Taco Shell Earth Anchor

Abstract

An earth anchor has the general shape of a taco shell. First and second sidewalls are disposed in transversely spaced apart relation to one another and are interconnected to one another by a bottom wall. An opening is formed in each sidewall, near a top edge of each sidewall and the distal end of an elongate cable, strap, or rope engages each opening. The proximal end of the cable, strap, or rope is secured to an item to be secured against high winds. The earth anchor is driven into the earth and soil between the sidewalls and the bottom wall becomes a structural component of the earth anchor, reinforcing the breaking strength of the anchor and preventing retraction of the earth anchor from the soil.

1 . An earth anchor adapted to be driven a predetermined distance below an earth surface and deployed into an operative position, comprising: a pair of substantially flat sidewalls disposed in confronting, transversely spaced apart relation to one another; a bottom wall disposed in interconnecting relation to respective bottom edges of said sidewalls; a first engagement means formed in a first sidewall of said pair of sidewalls; a second engagement means formed in a second sidewall of said pair of sidewalls; said first and second engagement means adapted to be engaged by a distal end of an elongate cable means; said elongate cable means having a proximal end adapted to be secured to an item that requires holding during high wind speed weather conditions, said item being positioned above said earth surface; said first and second sidewalls being at least slightly displaced toward one another when an external force directed towards said item is applied to each engagement means, said displacement compressing soil between said sidewalls and said bottom wall so that said soil becomes a reinforcing structural element for said sidewalls and said bottom wall and soil contiguous therewith prevents retraction of said earth anchor from its operative position beneath said earth surface.  
   
   
       2 . The earth anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising: said first sidewall having a central part having a curved top edge; said central part of said first sidewall being flanked by integrally formed walls having inclined edges that extend from said bottom wall to said curved top edge of said central part of said first sidewall; said second sidewall having a central part having a curved top edge; said central part of said second sidewall being flanked by integrally formed walls having inclined edges that extend from said bottom wall to said curved top edge of said central part of said second sidewall; said first engagement means being formed in said central part of said first sidewall; said second engagement means being formed in said central part of said second sidewall; and said first and second engagement means being formed substantially mid-length of said earth anchor, in offset relation to a mid-point of said earth anchor.  
   
   
       3 . The earth anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising: said first sidewall having a central part having a substantially flat top edge; said central part of said first sidewall being flanked by integrally formed walls having inclined edges that extend from said bottom wall to said substantially flat top edge of said central part of said first sidewall; said second sidewall having a central part having a substantially flat top edge; said central part of said second sidewall being flanked by integrally formed walls having inclined edges that extend from said bottom wall to said substantially flat top edge of said central part of said second sidewall; said first engagement means being formed in said central part of said first sidewall; said second engagement means being formed in said central part of said second sidewall; and said first and second engagement means being formed substantially mid-length of said earth anchor, in offset relation to a mid-point of said earth anchor.  
   
   
       4 . The earth anchor of  claim 2 , further comprising: said first engagement means being an aperture formed in said central part of said first sidewall near said curved top edge; and said second engagement means being an aperture formed in said central part of said second sidewall near said curved top edge.  
   
   
       5 . The earth anchor of  claim 3 , further comprising: said first engagement means being an aperture formed in said central part of said first sidewall near said substantially flat top edge; and said second engagement means being an aperture formed in said central part of said second sidewall near said substantially flat top edge.  
   
   
       6 . The earth anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising: a slight concavity formed in said bottom wall; said slight concavity being symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of said bottom wall.  
   
   
       7 . The earth anchor of  claim 6 , further comprising: a louver formed in said bottom wall; said louver being angled away from an interior of said earth anchor; said louver having a slight concave curvature along its longitudinal extent that matches the concave curvature of said bottom wall.  
   
   
       8 . The earth anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising: said first sidewall being disposed relative to said bottom wall at an angle slightly more than ninety degrees (90°); said second sidewall being disposed relative to said bottom wall at an angle slightly more than ninety degrees (90°); said central part of said first sidewall and said central part of said second sidewall therefore being spaced further apart from one another than a width of said bottom wall.  
   
   
       9 . The earth anchor of  claim 8 , further comprising: said first sidewall being disposed relative to said bottom wall at an angle of about one hundred degrees (100°); said second sidewall being disposed relative to said bottom wall at an angle of about one hundred degrees (100°).  
   
   
       10 . The earth anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising: an elongate cable means following a path of travel so that said cable means has a proximal end secured to an item to be secured, and a distal end that sequentially extends through said first engagement means, around said bottom wall in overlying relation thereto, through said second engagement means, and is secured to said cable means at a preselected location proximal to said earth anchor.  
   
   
       11 . The earth anchor of  claim 10 , further comprising: said first and second engagement means being positioned so that they are in spaced relation to a mid-point of said anchor on a common side of said mid-point; whereby when tension is applied to said cable means, said earth anchor pivots from a first position where a longitudinal axis of the earth anchor is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said strap means to a second, deployed position where the longitudinal axis of the earth anchor is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable means.