Abstract:
A tilt tower and pipe auger anchor assembly comprising a tilt tower having a mast and a swing tube and a coax cable engaging both the mast and the swing tube, the mast has a near end, the near end has a mast flange plate with fastener holes therethrough. A pipe auger anchor has walls defining a generally hollow elongated body having a near end and a removed end, the near end including a pipe auger anchor flange plate mateable with the mast flange plate. The pipe auger anchor flange plate has fastener openings therein and fixedly attached to the near end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongated body and an auger at the removed end. The auger provides a penetration force when the body is rotated and the auger is engaged with the ground.

Description:
[0001]    This continuation application claims the benefit of, priority to and incorporates herein by reference, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/870,290, filed Apr. 25, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/776,231, filed Mar. 11, 2013. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Tilt towers and methods of affixing tilt towers to a support device partly embedded in the earth. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Tilt towers are typically provided for use with antennas, for example, in positive train control (PCT) towers. These tilt towers typically include a foundation engaging a mast and swing tube, the mast and swing tube connected by an axle. One such tilt tower may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/473,848, filed May 17, 2012, published Nov. 22, 2012, which application is incorporated by reference herein. One end of the swing tube is normally attached near to the mast the ground and the second end of the swing tube extends well past the removed end of the mast and has an antenna assembly on the removed end thereof. When servicing of the antenna is required, the near end of the swing tube may be released where it fastens to the mast close to the ground and, with a rope on the antenna end of the swing tube, it can be rotated down to ground level for servicing. 
         [0004]    Typically masts have a flange which engages four bolts set into a ground embedded precast concrete mass. At an assembly site, a backhoe is used to dig out the soil and the precast concrete foundation is placed in the excavated area. The precast foundation may include an access channel for receiving the coax assembly from the bottom of the mast. A trench may be dug out adjacent the precast mass and the coax assembly, entrained through the precast, may be laid in the trench, typically in conduit, to an equipment or signal bungalow nearby. The coax assembly is engaged to equipment in the signal bungalow in ways known in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A tilt tower and pipe auger anchor assembly comprising a tilt tower having a mast and a swing tube and a coax cable engaging both the mast and the swing tube, the mast has a near end, the near end has a mast flange plate with fastener holes therethrough. A pipe auger anchor has walls defining a generally hollow elongated body having a near end and a removed end, the near end including a pipe auger anchor flange plate mateable with the mast flange plate. The pipe auger anchor flange plate has fastener openings therein and fixedly attached to the near end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongated body and an auger at the removed end. The auger provides a penetration force when the body is rotated and the auger is engaged with the ground. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the bottom end of the tilt tower in a manner in which engages the pipe auger anchor assembly to use of engagement members, here, a multiplicity of nut and bolt assemblies, including a cross-section at Detail A. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the pipe auger anchor embedded in the ground with just the mating flange plate  42  extending slightly above the ground,  FIG. 2  showing the reinforced coax port in the body of the pipe auger anchor. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view cutaway of the pipe auger anchor embedded in the ground in the manner in which the access port allows the coax assembly to join a pipe laying in a trench and carrying the coax assembly to a signal bungalow. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the near end of the pipe auger anchor. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the near end of the mast of the tilt tower assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a top elevational view of the mating flange plate of the pipe auger anchor. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6A  is a top elevational view of showing the reinforcement members welded flush with the outside surface of the auger body and extending into the auger body. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view cutaway across the longitudinal axis of the body of the pipe auger anchor showing the reinforcement members welded about the coax port (two illustrated). 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective exterior view of the auger body showing the reinforced auger port with coaxial assembly extending therefrom. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate steel reinforcement members arrangements about the coaxial ports in the auger body. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an elevational view of a pipe auger anchor, with  FIGS. 9A and 9B  being detailed views showing preferred weldments at the mating flange/auger body junction. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10A  is an elevational view of a round access hole covered with a circular reinforcement cover plate. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10B and 10C  are plan and side cutaway views of the embodiment of  FIG. 10A , wherein the reinforcement plate is perpendicular to the body. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 10D and 10E  are plan and side cutaway views of the embodiment of  FIG. 10A , wherein the reinforcement plate is flush to the body of the auger. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Applicants disclose a tilt tower and pipe auger assembly  10 . The tilt tower and pipe auger assembly  10  includes a tilt tower  12  as known in the art. A coax assembly  13  is engaged with the tilt tower and partly entrained within a mast tube  16 , typically entering at a near end  16   a  thereof and exiting at a port  16   c  thereof. Removed end  16   b  of mast  16  includes an axle  20  for engagement of a swing tube  18  as known in the art. Swing tube  18   a  has a near end  18   a  from which coax assembly, when the swing tube is in a normal or use position, may extend thereinto and enter the low end of the mast tube as best seen in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    It is seen that mast  16  is typically longitudinal and may have a flange plate  22  rigidly attached as, for example, by weldment (see  FIGS. 9A and 9B ) to the near end  16   a  and generally perpendicular thereto. Fastener holes  24  are typically provided in the flange portion of flange plate  22  and there may be, for example, four holes as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0022]    Pipe auger anchor  14  is seen, in one embodiment, to include an auger body  26  of a near end  26   a  and a removed end  26   b . At the removed end  26   b  of auger body  26  is an auger  28 . Auger  28  may be configured in a number of different ways and may include a helical member  30  and a longitudinal member  32 . Auger  28  is configured such that, upon placement against the earth, typically soil, with the longitudinal axis of the auger body  26  generally perpendicular thereto, rotation thereof will provide a penetration force to the pipe auger anchor and it may penetrate the earth. Equipment, known in the art, will provide power to rotate augers into the earth. Rotation of pipe auger anchor into the earth is provided and a hole may be partially (a starter hole) or completely excavated as seen in  FIG. 3 . Auger body  26  includes at least one coax port, here two shown  34 / 36 . Auger body  26  is typically elongated, round, and hollow with typically cylindrical walls. Coax ports  34 / 36  are typically about two or three feet down the auger body from near end  26   a . Auger anchor  14  is between the near end and removed end, about ten feet long, about 10 inches in diameter and has a wall thickness of about ¼ inch. Coax ports  34 / 36  typically include plate steel welded up reinforcement members  38 / 40 , which may be round, rectangular or other suitable shape and may at least partially extend into the interior ( FIGS. 6 and 6A ), in one embodiment, and may, in another embodiment, at least partially extend past the exterior walls of auger body  26  as best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . It is seen that the cutouts of the walls of the auger body  26  to generate coax port  34 / 36  has a certain area. The area of the walls defining the port reinforcement members  38 / 40  should be, in one embodiment, an area at least equal to the area defining the coax ports around which the reinforcements are attached, for example, by weldment. 
         [0023]    For example, if the coax port is approximately 2.5 inches by 12 inches (about 30 sq. in.), then a total of about thirty square inches of port reinforcement member, typically plate steel, will be used to weld up the weld members around the port. Moreover, if the thickness of auger body is about ¼ inch, the wall members defining the port reinforcement members will be typically at least about ¼ inch thick. 
         [0024]    By providing port reinforcement members, including welded up plate steel about the coax port, a weakness in auger body  26  will be substantially alleviated. For example, auger body  26  may vibrate when a mast, stimulated by winds or other forces, begins to vibrate at a harmonic frequency defined by the geometry and materials of the tilt tower assembly. Such harmonic vibrations can be destructive and may cause failure at non-reinforced coax ports. Port reinforcement members, such as those illustrated or other suitable members, are helpful in providing reinforcement about the coax ports and avoiding destructive failure. 
         [0025]    It may be seen that near end  26   a  has a mating flange plate  42  attached by weldment  44  or other suitable means. Moreover, it is seen that mating flange plate  42  is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of auger body  26  and may be dimensioned similarly to flange plate  22  of mast tube  16 . Mating flange plate  42  may include a hold-down bolt access area, which may be multiple slots  46  as seen, for example, in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . Mating flange plate  42  has a coax entry cutout  48 . An engagement assembly  49  is provided to rigidly and in a level manner fasten the mast tube to pipe auger anchor  14 , typically after pipe auger anchor  14  has been inserted into the ground and the excavation and trench has been backfilled and tamped. Engagement assembly  49  may include a multiplicity of anchor bolts  50 . 
         [0026]    As seen in the detail portion of  FIG. 1 , engagement anchor assembly  49  may include an anchor bolt upon which is entrained a number of nuts and washers, the effect of which is to maintain a fixed spatial arrangement between plates  22 / 42 , so as to maintain substantially perpendicular alignment of tilt tower mast tube  16 . The nut and washer assemblies include compression lock nut and lock washer  58 , leveling nut and flat washer  56 , compression nut and lock washer  54 , and backup nut and lock washer  52  (which may be a bolt head). These assemblies are typically at all four corners of the opposed plates  22 / 42 . 
         [0027]    Turning to  FIG. 1 , it is seen that anchor bolt  50  (there are typically four) each entrain through fastener hole  24  and hold-down bolt access area  46 . A backup nut and lock washer assembly  52  may be provided on the underside of mating flange plate  42 . Holding assembly  52  in place may be a compression nut/lock washer assembly  54  engaging the top surface of mating flange plate  42 . Anchor bolt  50  extends up through flange plate  22  and includes a leveling nut and flat washer assembly  46  on the underside of flange plate  22  and, on the top side of flange plate  22 , is a compression nut/lock washer assembly  58 . Leveling of the mast tube may be achieved by adjusting nut position. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 6A ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  10 A- 10 E illustrate various views of the axis port and reinforcement plates welded thereto.  FIG. 6A  shows that the plates may extend into the inner body only and be welded where they just touch the outer cylindrical surface of the auger body.  FIG. 7  shows that the plates may extend both partially into the interior and into the exterior and weldment typically is placed at the junction of the plates and the exterior of the pipe.  FIG. 8  shows that weldment may extend only to the exterior of the pipe and may, in one embodiment, be square or rectangular.  FIG. 9  is an elevational view of  FIG. 8 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 9 ,  9 A, and  9 B illustrate details of weldment where mating flange plate  42  joins near end  26   a  of auger body  26 .  FIG. 9B  shows that upper lip  26   c  will be inserted about half the distance of the thickness of mating flange plate  42 .  FIG. 9A  shows that, in a preferred embodiment, dual full pin welds will be applied, typically about ½ inch on the outside and 5/16 inch on the inside, to help prevent overheating of the thin walled pipe. By inserting the upper perimeter  26   c  only halfway or half the distance of the thickness of the plate, sufficient room is provided such that inner weld  44   a  will not project above the top surface of mating plate  42 . Outer weld at the junction of lower surface of the mating plate and the outer surface of the near end of the auger body is designated  44   b . The mating flange  42  should be the same size and thickness as the tower plate of the tower flange plate  22  used. The manufacturer and the engineering staff of the mast can be consulted on such dimensions. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate rectangular exterior strengthening plates, which have beveled corners  38   a / 40   a  on at least some of the corners or edges exposed on the exterior of the body.  FIG. 8B  illustrates that the shape of the port cutout may be different (here, an elongated oval) than the plating (rectangular at least partly exterior plating). 
         [0031]      FIGS. 10A ,  10 B, and  10 C illustrate that a circular configuration may be provided for port reinforcement members  38 / 40 . That is to say, in this embodiment, the plate steel may be cylindrical conduit or configured flat plate (earlier embodiments), which may extend outward of the body, partially inside the body or fully inside or fully outside (as seen in  FIGS. 10B and 10C ) the body of the auger. In this embodiment, the cylindrical reinforcement member typically may be shaped with an inner perimeter that will contact the surface of the auger body. In one embodiment, the outline of the reinforcement members will reflect that of the port, rectangular port, rectangular reinforcement members, round port, cylindrical round reinforcement members ( FIGS. 100 and 10D ). In other embodiments, they are mixed. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 10D and 10E  show an embodiment where the reinforcement members  38 / 40  are placed flat against the cylindrical external body and welded  44  thereto. In earlier embodiments, whether round or rectangular plates, they are placed perpendicular to the hole, for example, see  FIGS. 7 and 10C , compare  FIG. 10F , flat laying plates. In other words, embodiments of the plates may put the face of the plates flush against the curved surface or the major faces of the plates are perpendicular thereto. 
         [0033]    In summary, regarding reinforcements of the port, it is seen that the reinforcement members may be plate or cylindrical or other suitable steel, and may be fully inside the body, fully outside the body or partially inside or outside. Moreover, square, rectangular or cylindrical steel may be used or any other suitable shape. 
         [0034]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.