Mobile home anchor and a method for embedding same

Claim 2

A self-embedding mobile home anchor for securing a mobile home to solid, dry ground comprising: an elongated anchor post comprising a hollow pipe having upper and lower ends; at least one pair of locking arms mounted on the pipe on opposite sides thereof, each locking arm having an inner and outer end and being pivotably movable on the outside of the anchor post from an entry position, wherein the locking arm lays flat against the anchor post with its outer end extending upwardly, to a locking position, wherein the locking arm is pivoted downwardly and outwardly from its entry position with the outer end of the locking arm extending outwardly from the anchor post; movement limiting means for preventing the locking arm from pivoting outwardly and downwardly past its locking position, said movement limiting means including the inner ends of the locking arms, said inner ends being formed such that when the arms are pivoted downwardly and outwardly to their locking positions, at least a portion of the inner end of each arm fits over the outside of the anchor post and engages the same portion of the other locking arm, engagement of the inner ends of the locking arms preventing further downward and outward pivotal movement of the arms past their locking positions and preventing inward force on the locking arms from deforming inwardly the hollow pipe, said locking arms including lip means on the outer ends thereof for causing the locking arms to pivot from their entry to their locking positions when the anchor is embedded in the ground and an upward force is exerted on the anchor; and means for receiving water under pressure in the open upper end of the anchor post, said water being directed downwardly through the anchor post and discharged from the lower end thereof so as to embed the anchor in the ground.

Claim 3

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 1 wherein the inner ends of the locking arms are formed such that they engage each other when the arms are pivoted downwardly to their locking positions but do not press inwardly against the sides of the anchor post at least until the inner ends contact each other.

Claim 4

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 2 wherein the movement limiting means includes a separate restraining arm for each locking arm, each restraining arm being mounted at an inner end to the anchor post and extending downwardly and outwardly from the anchor post through an opening between the ends of a locking arm to an outer end, the outer end including a head means that prevents the locking arm from being removed from the restraining arm over the head, the locking arm being slidably mounted for movement along said restraining arm in moving from its entry to its locking positions, the engagement of the lower ends of the locking arms and the engagement of the locking arms with the heads on the restraining arms serving to prevent downward and outward movement of the locking arms past their locking positions.

Claim 5

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 1 wherein each locking arm comprises a channel member having opposed sides that fit over the outside of the anchor post and a back portion extending between the sides, each locking arm being pivotably attached to the anchor post at a pivot point adjacent the inner end thereof, the inner end of each locking arm comprising inner ends of the portions of the sides that fit over the outside of the anchor post, said inner ends engaging the inner ends of the sides of the locking arm on the opposite side of the anchor post when both locking arms have been pivoted outwardly to their locking positions, the engagement of said inner ends resisting any inward force on the locking arms and preventing inward deformation of the hollow anchor post.

Claim 6

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 4 wherein the back portion of the locking arm adjacent the inner end of the locking arm is recessed such that when downward pressure is placed on the outer ends of the locking arms with the locking arms in their locking positions, a sufficient amount of the resultant inward force on the inner ends of the locking arms is restrained by the engagement of the inner ends of the opposing locking arms to prevent the inner ends of the locking arms from engaging and collapsing inwardly the tubular anchor post.

Claim 7

A self-embedding mobile home anchor for securing a mobile home to solid, dry ground that is substantially less permeable than sand comprising: an elongated anchor post comprising a hollow pipe having open upper and lower ends, the upper end including coupling means for releasably attaching a water hose thereto, the diameter of the pipe being sufficiently small such that the anchor will be substantially self-embedding in solid, dry ground that is substantially less permeable than sand when water at conventional tap pressure of about 40 pounds per square inch or greater is introduced into the upper end of the pipe and the lower end of the pipe is placed against the ground; a plurality of locking arms pivotably mounted on the outside of the pipe, each locking arm having an inner and outer end and being pivotably movable from an entry position wherein the locking arm lays flat against the pipe with its outer end extending upwardly, to a locking position, wherein the locking arm is pivoted downwardly and outwardly from its entry position and the outer end extends outwardly from the pipe, said locking arms including means on the outer ends thereof for causing the arms to pivot from their entry to their locking positions when the anchor is embedded in the ground and the anchor is lifted upwardly in the ground; and movement limiting means for preventing each locking arm from pivoting outwardly and downwardly past its locking position.

Claim 8

A self-embedding mobile home anchor for securing a mobile home to solid, dry ground that is substantially less permeable than sand comprising: an elongated anchor post comprising a hollow pipe having open upper and lower ends, the upper end including coupling means for releasably attaching a water hose thereto, the diameter of the pipe being sufficiently small such that the anchor will be substantially self-embedding in solid, dry ground that is substantially less permeable than sand when water at conventional tap pressure of about 40 pounds per square inch or greater is introduced into the upper end of the pipe and the lower end of the pipe is placed against the ground; a plurality of locking arms pivotably mounted on the outside of the pipe, each locking arm having an inner and outer end and being pivotably movable from an entry position wherein the locking arm lays flat against the pipe with its outer end extending upwardly, to a locking position, wherein the locking arm is pivoted downwardly and outwardly from its entry position and the outer end extends outwardly from the pipe, said locking arms including means on the outer ends thereof for causing the arms to pivot from their entry to their locking positions when the anchor is embedded in the ground and the anchor is lifted upwardly in the ground; and movement limiting means for preventing each locking arm from pivoting outwardly and downwardly past its locking position.

Claim 9

A self-embedding anchor as claimed in claim 6 wherein the anchor post comprises a conventional cast iron pipe having an outside diameter of approximately 3/4 to 1 inch.

Claim 10

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 6 wherein the locking arm is pivotably mounted to the anchor post at a pivot point adjacent the inner end thereof and the movement limiting means comprises a stop bar that extends from the anchor post at a position below the locking arm to a position adjacent the locking position of the locking arm, the locking arm engaging and being prevented from further downward pivotal movement when it reaches its locking position.

Claim 11

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 6 wherein the locking arm is pivotably mounted to the anchor post at a pivot point adjacent the inner end thereof and the movement limiting device comprises a foldable hinge mechanism havng a first end attached to the anchor post at a point above the pivot point and a second end attached to the locking arm at a position spaced apart from the pivot point on the locking arm and between said pivot point and the outer end of the locking arm.

Claim 12

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 6 wherein the locking means includes at least one pair of locking arms mounted at the same axial position on opposite sides of the anchor post, said locking arms being mounted on a bracket that fits over the anchor post, the bracket including fastening means for attaching the bracket and locking arms at any desired position along the anchor post.

Claim 13

A self-embedding anchor according to claim 6 wherein the inlet means is an open upper end of the tubular member, said upper end comprising internally threaded coupling means for removably attaching either an externally threaded hose fitting for a water supply or fastening means for securing the mobile home to the anchor, said fastening means comprising an eye-bolt having an externally threaded fitting that is attachable to the internally threaded coupling means.

Claim 14

Tie down means for securing a mobile home or the like in a fixed position on solid, dry ground comprising: first and second self-embedding anchors mounted in the ground on each side of the mobile home, each anchor comprising: a hollow tubular anchor post having an open interior, said anchor post having inlet means at an upper end thereof for admitting water under pressure into the interior of the post and having outlet means in the lower end thereof for discharging said water from the interior of the post, the outlet means directing the water directly downwardly from the said lower end in a direction in line with the axis of the post, the outlet means causing the water to be discharged with sufficient force and velocity to displace ground of normal consistency when the lower end of the anchor post is placed against said ground, the inlet means comprising a threaded coupling on the open upper end of the anchor post, the coupling being formed to receive a threaded fitting of a conventional water hose; locking means attached directly to the outside of the post, said locking means permitting the insertion of the post in the ground in an axial direction without rotating, lower end first, said locking means preventing the removal of the post in a reverse direction once the post has been embedded in the ground, said locking means comprising a plurality of pairs of locking arms mounted on opposite sides of the posts, the locking arms being pivotably mounted on the post for movement in a downward and outward direction from an entry position, wherein the arms lay flat against the post, to a locking position, wherein the arms extend outwardly from the post, the lower ends of each pair of arms being formed to engage each other when the locking arms reach their locking positions, said engagement serving to prevent inward force on the locking arms from deforming the hollow anchor post inwardly and to prevent the locking arms from pivoting downwardly past their locking positions, said locking arms including means for pivoting the locking arms from their entry to their locking positions when the anchor is embedded in the ground and an upward force is exerted on the anchor; and an eye-bolt threadably attachable to the threaded coupling on the upper end of the post; cable means for securing the mobile home to the anchor on each side of the mobile home, each cable means being attached to the eye-bolt on each anchor; and turnbuckle means in the cable means for tightening the cable.

Claim 15

Tie down means for securing a mobile home or the like in a fixed position on solid, dry ground comprising: first and second self-embedding anchors mounted in the ground on each side of the mobile home, each anchor comprising: a hollow tubular anchor post having an open interior, said anchor post having inlet means at an upper end thereof for admitting water under pressure into the interior of the post and having outlet means in the lower end thereof for discharging said water from the interior of the post, the outlet means directing the water directly downwardly from the said lower end in a direction in line with the axis of the post, the outlet means causing the water to be discharged with sufficient force and velocity to displace ground of normal consistency when the lower end of the anchor post is placed against said ground, the inlet means comprising a threaded coupling on the open upper end of the anchor post, the coupling being formed to receive a threaded fitting of a conventional water hose; locking means attached directly to the outside of the post, said locking means permitting the insertion of the post in the ground in an axial direction without rotating, lower end first, said locking means preventing the removal of the post in a reverse direction once the post has been embedded in the ground, said locking means comprising a plurality of pairs of locking arms mounted on opposite sides of the posts, the locking arms being pivotably mounted on the post for movement in a downward and outward direction from an entry position, wherein the arms lay flat against the post, to a locking position, wherein the arms extend outwardly from the post, the lower ends of each pair of arms being formed to engage each other when the locking arms reach their locking positions, said engagement serving to prevent inward force on the locking arms from deforming the hollow anchor post inwardly and to prevent the locking arms from pivoting downwardly past their locking positions, said locking arms including means for pivoting the locking arms from their entry to their locking positions when the anchor is embedded in the ground and an upward force is exerted on the anchor; and an eye-bolt threadably attachable to the threaded coupling on the upper end of the post; cable means for securing the mobile home to the anchor on each side of the mobile home, each cable means being attached to the eye-bolt on each anchor; and turnbuckle means in the cable means for tightening the cable.