Abstract:
This invention relates to a system for anchoring structural members, such as structures made of round and profiled tubes of steel, non-ferrous metal, light-alloy and plastics. The object of the system is for tubular members of any size and load-bearing capacity to be erected vertically on any ground, irrespective of the slope or gradient and unevenness.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a system for the underground anchoring of structural members, such as tubular structures. The object of the system is for tubular members of any size and load-bearing capacity to be erected vertically on any ground, irrespective of the slope or gradient and unevenness. 
     The system is especially suitable more for erecting small structures such as gates, posts, car-park boundaries, road markings, signs and notices, road and motorway barriers, fencing, hoardings, garden tables (tables for garden restaurants and open-air cafes), (public) benches and seats, children&#39;s playground equipment, garden umbrellas, rotary clothes lines, and so on. 
     The system is very versatile and also allows the erection of structures (sub-structures and shells), such as market stalls and stands, indoor and outdoor grandstands, hutments (standard and emergency hutments), awnings, passages, railings, bridge anchors (emergency bridges), and for military purposes, and so on. 
     More particularly, the system is intended for all small structures and the like which are temporarily and subsequently are usually intended to be removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The system according to the invention comprises an underground anchoring member in unlevelled ground, an upwardly extending section member being mounted in the member and bearing an adjusting mechanism in the form of an inclined bearing plate and, on the latter, a flange which is pivotable in the inclined plane of the plate and which is at an angle to a retaining member which, together with the flange, forms a fixed unit and which receives a top member, releasable fixing elements being provided on the bearing plate and on the flange, the whole arrangement being such that the top member together with the retaining member can be adjusted to, and locked in, any desired angle in relation to the ground by rotation of the bearing plate and the flange. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the underground-anchored system on sloping ground, with an article of use projecting upwardly; and 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bearing plate perpendicularly to the inclined plane E--E; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the underground-anchored system on horizontal ground in the inoperative condition; 
     FIG. 4 is a variant of the adjusting mechanism used for adjusting the retaining member, and 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an upwardly extending section member 3 is fixed by an underground anchoring member 2 in ground 1, the gradient of which is immaterial, with the base 4&#34; of a bottom member 4&#39; extending in parallel relationship to the gradient of ground 1. The bottom member 4&#39; forms an adjusting means and is provided with a bearing plate 4 which is situated in a plane E--E inclined at an appreciable angle in relation to the base 4&#34; of the bottom member 4&#39;. A flange 5 bears against bearing plate 4, with which it forms the adjusting mechanism, and joins a sleeve-shaped retaining member 6 which is disposed at an angle to flange 5. In particular, flange 5 is inclined an appreciable angle relative to a plane extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of retaining member 6. The retaining member 6 forms a sleeve or bush on to which a structural member or an article 7 can be fitted so as to be easily removable. 
     The flange 5 provided with the retaining member 6 is pivotally and lockably connected to a cross-member 14 of the bottom member 4&#39; by means of a screwbolt 9. The ends of the cross-member 14 engage in notches 13 situated opposite one another in the inner wall of the bottom part 4&#39; with cross-member 14 being lockable in its locking position by means of studs 15 extending through aligned openings in notches 13 and cross-member 14 as clearly shown in FIG. 1. The screw 9 is released the cross-member can be disengaged by rotation about the screw 9 so that the flange 5 can be removed from the bottom part 4&#39;. When the cross-member 14 is in the locked position and the screwbolt 9 is released, the flange 5 including the retaining member 6 can be rotated through 360° as required. The base 4&#34; bears against the base 10&#39; of a casing 10 which is fixed on the section member 3 and the cover 10&#34; of which is flush with the ground 1. Apertures 16 are provided through the periphery of base 10&#39; of casing 10 to allow for the discharge of any water or the like which may enter or penetrate casing 10 when cover 10&#34; is removed. The base 4&#34; of the bottom member 4&#39; has a diametric slot 11 and is releasably connected to the base 10&#39; of the casing 10 by means of a screw 12 passing through said slot 11. When the screw 12 is released the bottom member 4&#39; together with its slot 11 can be displaced and pivoted as required so that the retaining member 6 together with the structural member 7 can be adjusted to a vertical position and be secured by means of the bolts 9 and 12 irrespective of the slope of the ground 1. When the structural member 7 has been removed, the casing 10 can be closed by means of a cover 10&#34;. 
     On horizontal ground 1 as shown in FIG. 3, the adjusting mechanism 4, 5 is so adjusted and locked--by rotation of the bearing plate 4 and flange 5--that the retaining member 6 is perpendicular to the ground 1. 
     In the variant of the adjusting mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bearing plate 4 and the flange 5 are of disc shape and have arcuate slots 8, 8&#39; near the periphery to allow the bearing plate and the flange 4 and 5 respectively to be pivoted through approximately 360° with respect to one another. The bearing plate and the flange are connected by screw means 9 which allow the members to be locked in the position selected.