US1800504A - Earth-anchor tool - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1931. A. B. CHANCE EARTH ANCHOR TOOL F'iled'Feb. 4,` 1929 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 PAT,

ALBERT B. CHANCE, or GENTRALIA, Missoula EARTH-Anemia 'rooL s f Application filed February 4, 1929. Serial 1111.331517.

'i 5 l the installation of earth anchors of the screw type' it is necessary to use a wrench having a body or shankl of considerable length, as the depth at which the anchor is y place-d is-limited by'the'length of the wrench used-"in screwingthe anchor into place;

' am aware that screw anchor wrenches have been provided with handles which slide-up and down on the body of the wrench but the wrenches ofthe'fprior artare not provided 75 with Aany -nieans for retaining them at the desired height and it is necessary with the prior wrenches to given constant attention to the maintenanceof the ywrench at the v proper height.l l i f The screw anchors of the prior art have also beenv provided with ordinary square sockets or sockets of other simple non-'circular form for use with a complementary wrench, but as the anchors are usually constructed of cast metal andas the sockets are subjected to heavy strains in driving a screw anchor into the ground, the wrenches of the prior art anchors 'oftenlturn completely out of the socket and Vdestroy the walls of the socket. It is obvious of course that thegthickness of the walls of the sockety or the'depth ofY the socket might be increased to increase the strength, but any increase in the size ofthe anchor renders it more difficult to drive andalso any strength is of great commercial advantage.

One of the objects or the invention is the provision of a cast metalrscrew anchor of 4 the class described, having an improved form prising a non-circular vsocketitor the wrench and a plurality of radially projecting lugs n saving of material without sacrice orv of connectionr with an actuating wrench comadapted 'to withstandy the extreme strainsy placed upon it indriving screw anchors into the ground and which is also provided with an improved actuating means for enabling the operator to most effectively apply turn'- ing force toY the wrench andscrew anchor.

Y Anotherrobject is the provision of a novel wrench and socket form which is adapted to increase the strength of the anchor to prevent the wrench from turning out of the socket;

under heavy size or cost o lAnother object isr'the provision strains, without increasing the fthe anchor.

of an im-I proved screw, anchor wrench including a transverse handle which is readily adjustable longitudinally of the wrench at any time during the installation of the anchor by the mere application of an aXialforce so that the han# dle may always be disposed at the most e'ective height without loss of time, together with means for resiliently securing'the handle in adjusted position so that the handle willbe i automatically maintained in the desired position without special effort of the operator.

Another object is the provision of a novel form of adapter for enabling the' useor" the wrench with dierent-forms of anchors and for increasing the effective strength of the connectionbetween the wrench and anchor.

Other objects and' advantages of the'invention will be apparent Jfrom the following de scription and from the `accompanying drawings inwhich similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring Figure ly i sr orlflelaf 'Y sectionshowing the improved wrench'in con- 5 nection with Figure 2 i an anchor; y s a top'plan view of the anchor used with this wrench;` Y v is a bottom end view of the Figure 3 wrench.;

Figure is a. sectional view taken on th line 4.-4 of Figure 1; 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged a plane at right angles to the plane of FigureY detail view taken on 1 through the wrench handle; and

Figure 6 1 s a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings 10 indicates in its entirety my anchor which comprises a cast metal member having a central body of substantially cylindrical shape terminating yin a point 12 which may have the shape of a pyramid. Cast integrally with the body 11 is a substantially flat flange Y13 projecting atrapproximately right angles to the axis of the body 11 and progressing alongthe axis in the form of a screw. The external outline 14 of the flange 13 is preferably circular andthe flange may make approximately one revolution about the body 11 terminating below in the relatively sharp forward edge 15. The flange 13 is alsoV preferably tapered from the outer edge 14 to a greater thickness as at 164 adjacent the body .11, thereby increasing the strength of the Harige in proportion to the dis tance from the outer edge.

The body of the body 11 and flange 13 is preferably formed of cast iron and in order to provide a means of connection to a guy rod V17 which isv of greater strength than permitted by the cast iron I prefer to locate a steel member, punching or ringlS within the body 11 of the anchor in such manner that the bore 19 of the steel member is located axially of the anchor and the steel member 18 is embedded in the metalof'the body and secured by engage'- ment therewith above and below said member as Well as on the s ides of said member.` In other words the blank may be supported in the mold upon the core used for forming the bore 21, and the anchor body is cast about the blank..

The steel member 18 may consist of a blank Y having a bore and the bore and adjacent portions of the bore 21 in the body 11 may be threaded at the same time..` The guy rod 17 is provided with a threaded end 20 which is adapted to be received in the threaded aperture 19 of the steel member 18 and the body 11 is provided with an aligned Vbore 21 extending above andbelow the steel member 18 to receive the guy rod 17. f

The body 11 is provided at its upper end with anon-circular recess or socket 22 which is adapted to receive a complementary noncircular end `23 of a wrench 24. The socket 22 is preferably rectangular though it may be to provide the socket 22 with a plurality of auxiliary recesses 25 communicating with said socket at the sides thereof and extending into thebody 11 to a greater distance from the axis Vof the anchor. The wrench end 23 is then formed with complementary projecting lugs 26 which lit in the recesses 25 and any number of lugs and auxiliary recesses may be employed.

It will thus be observed that not only do the auxiliary recesses and lugs provide an additional bearing surface through which the wrench may react upon the anchor-in the screwing operation, but the lugs engage the anchorvat a greater distance from the axis of the same so that t-he lugs have a longer lever arm with which to engage the anchor. The longer lever arm of the lugs enables them to exert a greater torque upon the anchor 10 without destruction of the socket or wrench and this structure has enabled-the installation of anchors in places where ordinary anchors could not be embedded due to unusual difficulties in embedding them inthe earth. Y.

The wrench end 23 may be provided with a projecting flange 40 adapted `to bear against the upper surface of the anchor body 11 and to aid in fixing the wrench end in a supporting member 27. VThe wrench which is indicated in its entirety at 24 comprises a tubular supporting member 27 preferably of rectangular cross-section and adapted to receive the square portion 41 of the 'wrenchA end. The wrench end 23 may be securely fastened in thetubular'supporting member27 by a transverse rivet 42 and "the tubular supporting member may be provided with ya plurality of recesses 43 for engaging with an adjustable slide 44 carrying a handle 45.V The slide 44 comprises acastrmetal member having anoncircular aperture 46 adapted to slidably receive the tubular supporting member27 of the wrench andV also having a transverse bore 47 for receiving the tubular handle 45. The tubular handle 45 may be slidably mounted in the bore 47, being retained therein by stops at each end consisting of transverse rivets 48 and the provision of a slidable handleenables the use ofmy anchor wrench inmany places in which another handle could notbe turned.

The slider 44 is also provided with a'socket 49 formed integrally with the slider and com-A municating with. the non-circular bore 46. The socket 49 has a centrally located bore 50 Y of sulicient size to receive a threaded bolt 51 without engagingits threads. The threaded bolt 51 is provided with a serrated knob 52 for convenient manipulation and with a suhstantially conical end53 adapted to fit in the conical recesses 43. Threaded upon the bolt 51 within thev socket 49 is a noncircular nut 54 and the .cross-section of the socket- 49 is preferably made of the same shape as the nut 54 in order to receive said nut and'prevent its rotation but permit reciprocation.

The bolt 51 is also provided Witha spring 55 preferably of helical form and Vconfined between the nut 54 and the end of thev socket 49. It will thus be observed that by means of the knob 52 the bolt 51 may be screwed i11-4 y bolt outward. f

ward and the socket 49 will prevent rotation of the nut 54 so thatthe nut will progress upon the bolt. The'bolt 51 can be screwed extent that its end 53 will firmly- It will thus be observed that the wrench is provided with a handle having a slidable connection to the body of the wrench and resilient means for retaining the wrench in any of aV pluralityl of adjustable positions. The sides of the recesses 43 constitutel shoulders upon the tubular body 27 for retaining the handle 45 in any vertical position but-the handle may be moved upward or downward to anew adi justed position by the mere application of an axial force.

The handle 45 is also slidably supported in the slider 44 so that if desired the handle may be moved to project almost entirely from one side of the wrench so that the operator can brinoa greater torque to bear upon the wreich. When the handle is in this position or while the handle is being adjusted the automatic retaining device is of great advantage.v

The rivets 48 constitute stops for preventing the entire removal of the handle from its supi port 44.

The operation of the wrench in the installation of an anchor is as follows:

The anchor and'wrench may be held in assembled position during the'operation of installing the anchor by means of a guy rod 17 which may be threaded at its upper end 32 for the reception of a thimble eye 33. The thimble eye 33 has the usual grooved aperture 34 to receive the guy wire and a threaded bore 35 adapted to be threaded on the end 32 of the guy rod. It will thus be observed that the wrench 24 may be placed about the guy rod 17 afterA which the guy rod may have its lower end 20 threaded in the bore 19 of the anchor. The thimble eye 33 may then be threaded upon the upper end of the guy rod, clamping the tubular member 27 between the anchor and the thimble eye and firmly assembling these parts. f

The anchor may then be installed in the usual manner by holding the vaxis of the.

wrench in substantial alignment with the top' of the post forcing the point 12 into the earth and turning the anchor by means' of the handle 45. rIlhe point12 of the anchor penetrates the earth, wedging `the earth apart while the forward edge 15 of the helix cuts into the earth defining the course of the flange 30 and directing the anchor through a helical path into theearth. The anchor may thus be-s'crewed `intoQ-the earth after whichthe thimble eye maybe removed'and the `wrench removed over the upper end 32 of the guy rod 17 and the thimble eye'may be replaced. l

The guy wire may then be attached to the thimble eye 33 in the usual manner.

During the installation rof the anchor the handle 45 may beA slid to a new'position on the wrench 24 whenever desired, being automaticallyretained by the vresilient bolt 51, thereby providing a handle which is always at a convenient height for manipulation. If desired the handle may be firmly fixed'in any position by threadingthe bolt 51 into the nut 54 untily the nut 54 compressescoils of spring' 55 against eachother so that the handle is firmly fixed inl place.

It will thus be observed that a ywrench ofA the present i constructionv y isf" peculiarly adapted tol withstand greater strains inthe installation of anchorsso that the vwrench is not liable to turn outk of its socket and the wrench is 'also provided -withI a novel handle supporting mechanism adapted to resiliently retain the handle in any adjustedwposition vwithout special eff' ort on the part of the operator. The wrench end 23 may also perform the function of an adapter for facilitating the use ofthe wrench with the Adifferent types of anchors, since the wrench may be provided.

with any adapter necessary to fit the Vsocket of any other anchor. Y,

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be maderwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to bellimited to the precise details of construction setforth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope j Y of the appended claims. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new kand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a screw anchor the combination of a Y cast metal member having a helical flange thereon, with a wrench for screwing said anchor into the earth, said wrench comprising amember axially secured to said anchor and a transverse handle slidably mounted on said axial member, and resilient means adapted to be cammed out of holding engagement with said axial member by application of .an axial forcefor holding said transverse handle in any of a plurality of adjusted positions on y said axial member.

2. A wrench for driving earth .anchors and' j the like, comprising a shaft for supporting an anchor, a transverse handle member, a metal member slidably mounted on said shaft for supporting said handle member, said metal memberv having a ysocket therein, and an aperture leading to said socket, athreaded member in said socket, a bolt in said threaded member and projecting from said f aperture, and a; conical point on said `bolt for engaging complementary socketsin said shaft' for engagement with said bolt.

3. A wrench for driving earth anchors and the like, comprising a shaft for supporting an anchor, a transverse handle member, a metal member slidably mounted on said Shaft for supporting said handle member, said meta-ljmember having a socket therein, and an aperture leading to said socket, .a threaded member inV said socket, a bolt in said threaded member kand projectingfrom said aperture, shoulders formed on said shaft for engagement with said bolt, and a springten- .sioned between said threaded member and the base of said socket whereby the tension of said spring may be adjusted by rotating said bolt.

Y Y 4. A handle support for earth, Yanchor wrenches comprising a cast metal member having anaperture for a shaft and an aperture for a handle transverse to said shaft, said member having a socket communicating with said shaft aperture and another .aperture communicating with said socket, a spring in said socket, a latching member yslidably mounted in said socket and biased into said shaft aperture b said spring, said latching member comprising a threaded member protruding from said socket and a nut in said socket engaging said spring.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this th day of January, 1929.A

, ALBERT B.` CHANCE.

V, Ain

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