Ground anchors

Abstract

Screw-type ground anchors that include a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and having a screw section configured to drive the shaft along the longitudinal axis into the ground when rotated about the longitudinal axis. A drive head is disposed at an upper end of the shaft and is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis. The drive head is configured to receive a rotational drive for rotating the shaft, and has at least one bore therethrough that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The bore(s) receives an upper end of the shaft and/or a pivot pin that rotatably couples a lay-flat shackle to the drive head. The lay-flat shackle is operable to pivot between an upright position extending generally along the longitudinal axis to a lay-flat position extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

1 . A screw-type ground anchor comprising:
 a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the shaft comprising a screw section configured to drive the shaft along the longitudinal axis into the ground when rotated about the longitudinal axis in a first direction;   a drive head disposed at an upper end of the shaft and axially aligned with the longitudinal axis, the drive head configured to receive a rotational drive for rotating the shaft in the first direction, the drive head having a transverse bore therethrough that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;   a pivot pin received in the transverse bore of the drive head; and   a lay-flat shackle rotatably coupled to the drive head with the pivot pin, the lay-flat shackle being operable to rotate about the pivot pin so as to enable the lay-flat shackle to rotate between an upright position extending generally along the longitudinal axis to a lay-flat position extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the drive head comprises a nut having a central bore that is threaded. 
     
     
         3 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 2 , wherein the nut comprises a hex nut. 
     
     
         4 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the lay-flat shackle comprises a D-ring shackle. 
     
     
         5 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 4 , wherein the pivot pin is coupled to the lay-flat shackle at a first end of the D-ring shackle and at a second end of the D-ring shackle. 
     
     
         6 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 5 , wherein the D-ring shackle includes a first bore at the first end thereof and a second bore at the second end thereof, and wherein the pivot pin extends through the first bore and the second bore. 
     
     
         7 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first bore and the second bore is a threaded bore, and wherein the pivot pin includes threads that are threadedly received within the threaded bore. 
     
     
         8 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin is located at an upper portion of the drive head, the drive head includes a second transverse bore through a lower portion thereof, and the upper end of the shaft extends laterally relative to the longitudinal axis and is received in the second transverse bore. 
     
     
         9 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin is located at an upper portion of the drive head, the drive head includes a central bore axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the upper end of the shaft is coaxial with the longitudinal axis and received in the central bore. 
     
     
         10 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the lay-flat shackle and the shaft are each individually and directly coupled to the drive head without any intervening components therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor has a single weld, and the single weld joins the shaft and the drive head. 
     
     
         12 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the screw section is a helical, spiral, or corkscrew shape revolving about the longitudinal axis of the anchor. 
     
     
         13 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft is a straight shaft that defines the longitudinal axis, and the screw section is in the form of an auger attached to and spiraling about the shaft. 
     
     
         14 . A screw-type ground anchor comprising:
 a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the shaft comprising a screw section configured to drive the shaft along the longitudinal axis into the ground when rotated about the longitudinal axis in a first direction and to drive the shaft along the longitudinal axis out of the ground when rotated about the longitudinal axis in a second direction opposite the first direction;   a drive head disposed at an upper end of the shaft and axially aligned with the longitudinal axis, the drive head configured to receive a rotational drive for rotating the shaft in the first and second directions, the drive head having a transverse bore therethrough, and the upper end of the shaft extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis and being received in the transverse bore; and   a lay-flat shackle rotatably coupled to the drive head so as to enable the lay-flat shackle to pivot between an upright position extending generally along the longitudinal axis to a lay-flat position extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         15 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the drive head comprises a hex nut. 
     
     
         16 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the lay-flat shackle comprises a D-ring shackle. 
     
     
         17 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the lay-flat shackle and the shaft are each individually and directly coupled to the drive head without any intervening components therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the anchor has a single weld, and the single weld joins the shaft and the drive head. 
     
     
         19 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the screw section is a helical, spiral, or corkscrew shape revolving about the longitudinal axis of the anchor. 
     
     
         20 . The screw-type ground anchor of  claim 14 , wherein the shaft is a straight shaft that defines the longitudinal axis, and the screw section is in the form of an anger attached to and spiraling about the shaft.