Apparatus and System for Reinforcing Poles
This disclosure relates to apparatuses and systems for reinforcing poles. In particular, it relates to reinforcement apparatuses and their use in bridging or splinting decaying or rotting vertical poles, especially wooden utility poles, in which the apparatuses have inward angled flanges.
1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to apparatuses and systems for reinforcing poles. In particular, it relates to reinforcement apparatuses and their use in bridging or splinting decaying or rotting vertical poles, especially wooden utility poles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power lines and various other public utilities, such as cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers are traditionally supported by long poles. Typically, these utility poles are made of wood and have a length of about 40 feet, which enables the lines and wires to remain overhead and significantly above the street and ground level. These utility poles withstand not only the weight of the cables, wires and attached transformers, but must also withstand the strong transverse gusts of wind. As a result, these long wooden poles are typically buried about six (6) feet under ground and pressure-treated with a preservative for protection against rot, fungi and insects.
After some years in service, however, wooden utility poles tend to experience decay and rotting just below and/or slightly above ground level. Also, a utility pole may become damaged from other means, such as a car accident or lightning. This decay or damage often structurally weakens the pole, such that the pole may not be sufficiently strong to withstand the transverse wind and wire tensions. Under these conditions, wind forces can result in a pole breaking and toppling, sometimes without warning.
Therefore, it is necessary to replace older wooden poles periodically. Replacing poles, however, is a very costly and inefficient process. Because the wires need to be removed when replacing the poles, oftentimes, the replacement results in an interruption of utility and/or cable service for individuals in the area. Furthermore, the demand for replacement poles, in combination with the demand for new poles, has become increasingly difficult to meet. This demand presents environmental concerns related to deforestation and the potentially toxic effects of preservative chemicals used to treat the poles.
Pole reinforcing or reinstatement has been commonly used for these affected in-service rotting, decaying, or damaged poles, which would otherwise require a new pole replacement, resulting in substantial savings while still greatly extending pole life. This technique involves a high strength elongated steel member (referred to as a “reinforcement apparatus”) driven beside a pole into the ground for some depth and above the grade for some length. The reinforcement apparatus is designed such that it extends along and flush against the pole, and is then coupled to the pole, in effect splinting or bridging across the weakened area of the pole. This design and technique provides the pole with support against transverse wind forces and wire tensions.
These prior designs and techniques, however, have problems of their own. For example, prior reinforcement apparatuses have flanges turning outward from the center of the reinforcement apparatus. As a result, the installed reinforcement apparatus has often consumed and monopolized an unnecessarily large portion of the pole. Also, when a distal force, such as coupling, was applied to the apparatus, there has been a concern that the apparatus may wrap itself around the utility pole. Furthermore, these prior known reinforcement apparatuses have been essentially linear. When driven into the ground, the linear design has led to the reinforcement apparatus being forced away from the pole upon installation. Both the outward flange and the linear reinforcement apparatus further result in a weak connection with the pole and thus often require additional parts to secure the reinforcement apparatus thereto.
Accordingly, there is a need for a stronger and more efficient apparatus and system for reinforcing utility poles.
SUMMARYThe following is a summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The sole purpose of this section is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
Because of these and other problems in the art, described herein are, among other things, an apparatus and method for reinforcing poles.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the apparatus for reinforcing a pole comprises an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length there between and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length therebetween. The elongated member further has a main body comprises of a back wall and two edge walls extending from the back wall; two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section. In this embodiment, the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees. Moreover, the elongated member has a trough shape down the vertical length.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement apparatus described above has a main body for the elongated member which is an open polygonal shape. Further, that main body has at least five (5) sides and may comprise between five (5) and eleven (11) sides.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the cross-section of the elongated member of the reinforcement apparatus described above has an axis of symmetry midway between the flanges and through the main body. Further, the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the top end of the elongated member can be greater than the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the bottom end of the elongated member such that the elongated member is tapered on the distal side.
In another embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement apparatus comprises an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length there between and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length therebetween. Further, the elongated member having an open polygonal shaped main body comprised of at least three sides including: a back wall and two edge walls extending from the back wall; two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section. In this embodiment, the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees. Moreover, the elongated member is open on the proximal side.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement apparatus described above has a cross-section for the elongated member with an axis of symmetry midway between the flanges and through the main body.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement apparatus described above has a length between the proximal side and the distal side at the top end of the elongated member which is greater than the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the bottom end of the elongated member such that the elongated member is tapered on the distal side. The main body can have at least five (5) sides and may comprise between five (5) and eleven (11) sides.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, there exists a system for reinforcing a utility pole, with that system comprising a utility pole and a reinforcement apparatus secured to the utility pole for reinforcing the utility pole. This reinforcement apparatus can be like those described above. More specifically, the reinforcement apparatus may comprise an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length there between and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length therebetween. The elongated member further has a main body comprises of a back wall and two edge walls extending from the back wall; two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section. In this embodiment, the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees. Moreover, the elongated member has a trough shape down the vertical length. In such a system, the reinforcement apparatus can be secured to the utility pole with banding, made of steel or other sufficiently strong materials.
The following detailed description illustrates by way of example and not by way of limitation. This present disclosure describes a simple apparatus used to reinforce poles. Generally, the apparatus disclosed herein is defined as a reinforcement apparatus and essentially comprises a single main component part—an elongated member. This member is partially driven into the ground flush against the utility pole and then coupled to a utility pole by banding in order to reinforce the pole. As used herein, utility pole is synonymous with telephone pole. Although the embodiments described herein will generally be focused on the apparatus's use in reinforcing utility poles, it should be recognized that the apparatus has application to any other pole, including flagpoles, lampposts, traffic poles and the like.
As will be described more fully, in an embodiment, the elongated member has a proximal side and a distal side. As used herein, the term proximal side according to the present invention is that side of the elongated member which is flush against the utility pole and, as described more fully below, is the open side of the elongated member with the flanges and forming the trough shape down the vertical length. The distal side, on the other hand, is the side opposite the proximal side. These terms (proximal and distal) have the same meanings when viewing the embodiments from either a side view or a cross-sectional view. The elongated member also has a top end and a bottom end, with the bottom end driven into the ground and the top end above the ground.
Generally, in an embodiment, the elongated member has a cross-section with a main body between a pair of symmetrical flanges with the flanges angled inward toward the center of the main body. As will be described in more detail below, the main body is thus an open shape, making the elongated member a trough shape down the vertical length, and can take a variety of forms. Preferably, though, the main body is an open polygonal shape, defined herein such that the main body is open on the proximal side and generally in the shape of a half of a polygon, with varying number of sides, and in the form of a trough down the vertical length of the elongated member. The main body and the two flanges are preferably substantially symmetrical, such that a line of axis, midway between the two flanges, splits the main body and the flanges into two substantially mirrored-images. While not essential, the symmetrical nature of the main body aids in creating a stronger, more durable and rigid elongated member as the force between the utility pole and the elongated member is exerted more uniformly throughout the elongated member.
Referring now to the drawings,
In a preferred operation, the reinforcement apparatus (15) is driven into the ground level (13) and positioned flush against the utility pole (10) with some length of the reinforcement apparatus (15) above the ground level (13) and some length below the ground level (13), in effect bridging or splinting the utility pole (10) at its weakest point at the ground level (13). The reinforcement apparatus (15) is comprised of an elongated member (20) with a pointed bottom end (22) to aid in driving the reinforcement apparatus (15) in the ground (14). Typically, the reinforcement apparatus (15) is placed flush against the pole (10) and driven into the ground level (13) and parallel to the pole (10). Furthermore, when viewed from the side, as depicted in
A preferred length of the reinforcement apparatus (15) suitable for most applications is approximately ten (10) feet. In a preferred method, the reinforcement apparatus (15) is inserted approximately five (5) feet below the ground level (13), with the remaining five feet above the ground level (13). These lengths (i.e., the length of the apparatus and length above and below ground level), however, are by no means necessary and one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that other lengths would be suitable and could depend on the application. For example, the length of the reinforcement apparatus (15) may be shorter or longer depending on the associated length of the utility pole (10). Furthermore, the length of insertion of the reinforcement apparatus (15) into the ground (14) could vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, such as the surface material of the ground level (13) and the ground (14) generally (e.g., mud, concrete, rocks, etc.), the amount of reinforcement needed, and time and costs available for insertion.
The elongated member (20) of the reinforcement apparatus (15) is also preferably made from a single steel alloy sheet having a yield strength on the order of approximately 60,000 psi. This single steel alloy sheet generally has a thickness between 1 and 10 mm, and preferably between 2 and 8 mm. The steel sheet is then cut and molded in the above and below described configurations. Again, however, the type of material (steel) and the specific strength are by no means necessary. Instead, the type of material and the strength should merely be sufficient to withstand the forces exerted on the utility pole (e.g., transverse winds and wire tension), and may include other metals or high strength plastic, as one of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate.
Once underground, the reinforcement apparatus (15) is secured to the utility pole (10), preferably with banding (16). As depicted in the
Returning now to
As noted above, the bottom end (22) of the elongated member (20) is also preferably pointed. As shown in
Turning now to
The main body (30) can take a variety of different forms. Preferably, the form of the cross-section is an open polygonal shape, as shown in
In the embodiment in
In each of the open polygonal shapes of the embodiments in
While the open polygonal shape is preferred, it is by no means necessary, as one of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate. For example, the main body (30) could also alternatively take the form of a semi-circle, with the back wall (32) smoothly connecting with the two edge walls (31) to form an arc, as shown in
In addition, in another embodiment, a plate (50) may be added and attached on the distal side (24) of the elongated member (20). Generally, this plate (50) runs the entire length of the elongated member (20), but this is by no means necessary. Preferably, this plate (50) is attached to the back wall (32) of the main body (30) in any of the above described open polygonal shapes, as shown in
Once driven into the ground (14) and flush against the utility pole (10), the reinforcement apparatus (15) is secured to the utility pole (10), preferably with banding (16). As shown in
While the invention has been disclosed in conjunction with a description of certain embodiments, including those that are currently believed to be the preferred embodiments, the detailed description is intended to be illustrative and should not be understood to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, embodiments other than those described in detail herein are encompassed by the present invention. Modifications and variations of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A reinforcement apparatus for reinforcing a pole, the reinforcement apparatus comprising:
- an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length there between and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length therebetween;
- the elongated member having: a main body comprised of: a back wall; and two edge walls extending from the back wall; and two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section;
- wherein the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees; and
- wherein the elongated member has a trough shape down the vertical length.
2. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the top end of the elongated member is greater than the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the bottom end of the elongated member such that the elongated member is tapered on the distal side.
3. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 2 wherein the main body is an open polygonal shape.
4. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 3 wherein the open polygonal shaped main body comprises at least 5 sides.
5. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 4 wherein the open polygonal shaped main body comprises between 5 and 11 sides.
6. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cross-section of the elongated member has an axis of symmetry midway between the flanges and through the main body.
7. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 6 wherein the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the top end of the elongated member is greater than the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the bottom end of the elongated member such that the elongated member is tapered on the distal side.
8. A reinforcement apparatus for reinforcing a pole, the reinforcement apparatus comprising:
- an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length there between and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length therebetween;
- the elongated member having: an open polygonal shaped main body comprised of at least three sides including: a back wall; and two edge walls extending from the back wall; two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section;
- wherein the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees; and
- wherein the elongated member is open on the proximal side.
9. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 8 wherein the cross-section of the elongated member has an axis of symmetry midway between the flanges and through the main body.
10. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 8 wherein the horizontal length between the proximal side and the distal side at the top end of the elongated member is greater than the horizontal length between the proximal and the distal side at the bottom end of the elongated member such that the elongated member is tapered on the distal side.
11. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 10 wherein the open polygonal shaped main body comprises at least 5 sides.
12. The reinforcement apparatus of claim 11 wherein the open polygonal shaped main body comprises between 5 and 11 sides.
13. A system for reinforcing a utility pole, the system comprising:
- a utility pole; and
- a reinforcement apparatus secured to the utility pole for reinforcing the utility pole, the reinforcement apparatus comprising: an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end and a vertical length therebetween and a proximal side and distal side with a horizontal length there between; the elongated member having: a main body comprised of: a back wall; and two edge walls extending from the back wall; and two flanges, each of the flanges connected together with an edge wall; and an open horizontal cross-section; wherein the flanges are angled inward toward the back wall such that the angle between the flanges and the edge walls is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees; and wherein the elongated member has a trough shape down the vertical length.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the reinforcement apparatus is secured to the utility pole with banding.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein the banding is comprised of steel.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 30, 2010
Publication Date: May 31, 2012
Inventor: Tony Blaylock (Ballwin, MO)
Application Number: 12/956,871
International Classification: E04B 1/92 (20060101); E02D 27/42 (20060101);