Abstract: Ground anchors are installed by drive rods or gads connected in end to end relation by sleeves or couplers which accommodate sliding of adjacent rod ends into abutting relation under impact or compression loads and which retain the rods in connected string relation under tension loads. The sleeves have smooth rolled internal rope type threads in their end portions separated by a slide chamber receiving mating threads on end portions of adjacent rods which are threaded through and beyond the internal threads into the slide chamber. The rods slide in the sleeves and ends of adjoining rods will abut under compression loads and separate under tension loads while still being retained in end to end relation. A string of drive rods is successively built up to be impacted successively from ground level.

Abstract: A ground rod driver is provided with a clamp mechanism which transmits impact blows from a driving tool such as a jackhammer to an intermediate portion of the rod at a convenient level above the ground to drive the clamped portion to ground level and which then releases the rod under the action of the same driving tool so that it may be raised above the ground and reclamped to the rod for driving the next increment of rod length into the ground. The driver receiving impact blows from the tool will automatically grip the rod when the impact tool is in a driving position and will automatically release the rod when the impact tool is in a releasing position. A ground plate surrounds the rod to bottom the driver for the release step. Specifically, the impact tool engages a wedge in the driver in its driving position to clamp the driver on the rod and is rotated 90.degree. to engage release blocks on the driver when the wedge is bottomed on the plate for releasing the rod.

Abstract: Rods, tubes, posts, and the like rod structures are driven into the ground by a device which is successively clamped to selected intermediate portions of the lengths of these rods to avoid heretofore involved awkwardness, instability, and unsafe driving conditions encountered when the top ends of long rods are engaged to force the rods into the ground. The device is easily and quickly clamped to the rod at a level close to the ground to be impacted by a driving tool such as a jackhammer at a convenient reachable height. When the device is driven to ground level, it is easily released from the rod and raised to a starting level and then reclamped for the next driving increment. The successive raising and driving steps are repeated until the rod is driven to a desired depth in the ground. When the top end of the rod approaches ground level, the device can be mounted over this end and impacted to drive the rod further into the ground.

Abstract: A plate or wing-type ground anchor for driving upright and into the ground to desired depth and pulled into flat anchoring position at the driven depth is provided with an extended cruciform shaped leg in advance of the plate wings to act as a star drill or chisel facilitating penetration of the ground. The plate anchor has an axial tubular body portion providing an elongated round bottom socket for mating with a round bottom drive rod for efficient transfer of impact energy from the rod to the anchor. A raised central rib on the tubular body portion has a sharp front cutting edge and a reduced thickness trailing end with a transverse hole therethrough. A pull member can include either a loop pivoted in the hole or a shackle straddling the reduced thickness end with a pin pivoted in the hole. Shoulders on the rib overlie the loop or shackle to divert earth therearound.

Abstract: A fencing system designed particularly for snow and sand fencing is disclosed. The fencing system consists of a framing structure for supporting a fence face between spaced upright members. The fence face is constructed of a strong flexible mesh such as a mesh formed of re-bar defining rectangular openings in horizontal and vertical rows. Plastic material slats are attached to the mesh extending longitudinally of the mesh from upright to upright, the slats lying parallel horizontal rows spaced from one another by a height approximately equal to the width of the slat. In this manner, approximately 50% of the fence face is open. The bottom of the fence face terminates above the ground by approximately 12" to 16" and the fence face is angled to the base surface approximately 15.degree..

Abstract: A ground anchor for posts has a leg driven in the ground with a fluke or fin member secured to the upper end thereof and cooperating therewith to form a post receiving socket or barrel. A wedge driven in the socket clamps the post to the leg. The leg is preferably an angle iron with diverging side walls and the fin member is preferably a sheet metal strip folded midway of its length providing legs diverging from the fold or crease embracing and welded to the divergent ends of the leg side walls and then bent outwardly to radiate from the leg providing three fins or flukes in equally spaced circumferential relation and a V-wing between the crease cooperating with the legs to form the socket or barrel chamber. The post is bottomed on the leg and the wedge is bottomed in the crease of the V-wing and has diverging legs providing a recess receiving and forcing the post into the converging side walls of the leg to wedge lock the post to the leg.

Abstract: An energy absorbing support for mailboxes and the like devices mounted alongside roadways where they are exposed to impact by vehicles has a post of generally reverse "C" shape with a depending upright leg secured in the socket of an anchor driven in the ground, an upwardly inclined generally horizontal lateral leg portion, an outwardly sloping generally vertical leg portion extending from the outer end of the lateral portion, and a reverse horizontal top leg portion overlying the lateral leg portion and having mountings thereon carrying mailboxes and the like. The depending leg portion is vertically adjustable in the socket of the ground anchor so that the upper end of the lateral leg portion and the lower end of the sloping vertical leg portion will be at a height above ground level within the range of the height of an automobile front bumper to receive initial impact of a vehicle crashing into the support.

Abstract: A driver tool of the power hammer type is equipped with a compression spring acting on the anvil of the tool and loaded by the weight of the tool and by downcrowding to store energy from the load and from attempted rebound of the anvil which is released to the anvil in a driving direction adding to the driving force of the hammer. The spring has a stiffness and a length effective to maintain a free stroke length for the hammer before impacting the anvil when the tool is loaded or downcrowded sufficiently to maintain the anvil thrusting against the workpiece and to develop and build up vibrations from the hammer blows. The hammer blows are divided into impulses by the vibrations allowing the workpiece to recover from blows of magnitudes beyond the elastic limit of the workpiece material which would otherwise damage the workpiece.

Abstract: A self-contained, portable, extensible boom assembly for detachable mounting on a vehicle such as on the open top box body of a truck has power driven boom actuating mechanism and downcrowding storage mechanism activated by said power driven mechanism for maintaining a downcrowding load on a driver tool suspended from the boom together with mechanism for controlling the extension of the boom to maintain a straight line alignment of the tool as it advances under the downcrowding load. The portable with mechanism for controlling the extension of the boom to maintain a straight line alignment of the tool as it advances under the downcrowding load. The portable self-contained assembly can carry its own power source such as a battery or can be driven through a power take-off from the engine of the truck on which it is mounted. The assembly is unitary, relatively light in weight, easily transported, and is easily mounted on and removed from a truck vehicle without altering the construction of the vehicle.

Abstract: An improved portable hydraulically powered driving machine, for driving posts, ground anchors, concrete breakers, core drills, and the like work pieces into the ground, pavements or wall structure, has a tower in the form of a stanchion carried by an extensible pedestal mounted boom rig on a mobile base such as a conventional truck and in its working position is adapted to rest on the ground, pavement or wall structure at a controlled attitude relative thereto to guide a hydraulically powered hammer and hold an anvil against the work piece and, in its transporting position is adapted to be secured horizontally at a low level in a truck-mounted frame. The stanchion down-crowds the hammer guide to load a compression spring which maintains the anvil continuously against the work piece even after the impact force of the hammer blow is expended and the work piece advances a considerable distance.

Abstract: Cables are anchored in the ground by attaching one end of the cable to an intermediate portion of an elongated tubular member having a leading driving end with an internal abutment and a trailing end with an out turned lip on the side of the tubular member opposite the side on which the cable is attached. A driving tool inserted into the member drives into the earth in an upright position to a desired depth. The driving tool is removed from the member, the cable is tensioned to rotate the member in the earth about the lip into a position transversely of its driving position thereby forming a nonretractable anchor or support for the cable. Concrete slurry can fill the hole in the earth formed by driving the anchor into the ground with the cable surrounded by the slurry. A plug pressed into the hole compresses the slurry causing it to flow into crevices and pores in the earth surrounding the hole.

Abstract: A portable hydraulic actuated machine for driving posts, ground anchors, concrete breakers, core drills and the like work pieces into the ground, pavements, or wall structures, maintains a continuing thrust on the work piece amplified by sequential hammer blows of controlled magnitude to advance the work piece at a rapid rate without damage to the impact receiving end of the work piece. The machine includes an automotive vehicle which is easily transported to the work site and which carries a turntable supporting an upstanding tower on which rides a carriage slidably mounting a spring loaded heavy hammer, a work piece engaging spring loaded anvil struck by the hammer and hydraulical hammer lifting mechanism. The tower is easily raised and lowered, adjusted toward and away from the vehicle and tiltable laterally to present the hammer and anvil to the work piece at the exact desired location in the plane of the work piece.

Abstract: An elongated tubular ground anchor having a leading driving end with an internal impact receiving abutment and a tapered out-turned trailing end has an external cable swingably secured thereto about midway between said ends but rearwardly of the center of mass of the anchor, is guided and driven lengthwise into the ground to a desired depth by a ram entering the trailing end and impacting the abutment with the cable extending above ground from the hole in the ground formed by the anchor and driving ram. The cable is pulled or tensioned causing the trailing end of the anchor to plow into the ground forming a fulcrum to rotate or tilt the anchor from its upright driving position to an inclined position transversely of the hole and with the leading end remaining lower than the trailing end. The driving ram may be hollow and a concrete slurry pumped through the ram as it is retracted from the anchor and hole to fill the hole with the cable surrounded by the slurry.

Abstract: Posts, such as roadside delineators and sign supports are mounted upright from the ground by tubular anchors driven into the ground from their leading ends and having fins on their trailing ends embedded in the ground adjacent the surface thereof. A break-away support tube is secured in the tubular anchor to extend upright therefrom into a rigid but yieldable plastic tube with an elastic memory. The plastic tube carries a reflector, a sign, or the like at a level above ground which will attract the attention of drivers of vehicles on the roadway. The break-away tube is pierced at ground level just above the ground anchor so that when the plastic post is struck by a vehicle, the break-away tube will fracture at ground level permitting the plastic post to be forced to the ground without flying loose from the ground anchor and without springing back to damage the vehicle.

Abstract: Posts such as highway signs or reflector posts, exposed to impact by oncoming vehicles, are first anchored in the ground and then formed with a weakened fracture zone or shear section immediately above ground level by use of a pliers-type tool locked around the post and slidably mounting a punch which when struck by a hammer will pierce the post. The tool is positioned on the post to form the pierced hole facing the direction of oncoming traffic so that the post will break at ground level without leaving an upstanding segment when impacted by a vehicle. The invention includes the reuse of the post after it is broken off at ground level by driving the broken end of the post into the ground and then again using the tool to punch a hole in the post at the new ground level of the post.

Abstract: A torque fin ground anchor useful as a cable anchor or post anchor, has angled or tilted fins presenting large surface areas to the ground and radiating from a central pile which is preferably a hollow tube, with the fins preferably flat rectangles having tapered leading edges. When used as a torque fin cable anchor, a cable is attached to one of the fins through a hole located rearward of the mid point of the fin and near a lateral edge of the fin. The cable anchor is driven lengthwise into the ground, the cable is tensioned and the anchor tilted to a transverse underground maximum retention position. When used as a torque fin post anchor, it is also driven lengthwise into the ground, a post is telescoped into the tube portion and locked thereto by a clamp.

Abstract: A ground or earth anchor adapted to be driven lengthwise into the ground or placed lengthwise in a pre-dug hole in the ground and then is tilted or rotated into transverse or horizontal anchoring position by tension on a cable, rope, guy wire, rod or the like attached to the anchor. The anchor has an elongated rigid T-shaped body providing a web and two lateral flanges with a pointed leading end and down-turned sloping fins at the rear ends of the flanges causing the rear portion of the body to bite into the ground and tilt as the body is retracted. The outer or top edge of the web portion is provided with a hole to receive the cable or the like and this hole is positioned back of the longitudinal midpoint of the body so that the major area portions of the web and flanges will be ahead of the hole on the pointed end section of the body.

Abstract: A pliers-type tool for locking around a work piece such as a post and slidably mounting a punch which when struck by a hammer will pierce the work piece. The tool is especially adapted for embracing and gripping a highway delineator or sign post to prevent distortion thereof after the post is driven into the ground so that a hole is easily punched in the post adjacent ground level and facing traffic for forming a weakened fracture zone whereby the post will break at ground level without leaving an upstanding segment when impacted by a vehicle and is then fit for reuse by driving the broken end into the ground and then using the tool to punch a hole in the post at the new ground level thereof.