Anchor Having Increased Performance For Use In Earthen Material

Abstract

Apparatus and method to secure items in or around coastal and shoreline areas including sandbars. In one embodiment an anchor includes a shaft having an outer surface and opposing upper and lower ends and an auger attachable to the shaft for penetrating into material of an earthen medium and driving the shaft lower end into the earthen material. A first wall is connected to the shaft outer surface to create a cavity having an opening into which material may enter the cavity as the auger rotates. When a portion of the anchor is in the earthen material and after at least one of the plurality of concentric cylinders is penetrated into the earthen material, the earthen material is moved into the annular cavity.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . An anchor of the type which penetrates into earthen material, comprising:
 a shaft, having a central axis and first and second opposing ends extending in opposing directions along the central axis;   a device for penetrating into and displacing the earthen material, the device having a portion configured for attachment to the first shaft end for rotation therewith so that, when the shaft is rotated while a downward force from the weight of the shaft is translated through the device to the earthen material, the device can both penetrate into the earthen material and pull a portion of the anchor shaft into the earthen material;   an assembly coupled to impart a rotational force to the shaft and cause the device to rotate with the shaft;   one or more walls attached along the shaft and configured to provide one or more cavities along or about the first axis, each cavity having an associated cavity opening positionable to receive earthen material through the associated cavity opening while the device is penetrating into the earthen material, this causing the shaft to be pulled into the earthen material as the device penetrates into the earthen material.   
     
     
         2 . The anchor of  claim 1  where the cavity opening associated with each cavity is oriented to face the earthen material when the auger penetrates the earthen material. 
     
     
         3 . The anchor of  claim 1  where the walls define a plurality of cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . The anchor of  claim 3  where the walls define a plurality of concentric cylinders. 
     
     
         5 . The anchor of  claim 3  where each cylinder extends along the central axis with the associated opening configured to face the earthen material while the auger penetrates the earthen material. 
     
     
         6 . The anchor of  claim 1  wherein the wall structures each have an axial length measurable along the central axis and the wall structures are tiered in axial length to produce a stepped arrangement of different axial lengths and different outer diameters about the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The anchor of  claim 6  wherein the wall structures are collectively formed as concentric cylinders tiered along the axial lengths to create a plurality of annular cavities between each of the cylinders. 
     
     
         8 . The anchor of  claim 2  wherein the wall structures are collectively formed as concentric cylinders about the central axis and, when the anchor is embedded into sand by rotation of the auger and, while or after at least one of the plurality of concentric cylinders is penetrated into the earthen media, the earthen media is moved into an annular cavity between a pair of adjacent cylinders. 
     
     
         9 . The anchor of  claim 1  where the assembly coupled to impart the rotational force to the shaft and cause the auger to rotate with the shaft comprises a handle bar attachable to the shaft to effect rotation of the auger. 
     
     
         10 . The anchor of  claim 1  where the device for penetrating into and displacing the earthen material comprises a screw-type auger having a lower end for penetrating into the earthen material and an upper end configured for attachment to the first shaft end for rotation therewith. 
     
     
         11 . The anchor of  claim 1  where the assembly coupled to impart the rotational force comprises a handle connectable to the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . An anchor for securing an object in a location near an earthen medium having an upper surface, comprising:
 a shaft having an outer surface and opposing upper and lower ends;   a device attachable to the shaft lower end for penetrating into and displacing material of the earthen medium, the device suitable for penetrating through the upper surface of the earthen medium and for driving the shaft lower end into the earthen surface;   a first wall connected to the shaft outer surface with a first portion of the first wall positioned in spaced-apart relation to the shaft to create a first cavity having a first opening into which fluid may enter the cavity as the auger rotates.   
     
     
         13 . The anchor of  claim 12  wherein the process of penetrating into and displacing material of the earthen medium into the first cavity increases mass of the anchor thereby improving securement or stability of an object attached thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The anchor of  claim 12  further including a second wall connected to the shaft outer surface with a second portion of the second wall positioned in spaced-apart relation to the shaft or positioned in spaced-apart relation to the first portion of the first wall to create a second cavity having a first opening into which fluid may enter into the second cavity as the auger rotates. 
     
     
         15 . A method of anchoring an object in a location near an earthen medium having an upper surface, comprising:
 providing an anchor comprising a rotatable shaft having one or more open containers positioned along the shaft for holding earthen material therein;   with an auger affixed to a lower end of the shaft, rotating the shaft, causing the auger to penetrate into an earthen medium and pull a combination of portions of the shaft and the one or more containers into the earthen medium, thereby causing the one or more containers to receive some of the material from the penetrated earthen medium therein.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  where, prior to causing the auger to penetrate into the earthen medium, the one or more containers contain air or liquid media, and the step of causing the one or more containers to receive some of the material includes positioning the first opening of each container to receive the earthen medium therein while allowing air or liquid present in the container to exit the container through an aperture other than the first opening.