System and method for foundations for roadside signs and structures

Abstract

A ground screw anchor foundation for a roadside sign comprises at least one elongated soil screw defining a longitudinal axis. The soil screw includes a barrel section having an upper end and a lower end and a substantially circular cross-section of a first diameter. A point section is connected to the lower end, the point section tapering from a second diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis proximate to the barrel section to a third diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis distal to the barrel section. A helical thread is disposed on an outer surface of at least a portion of the point section. A first component of a breakaway system is mounted on the upper end of the barrel section of the soil screw. The first component is adapted for releasable connection in a breakaway manner to a second component on a roadside sign.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ground screw anchor foundation for a roadside sign having a second component of a breakaway system, the ground screw anchor foundation comprising:
 at least one elongated soil screw defining a longitudinal axis, each soil screw including
 a barrel section having an upper end and a lower end defining a first length therebetween, and a substantially circular cross-section of a first diameter, viewed along the longitudinal axis, 
 a point section connected to the lower end of the barrel section, the point section tapering from a second diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis proximate to the barrel section to a third diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis distal to the barrel section; and 
 a helical thread disposed around the longitudinal axis on an outer surface of at least a portion of the point section; and 
   a first component of a breakaway system mounted on the upper end of the barrel section of the soil screw, the first component being adapted for releasable connection in a breakaway manner to a second component on a roadside sign.   
     
     
         2 . A ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first component of the breakaway system further comprises:
 a plate member having a substantially planar upper surface; and   wherein the plate member is mounted on the upper end of the barrel section such that the plane of the upper surface forms an angle with the longitudinal axis, the angle being within the range from 60° to 90°.   
     
     
         3 . A ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the plate member of the first component of the breakaway system includes:
 three lateral sides depending from the upper surface, the lateral sides being configured in the form of an equilateral triangle; and   each lateral side being configured to terminate before reaching an apex with an adjacent lateral side, thereby defining a notch at each point of intersection.   
     
     
         4 . A ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second soil screw disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the first soil screw, the longitudinal axis of the second soil screw being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first soil screw; and   wherein the first component of the breakaway system includes
 a channel member mounted to the respective upper ends of the barrel sections of the first and second soil screws and 
 a plate member having a substantially planar upper surface mounted on the beam such that the plane of the upper surface of the plate member forms an angle with the longitudinal axes of the soil screws, the angle being within the range from 60° to 90°. 
   
     
     
         5 . A ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the plate member of the first component of the breakaway system includes:
 three lateral sides depending from the upper surface, the lateral sides being configured in the form of an equilateral triangle; and   each lateral side being configured to terminate before reaching an apex with an adjacent lateral side, thereby defining a notch at each point of intersection.   
     
     
         6 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation for a roadside sign in a soil substrate, the foundation adapted for supporting a roadside sign including a second component of a breakaway system, a sign post attached to an upper side of the second component, and a sign attached to the sign post, the method comprising the following steps:
 providing a first elongated soil screw defining a longitudinal axis, the first soil screw including
 a barrel section having an upper end and a lower end defining a first length therebetween, and a substantially circular cross-section of a first diameter, viewed along the longitudinal axis, 
 a point section connected to the lower end of the barrel section, the point section tapering from a second diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis proximate to the barrel section to a third diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis distal to the barrel section; and 
 a helical thread disposed around the longitudinal axis on an outer surface of at least a portion of the point section; and 
   providing a first component of a breakaway system, the first component being cooperatively engageable in a breakaway manner to a second component of a breakaway system adapted for attachment to a roadside sign;   connecting the first component of the breakaway system to the upper end of the barrel section of the first soil screw;   releasably connecting a torque-supplying device to the first soil screw;   positioning the first soil screw such that the point section is disposed on a surface of a soil substrate and the longitudinal axis is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the soil substrate;   rotating the first soil screw about its longitudinal axis with the torque supplying device until the helical thread on the point section engages the soil substrate and draws the point section a predetermined distance into the soil substrate; and   disconnecting the torque-supplying device from the first soil screw.   
     
     
         7 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the first component of the breakaway system further comprises:
 a plate member mounted on the upper end of the barrel section of the soil screw, the plate member having
 a substantially planar upper surface, 
 three lateral sides depending from the upper surface, the lateral sides being configured in the form of an equilateral triangle; and 
 each lateral side being configured to terminate before reaching an apex with an adjacent lateral side, thereby defining a notch at each point of intersection. 
   
     
     
         8 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first component of the breakaway system is connected to the soil screw before the soil screw is releasably connected to the torque-supplying device; and   the torque-supplying device includes an adapter, the adapter being configured to releasably connect to the first component of the breakaway mounting member such that torque from the torque-supplying device is transmitted through the adapter and through the first breakaway mounting member to rotate the soil screw around its longitudinal axis and into the soil.   
     
     
         9 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the torque-supplying device comprises an electric motor operatively connected to the soil screw for rotating the soil screw around its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the torque-supplying device comprises a hydraulic motor operatively connected to the soil screw for rotating the soil screw around its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the torque-supplying device comprises an internal combustion engine operatively connected to the soil screw for rotating the soil screw around its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing a second elongated soil screw defining a longitudinal axis, the second soil screw including
 a barrel section having an upper end and a lower end defining a first length therebetween, and a substantially circular cross-section of a first diameter, viewed along the longitudinal axis, 
 a point section connected to the lower end of the barrel section, the point section tapering from a second diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis proximate to the barrel section to a third diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis distal to the barrel section; and 
 a helical thread disposed around the longitudinal axis on an outer surface of at least a portion of the point section; 
   releasably connecting a torque-supplying device to the second soil screw;   positioning the second soil screw such that the point section is disposed on the surface of the soil substrate and the longitudinal axis is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the soil substrate;   rotating the second soil screw about its longitudinal axis with the torque supplying device until the helical thread on the point section engages the soil substrate and draws the point section a predetermined distance into the soil substrate;   disconnecting the torque-supplying device from the second soil screw;   wherein the first component of the breakaway system is attached to the respective upper ends of the first and second soil screws   
     
     
         13 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the first component of the breakaway system further comprises:
 a channel member connected to the respective upper ends of the first and second soil screws; and   a plate member mounted on the channel member, the plate member having
 a substantially planar upper surface, 
 three lateral sides depending from the upper surface, the lateral sides being configured in the form of an equilateral triangle; and 
 each lateral side being configured to terminate before reaching an apex with an adjacent lateral side, thereby defining a notch at each point of intersection. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method for installing a ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the first component of the breakaway system further comprises:
 a channel member connected to the respective upper ends of the first and second soil screws; and   a plate member mounted on the channel member, the plate member having a substantially planar upper surface and being mounted on the beam such that the plane of the upper surface of the plate member forms an angle with the longitudinal axes of the soil screws, the angle being within the range from 60° to 90°.   
     
     
         15 . A ground screw anchor foundation for a roadside sign having a second component of a breakaway system, the ground screw anchor foundation comprising:
 a first elongated soil screw defining a first longitudinal axis;   a second elongated soil screw defining a second longitudinal axis;   each soil screw including
 a barrel section extending along the longitudinal axis and having an upper end and a lower end defining a first length therebetween, and a substantially circular cross-section of a first diameter, viewed along the longitudinal axis, 
 a point section connected to the lower end of the barrel section, the point section tapering from a second diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis proximate to the barrel section to a third diameter at a position along the longitudinal axis distal to the barrel section; and 
 a helical thread disposed around the longitudinal axis on an outer surface of at least a portion of the point section; 
   an elongated channel member defining a lateral axis and mounted to the upper ends of the first and second soil screws such that the respective longitudinal axes of the soil screws are oriented substantially parallel to one another, substantially perpendicular to the lateral axis of the channel member and spaced apart from one another along the lateral axis; and   a plate member having a substantially planar upper surface, the plate member rigidly connected to an upper surface of the channel member such that the planar upper surface is disposed at a predetermined height above the channel member;   wherein the plate member is configured as a first component of a breakaway system, the first component being adapted for releasable connection in a breakaway manner to a second component on a roadside sign.   
     
     
         16 . A ground screw anchor foundation in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the channel member further comprises:
 a connecting web;   a pair of side plates connected to either side of the connecting web;   wherein the side plates project from the connecting web in the opposite direction from the plate member.