Security ground anchor

Abstract

A fastener apparatus, a helical augur, to provide a secure anchor of movable objects to terrestrial sub-surfaces. An inverted cone collar inserted on the upper shaft of the auger is trapped to prevent removal or lowering, but is free to rotate. A key insert is provided to lock the augur to the cone collar so that the augur can be turned in or out when the key is inserted, but cannot be turned without the key.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is substantially the same as that Provisional Application No. 61/224,480 of the title “Security Augur” filed Jul. 10, 2009 by EPS ID Number 5676611 by the same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a removable anchor designed to be turned into the ground, soil or sand, for the purpose of securing personal property. In prior art, anchors are used to tether objects to terrestrial surfaces. This invention teaches the need in the art for anchors that can be placed into the ground but need a key to allow removal of the anchor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A fastener apparatus to provide a secure anchor of movable objects to terrestrial sub-surfaces comprising a helical augur (In the drawings, Reference numbers 1 and 2) with a vertical upper shaft (Ref. 3), an inverted cone collar (Ref. 4) with a bore where said helical augur upper shaft is coaxially inserted into the bore of the inverted cone collar. The helical augur upper shaft coaxially inserted into the bore of the inverted cone collar is provided an annular gap for free coaxial rotation. The helical augur upper shaft has an outer diameter that is reduced in size along the bore of the cone collar (Ref. 5) to trap the inverted cone on the shaft, thus to prevent axial movement of the cone collar that would enable removal of the cone collar from the shaft or a lowering of the cone collar to expose the shaft. A key insert (Refs. 6,7,8,9) is provided to lock the augur shaft to the cone collar for rotation control of the augur during insertion and removal of the anchor from terrestrial sub-surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the Security Ground Anchor with the helical augur of the open screw form, inverted cone collar with permanent component part handles, and a roughly cylindrical key.

FIG. 2 shows the anchor with the augur of the helically positioned wings form, removable handles and a polygonal key.

FIG. 3 shows only the upper part of the Security Ground Anchor with permanent component part handles, and two possible alternative keys: (Ref. 8) a roughly cylindrical key with a vertical projection that drops down into a matching hole and (Ref. 9) a key in the form of an upside-down “L” pin that inserts radially through the cone collar. Note that in normal practice, only one, not both forms of keys would be used in a single Security Ground Anchor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above, the present invention is an anchor designed to be turned into the ground, soil or sand, for the purpose of securing moveable objects. Security is enabled by a mechanism designed to disconnect the shaft of the augur from the handles (Refs. 10, 11) on an inverted cone collar used to rotate the augur into the ground. Thus, the inverted cone collar rotates freely and the anchor cannot be removed using the handles. The items connected to the anchor are secured because the anchor can no longer be easily removed. As examples of use: a bicycle can be secured to an open meadow, a dinghy can be secured to a sandy beach, a picnic basket can be secured to a grassy section of a park, a yard ornament can be secured to garden soil, a tent can be secured to the ground in a campsite, a workman's tool chest can be secured to the graded material in a construction site, a surveyor's tripod can be secured to a road bank, a temporary signpost can be secured to a gravel road bed, a kayak can be secured to a sandbar, or a dog leash can be secured to a lawn. As turned into the ground, the upper part of the anchor consists of a straight shaft (Ref. 3). The straight shaft is usually a round stock or tubular form, similar to the upper shaft of a large wood screw without a head. Alternatively, the cross section of the straight shaft may be other than round. For example, the straight shaft may have a square or rectangular cross section. The lower part of the anchor consists of either: (a) a helical section forming an open screw form, similar to a large version of that type of open corkscrew that is formed of a single wire (Ref. 1), or (b) helically positioned wings or threads formed onto a straight shaft, similar to a large wood screw with threads positioned around a straight shaft (Ref. 2). The helically positioned wings or threads may extend for only a portion of the straight shaft. In either version, the augur is turned into the ground by turning the shaft, much like a wood screw is drawn into wood, or a corkscrew is turned into a cork.

This patent teaches a method of defeating removal of the anchor by allowing the handles (inverted cone) to rotate freely. A key is necessary to lock the inverted cone collar to the augur shaft to rotate the augur out of the terrestrial surface. The disconnect mechanism is an inverted cone collar (Ref. 4), placed around the shaft of the augur so that the central axis of the inverted cone collar is concentric with the central axis of the round shaft. That is, the inverted cone collar slips over the shaft like a cylindrical bushing or bearing slips over a round shaft or axle. The vertical shaft is a bearing surface within the bore of the cone collar. The top surface of the inverted cone collar is flush with or above the top surface of the shaft. That is, the top of the shaft does not extend vertically above the inverted cone collar. Thus, an attempt to turn the shaft with a gripping device like pliers or a wrench is defeated by the position of the inverted cone collar wrapping around the shaft preventing the gripping device from getting a purchase on the shaft. The inverted cone collar rotates freely until the shaft and the collar are connected. Thus, an attempt to turn the shaft for the purpose of rotating out the augur is defeated by the free rotation of the inverted cone collar, much like a “theft resistant lug nut” on an automobile wheel defeats an attempt to remove the lug nut by rotating freely when a wrench is engaged. Similarly, an attempt to turn the shaft of the augur will be defeated by the free rotation of the inverted cone collar, whether engaged by a wrench, a gripping mechanism such as pliers, or by a hand. The cone collar may fit relatively tightly onto the shaft at its lower extremity, thus rotating freely without wobbling. At its upper extremity, the cone collar may not fit tightly onto the shaft, but still closely enough that a gripping mechanism, such as pliers or a wrench, cannot easily grip the shaft. The inverted cone collar may be secured to the shaft in such a way that it cannot be moved in an axial direction. That is, the inverted cone collar cannot be moved up or down the shaft more than a minor distance. The restraining mechanisms can be clip rings, jam nuts, pins, or other devices that surround the shaft or pin the shaft in such a way as to prevent the removal or movement of the inverted cone collar either up or down the shaft. The diameter of the shaft may be reduced to trap the restraining mechanisms (Ref. 5).

One or two handles are connected to the collar in a way to allow hand rotation of the cone collar. The handles are either a permanent component part of the cone collar (Ref. 10), or a removable handle or handles inserted into the cone collar (Ref. 11). As a permanent component part, the handle or handles can be extensions of the cone collar material in a radial direction, like a “T” handle” or an “upside-down L” handle. Alternatively, the removable handles can be one or two inserts in the form of shafts or spikes inserted into the cone collar in a radial direction, once again forming a “T” handle or “upside-down L” handle. The only difference between the two versions of handles is that the first is fixed, integral with the cone collar, while the second is removable. Both serve the purpose of providing a radial gripping surface for turning the cone collar much like a tee handle on a socket wrench shaft provides a means of turning the socket. The cone collar and handle combination are a tapered form with the smallest diameter at the bottom, the largest diameter at the top. The smallest diameter at the bottom is only slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft. By tapering the cone collar and handle combination, with no significant ledge or shoulder, any attempt to dislodge the anchor by placing a lever under the cone collar and handle combination will be defeated. The lever will slip harmlessly to the side, unable to grip the cone collar and handle. In the case of a removable handle or handles, the attempt to lever out the anchor is defeated when the handles are removed from the cone collar and put in a location inaccessible to a potential thief.

A “key’ is inserted into the joint between the cone collar and the shaft of the augur to reconnect the two components and allowing the handles to once again turn the shaft of the augur, permitting removal of the anchor. The “key” takes one of several forms:

a) A roughly cylindrical (Ref. 6) or polygonal (Ref. 7) key insert that slips over the top end of the shaft (Refs. 12, 13) and inside the cone collar, much like a thrust bearing slips over the top of a shaft and inside of the bearing cap. The key thus fills part or all of the space between the outside surface of the shaft and the inside of the cone collar. In this alternative, the uppermost section of the shaft will be shaped in a form other than round. For examples, the uppermost section of the shaft may have a keyway cut into it, or the upper most section of the shaft may be machined to form a half shaft with a semi-circular cross section (Ref. 12), or the upper most section of the shaft may be machined into a splined shaft form (Ref. 13). Similarly, the inner surface of the cone collar will be shaped in a form other than round. By filling part or all of the space between outside of the shaft and the inside of the cone collar, the key “mates” the two surfaces, in effect gripping both surfaces in such a way that one cannot turn without turning the other. Thus, when the handle or handles turns the cone collar, the shaft is turned. This patent teaches that a security key can have a variety of shapes, thus preventing use of one key in another anchor. This first alternative is somewhat more vulnerable in that an object, such as a screwdriver, might be inserted into the space in an attempt to get a purchase on both the shaft and the inside of the cone collar at the same time. Such an effort can be thwarted by making the surfaces in rounded forms rather than angular forms. Thus the inserted object will tend to roll off the shaft and cone collar without getting a firm grip on both at the same time.

b) A roughly cylindrical key insert (Ref. 8) that, again, fills part or all of the space between the outside surface of the shaft and the inside surface of the cone collar. In this alternative, the uppermost section of the shaft, again, will be shaped in a form other than round. For examples, the uppermost section of the shaft may have a keyway cut into it, or the upper most section of the shaft may be machined to form a half shaft with a semi-circular cross section, or the shaft may be machined into a splined shaft form. In this alternative, the inside surface of the cone collar, unlike alternative (a) above, will remain a smooth cylindrical form. This is done to defeat an attempt to turn the shaft by inserting an object, such as a screwdriver, into the space between the shaft and the collar. Such an object will just spin freely within the smooth inner walls of the cone collar. In this alternative, the key will conform to the form of the shaft, but spin freely within the cone collar. To engage the shaft to the cone collar, the key will extend above the surface of the cone collar, radially from the shaft extending out over the top of the cone collar. This key will engage the cone collar in such a way that the cone collar will turn the key, thus turning the shaft. The engagement mechanism of the key to the cone collar can be one of a large number of alternatives. For examples, the key can have vertical projections dropping down into matching holes (Ref. 14) or cutouts in the top surface of the cone collar, or the key can have an arm that fits into a groove cut in the top surface of the cone collar, or the key can have a projection that fits alongside the outside perimeter of the cone collar into a matching cutout. The precise mechanism of engagement of the key to the cone collar is unimportant provided that the key makes a firm contact with the cone collar so that the cone collar turns the shaft. Again, this patent teaches that a security key can have a variety of shapes, thus preventing the use of one key in another anchor.

c) In this alternative, the key consists of a pin that inserts radially through the cone collar into or along side the shaft (Ref. 9). In this alternative, the shaft will be drilled or otherwise penetrated, or will be machined with a groove or cutaway along one surface. The key, like a pin, will slide into, through or alongside the shaft. By pinning the cone collar to the shaft, much like a cotter pin will pin a nut to a bolt, or a shear pin will pin a pulley to a shaft, the cone collar will turn the shaft. In this alternative, the shape of the key, in the form of a pin, will be important to provide security. The path of the key, that is, the key hole or keyway, may be radially cut through the greater diameter of the cone collar, that is, near the top. By being longer, the keyway will be more difficult to penetrate by device such as a nail or a screwdriver. The key itself may be shaped in as a thin strap, or may be tapered, or may be “L” or “T” or “Z” shaped, as examples. In this way, an unauthorized attempt to connect the cone collar to the shaft by inserting a screwdriver, a nail or a similar implement will be defeated by the unusual shape of the keyhole or keyway and by its extreme length. For example, a nail inserted into the keyway may too short and too thick to reach through the cone collar and into the shaft. A screwdriver may be long enough to reach the distance, but too thick in cross-section to extend into the shaft.

Additionally, a sleeve (Ref. 15) may be fitted onto the vertical upper shaft of the augur, below the cone collar and above the helical augur. This sleeve also has an annular gap, allowing free rotation. Thus, a potential thief who tries to turn the augur by gripping the shaft below the cone collar is prevented because the gripping device, like pliers, will only turn the sleeve, not the shaft.

This patent teaches that a simple method of disconnecting and reconnecting a cone collar and handle to the shaft of an augur turned into the ground can create a relatively theft proof security system by attaching personal property to the anchor by means of a cable, chain, strap, or similar device (Ref. 16). The exact method of attaching the cable, chain or strap to the anchor is unimportant. Provided that the cable, chain or strap is connected to the anchor in such a way as to be relatively difficult to remove, the anchor provides a measure of security for the personal property, when a more convenient attachment point, such as a tree, a fence post, or a handrail is not available. Only by digging up the anchor, or by cutting the cable, chain or strap, can the personal property be taken. Like the deterrent to a potential thief of a cable, chain or strap that is difficult and time consuming to cut, a Security Ground Anchor that is turned into the ground and not easily removed will be a deterrent to a potential thief. In the event that a potential thief attempts to lever out the Security Ground Anchor by wrapping the cable, chain or strap around a large lever, such as a long board or pipe, and then hoisting, this effort can be defeated by combining an inflexible strap or rod, such as a steel strap or a round rod, between the anchor and the property. This strap or rod addition, not a necessary part of this patent, can reduce the incidence of theft by making a levered removal more difficult.

It is to be understood that the spirit of the invention is maintained despite minor shape changes or fastening methods.

Claims

1. A fastener apparatus to provide a secure anchor of movable objects to terrestrial sub-surfaces comprising: a helical augur with a vertical upper shaft; and an inverted cone collar with a bore; and said helical augur upper shaft coaxially inserted into the bore of the inverted cone collar.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said helical augur upper shaft coaxially inserted into the bore of the inverted cone collar is provided an annular gap for free coaxial rotation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said helical augur upper shaft is provided with an outer diameter reduced in size to trap the inverted cone collar on the shaft to prevent axial movement of the cone that would enable removal of the cone collar from the shaft or a lowering of the cone collar to expose the shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wherein the said helical augur upper shaft coaxially inserted into the bore of the inverted cone collar is provided a key insert to lock the augur to the cone collar for rotational control of the augur during insertion and removal of the anchor from terrestrial sub-surfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein moveable objects are trapped between the terrestrial surface and the bottom of the cone collar or are restrained by a tether attached to the anchor below the inverted cone collar.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a freely rotating sleeve is installed on the vertical upper shaft between the bottom of the cone collar and the upper part of the helical augur.