. The invention is not 00 0 20 limited to an anchorage device for umbrellas. Anchorage devices in accordance with the invention can be used for anchoring other articles or structures such as tents or fence posts. Several such anchorage devices linked oo by adjustable chains and incorporating ground plates within the ground in front of the shanks could be used as a ground anchorage for use in winching out a vehicle bogged within the ground.

The spike portion 4 comprises two lower substantially rectangular and planar plates 6 which converge towards a tip 8. The plates 6 are mounted at opposite edges of a planar V-shaped web 10, with the plane of each plate 6 extending perpendicularly to the plane of the web 10 and with each plate extending to both sides of the web 10. The V-shaped web 10 merges with the 910426,rshspe.003,sohls.spe,'3 -4tubular shank via a transition section 12 comprising a series of angularlyspaced chamfers 14 inclined inwardly from the shank 2 to the web 10 whereby I adjacent chamfers 14 are separated by a downwardly-directed and inwardlyinclined rib 16.

iI i A further pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined or convergent rectangular and planar plates 18 is mounted on the web 10 above the lower i plates 6. These further plates 18 have a width equivalent to that of the lower Splates 6 and extend on opposite sides of the web 10, the upper ends of the 10 plates 18 lying adjacent the upper end of the transition section 12 and the i .lower ends of the plates 18 being spaced and lying between the upper ends of 9t t i the lower plates 6 so that the two sets of plates 6 and 18 overlap. With this B r' configuration, channels 20 are defined at each side of the web 10 between the lower ends of the upper plates 18 and the upper ends of the lower plates 6 to feed sand from around the top of the spike portion 4 into the spike portion 4 to be contained between the inner surfaces of the lower plates 6. The upper plates 18 also act to funnel sand into the spike portion 4.

i STypically the device will be used either in a beach situation where the sand is powder dry on top and wet or damp below, or in a desert or other land Ssituation where the sand is powder dry on top and firm below. To anchor the device, the spike portion 4 is inserted into sand to a depth at which it is fully within the wet, damp or firm sand to create a triangular hole. The device is I ,then removed to clear the spike portion of accumulated sand. The spike portion is placed back into the hole and rocked backwards and forwards in the i plane of the web 10 (in other words in the plane of Figure 1) with dry sand Sbeing fed into the interior of the spike portion via the channels 20. When the spike portion 4 has been sunk into the sand to a depth at which the upper ends of the upper plates 18 are submerged, continued rocking will cause further sand to funnel between the upper plates 18 into the spike portion 4 until the anchorage device is locked substantially solid within the sand. In this 910426,rshspe.003.sois.sp,4

I

IIIIIIRI~L I~ ~I~P*LI~ tie.

I i I I condition the spike portion 4 is solidly packed with sand and a solid mass of sand is formed within and around the upper plates 18.

Optimum anchorage conditions are provided wherein the spike portion 4, when fully inserted, is in wet, moist or firm sand, and when the upper ends of the upper plates 18 are below the surface within dry sand to facilitate funnelling of the dry sand into the spike portion 4 with continued rocking movement. It is believed that in the anchored condition the device is effectively embedded within a solid body of compacted sand. In use, vibrations arising from buffeting of the anchorage device under wind forces or the like has the effect of funnelling further dry sand through the upper end of the upper plates 18 to further enhance the anchorage.

The upper plates 18, in addition to providing the funnelling effect described above, also act to increase the anchorage area and hence the anchorage force provided. Preferably, and as illustrated, the upper ends of the upper plates 18 are flared outwardly. This strengthens the assembly and also increases the resistance to vertical pull. The ribs 16 defined by the chamfers 14 also act to strengthen the assembly and are believed to enhance the funnelling effect.

In use, a solid anchorage can be obtained which will resist a substantial vertical pulling force. Wind forces which will cause buffeting and vibrations will tend to increase, rather than reduce, the anchorage effect. Beach umbrellas, which are susceptible to high wind loading, can be effectively anchored by the device.

Removal of the anchorage device is effected by a series of deliberate rocking movements at right angles to the plane of the web For applications where an increased anchorage is required, such as an 91426,rhsp.003sois.spe,5 -6anchorage for a fence post and/or where dry sand is likely to be encountered to a substantial depth, the length of the web 10 may be extended to carry further pairs of convergent funnelling and anchoring plates 30, 32 as shown schematically in Figure 4, with the lower end of each pair of plates lying within the pair of next adjacent lower plates. The upper ends of the further pairs of plates may be flared outwardly for the reasons discussed previously, and/or the lower ends of the or each further set of plates may be extended longitudinally to strengthen the web as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The upper ends of the two plates 6 forming the spike portion 4 may also be flared outwardly as shown in oI o 10 Figure 6.

The plates of the respective pairs of plates may be substantially parallel to the corresponding plate of the adjacent pair, as shown in the configurations of Figures 1 to 4. However, as shown in Figure 5, the upper pair of plates may be inclined at a greater angle than the lower pair.

The shank may be formed at its upper end with an aperture or other 0 means for securing a cable or rope of, for example, a tent or other structure.

Insertion of the device into the ground can be effected by a removable handle mounted within the shank or around the shank to act as a lever by which the device can be rocked. When the device is used for mounting a beach umbrella, the shaft of the umbrella can be used for this purpose. The shank need not necessarily be of tubular form and other configurations of shank may a o be utilised.

The device may be fabricated from metal or may be integrally moulded from a suitable plastics.

The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

910426,rshspe.003,soilsspe,6

Claims

1. An anchorage device for use in sand or sandy soils, said device comprising a shank portion and a spike portion at a lower end of the shank portion, said spike portion comprising a first pair of downwardly convergent plates, said device further comprising a second pair of downwardly convergent plates extending from a position above the upper ends of the first plates to a position beneath the upper ends of the first plates to funnel sand into the zone between the interior surfaces of the first plates. i r 2. An anchorage device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plates is of substantially rectangular form.

3. An anchorage device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the i i, respective plates of the second pair of convergent plates are substantially parallel to a respective one of the plates of the first pair. S4. An anchorage device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the respective plates of the second pair of convergent plates are inclined at a greater angle than the respective plates of the first pair. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein 4each of the plates is of substantially planar form.

6. An anchorage device according to claim 5, wherein the upper edge portions of the plates of the first and/or the second pair of plates are outwardly flared.

7. An anchorage device according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the lower edge portions of the plates of the second pair are directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal xis of the device.

910426.rshspe.003,soils.spe,7 -8- 8. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the spike portion further comprises a planar web connected to the shank portion, the first pair of plates being mounted on the web, the respective plates of the first pair being at opposite sides of the web and extending perpendicularly to the plane of the web. 9. An anchorage device according to claim 8, wherein the second pair of plates is mounted on the web, the respective plates of the second pair being at opposite sides of the web and extending perpendicularly to the plane of the web. 11 a 10. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the shank portion is of tubular form open at its upper end. 11. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a third pair of downwardly convergent plates extending from a position above the upper ends of the second pair of plates to a position beneath the upper ends of the second plates to funnel sand into the zone beneath the interior surfaces of the second plates. 12. An anchorage device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. c L Dated this 29th day of April 1991 RODNEY WALTER BELLETTE By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON r' 910426,rsbspe.003,soisspe.8