Lateral support device

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a lateral support device for an anchor embedded in the ground includes a central body defining an interior channel sized to receive the embedded anchor. The lateral support device also includes a plurality of fins coupled to and extending outwardly away from the central body. The central body and plurality of fins are embeddable within the ground to position the embedded anchor within the interior channel.

1 . A lateral support device for an anchor embedded in the ground, comprising:
 a central body defining an interior channel sized to receive the embedded anchor; and   a plurality of fins coupled to and extending outwardly away from the central body;   wherein the central body and plurality of fins are embeddable within the ground to position the embedded anchor within the interior channel.   
     
     
         2 . The lateral support device of  claim 1 , wherein when the central body and plurality of fins are embedded in the ground to position the embedded anchor within the interior channel, lateral loads on the embedded anchor are transferred to the central body, from the central body to the plurality of fins, and from the plurality of fins to the ground. 
     
     
         3 . The lateral support device of  claim 1 , wherein the central body has an elongate tubular shape and each of the plurality of fins extends along an entire length of the central body, each fin being substantially parallel to the length of the central body. 
     
     
         4 . The lateral support device of  claim 3 , wherein each fin comprises a leading edge angled relative to the length of the central body. 
     
     
         5 . The lateral support device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are positioned about an outer periphery of the central body equidistantly apart from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The lateral support device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fins extends substantially transversely away from the central body. 
     
     
         7 . An anchoring system, comprising:
 an anchor embeddable into the ground; and   a lateral support sleeve comprising an anchor receptacle, the lateral support sleeve being embeddable into the ground about the anchor such that the anchor is positioned within the anchor receptacle, wherein the lateral support sleeve comprises a plurality of fins.   
     
     
         8 . The anchoring system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fins each extends substantially parallel to the anchor when the anchor and lateral support sleeve are embedded into the ground. 
     
     
         9 . The anchoring system of  claim 7 , wherein a cross-sectional size and shape of the anchor receptacle is substantially the same as a cross-sectional size and shape of the anchor such that when the anchor is positioned within the anchor receptacle the anchor is in substantial contact with the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         10 . The anchoring system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of a cross-sectional size and shape of the anchor receptacle is different than at least one of a cross-sectional size and shape of the anchor such that a gap is definable between the anchor and the anchor receptacle when the anchor is positioned within the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The anchoring system of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of anchors embeddable into the ground and a plurality of lateral support sleeves each being embeddable into the ground about a respective one of the plurality of anchors. 
     
     
         12 . A method for installing an anchoring system, comprising:
 removably coupling an installation tool to an anchor embedded in the ground;   movably coupling a lateral support device to the installation tool;   while movably coupled to the installation tool, driving the lateral support device into the ground about the embedded anchor; and   after driving the lateral support device about the embedded anchor, removing the installation tool from the anchor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lateral support device comprises an anchor receptacle and a plurality of fins extending away from the anchor receptacle, and wherein movably coupling the lateral support device to the installation tool comprises inserting the installation tool into the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein driving the lateral support device into the ground about the embedded anchor comprises inserting the embedded anchor into the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising positioning a grout-like material between the embedded anchor and the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein inserting the embedded anchor into the anchor receptacle comprises press-fitting the embedded anchor into the anchor receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when removably coupled to the embedded anchor, the installation tool is aligned with and extends substantially parallel to the embedded anchor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein driving the lateral support device comprises moving the lateral support device along the installation tool, the installation tool maintaining the lateral support device in alignment with the embedded anchor as the lateral support device moves along the installation tool. 
     
     
         19 . A tower foundation system, comprising:
 a base;   a plurality of anchors coupleable to the base and embeddable into the ground to secure the base to the ground; and   a plurality of lateral support sleeves each securable to a respective one of the plurality of anchors, each lateral support sleeve being embeddable into the ground about the respective anchor, wherein each lateral support sleeve comprises a plurality of fins.   
     
     
         20 . A method for installing a tower foundation, comprising:
 embedding an anchor in the ground;   securing an installation tool to the anchor;   positioning a lateral support device over the installation tool, the lateral support device comprising a plurality of fins;   driving the lateral support device along the installation tool and into the ground about the anchor;   after driving the lateral support device, removing the installation tool from the anchor; and   securing a foundation base to the anchor.