GB1601608A

GB1601608A - Supporting device

Info

Publication number: GB1601608A
Application number: GB17337/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Arbed SA
Current assignee: Arcelor Luxembourg SA
Priority date: 1977-05-05
Filing date: 1978-05-02
Publication date: 1981-11-04
Also published as: IT7849198A0; IT1156723B; FR2389734A1; FR2389734B1; DE7813429U1

Description

(54) SUPPORTING DEVICE (71) We, ARBED S.A. (formerly known as ACIERIES REUNIES de BURBACH-EICH DUDELANGE SOCÉTÉ ANONYME en abbreviation ARBED), a company organised under the laws of Luxembourg, of Avenue de la Liberty, Luxembourg, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a device for supporting a pole or post.

In order to fix vertical poles, they are usually set in a concrete foundation. For this purpose, it is necessary to dig holes in the ground either with a spade or with a drill. To this often quite complicated and difficult work is added to the laborious task of bringing the concrete to the holes and of making the foundation. Also, it is necessary to wait some time for the concrete to harden whilst taking measures to maintain the position and/or the alignment of the poles.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device for supporting a pole or post, comprising a hollow tubular body into which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, one end of the pole or post can be inserted so that the pole or post is supported, the hollow tubular body having a plurality of tubular guides secured thereto, each tubular guide having therein a metal anchoring rod which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, can be driven laterally into the ground so that the hollow tubular body is more securely held in the ground.

The supporting device, including its tubular guides, may be manufactured advantageously from a commercial metal section, such as a flat iron section, an Lsection, a T-section, a Csection or a n-section, or a standard girder or a girder with parallel fins.

According to a preferred embodiment of the supporting device, the tubular guides, which always number at least two, are fixed at a distance from the lower end of the hollow tubular body so that, after the device has been sunk into the ground, the heads of the tubular guides are at the most skimming the top of the ground.

The end of the hollow body of the supporting device is generally provided with a point. The point is provided in order to prevent the hollow tubular body from filling with soil, and to facilitate the driving into the ground. For driving the device into the ground a hammering head or an ordinary bar is fitted into the hollow tubular body so that the hammering force is transmitted to the point.

If required, radial fins can be disposed on the supporting device, e.g. in a crown or along a helicoidal line. These fins, which are generally of rectangular or trapezoidal shape, improve the stability of the device, especially in built up or marshy areas. They are preferably fixed to the supporting device so that their upper edges are at the most skimming the surface of the ground.

When the supporting device has been sunk in the ground and, if required, aligned with its neighbouring devices, the anchoring rods are driven through the tubular guides into the ground by hammering. These rods are deflected upon leaving the guides so that they enter the ground obliquely, preferably following a curved path. The supporting device is thus firmly fixed in the ground, the laterally deflected anchoring rods fulfilling a function similar to that of the roots of a tree.

The anchoring rods may be of round, square or rectangular section, and may have a smooth or bumpy surface.

By selecting an adequate number and arrangement, as well as size and the quality of the anchoring rods, the supporting device may be given the required rigidity for a given soil composition. Anchoring rods of different lengths may be used for the same supporting device, and also different degrees of deflection for different groups of anchoring rods may be provided on the same supporting device.

The tubular guides may have a round, square or rectangular section. The tubular guides are generally simple, straight or slightly curved, tubes with an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the anchoring rods. The guides may be secured to the hollow tubular body by soldering at the selected height.

During hammering, the anchoring rods will be deflected to a greater or lesser degree laterally into the ground according to the radius of the curvature of the tubular guides. If the guide is straight, a deflection quoin may be pro vided on the hollow tubular body at a given distance from the exit from the guide. The point of this quoin, which may extend over the entire circumference of the supporting device, is directed upwards.

The supporting device may have a closed section (e.g. a round section or a polygonal section) or an open section (e.g. a T-section, an Section or a U-section).

The supporting device has the advantage of allowing optimal anchorage in all soils of any composition without the use of concrete. It may also be used all year round, even in winter and on rainy days. It is used for supporting poles and posts, such as sign posts, telegraph poles, lamp posts and poles for electric cables.

Supporting devices according to the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section view of a supporting device with straight tubular guides and deflection quoins; and Figure 2 shows a supporting device provided with a crown of stabilization fins.

Figure 1 shows a hollow tubular body 25 provided with a point 21 and with tubular guides 20. As the guides 20 are straight, deflection quoins 26 are provided beneath them for anchoring rods 5. Reference numeral 27 may be either a round bar serving for hammering, or a pole positioned in the body 25.

The device shown in Figure 2 has, in addition, radial stabilization fins 28. The fins, which are four in number, are of trapezoidal shape and are secured by soldering to the hollow body 25 so that their upper edges are just skimming the ground.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for supporting a pole or post, comprising a hollow tubular body into which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, one end of the pole or post can be inserted so that the pole or post is supported, the hollow tubular body having a plurality of tubular guides secured thereto, each tubular guide having therein a metal anchoring rod which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, can be driven laterally into the ground so that the hollow tubular body is more securely held in the ground.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular guides are formed from a commercial metal section.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the commercial metal section is a tubular section, a flat iron section, an Lrsection, a T-section, a C-section, a section, a standard girder or a girder having parallel fins.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper edges of the tubular guides are spaced at a short distance from the upper edge of the hollow tubular body.

5. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, the device having a closed section.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, the device having a round section or a polygonal section.

7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, the device having an open section.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, the device having a T-section, an L-section or a U-section.

9. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tubular guides are slightly curved tubes which are soldered directly to the hollow tubular body.

10. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tubular guides are straight tubes which are soldered directly to the hollow tubular body, a quoin with an upwardly directed point being provided on the hollow tubular body beneath the exits of the tubes.

11. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the rods have a round section a square section or a rectangular section.

12. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the rods have a bumpy surface.

13. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the rods have different lengths.

14. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the lower end of the hollow tubular body is closed by a point.

15. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, having radial fins for stabilisation disposed therearound.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fins are of rectangular or trapezoidal shape.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the fins are disposed in a crown.

18. A device as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the fins are disposed along a helicoidal line.

19. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the tubular guides open at different levels of deflection.

20. A device for supporting a pole or post, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. vided on the hollow tubular body at a given distance from the exit from the guide. The point of this quoin, which may extend over the entire circumference of the supporting device, is directed upwards. The supporting device may have a closed section (e.g. a round section or a polygonal section) or an open section (e.g. a T-section, an Section or a U-section). The supporting device has the advantage of allowing optimal anchorage in all soils of any composition without the use of concrete. It may also be used all year round, even in winter and on rainy days. It is used for supporting poles and posts, such as sign posts, telegraph poles, lamp posts and poles for electric cables. Supporting devices according to the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section view of a supporting device with straight tubular guides and deflection quoins; and Figure 2 shows a supporting device provided with a crown of stabilization fins. Figure 1 shows a hollow tubular body 25 provided with a point 21 and with tubular guides 20. As the guides 20 are straight, deflection quoins 26 are provided beneath them for anchoring rods 5. Reference numeral 27 may be either a round bar serving for hammering, or a pole positioned in the body 25. The device shown in Figure 2 has, in addition, radial stabilization fins 28. The fins, which are four in number, are of trapezoidal shape and are secured by soldering to the hollow body 25 so that their upper edges are just skimming the ground. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A device for supporting a pole or post, comprising a hollow tubular body into which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, one end of the pole or post can be inserted so that the pole or post is supported, the hollow tubular body having a plurality of tubular guides secured thereto, each tubular guide having therein a metal anchoring rod which, when the device has been sunk into the ground, can be driven laterally into the ground so that the hollow tubular body is more securely held in the ground.