GB2256883A

GB2256883A - Screw-threaded tent peg

Info

Publication number: GB2256883A
Application number: GB9212563A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Carver Finch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-06-21
Filing date: 1992-06-12
Publication date: 1992-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-12
Also published as: GB2256883B; GB9212563D0; GB9113453D0

Abstract

A tent peg 1 has a pointed end 2, a tapered screw-threaded region 3, a straight region 4 and a hook 5. An adaptor is arranged to engage the hook 5 and aid the insertion of the tent peg into the ground, via the screw-threaded region thereof. The provision of a screw-threaded region and/or adaptor allows a tent or the like to be erected very readily, even when the underlying ground is very hard. <IMAGE>

Description

ANCHORAGE This invention relates to anchorage and particularly, although not exclusively, provides an anchoring device for insertion into the ground, means for aiding insertion of the device thereinto, and a method relating to the use of the device.

It is known to insert pegs, for example, tent pegs, into the ground either by hand or by using a hammer or mallet to provide the required force. However, particularly where the ground is hard, the insertion of pegs may be extremely difficult, time consuming and require much effort, even if a hammer or mallet is used.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate these problems.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of maintaining a tent or the like, at least in part, in an erect state, the method using an anchoring device which has a screw threaded part arranged to allow the device to be screwed into the ground and a securement part to which a securement means of the tent or the like may be directly or indirectly secured, the method including the steps of screwing said anchoring device into the ground via the screw threaded part thereof, securing a securement means of the tent or the like directly or indirectly to the securement part and using said means to maintain, at least in part, said tent or the like in an erect state.

The method may be particularly, although not exclusively, suitable for maintaining a tent in an erect state. The method may be of particular utility when erecting large tents, for example, marquees. It may also be suitable for use in relation to other structures which are maintained in position by securement means, for example, cricket nets.

The securement means may comprise a member, for example a guy rope or guy ring, which is arranged to extend between the tent and the securement part of the anchoring device. The securement means may be made of any suitable material, for example, of rope or of plastics.

Preferably, the securement means is a conventional guy rope or guy ring for a tent.

The anchoring device is preferably an elongate structure. The screw threaded part of the device suitably extends from a tip thereof which tip is preferably pointed. The screw threaded part may taper outwardly from the tip towards the securement part, or may have a short pointed tip, with a screw threaded region of constant cross-section being provided between said tip and the securement part. The screw threaded part may comprise said securement part. Alternatively, a part which is not screw threaded, for example, a smooth part, may be provided between said screw threaded part and said securement part.

Suitably, the securement part of said anchoring device is arranged to allow the securement means to be secured directly to it. For example, the securement part may be arranged to allow the securement means to be hooked, wrapped or tied around it to secure the securement means thereto. Where the anchoring device comprises an elongate structure, said structure may be provided with a lateral projection, for example, in the form of a hook or transverse bar, to provide a means whereby the securement means may be secured to the device. Alternatively, the securement part may define an aperture through which the securement means may be secured.

Where the securement means is not secured directly to the anchoring device, a linking means may be fixed to the securement means, the linking means being arranged such that, in the method, it is secured directly to the securement part. For example, the linking means may comprise a nut arrangement which is fixed to the securement means and which is screwed onto a screw threaded part of the securement part to secure the securement means to the securement part.

In the method, the anchoring device may be screwed into the ground by hand. Alternatively and preferably, the method includes the step of engaging said anchoring device with an anchoring device engagement member which suitably includes means to aid rotation thereof, and causing the anchoring device engagement member to rotate thereby to screw said anchoring device into the ground.

The anchoring device engagement member suitably has a head which is arranged to cooperate with an upper part of said anchoring device. Preferably, when engaged, the anchoring device engagement member and said anchoring device are restricted from moving laterally to one another. That is, when engaged, the anchoring device engagement member and said anchoring device are fixed on the same axis of rotation. The head suitably has an opening which leads into a recess, the opening and recess being arranged to receive the upper part of said anchoring device. Suitably, said upper part is a close fit in said recess such that there is substantially no relative rotational movement between said anchoring device and said engagement member when said engagement member rotates.In one embodiment, the upper part of said anchoring device is hook-shaped (which hook may comprise said securement part) and said engagement member is arranged to cooperate therewith such that in use, rotation of said engagement member causes said anchoring device to be screwed into the ground. The anchoring device engagement member preferably includes an axial shank. Said shank is suitably arranged to cooperate with a rotator. For example, said rotator may comprise a power drill or hand drill, said shank being arranged to fit in the chuck thereof. Preferably, said rotator is a portable, preferably battery driven, powered device. In this case, therefore, the shank of the anchoring device engagement means, which engagement means is engaged with an anchoring device to be screwed into the ground, is secured in the chuck of a power drill or hand drill.When the chuck of the drill rotates the anchoring device will be screwed into the ground, with little manual effort required. Preferably, the direction of rotation of the chuck of the drill can be reversed so that the anchoring device may be unscrewed from the ground.

Alternatively, the anchoring device may itself include a shank which is arranged to cooperate with a rotator, as before. In this case, therefore, in the method, the rotator may directly engage the anchoring device to screw it into the ground.

The invention extends to a novel anchoring device as described in any statement herein, per se.

The invention further extends to a novel anchoring device engagement member as described in any statement herein per se.

The invention further extends to a first kit comprising at least one anchoring device as described in any statement herein and at least one anchoring device engagement member as described in any statement herein.

Preferably, the kit includes a plurality of anchoring devices. Suitably, upper parts of each anchoring device are substantially the same so that each may be screwed into the ground using the same anchoring device engagement member. The kit suitably includes a single anchoring device engagement member.

The invention further extends to a second kit comprising at least one anchoring device and a rotator therefor as described in any statement herein.

Said first kit may include any component of said second kit. Said second kit may include any component of said first kit.

Said first and/or said second kit suitably include instructions in the method described in any statement herein.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tent peg; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tent peg of Figure 1, rotated through 90" about a longitudinal axis, relative to the Figure 1 orientation; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tent peg of Figures 1 and 2 in combination with an adaptor; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the right hand end of the combination of Figure 3; Figure 5 is an end elevation of the left hand end of the combination of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a side elevation of another tent peg; Figure 7 is a side elevation of the tent peg of Figure 6 rotated through 900 about a longitudinal axis relative to the Figure 6 orientation; Figure 8 is an end elevation of the tent peg of Figures 6 and 7;; Figure 9 is a side elevation partly in cross section of another adaptor; Figure 10 is an end elevation of the right hand end of the adaptor shown in Figure 9; Figure 11 is a side elevation of a further tent peg; and Figure 12 is a side elevation of the tent peg of Figure 11 rotated through 900 about a longitudinal axis, relative to the Figure 11 orientation.

A tent peg 1, shown in Figures 1 and 2, has a pointed end 2, a tapered screw-threaded region 3, a straight region 4, and a hook 5.

An adaptor 10 (Figure 3) is provided for cooperation with the peg 1. The adaptor 10 has a body 16 which has an opening 11 leading into a recess 12 into which the hook end of the peg 1 snugly fits and is wedged within, in use.

The recess 12 is of a substantially rectangular crosssection. It is defined, in part, by a wall 13 which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the adaptor 10, and a wall 14 which is disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis wherein the acute angle is substantially the same as the angle between the hook 5 and straight part 4 of the peg 1. The depth "x" of the rectangular recess is slightly greater than the thickness of the peg 1, as shown in Figure 5.

The adaptor 10 includes an axially disposed shank 15, fixed securely to the body 16. The shank 15 is dimensioned so that it may be inserted and retained in the chuck of an electric power drill or like device.

The aforementioned apparatus may be used to secure a guy rope of a tent in position, as follows. The shank 15 of the adaptor 10 is secured in the chuck of an electric power drill (not shown). A peg 1 is then taken and is positioned, by hand, substantially vertically with its pointed end 2 held against the ground in the desired location. The adaptor 10 and power drill are then moved towards the peg 1 and the hook 5 thereof is caused to pass through opening 11 and into recess 12 wherein it is snugly received. When so disposed, the peg 1 and adaptor 10 cannot move laterally relative to on another. The power drill is actuated causing the adaptor 10 and the peg 1 to rotate and, thereby, the peg 1 is screwed into the ground.

It should be noted that the adaptor 10 and peg 1 are such that , when adaptor 10 rotates to screw the peg 1 into the ground, there is substantially no relative rotational movement between adaptor and peg.

The peg 1 may be screwed into the ground to any desired depth. For example, only the screw threaded region 3 of the peg 1 may be below the ground.

Alternatively, a part of the straight region 4 may be below the ground. In either case, the hook 5 remains above the ground and a guy rope of the tent is secured to it and used to maintain the tent, at least in part, in an erect state As desired a power drill is suitably used to screw the peg into the ground. Preferably, such device is portable and battery powered. Alternatively, the rotary motion may be applied by a hand operated drill brace or a 'T' bar device.

It should be noted that the provision of pointed end 2 and screw threaded region 3 may greatly aid the insertion of the peg 1 into the ground, particularly where the ground is very hard so that it would be almost impossible to insert a non-screw threaded, conventional tent peg into the ground.

The tent peg 20 shown in Figures 6 to 8 has a pointed end 21, a tapered screw threaded region 22 and a straight region 23, as in the previous embodiment. In this case, however, the straight region 23 extends to one end 24 of the peg 20 and the peg 20 includes a transverse bar 25 towards end 24 thereof.

An adaptor 30 (Figures 9 and 10) is provided for cooperation with the peg 20 of Figures 6 to 8. The adaptor 30 has a body 31 which has a transverse recess 32, which leads into a central, axial bore 33. The adaptor 30 is provided with an axial opening 35 at an opposite end to recess 32 into which opening 35 a shank may be secured for engagement in the chuck of a power drill.

In use, a shank is secured in opening 35 which shank in turn is secured in the chuck of a power drill. A peg 20 to be inserted into the ground is engaged in the adaptor 30. In particular, the transverse bar 25 of peg 20 fits within transverse recess 32 and part of straight region 23 fits within axial bore 33. When so disposed, the peg 20 and adaptor 30 cannot move laterally relative to one another.

The peg 20 may be screwed into the ground using the adaptor 30 as described in relation to the previous embodiment. A guy rope may be tied around transverse bar 25 and straight region 23.

As an alternative to the use of an adaptor 30 in screwing peg 20 into the ground, a part 23a of the straight region 23 may be secured inserted and secured in a chuck of a drill, the drill thereby being used directly to screw the peg 20 into the ground, in use.

The peg 40, shown in Figures 11 and 12, has a pointed end 41, a tapered screw threaded region 42 and a straight region 43, as before. At its end opposite the pointed end 41, the peg 40 has a head member 44 which has an eye 45 through which a guy rope of a tent may be secured.

The peg 40 may -be screwed into the ground using a suitable adaptor.

The tent pegs and adaptors described herein may be of a suitable size for maintaining a particular tent in an erect state. The pegs are suitably made from metal bar having a diameter in the range 0.2 to 0.5 inches (about 0.5 cm to 1.3 cm), preferably, about 0.25 cm inches (about 0.6 cm). The pegs suitably have a length in the range, about 6 to 12 inches (about 15 cm to 30 cm).

The screw threaded region suitably extends to between one-third and one-half of the length of the pegs. The screw-threaded region may have a pitch of 2mm to 14mm, preferably 6mm to loom, more preferably, about 8mm. The ratio of the core diameter of the peg (i.e. the diameter of the central region which supports the screw threads) to the depth of the threads themselves is preferably in the range 0.25 to 0.5.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A method of maintaining a tent or the like, at least in part, in an erect state, the method using an anchoring device which has a screw-threaded part arranged to allow the device to be screwed into the ground and a securement part to which a securement means of the tent or the like may be directly or indirectly secured, the method including the steps of screwing said anchoring device into the ground via the screw threaded part thereof, securing a securement means of the tent or the like directly or indirectly to the securement part and using said means to maintain, at least in part, said tent or the like in an erect state.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the screw threaded part of the device extends from a tip thereof.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the securement part of said anchoring device is arranged to allow the securement means to be secured directly to it.

4. A method according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the anchoring device comprises an elongate structure, said structure being provided with a lateral projection to provide a means whereby the securement means may be secured to the device.

5. A method according to any of the preceding Claims, the method including the step of engaging said anchoring device with an anchoring device engagement member and causing the anchoring device engagement member to rotate thereby to screw said anchoring device into the ground.

6. A method according to Claim 5, wherein the anchoring device engagement member has a head which is arranged to cooperate with an upper part of said anchoring device.

7. A method according to Claim 6, wherein the head has an opening which leads into a recess, the opening and recess being arranged to receive the upper part of said anchoring device.

8. A method according to Claim 7, wherein said upper part is a close fit in said recess such that there is substantially no relative rotational movement between said anchoring device and said engagement member when said engagement member rotates.

9. A method according to Claims 5 to 8, wherein, when engaged, the anchoring device engagement member and said anchoring device are restricted from moving laterally relative to one another.

10. A method according to any of Claims 5 to 9, wherein the anchoring device engagement member includes an axial shank which is arranged to cooperate with-a rotator.

11. An anchoring device for insertion into the ground, the device comprising a screw-threaded part arranged to allow the device to be screwed into the ground and a securement part to which a securement means of a tent or the like may be directly or indirectly secured.

12. An anchoring device according to Claim 11, having any of the features of the anchoring device described in any of Claims 1 to 10.

13. An anchoring device engagement member comprising means for engaging the anchoring device of Claim 11 or Claim 12 and means to aid rotation of the anchoring device engagement member.

14. An anchoring device engagement member according to Claim 13, having any of the features of the anchoring device engagement member described in any of Claims 1 to 10.

15. A first kit comprising an anchoring device according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 in combination with an anchoring device engagement member according to Claim 13 or Claim 14.

16. A second kit comprising an anchoring device according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 in combination with a rotator.

17. A method, an anchoring device, an anchoring device engagement member, a first kit, a second kit, each being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.