The present invention relates to supports for supporting articles in the ground. It is suitable for supporting rotary washing lines, and other articles such as temporary signs.

Currently such supports generally comprise a tube, which is inserted into the ground and into which the rotary line is inserted. Such a tube is often required to be cemented into the ground to provide sufficient vertical and lateral support e.g. to enable the support to withstand strong winds. When this type of support is placed in the ground, it is often necessary to first dig a hole into which the support can be placed. The support is then usually cemented in place. This process involves a number of steps and is therefore time consuming.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a support for supporting an article in the ground including a hollow elongate receiving portion arranged to receive the article and a spiral portion extending around at least part of the receiving portion and arranged to draw the receiving portion into the ground when rotated.

Advantageously, the spiral portion allows installation of the support in one simple step by twisting into the ground. This avoids the need for boring a hole to accommodate the support. As the support is twisted into the ground the material in the ground can become compacted around the receiving portion and the spiral member enhancing the anchorage against movement. This also results in less displacement of the material from the ground than in known supports, and preferably results in no displacement. Preferably the receiving portion comprises a hollow cylindrical member. Alternatively the hollow elongate member may be a hollow tube of rectangular, triangular, square or other suitably shaped cross-section.

Preferably the receiving portion has an open upper end for receiving the article. The lower end is preferably tapered to facilitate its insertion into the ground. For example the lower end may be chamfered to form a pointed edge, being cut at an angle to the axis of the elongate member, allowing easier insertion of the support into the ground. The chamfer may be at an angle of from 10° to 80° to the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongate member.

The lower end of the hollow elongate member may be covered, for example by an end plate. The end plate is preferably arranged to close the lower end of the receiving portion. This prevents the material in the ground filling the hollow member as the support is inserted into the ground. However, it may have a small hole left in it to allow drainage.

Alternatively, the lower end of the hollow elongate member may be left open or may comprise a conical point.

The receiving portion of a rotary line may be approximately 20cm long. The receiving portion of a signpost may be approximately 40cm long. For other applications the receiving portion could be longer or shorter as required.

Preferably the upper end of the receiving portion is attached to a surface engaging projection. The surface engaging projection is preferably arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the receiving portion, projecting outwards from the top of the tube, and may be attached to the receiving portion by any suitable means, such as welding. The surface engaging projection may comprise a plate, having a diameter greater than that of the receiving portion and being designed to lie against the surface of the ground, so minimising the displacement of soil above the level of the ground and providing support and location for the support. The plate preferably includes an aperture corresponding to the cross-section of the upper end of the receiving portion, wherein the aperture is arranged to be aligned with the upper end of the receiving portion. Alternatively, the surface engaging projection may comprise bars extending from the top of the tube. These arrangements can result in a support that lies flush with the ground, minimising any risk of tripping over any projecting portions.

The spiral member preferably comprises a coiled rod of circular cross- section, which extends around the whole length of the receiving portion and most preferably extends beyond the lower end of the receiving portion. The spiral member, at least over part of its length, may be in contact with the outer surface of the receiving portion. Alternatively, the spiral member, over at least part of its length, may be spaced from the receiving portion. The lower end of the spiral member may be sharpened, for example to form a cutting edge. This enables easy insertion of the support into the ground by rotation of the spiral member. The second end of the spiral member preferably extends from a position adjacent the second end of the receiving portion.

The spiral member may have a width of from 5mm to 100mm. The spiral member may have a constant number of revolutions per unit length around the perimeter of the elongate member. Alternatively, the number of revolutions per unit length around the perimeter of the receiving member may vary. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a support according to a first aspect of the invention into the ground in one step, comprising the step of rotating the support such that the spiral draws the hollow member into the ground.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 shows a side view of a support according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a view from above the support of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a view from below the support of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows a side perspective view of the support of Figure 1 ; and Figure 5 shows a tool used to rotate the support of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a support 2 according to a first embodiment comprises a receiving portion in the form of a steel circular cross-section tube 10 and an annular locating plate 6 welded to the tube. The tube 10 comprises a first lower end 14 and a second upper end 16. The lower end 14 of the tube 10 is cut at an angle of approximately 45° to its longitudinal axis and is closed by an end plate 28, forming a pointed end 18. The support 2 further comprises a spiral member 12, which comprises a steel rod of circular cross-section extending around the tube 10. The spiral member 12 has a first lower end 20 and a second upper end 22. The turn of the spiral at the upper end 22 is flattened and is welded to the underside of the locating plate 6. The lower end 20 of the spiral member is in the form of a sharp cutting edge 24. The spiral member 12 extends longitudinally beyond the lower end 14 of the tube 10, being approximately twice the length of the tube 10. The spiral member 12 comprises six turns, three of which extend around the tube 10. The remaining three turns extend beyond the first end 14 of the tube 10. The inner diameter of the spiral member 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the tube 10, so the spiral member 12 is spaced from the tube 10. This allows soil to pass between the spiral and the tube 10. Alternatively, the spiral member 12 can be attached to the tube 10.

Referring to Figure 2, the locating plate 6 comprises an annular steel plate having a centrally located aperture 26 with the same cross-section as the inside of the upper end 16 of the tube 10. The aperture 26 is aligned with the upper end 26 of the hollow elongate member 10. This enables the elongate member 10 to receive an engaging portion of suitable cross- section (not shown) such as the pole of a rotary line.

In use, the support 2 is inserted into the ground by first piercing the ground with the cutting edge 24 of the lower end 20 of the spiral member 12. The support is then rotated into the ground in a screw like manner, the cutting edge 24 cutting through the material in the ground as the support 2 is further rotated. The material in the ground tends to be compacted around the spiral member 12 as the support 2 is inserted further into the ground, instead of being displaced. This increases the stability of the support 2 in the ground and enhances its anchorage against movement. As the support 2 is further rotated, the tube member 10 is drawn into the ground until the locating plate lies flush with the surface of the ground, minimising any risk to health and safety. The pointed edge 18 at the lower end of the tube 10 facilitates easy insertion of the support into the ground. The end plate 28 prevents the tube 10 from being filled by soil as the support 2 is inserted into the ground.

In a second embodiment, the lower end 14 of the tube 10 is left uncovered. In this case, the support 2 is rotated into the ground and the tube 10 becomes filled with soil. The support 2 is then wound out of the ground and the soil is pushed out of the tube 10 before rotating the support 2 back into ground. The pole of the rotary line can then be placed in the empty hollow tube 10. This arrangement is most suitable where the tube 10 is of larger diameter.

Referring to figure 5, rotation of the support 2 may be achieved by using a tool 32 arranged to engage with the locating plate 6, facilitating easier rotation of the support 2 into the ground. The tool is arranged to form a handle extending above the locating plate 6, which can easily be gripped and twisted to rotate the support into the ground. The tool 32 comprises a bar 36 with two rods 34, projecting perpendicularly from it. The lower ends 38 of the two parallel rods are arranged to engage with two holes 30 in the locating plate 6. A stopper in the form of a pin or plate 40 is provided on each of the parallel rods at a short distance from the lower ends 38 to prevent the two rods 34 passing through the locating plate 6 and into the ground. The horizontal rod 36 can then be twisted to rotate the support 2 into the ground. Once the locating plate 6 is level with the surface of the ground, the rotation step is complete. The pole of a rotary line, for example, can then be inserted into the tube 10, which acts as a support.

Various modifications may be made to the embodiments described. The receiving portion 10 is not limited to a tube of circular cross-section, but may have a rectangular, triangular, square or other suitably shaped and sized cross-section, dependent on the shape of the object to be received by the receiving portion 10. The support 2 may also be made from a material other than metal, for example a plastics material, carbon fibre, Kevlar™, or any other suitable material. The lengths of the spiral member 12 and tube 10 may vary. The spiral member may extend beyond the tube or, alternatively, may be the same length or shorter than the tube. The number of revolutions of the spiral per unit length may vary, as may the diameter of the cylinder forming the spiral. Also instead of a separate spiral member, the spiral portion may be formed integrally with the tube, for example being formed as an integral moulded item.

There may also be variations in the shape and size of the locating plate 6. For example, the plate may be circular, square, triangular, or any other suitable shape. Alternatively, vertical location of the support may be provided by a bar extending either side of the tube.