Ground anchor bracket with simulated slab support for concrete wall braces

A ground anchor bracket for supporting at least one wall brace at an earth anchor includes a sleeve that has a wall structure surrounding a hollow interior that is configured to receive a stem of the earth anchor. A platform is coupled with an upper portion of the sleeve and has an upper surface that is configured to support a shoe of a wall brace. A post is coupled with the platform and the post protrudes upward from the upper surface of the platform so as to be configured to engage a slot in the shoe of the wall brace. The upper surface of the platform may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging the shoe of the wall brace.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to wall braces used to support upright wall panels and forms, such as tilt-up panels, and more particularly relates to ground anchors for such braces.

BACKGROUND

It is generally known to temporarily brace precast concrete structures, such as wall panels or forms or the like, in an upright or vertical orientation with tilt-up wall braces that extend at an angle from the floor or ground to an elevated portion of the wall. For example, prefabricated concrete wall panels may be formed on a flat surface and subsequently lifted or tilted up to an upright or vertical orientation. Tilt-up wall braces commonly include heavy steel poles and/or adjustable length pipe sections that engage the wall panels and may be secured to the floor or ground generally remain in place until additional structural components are secured to the wall, such as a roof structure being installed over the supported or braced walls, thus providing sufficient stability to the building structure to allow the braces to be safely removed.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a ground anchor assembly that uses an anchor bracket to support at least one wall brace at an earth anchor, such as a helical anchor engaged in soil or gravel or the like. The anchor bracket has a base structure that is configured to attach to an end of the earth anchor and may be provided as a sleeve, such as tubular structure, that has a wall surrounding a hollow interior area that receives a stem or outermost portion of the earth anchor. One or more platforms may be attached to or supported at an upper portion of the sleeve, where the platform may have an upper surface configured to support a lower end of a wall brace, such as a shoe disposed at the lower end of the wall brace. A retention member, such as a post, may protrude upward from the upper surface of the platform to engage the lower end of the wall brace, such as a slot in the shoe. The upper surface of the platform may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging the shoe of the wall brace, such that the lower end of the wall braces may be quickly and efficiently engaged to the ground anchors at the brackets without modification to the shoes or wall braces.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a ground anchor bracket for supporting at least one wall brace at an earth anchor includes a sleeve that has a wall structure surrounding a hollow interior that is configured to receive a stem of the earth anchor. A platform is coupled with an upper portion of the sleeve and has an upper surface that is configured to support a shoe of a wall brace. A post is coupled with the platform and the post protrudes upward from the upper surface of the platform so as to be configured to engage a slot in the shoe of the wall brace. The upper surface of the platform may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging the shoe of the wall brace.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a ground anchor bracket for supporting two wall braces at an earth anchor includes a sleeve that is configured to receive a stem of the earth anchor. A pair of platforms may be coupled with an upper portion of the sleeve, where each platform has an upper surface that is configured to support a shoe of one of the wall braces. A retention member may be coupled with each of the pair of platforms that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the respective platform for engaging the shoe of the respective wall brace supported at the upper surface of the platform. The upper surfaces of the platforms may be substantially planar and disposed at an offset angle from each other to angle the supported braces away from each other.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the present disclosure will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a ground anchor assembly10may include a ground anchor bracket12to support at least one wall brace14at a ground anchor, such as a helical anchor16that is engaged in soil or gravel or the like. The helical anchor16may be driven into the ground18, such as via rotation, to leave a stem portion20of the helical anchor16exposed above the ground18, such as shown inFIG. 1. The stem portion20may then be engaged by a ground anchor bracket12to provide stable support to a wall brace14. The ground anchor bracket12may be configured to support the wall brace14at an angle that extends upward from the helical anchor16to brace against an upright structure, such as a wall panel22or structure or the like. The wall panel22may be formed at least partially with concrete, such as a tilt-up concrete panel or a precast concrete panel or similar wall panel structure. The wall brace14functions to maintain the upright or vertical orientation of the wall panel22or structure, such as when undergoing forces, such as from wind or other forces expected during a construction operation. Thus, the connection provided by the ground anchor bracket12between the wall brace14and the helical anchor16ensures stable and reliable bracing at ground-based connection points.

The ground anchor bracket12has a base structure that attaches to the end of the earth anchor16once it is anchored into the ground. The base structure of the anchor bracket12may include a sleeve24that has a wall structure surrounding a hollow interior area26that receives the stem20or outermost portion of the helical anchor16, such as shown inFIG. 2B. Accordingly, the stem20of the earth anchor16may have a cross-sectional shape that is generally orthogonal, such as a square or rectangular shape, which may be generally continuous along the length of the stem20. The sleeve24of the anchor bracket12may engage around the stem20, whereby the wall structure of the sleeve24has a cross-sectional shape that corresponds with the cross-sectional shape of the stem20, so as to mate the interior surface of the sleeve24against the exterior surface of the end of the stem20. The mated engagement of the orthogonally shaped sleeve24with the stem20prevents the sleeve24from rotating relative to the stem20.

One or more platforms28may be attached to or supported at an upper portion of the sleeve24for supporting a lower end14bof the wall brace14. As shown inFIG. 3, the platform may be configured to easily attach and support a shoe30that is disposed at the lower end14bof the wall brace14. A retention member may be provided at the ground anchor bracket12to engage the shoe30of the wall brace14. The retention member may include a coil or post32that protrudes upward from the platform28to engage a slot34(FIG. 3) in the shoe30. Also, an upper surface36(FIG. 4) of the platform28may be configured to support the underside of the shoe30and may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging a bottom surface of the shoe30at the lower end14bof the wall brace14. In doing so, the shoe at the lower end of the wall brace that is typically used to support the lower end of the wall brace at a slab surface, such as slab floor, may be quickly and efficiently engaged to the ground anchor at the ground anchor brackets12without modification or removal of the shoe.

With reference toFIG. 1, the wall brace14may extend at an angle from the ground18to an elevated portion of the wall panel22to temporarily support the wall panel22in a desired upright or vertical position, such as during construction of an associated building or structure or the like. The wall brace14may extend generally linearly between its upper and lower ends14a,14bto provide direct supportive load paths. The wall brace14may include a single metal pole or pipe or multiple engaged metal poles or pipes, such as adjustable length pipe sections that use removable shear pins to adjust the brace to the desired length. As shown inFIG. 2, the wall brace14is provided as a length adjustable pipe section. The upper end14aof the wall brace14may be attached at or temporarily fixed to the wall panel22, such as with fasteners, anchors, or the like to secure the upper end14aof the wall brace14before or after lifting and positioning the wall panels and before or after securing or attaching the lower end14bof the wall brace14to the floor or ground anchor assembly10. As shown inFIG. 2A, the upper end14aof the wall brace14may also include a shoe31, such as the same or similar configuration to the shoe30(FIG. 3) at the lower end14bof the wall brace14.

Before securing or engaging the lower end14bof the wall brace14to the ground anchor assembly10, the ground anchor, such as the helical anchor16shown inFIG. 3, may have a lower portion that is driven into or otherwise anchored into the earth or ground. The lower portion of the anchor16may include an elongated shank32, such as shown inFIG. 2B, which may be surrounded by a helical threaded portion34, such as a spiral or auger shaped member that helically extends around at least a portion of the shank32. The helical anchor16, as further shown inFIG. 2B, may have separate sections36a,36b,36cof the helical threaded portion34spaced along the elongated shank32. It is contemplated that each section of the helical threaded portion may be configured differently from the illustrated embodiments, such as with different thread angles, to engage at various depths of ground, such as ground that has different soil compressions and/or types. It is also understood that the helical threaded portion may be formed continuously along the shank portion and/or formed in various shapes or thread patterns from the illustrated embodiments to securely engage the ground and prevent withdrawal from the ground, such as due to forces acting on the wall panel.

The ground anchor bracket12may attach to the upper portion or stem portion of the helical anchor16by engaging the sleeve24over the stem portion, such that the stem portion extends into the hollow interior area26of the sleeve24, such as shown inFIG. 2B. The ground anchor bracket12may have a wall structure with a generally consistent wall thickness disposed around the hollow interior area26of the sleeve24that may be disposed generally centrally through the sleeve24, such as to provide a tubular shape. It is also contemplated that the wall structure of the sleeve may be formed with multiple pieces, such as shown inFIG. 7B, where four individual plates are welded at corners25ato form a sleeve24athat surrounds a hollow interior area26afor engaging the anchor stem.

Also, the sleeve24may have a non-circular cross sectional shape to prevent rotation of the sleeve24on the helical anchor16, such as a polygonal shaped or orthogonally shaped or a substantially rectangular or square shaped cross-section, as shown inFIG. 7A. The wall structure of the sleeve24may be shaped to correspond with the shape of the upper portion of the elongated shank of the helical anchor16for matably attaching or engaging the sleeve24to the helical anchor16. Thus, as shown inFIG. 2B, the sleeve24may have a generally square cross-sectional shape to corresponds with the generally square cross-sectional shape of the upper portion of the helical anchor16. It is understood that various mated cross-sectional shapes may be provided at the interface of the ground anchor bracket and the ground anchor in additional embodiments.

To secure the sleeve24to the helical anchor16, the ground anchor bracket12may have openings38in sides of the wall structure of the sleeve24that may align with each other through the sleeve24. These openings38may be aligned with openings in the upper portion of the helical anchor16, such that the aligned openings may receive a fastener, such as a cotter pin or lock pin or bolt or the like, that is disposed through the helical anchor16and the openings38, such to provide a secure connection between the ground anchor bracket12and the anchor16. It is also contemplated that the ground anchor bracket12may be integrally formed with the earth anchor16, such that the platforms28and retention members for engaging and supporting the shoe or shoes of the wall brace or braces, may be formed or attached directly to the stem of the earth anchor.

The platform28attached to or supported at an upper portion of the sleeve24, such as shown inFIGS. 1 and 7, may be positioned to horizontally orient or otherwise generally align the upper surface36of the platform28with a planar extent of the ground surface18. As also shown inFIG. 7, the upper surface36of the platform28may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging the shoe30of the wall brace14. The upper portion of the wall structure of the sleeve24, as shown inFIG. 7, may include an upper edge40that is disposed around the sleeve24in a plane that is oriented at an offset angle42from the linear extent of the sleeve24or a central axis surrounded by the wall structure of the sleeve24. The offset angle42of the plane disposed at the upper edge of the sleeve may be at or between 110° and 135° or between 115° and 130° or approximately 125°. As shown inFIGS. 1-8, the upper edge40may attached at a lower surface of the platform28. Thus the offset angle42may be configured to horizontally orient the upper surface36of the platform28when the elongated shank32of the ground anchor16is angled at approximately 55° when engaged in the ground. This angle of the ground anchor may vary by at least 20° but it is contemplated that the wall brace14is substantially aligned with the angle of the ground anchor16to efficiently hold and brace under load conditions.

With the bottom surface of the shoe30engaged with and/or supported at the upper surface36of the platform28, the shoe30may be further supported with a retention member, such as a coil or post32. The post32shown inFIGS. 7 and 8protrudes upward from the platform28upright and substantially orthogonal to the planar extent of the upper surface36of the platform28. To hold the coil or post32at the platform, the coil or post32may be inserted within a vertical opening in the platform28and a connection44may be formed between the platform28and the post32, such as with welding as shown inFIG. 8Aor other connections, such as threadably attaching or adhesive or the like. The coil or post32may be disposed on the platform28in a location that engages the slot34in the shoe30, such as shown inFIG. 3. Further, the post may32have a threaded outer surface that is configured to threadably engage a nut46that clamps of the shoe30at the lower end14bof the wall brace14against the upper surface36of the platform28, as shown inFIG. 3.

Referring now toFIGS. 9-14, an additional embodiment of the ground anchor bracket112is provided that supports two wall braces114a,114bat a single ground anchor116. The ground anchor bracket112has a sleeve124that receives a stem or upper portion of the anchor116. The sleeve124has a wall structure with a generally consistent wall thickness disposed around the hollow interior area126of the sleeve124, which is disposed generally centrally through the sleeve124. Similar to the embodiment shown inFIG. 7B, the sleeve124shown inFIG. 14is formed with multiple pieces or plates, where four individual plates are welded at corners125of the sleeve124to surround the hollow interior area126that receives the anchor stem. It is also contemplated that the sleeve used for supporting multiple wall braces may a tubular construction without welded corners or other conceivable sleeve configuration. Thus, the ground anchor bracket112may also have a non-circular cross sectional shape that mates with the upper portion of the helical anchor116to prevent rotation of the sleeve124on the helical anchor116, such as the substantially square shaped cross-section shown inFIG. 11.

The ground anchor bracket112may have a platform to support each wall brace, such as a pair of platforms128a,128battached to or supported at an upper portion of the sleeve124as shown inFIG. 10. Each platform128a,128bsupports a shoe130a,130bthat is disposed at the lower end of the respective wall brace114a,114b. A retention member, such as a coil or post132a,132b, may protrude upward from the respective platform128a,128bto engage a slot134in the respective shoe130a,130b, as shown inFIG. 10. Also, an upper surface136a,136bof each platform128a,128bmay be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging a bottom surface of the shoe130a.130bat the respective wall brace114a,114b.

The platform128a,18battached to or supported at an upper portion of the sleeve124, such as shown inFIGS. 11-14, may be positioned at laterally offset locations from the center of the sleeve124, such as shown on opposing sides of the sleeve124. As shown inFIG. 13, a bracket150a,150bmay be attached at an outer surface of the sleeve124and at a lower surface of the respective platform128a,128bto support the platform at a laterally offset position from the sleeve124. The brackets150a,150bmay also orient the upper surfaces136a,136bof the platforms128a,128bat an angle away from the sleeve to angle the wall braces114a,114baway from each other, such as to support separate wall panels or the like. As shown inFIG. 13, the angle152between the respective platform and the sleeve that provides such separation of the wall braces114a,114bis approximately between 45° and 80° or approximately 55°.

As also shown inFIG. 14, the upper surfaces136a,136bof the platform28may be substantially planar to simulate a slab floor surface for engaging the respective shoe130a,130bof the wall brace114a,114b. The upper surfaces136a,136bmay thus extend substantially horizontally toward and away from the supported wall panel. Accordingly, the offset angle142shown inFIG. 14may be at or between 110° and 135° or between 115° and 130° or approximately 125°. The offset angle142may be configured to provide the illustrated orientation of the upper surfaces136a,136bof the platforms128a,128bwhen the elongated shank132of the ground anchor116is angled at approximately 55° when engaged in the ground, such that the wall braces when viewed from the side may be substantially aligned with the angle of the ground anchor116engaged in the ground to efficiently hold and brace under load conditions.

It is to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in this specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific values and other precise physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present disclosure, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.