Ground anchor system and method for a sports goal and the like

Abstract

A ground anchor system for anchoring an article, such as a sports goal, bench or the like, to an underlying ground surface. The ground anchor includes an elongate body capable of being embedded within concrete within a hole in the ground and has an anchor and locking plate assembly secured to an upper end thereof. A separate anchor pin is removably securable to the anchor and locking plate assembly. The anchor pin has a knob at one end that is grippable by hand and can be manually placed into a locking position without the use of a separate tool in which the anchor pin is secured to the anchor and locking plate assembly. The anchor pin can also be manually positioned into an unlocking position in which the anchor pin is freely removable from the anchor and locking plate assembly.

1 . A ground anchor for anchoring an article, such as a sports goal or bench, to an underlying ground surface, comprising: 
 an elongate body having upper and lower ends, said body adapted to being embedded within concrete within the ground;    at least one plate secured to said upper end of said elongate body; and    an anchor pin removably securable to said at least one plate;    said anchor pin having a handle at one end thereof that is grippable by hand, without the use of a separate tool, for manual placement of said anchor pin in a locking position in which said anchor pin is secured to said at least one plate and an unlocking position in which said anchor pin is releasable from said at least one plate.    
   
   
       2 . A ground anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein said anchor pin comprises an elongate shaft with said handle located on said proximal end of said shaft and a locking head on said distal end of said shaft.  
   
   
       3 . A ground anchor according to  claim 2 , wherein said locking head is rotatable within said elongate body about a longitudinal axis of said shaft to position said anchor pin between said locking and unlocking positions.  
   
   
       4 . A ground anchor according to  claim 3 , wherein said anchor pin has a spring mounted on said shaft between said distal and proximal ends for resiliently maintaining said anchor pin in is said locking position.  
   
   
       5 . A ground anchor according to  claim 4 , wherein said spring is a coil spring extending about said shaft.  
   
   
       6 . A ground anchor according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one plate has a keyway extending transversely therethrough through which said locking head of said anchor pin is extendable.  
   
   
       7 . A ground anchor according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least one plate has an underside having a recess that extends only partially through a thickness of said at least one plate and that is angularly offset from said keyway.  
   
   
       8 . A ground anchor according to  claim 7 , wherein, when said anchor pin is positioned in said locking position, said locking head of said anchor pin is seated within said recess and is maintained within said recess under forces of said spring whereby said locking head is prevented from rotating into alignment with said keyway.  
   
   
       9 . A ground anchor according to  claim 8 , wherein said at least one plate includes a locking plate secured to an underside of a separate anchor plate, wherein said keyway extends through both said anchor plate and said locking plate, and wherein said recess extends only through said locking plate.  
   
   
       10 . A ground anchor according to  claim 8 , wherein said at least one plate is formed as an integral piece.  
   
   
       11 . A ground anchor according to  claim 8 , wherein said ground anchor includes a base plate secured to said lower end of said elongate body, and wherein said elongate body is hollow.  
   
   
       12 . A sports goal assembly, comprising: 
 a goal frame defining a goal mouth and supporting a goal net;    at least one ground anchor secured in the ground beneath said goal frame; and    an anchor pin for removably securing said goal frame to said ground anchor;    said anchor pin having a handle at one end thereof that is hand grippable for manually positioning said anchor pin without the use of a separate tool in a locking position in which said goal frame is secured to said ground anchor and an unlocking position in which said goal frame is disconnected from said ground anchor.    
   
   
       13 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said anchor pin comprises an elongate shaft with said handle located on said proximal end of said shaft and a locking head on said distal end of said shaft, and wherein said anchor pin is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of said shaft to position said anchor pin between said locking position and said unlocking position.  
   
   
       14 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said anchor pin has a spring mounted on said shaft between said distal and proximal ends for resiliently maintaining said anchor pin in said locking position when said anchor pin is positioned in said locking position.  
   
   
       15 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said ground anchor includes an anchor plate with a keyway through which said locking head of said anchor pin is extendable, and wherein, when said anchor pin is rotated into said locking position, said locking head of said anchor pin is offset relative to said keyway and is prevented from passing through said anchor plate.  
   
   
       16 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said ground anchor includes a locking plate located beneath said anchor plate, said locking plate having a first keyway aligned with said keyway of said anchor plate through which said locking head of said anchor pin is extendable and a second keyway angularly offset relative to said keyway of said anchor plate.  
   
   
       17 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein, when said anchor pin is positioned in said locking position, said locking head of said anchor pin is seated within said second keyway of said locking plate, is maintained within said second keyway via forces exerted by said spring, and is prevented from rotating out of said locking position via said locking plate.  
   
   
       18 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said ground anchor includes an elongate body having an upper end and a lower end, and wherein said anchor plate and locking plate are located at said upper end and a base plate is secured to said lower end.  
   
   
       19 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said body of said ground anchor is embedded within concrete within the ground beneath said goal frame.  
   
   
       20 . A sports goal assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said goal frame has at least one horizontal rail section that extends along and parallel to the ground and that has at least one slot through which said locking head and shaft of said anchor pin is extendable and in which said shaft of said anchor pin is rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said anchor pin.  
   
   
       21 . A method of removably anchoring a sports goal frame to an underlying ground surface, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a section of goal frame over a ground anchor embedded within the ground;    grasping a knob-shaped end of a proximal end of an anchor pin by hand and inserting a distal end of the anchor pin through a slot in the goal frame and through a keyway in a plate of the ground anchor such that a spring extending about a shaft of the anchor pin is compressed between the proximal end of the anchor pin and the goal frame;    rotating the anchor pin about the longitudinal axis of the anchor pin so that the distal end of the anchor pin is aligned with a recess formed on an underside of the plate; and    releasing the anchor pin to permit the spring to expand and cause the distal end of the anchor pin to be seated and captured within the recess.    
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of grasping the knob-shaped end of the anchor pin, exerting a downward force thereon to compress the spring, and thereafter, rotating the anchor pin such that the distal end is aligned with the keyway for removal of the anchor pin from the ground anchor.