Description: This invention relates to anchors, and in particular, but without limitation, to anchors suitable for use in fencing or other semi-permanent installations, such as solar PV arrays.

Anchors, in the context of the present invention, are bases that rest on a support surface, such as the ground, and which can be used to support a load, such as, but without limitation to, a fence post or another supplementary structure.

Most fencing systems are modular, that is to say, comprising a series of spaced-apart fence posts that support fence panels. A fence can be used to mark out a boundary or perimeter and/or to prevent or inhibit the passage of people and/or vehicles from one side of the fence to the other.

Fences are used, in many cases, in preference to walls or other boundary structures due to their ease and relatively low cost of installation, maintenance and disassembly.

Fence panels come in a variety of forms, such as wooden boards, a series of concrete slats, wire mesh and so forth. Reticulated or slatted (i.e. apertured) fence panels are generally preferred because they reduce wind loading (compared with solid or continuous fence panels) on the fence posts.

Fence posts also come in a wide variety of forms, but the most commonplace fence posts comprise upright metal tubes or concrete/wooden posts that are anchored into the ground. To install a fence post, one typically excavates a hole in the ground, inserts the lower end of the fence post into the hole, and then backfills the hole with earth, or in most cases; a pourable, setting material, such as concrete (or, in certain applications, water that freezes to form an ice anchorage around the base of the fence post). Once installed, the fence posts provide a support structure to which fence panels can be affixed. Nevertheless, excavation and backfilling can be expensive and time-consuming operations. Whilst fences are generally quicker and less expensive to install than walls, in situations where a boundary is needed quickly, for example in a military installation, it is known to use gabion walls. A gabion wall is a wall made from a number of gabions placed side-by-side and/or on top of each other. A gabion generally comprises a self-supporting mesh cage that can be placed directly onto the ground and filled with whatever backfill material may be available (e.g. sand, earth, ice, rocks etc.). Gabions can be installed relatively easily, using manpower alone (i.e. backfilling using shovels) as single-height units. However, where a higher gabion wall needs to be constructed, that is to say, by stacking one row of gabions on top of another, this can be labour intensive and risky.

Therefore, where a "stacked" gabion wall is required, it is usually necessary to use plant or other earth-moving machinery to backfill the elevated gabions. Even with plant on-hand, gabions can only be stacked to a height at which the compressive strength (i.e. burst resistance) of the lowermost gabions sidewalls is not exceeded. This will, of course, vary depending on the nature and density of the backfill material, but it is unusual to see gabion walls that are more than three gabions high, i.e. greater than 3m high.

A further drawback of gabion walls is that they are obtrusive structures, and, being semipermanent structures, do not lend themselves well to subsequent movement or disassembly.

A need therefore exists for a solution to the problem of providing an anchor that is suitable for supporting a fence or another type of supplementary structure and/or which addresses or overcomes one or more of the above problems.

Various aspects of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an anchor comprising a supporting framework, the supporting framework being a rigid structure formed from a set of interconnected uprights and cross-members that together define a generally cuboidal hollow interior portion of the supporting framework; the supporting framework being collapsible, when not in use, to fit within a liner that can optionally be suspended within the supporting framework. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an anchor comprising a supporting framework and a liner, the supporting framework being a rigid structure formed from a set of interconnected uprights and cross-members that together define a generally cuboidal hollow interior portion of the supporting framework; the liner having an open-topped, generally cuboidal form and being shaped and dimensioned to fit inside the assembled supporting framework, the liner further comprising connectors disposed on, or about, an upper peripheral edge of the open top of the liner, the connectors being adapted, in use, to connect an upper part of the liner to an upper part of the assembled supporting framework, and wherein the supporting framework is collapsible, when not in use, to fit within the liner.

Therefore, the anchor comprises, when assembled, a generally cuboidal supporting framework lined with a connected liner. The liner can be filled, in use, with a ballast material, such as earth, rocks, sand, snow, water etc. to form a gabion-like structure forming a weighted base for a fence post. In certain embodiments, the liner is waterproof, thereby enabling water, or liquid, ballast to be used to weight-down the base. The liner may further comprise a lid or closure flap, which can be used to retain the ballast. A lid or closure flap, where provided, may usefully inhibit or prevent the loss of ballast, such as blown-away sand ballast, or the evaporation of water ballast.

By using a gabion-like structure as a support, to support a fence post for example, it obviates the need to excavate and backfill a hole in the ground for supporting a lower part of, say, a fence post. Further, as the gabion-like structure is generally placed directly onto the ground, it is possible to fill the liner manually, and/or to empty it manually to move the base. This configuration suitably makes the base relatively easy to install, remove or move, when needed.

Further, as the base is used to support a fence post or a supplementary structure affixable thereto, the height of a fence or structure installed using the invention is not necessarily restricted to the height or other properties of the anchor. In other words, it is not necessary to stack gabions to form a structure whose height is greater than that of a single gabion. The supporting framework is a rigid structure formed from a set of interconnectable uprights and cross-members. The uprights and cross-members can be made from any suitable material, although square- or rectangular-section metal tubing is preferred because it facilities the formation of right angles, and is lighter than bar or rod.

The uprights and cross-members suitably interconnect using bolts and nuts, or preferably using quick-release connectors, such as anti-luce latches.

In certain embodiments, the supporting framework comprises a pair of substantially parallel rectangular-section tubes that form feet for the support frame, which rest, in use, on a ground surface. The feet suitably comprise uprights at, or near to their opposite ends, and cross-braces are suitably provided as well to maintain the uprights in a rigid, parallel, spaced-apart configuration. The feet, uprights and cross-braces together form side walls of the supporting framework, and the side walls can be braced by interconnecting members to form the generally cuboidal hollow interior of the supporting framework.

Disconnection of the elements making up the supporting framework enables it to be collapsed or significantly reduced in size. This permits the collapsed or disassembled supporting framework to fit inside the liner, when not in use.

The liner has an open-topped, generally cuboidal form and is shaped and dimensioned to fit inside the assembled supporting framework. The liner further comprises connectors disposed on, or about, an upper peripheral edge of the open top of the liner, which connectors are adapted, in use, to connect an upper part of the liner to an upper part of the assembled supporting framework.

The liner suitably comprises a loop at each of its upper corners, which loops are able to fit over an upper part of an upright of the supporting framework. Suitably, therefore, the supporting framework comprises an upright at each corner, which projects above the level of a cross-brace or cross-member of the supporting framework. Thus, when the liner's loops are placed over the ends of the uprights, they are prevented from sliding down the uprights by engagement with one or more cross-braces or cross members. Additionally or alternatively, the supporting framework may comprise a plurality of hooks adapted, in use, to engage with corresponding loops of the liner. By such means, an upper peripheral edge of the open top of the liner can be connected to an upper part of the assembled supporting framework. Therefore, when the liner is filled with ballast, the liner is fixed to the supporting framework and does not significantly slide down relative thereto.

In other embodiments of the invention, other types of connectors could be used, for example, hook-and-loop tapes, twisted wire, karabiners, adhesive tape, etc..

The anchor described herein can be adapted for supporting a fence post, in use. Preferably, therefore, the supporting framework comprises one or more connectors for connecting the supporting framework to a fence post. In one embodiment of the invention, the fence post comprises a generally square- or rectangular-sectioned metal tube that is connected at, or towards, its lower end, to the supporting framework. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but in certain embodiments, the connection of the supporting framework to the fence post is achieved by way of a pivot joint and an abutment joint: the fence post being connectable to the anchor via the pivot joint in a first orientation (e.g. substantially horizontal) and being pivotable, about the pivot joint, until another part of the fence post engages with the abutment joint. By such means, the fence post can be offered up to the anchor from a safe working height (e.g. at waist height), and substantially horizontally, and then pivoted to an upright orientation and locked in position by the locking joint.

In other embodiments of the invention, the connection between the anchor and the fence post is by way of a clevis arrangement or by way of one or more D-ring members of the support frame into which a lower end of the fence post can be inserted.

The fence post, or supplementary structure affixable to the anchor, is suitably collapsible. This can be accomplished by forming the fence post or supplementary structure as a set of interconnectable tubes, which can be assembled on site to form an elongate fence post, but which (in preferred embodiments of the invention) can be broken-down into relatively shorter parts, which may usefully fit inside the liner, when the anchor is not in use. By being able to pack-down the fence post into the liner in this way, transportation and storage of the system, when not in use, is greatly facilitated.

A fence constructed in accordance with the invention may further comprise a fence panel, which fence panel is connected to the fence posts to form the fence. In certain embodiments of the invention, but not all embodiments, the fence panels are made up from a set of interconnectable fence panel portions made from wire mesh. The fence panel portions, in certain embodiments, are shaped and dimensioned to as to fit inside the liner (along with the collapsed supporting framework and/or the collapsed fence post), when not in use.

It will be appreciated that a fencing system in accordance with the invention could be made up of a number of units each comprising an anchor, fence post and a fence panel. As a fence would be made up from a number of like repeating units (anchor, fence post & fence panel), it may be highly preferred, in certain embodiments, to make the supporting framework, the fence post and the fence panel fit inside the liner, when not in use.

To facilitate transportation of the anchor, either when empty or weighted down with ballast, one or more hoisting eyes may be provided on the supporting framework. Suitably, the hoisting eyes are connected to a lower part of the supporting framework (e.g. the feet described above) so that the weight of any ballast within the liner is supported from beneath by the supporting framework, rather than indirectly, via the connectors.

Embodiments of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an erected fence formed using a series of anchors in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an anchor as shown in Figure 1 in a collapsed state, ready for transport and/or storage;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the anchor of Figure 2 in a partially assembled state;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the anchor of Figure 3 in an assembled state; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the anchor of Figure 4 in an assembled and filled state;

Figure 6 is a schematic side view showing how the fence of Figure 1 can be erected using anchors of Figures 2 to 5;

Figure 7 is a schematic side view of the fence of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an anchor in accordance with the invention suitable for supporting a supplementary support structure;

Figure 9, 10 and 11 are perspective views of solar PV arrays supported on anchors as shown in Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a watchtower constructed from a number of anchors in accordance with the invention;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a storage facility constructed from a number of anchors in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a gabion wall constructed from a number of anchors in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a modular fence 10 is formed from a series of spaced apart anchors 30 that support a corresponding set of upright fence posts 12. Attached to, and supported by, the fence posts 12, and by a set of intermediate fence posts 14, are a series of wire mesh fence panels 16. The fence 10 is topped by an anti-climb-over system 18 affixed to, and supported by the fence posts. The anchors 30 are placed directly onto the ground 20 and are weighted down by ballast 22 placed into them. The fence 10 therefore overcomes many of the problems associated with existing fence systems (by removing the need to excavate and backfill holes in the ground for the lower ends of the fence posts) and existing gabion walls (by enabling a relatively high boundary to be formed without having to stack gabions on top of one another.

In detail, and with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the drawings, each anchor 30 comprises a supporting framework 32 and a liner 34. As can be seen in Figure 2, then the anchor 30 is not in use, the supporting framework 32 can be disassembled and stored inside the liner 34. The liner 34 has a strong loop 36 attached to each of its upper corners, which facilitates transportation of the anchor 30. The liner 34, as shown in Figure 2, even with the collapsed supporting framework 32 inside it, has some spare space/capacity, which, in certain embodiments, can be used to store any one or more of: a broken-down fence post 12, a broken-down intermediate fence post 14; a broken-down fence panel 16; a broken-down anti-climb-over system 18; and a supplementary supporting framework, as shall be described below.

To erect the fence 10, as shown by the sequence of Figures 3 to 5, the supporting framework 32 is taken out of the liner 34 and assembled, as shown in Figure 3.

The supporting framework 32 comprises a set of feet 40 formed by rectangular cross-section tubes, which rest on the ground 20, in use. The feet 40 have lifting eyes 42 connected thereto, to facilitate lifting the anchor 30 using lifting equipment, such as a crane.

Four upright, square cross-section tubes 44 are releasably connected, via anti-luce latches 46, one to each end of, the two feet 40, and these uprights 44 define the vertical edges of the supporting framework 32. The uprights 44 are detachably interconnected by cross-braces 48, which are secured to the uprights 44 by anti-luce latches 46 also. A further set of cross-members 50, at right angles to the cross-braces 48, are provided, which also connect to the uprights 44 using anti-luce latches 46. The feet 40 are also cross-braced by a further set of struts 52, and the cross-members are cross-braced centrally by a connector tube 54. The struts 52 and the connector tube 54 are releasably connected to the supporting framework by further anti-luce latches 46. The supporting framework 32 can thus be assembled from a set of components to form a rigid, generally cuboidal framework; or disassembled into its constituent parts to pack-down into the liner 34.

Anti-luce latches are particularly advantageous in certain environments where bolts and nuts are contraindicated. For example, in cold, icy environments, where gloved-finger dexterity may be restricted, the use of anti-luce connectors is vastly preferred over bolts and nuts, say, as they are more easily manipulated, and do not require the use of tools, compared with other connection methods. Further, in desert environments, a dropped nut can often be impossible to find if it sinks into the sand. By using anti-luce latches, as opposed to, say bolts and nuts, the risk of losing a critical part of the system is vastly reduced.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, the liner 34 has been inserted into the supporting framework 32 and its connector loops 36 have been placed over the upper ends of the vertical tubes 44. Thus, the liner 34 is suspended within the supporting framework 32 by its connector loops 36, and at the same time, its lower surface 56 rests on the struts 52 previously described.

In Figure 5 it can be seen how the liner 34 has been filled with ballast 58, in this example, by sand, and outward bulging of the liner 34, under the weight/pressure of the ballast 58 is resisted by the cross-members 48, 50.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, in particular, to Figure 4, it can be seen that the supporting framework 32 has a pivot connector 60 and an abutment connector 62 affixed to upper 50 and lower 50' cross-members, respectively. The pivot connector 60 comprises a through hole 64 for receipt of a pintle bar (not shown) about which a fence post 12 can pivot. The abutment connector 62 comprises a protrusion 66, which engages a corresponding aperture in the fence post 12 to lock it in position, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings.

Referring to Figures 6 & 7 of the drawings, the anchor 30 is used to support a fence post 12 formed from tubular steel, which as a through hole 70 approximately lm above its lower end 72, which through hole receives a pintle bar 74 that passes through the through hole 64 in the pivot connector 60 of the anchor 30 previously described. As can be seen from Figure 6, the fence post 12 is initially laid approximately level on top of the supporting framework 32 of the anchor 30 and is connected to the pivot connector 60 using the pintle bar 74. The fence post 12 can then be raised to a vertical position, as shown in Figure 7, by pushing on a brace strut 78, which is pivotally connected at its upper end 80 to the fence post 12. When the fence post 12 has been moved to a vertical position, the lower end 81 of the brace strut 78 can be connected to the anchor 30 via the connector tube 54. Thus, the fence post 12, connector tube 54 and brace strut 78 form a rigid, triangulated structure, to hold the fence post 12 upright and affixed to the anchor 30. To stabilise the fence post 12 laterally relative to the anchor 30, an aperture 84 is provided in a lower part of the fence post, which engages with the protrusion 66 of the abutment connector 62 previously described. The aperture 84 is held in engagement with the protrusion 66 by the action of the brace strut 78, which urges top of the fence post 12 forward, thus urging the aperture 84 into engagement with the protrusion.

A fence 10 can be assembled by placing a series of anchors 30 as described above on the ground 20 and by installing the fence posts 12 as previously described. Fence panels 16 and/or intermediate fence posts 14 can be added, as well as an anti-climb-over device 18, as required (either with the fence posts 12 in the flat or vertical position).

Other uses of the anchor 30 are manifold, but further applications are described hereinbelow with reference to Figures 8 to 14 of the drawings.

Referring to Figures 8 to 11 of the drawings, the anchor 30 is used as a support for a solar panel array. In Figure 8 it can be seen that the anchor 30 is a slightly simplified version of that described previously insofar as the central connector tube 54, pivot connector 60 and the abutment connector 62 have been omitted. In this example, the anchor 30 is fitted with a set of vertical extension tubes 90, which slide into the open ends of the vertical support tubes 44 of the supporting framework. The upper ends of the extension tubes 90 are fitted with flanges 92, to which a supplementary supporting framework 94, as shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 can be fitted.

The relative lengths of the extension tubes 90 can be varied to adjust the orientation of the supplementary supporting framework 94, and this can be facilitated by checking the level of the anchor 30 using a built-in spirit level 95, as shown in Figure 8.

Referring now to Figure 9 of the drawings, the supplementary supporting framework 94 comprises a reticulated structure made from steel tubing, which is adapted to receive solar PV panels 96 of a convention type. In Figure 9, three of the six solar panels 96 have been omitted for clarity, but it will be appreciated that the inclination of the supplementary supporting framework 94 and the solar PC panels 96 can be adjusted to suit by adjustment of the extension tubes 90 relative to the uprights 44 of the anchor's supporting framework 32 (as can be seen by comparing Figure 9 and 10). Figure 11 shows how a large solar PV array 960 can be formed by placing several anchors 30 on the ground 20 in a desired pattern, affixing their respective supplementary supporting frameworks 94 and also a set of solar PV panels 96.

In Figure 12 of the drawings, four anchors 30, as described above, are used to form the base of a watchtower assembly 1000. A first two of the anchors 30 are interconnected using anti-luce latches 46, which connect the uprights 44 of adjacent anchors 30 to one another. As second pair of anchors 30' are similarly connected, but are spaced apart slightly from the first pair to create a generally rectangular base 1002 for the watchtower 1000.

A first anchor frame 1032 (i.e. an anchor 30, but without its liner 34) is placed one on top of the base 1002. It will be noted that the spacing between the cross-bracing connector tubes 54 of each pair of interconnected anchors 30 is roughly the same as the spacing of the feet 40 of the first anchor frame 1032, and so the latter can be stably placed, and connected to, the former: again using anti- luce latches, or other suitable releasable or permanent connectors.

Further anchor frames 1034 (i.e. anchors 30, but without their liners 34) are placed one on top of each other, on top of the first anchor frame 1032, and suitably interconnected, to form the tower structure 1000. A standing platform 1004 can be placed in the base of the second-to-top anchor frame 1036, for a person 1006 to stand upon, and a roof 1008 can be supported on atop the upper support frame 1038 to provide shelter for that person, in use, if required.

Referring to Figure 13 of the drawings, the anchors 30 previously described, can be used with, or without their liners 34 to form a modular storage system, either as racking (without liners 34) or as frames 32 alone to form storage bins. In certain cases, the support frames 32 can be stripped down to form pallets 1100, the feet 40 of which conveniently providing fork-lift hoist points.

Finally, as shown in Figure 14 of the drawings, the anchors 30 can be stacked one on top of another, or in a staggered fashion (as described previously) to form a gabion wall 1200. However, the invention has the advantage over a traditional gabion wall insofar as, because each support frame 32 has tubular feet 40 and crane-hoisting points 42, it is possible, if necessary, to relocate the filled gabions, for example, suing a fork-lift truck or crane. A traditional gabion by contrast, which only has a wire cage support structure, cannot be (so easily, if at all) moved once filled.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, which are merely exemplary of the invention. For example, the anchor could be used in other applications besides fencing and/or solar PV arrays; any materials or dimensions (whether express or implied) could be varied etc., without departing from the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the appended claims.