FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a ground anchor.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Off-road vehicles such as 4-wheel drive vehicles, tractors and agricultural machinery which venture off made roads will occasionally become bogged or stuck in mud or in soft sand.

While many such vehicles have powerful winches which might be used to winch the vehicle to safe ground, it is necessary to attach a cable of the winch to a relatively immovable object so that the winch has something to act against.

However, in some terrains it may be difficult or impossible to find a relatively immovable object at sufficiently close proximity to be useful.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device which might be used for debogging a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides:-

an anchor comprising

two generally triangular plates, and

pivotal mounting means which mounts an edge of one of the two plates to an edge of the other of the two plates whereby the plates can be pivoted about an axis from a

first position in which they overlie one another to a second position in which they extend from one another.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION

There maybe retaining means for releasably retaining the plates in said second position.

The triangular plates may have holes in them. Such holes are useful in allowing water and/or sand or mud flow from one side of the anchor to another and may also be useful to create a handhold for carrying the anchor when the triangular plates overlie one another.

A shank for the anchor may be provided.

The shank is preferably inclined at an angle of 10 - 30° to said axis, more preferably 10 - 20° and most preferably about 15°.

The shank may be releasably attachable to the anchor.

Bolts may be provided for releasably bolting the shank to the anchor.

The shank may be non-pivotable with respect to the anchor.

The trailing end of the anchor is preferably provided with plates which can be weighted or struck or stood upon to drive the anchor into the ground.

The trailing end of the anchor may be provided with handles or tie points to assist in retrieval of the anchor.

The pivotal mounting means may be a round bar or tube on which sleeves are mounted and at least one of the plates is mounted to the sleeves.

The bar or tube preferably has a pointed ground engaging end.

The bar or tube preferably carries a retrieval ring.

A handle may be provided for guiding the anchor in entering the ground. The guiding is preferably done at an end away from the ground entering end.

That handle may fold and in folded condition be a carry handle.

The handle preferably can be releasably attached to the shank in the folded condition. Such attachment is preferably by means of a linkage.

The handle preferably carries latch means for releasably holding the plates in the first position.

Preferably there is a foot which will raise the trailing end of the anchor with respect to the ground entering end of the anchor so as to promote ground entry.

A specific embodiment of an anchor in accordance with this invention will now be described by way of example with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the anchor in closed condition,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the anchor in open

condition.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the anchor in open condition, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the anchor in open condition.

INTEGER LIST

1. Ground anchor

2. First triangular plate

3. Second triangular plate

4. Tabs

5. Tabs

6. Sleeves

7. Triangular point

8. Sleeves

9. Rod

11. U-shaped shackle

14. Abutments

15. Abutments

16. First carry handle

17. Plates

18. Pivot pin

21. Shank

22. Ring

23. Arm

24. Guide handle

26. Pivot Pin

27. Apertures

28. Second carry handle

29. Footplates

31. Abutments

32. Plate

33. Latch

34. Foot

36. Leg

37. End

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS

The ground anchor 1 shown in the drawings comprises a first triangular plate 2 and a second triangular plate 3.

The triangular plates 2 and 3 have included angles of approximately 30°, 60° and 90°.

The plates 2 and 3 carry footplates 29.

The triangular plates 2 and 3 are mounted via tabs 4 and 5 to sleeves 6 and 8 which in turn are mounted on a round rod 9.

The plates 2 and 3 optionally have apertures 27 (shown in dotted line) which are useful in breaking vacuum when the anchor is to be retrieved.

The rod 9 carries a triangular ground entering point 7 at one end and a U-shaped shackle 11 at the other end.

The sleeves 6 and 8 carry abutments 14 and 15 which will come in to abutment when the plates 2 and 3 are in the condition shown in Fig 2 to limit rotation of the plates 2 and 3 about the rod 9.

On the underside with respect to Figures 1 and 2 is a first carry handle 16 which is a length of bent rod secured to the rod 9.

Plates 17 are secured on the upper side of rod 9 with respect to Figures 1 and 2 and the plates 17 support a pivot pin 18 which carries a shank 21 to which a ring 22

is fitted.

Secured to the rod 9 and plates 17 is an arm 23 to which a guide handle 24 is pivotally attached by means of a pivot pin 26.

A second carry handle 28 is attached to the guide handle 24.

The guide handle 24 also has an abutment 31.

Further, the guide handle 24 also has an upstanding plate 32 which carries a U-shaped latch 33.

A foot 34 is attached to a leg 36 which in turn is attached to the rod 9. The foot 34 is pointed at one end 37.

From the open position shown in Figure 2, which is the position for use as an anchor, the anchor 1 can be folded for carrying and storage by lifting the plates 2 and 3 so that they come to the orientation shown in Figure 1, lowering the guide handle 24 to the position shown in Figure 1 and in so doing ensuring that the U-shaped latch 33 engages with and holds the plates 2 and 3 against reverting to the Figure 1 position and then passing the ring 22 over the abutment 31 to secure the guide handle 24 to the shank 21.

Thereafter either the first carry handle 16 or the second carry handle 28 may be used to carry the anchor 1.

The anchor 1 can be returned to the Figure 1 position by releasing the ring 22 from the abutment 31 and by lifting the guide handle 24 which will enable the release of the plates 2 and 3 to revert to the Figure 2 position.

It is to be noted that the foot 34 and leg 36 serve to give the anchor a tilt of about 5-20' which will aid ground penetration.

The guide handle 24 can be used by a user to guide and direct the anchor as it penetrates the ground.

The footplates 29 may be stood on by a user to help drive the anchor into the ground or alternatively the footplates may be struck by a heavy hammer or other weight to help drive the anchor into the ground.

The anchor 1 described above has been found to be effective in soft ground, mud and sand as providing a useful anchoring point in assisting in debogging of vehicles.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

The claims and drawings form part of the disclosure of this specification.