Patent Publication Number: US-9422741-B1

Title: Ball field suspended fence post base support and post support with lateral support

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/990,799 filed May 9, 2014. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to a helical pile adapted to support a post, and particularly to a helical pile providing support for lateral loads and supporting a fence post used for supporting a safety support fence used in baseball. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Posts are often required to be supported. Typically a fence support post is simply driven to the ground or a hole is dug and concrete is poured into the hole. Sometimes a cylindrical tube is used as a mold to hold the concrete. This is often a time-consuming and it laborious process. This is particularly problematic when a number of support posts must be erected for example in a seasonal safety support fence used to bound an outfield of a baseball field. One such safety support fence is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,565 entitled “Multipurpose Seasonal Safety Support Fence” issuing to Lyndaker et al. on Nov. 5, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference. Therein disclosed is a safety support fence comprising a plurality of mesh panels suspended from a plurality of support posts and having foul post at either end. 
     Additionally, there are applications where posts may need to be installed quickly and without substantial ground preparation. To satisfy this need post bases using a helix or screw have been used too quickly provide a foundation for the installation of a post onto the post base. While the support necessary for relatively small posts are met by the post bases installed with a helix or screw have been adequate, for larger post installations the conventional post base using a helix or screw have provided insufficient lateral support for the post. Accordingly the post base using a helix or screw vertically driven into the ground would often tilt or shift causing the post or pole to lean. This base instability is often exaggerated due to the length of larger post attached to the base and loads on the post, Therefore, even small lateral shifts of the post base will result in substantial leaning of larger post or poles. Additional, lateral support is also needed in some applications, such as offset suspended mesh panels used in fencing for a ball field as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,565. Therefore, there is a need to provide a post base that is easy to install and provides substantial lateral support so as to prevent tilting or shifting of the post or post base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is an elevational view schematically illustrating an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a plan view schematically illustrating the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  schematically illustrates another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an elevational view schematically illustrating another embodiment of the invention having underground lateral support. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view illustrating an angled lateral support plate connected to a vertical post and the lateral support. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational view illustrating the turnbuckle connection between the angled lateral support plate and the lateral support. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the angled lateral support plate. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross section of the angled lateral support plate taken along line  11 - 11 . 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of two angled lateral support plates with two lateral supports attached. 
     
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a helical pile with lateral support. The invention is used to quickly install fence posts and other post requiring lateral support. A plurality of helixes are attached to a pile, with the helixes spaced longitudinally along a pile. Some of the helixes have a lateral support plate extending from the helixes substantially perpendicular thereto and in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pile. In one embodiment a cylinder having at least one helix therein is positioned adjacent and below the surface providing additional lateral support. 
     Another embodiment providing additional lateral support has a helical support rod having a longitudinal axis that is transverse to the helical pile and is attached to the helical pile by an angled lateral support plate. The angled lateral support plate is configured or adapted so as to be attached to any side of the vertical pile top plate. 
     Is an object of the present invention to provide a foundation so that post can be installed quickly, easily, and securely. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide enhanced lateral support for a helical pile. 
     It is an advantage of the present invention that different configurations may be used for adapting to different applications. 
     It is another advantage of the present invention that both time and labor to install a foundation for a post is substantially reduced. 
     Is a feature of the present invention that a lateral support plate is attached to a helix providing enhanced lateral support. 
     It is another feature of the present invention that a lateral support structure is placed between the helical pile and the ground surface. 
     It is yet another feature of the present invention that a lateral support structure comprises a helical support rod with a longitudinal axis that transverses a helical pile longitudinal axis. 
     It is still another feature of the present invention that an angled lateral support plate is configured or adapted to attach to any side of a vertical pile top plate. 
     These and other objects, advantages, and features will become more readily apparent in view the following detailed description. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates the application of the present invention for its intended purpose of supporting a safety support fence  10  with a helical pile or post support  12 . The safety support fence  10  comprises a vertical fence support post  14  and an angled fence support member  16  attached to a cable  18  that is attached to the suspended safety fence  20 . The base of the suspended safety fence  20  is coupled to the helical pile or post support  12  by a lateral fence tie  24 . The safety support fence  10  bounds the outfield of a ball field  22 . The safety support fence  10  provides flexibility so as to prevent injury to players should they contact the safety support fence  10 . 
     The helical pile or post support  12  comprises a solid or hollow pipe or pile having a plurality of helical plates  26  attached thereto along the longitudinal length of the pipe or pile  28 . The end of the pipe  28  entering the ground may be angled permitting easier penetration. Placed adjacent the opposing end of the pipe  28  near the surface is a lateral support or subsurface cylinder  30 . The subsurface cylinder  30  may also have helical plates  26  contained therein. The subsurface cylinder  30  provides lateral support adjacent the end of the pipe  28  receiving the vertical fence support post  14 . 
     The helical pile or postal support  12  may be screwed into the ground using a planetary driver or auger unit. The helical pile or post support  12  of the invention replaces the use of a poured concrete cylindrical form or a fiber tube used to set the fence post in concrete. Such tubes are sold under the trademark SONOTUBE. Some of the helical piles or post supports  12  may have vertical plates attached to the helical plates  26  to provide additional lateral support. Also different diameters or larger pipes or piles  28  may be used depending on soil conditions. The helical plates  26  and vertical plates may be attached throughout the entire length of the pipe or pile  28  as required to support the loading of the safety support fence  10 . The invention provides a shallow helical pile or post that may be installed in soil to support vertical and lateral loads placed on the safety support fence  10 . The invention may also be used to support foul poles placed at the ends of the safety support fence  10  when used in a ball field. The helical pile or post support  12  may be used to replace poured concrete structures and shallow post set in concrete in other applications where applicable to support the required loads. 
       FIGS. 2-6  illustrate additional embodiments of the helical pile or post support  12  of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 2A-B  illustrates an embodiment having concrete  34  with embedded lateral rods  40  having a vertical end  38  to provide additional lateral support adjacent the pipe or pile opening  36  for providing increased lateral stability for the vertical fence support post  14 . Additionally, helical plates  26  have lateral support plates  32  perpendicularly attached thereto. The lateral support plates  32  may be placed at different locations over the perimeter of the helical plates  26 . The lateral support plates  32  extend substantially perpendicular from the plane of the helical plates  26  and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe or pile  28  providing lateral support. The diameter of the helical plates  26  may be selected based on soil conditions and the anticipated loading. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the helical plates  26  extend along the full longitudinal length of the pipe or pile  28 . The helical plates  26  are preferably substantially evenly spaced along the longitudinal length. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the helical pile or post support  12  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . This embodiment uses subsurface cylinder  30  containing helical plates  26  to provide additional lateral support adjacent an end of the pile or post  28  adjacent to where the post  14 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , would attach. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment having concrete  34  providing additional support adjacent one end of the piper pile  28 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the invention having concrete  34  with circular plates  42  and anchor bolts  44  placed therein. The anchor bolts  44  are placed in holes within the circular plates  42  and extend upward above the surface of the concrete  34 . A pole, such as a foul pole used in a baseball field may be bolted to the anchor bolts  44 . 
       FIGS. 7-12  illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 7-12  has a lateral support structure for supporting large posts or when additional lateral support is desired. One particular useful application is for a foundation for supporting a foul pole used in a baseball field. 
       FIG. 7  is an elevational view schematically illustrating this embodiment. A vertical post  114 , which may be a foul pole for a baseball field, is attached to a helical pile  128  the helical pile has a helix plate or helix  126 . The helix plate or helix  126  extends radially from the longitudinal axis of the helical pile  128 . A pilot point  180  is placed on one end of the helix pile  128  adjacent the helix  126 . Attached to the other end of the helix pile  128  is a vertical pile top plate  150 . The vertical pile top plate  150  is bolted to a vertical post bottom plate  152 . The vertical post bottom plate  152  is attached to the vertical post  114 . The vertical post bottom plate  152  and the vertical pile top plate  150  are attached together by bolts  154  and nuts  156 . Attached on one side of the vertical pile top plate  150  is an angled lateral support plate  158 . The angled lateral support plate  158  has a pile leg  160  and a lateral support leg  162 . The lateral support leg  162  is attached to the lateral support or helical support rod assembly  130 . The helical support rod assembly  130  comprises a turnbuckle  164 , a shackle  166 , a lateral support rod  168 , and a helical plate or helix  170 . The turnbuckle  164  comprises a bolt  172  and nuts  174 . The shackle  166  comprises a U-shaped connector  176  attached to the lateral support rod  168  by a shank  178  having a bolt and nut or other equivalent fastener. 
       FIG. 8  is a plan view illustrating the vertical post bottom plate  152  attached to the angled lateral support plate  158  and the vertical pile top plate  150 . The vertical pile top plate  150  is under the vertical post bottom plate  152 , and therefore is not seen in  FIG. 8 . The bolts  154  and nuts  156  couple the vertical post bottom plate  152  to the vertical pile top plate  150 . This couples the helical pile  128  securely to the vertical post  114 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The vertical post bottom plate  152  and the vertical pile top plate  150  have a polygon shape that is square. The angled lateral support plate  158  can therefore be attached to any one of the four sides of the vertical pile top plate  150  or the vertical post bottom plate  152 . 
       FIG. 9  is an elevation a view illustrating the turnbuckle  164  in more detail. As illustrated in  FIG. 7  the bolt  172  attaches to the angled lateral support plate  158  and the shank  178  attaches to one end of the lateral support rod  168 . The shackle  166  provides some lateral flexibility or movement so as to permit easily couple or alinement to the angled lateral support plate  158 . The bolt  172  and nut  174  provide longitudinal positioning between the angled lateral support plate  158  and the lateral support rod  168 , illustrated in  FIG. 7 . This longitudinal and a lateral play or movement greatly facilitates alignment and coupling to the angled lateral support plate  158 . 
       FIG. 10  is a plan view of the angled lateral support plate  158 . The lateral support plate  158  has two through holes  182  on the pile leg  160  and a single through hole on the lateral support leg  162 . The lateral through holes  182  formed on the pile leg  160  are spaced to coincide with the through holes formed on the vertical pile top plate  150 . The through holes on the vertical pile top plate  150  may be elongated or shaped so as to permit easier alignment and insertion of a bolt. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross section taken along line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 11  more clearly illustrates the angle between the pile leg  160  and the lateral support leg  162  of the angled lateral support plate  158 . The angle may range from between one-hundred and twenty degrees to one-hundred and forty five degrees, but is preferably one hundred and thirty-five degrees. 
       FIG. 12  is a plan view illustrating the attachment of opposing angled lateral support plates  158  to the vertical pile top plate  150  positioned below the vertical post bottom plate  152 . Each of the angled lateral support plates  158  is attached to a lateral support or helical support rod assembly  130 . If necessary, additional lateral supports or helical support rod assemblies  130  may be attached to each of the four sides of the vertical pile top plate  150  under the vertical post bottom plate  152 . 
     The operation and benefits of the present invention in this embodiment may be really appreciated with reference to  FIGS. 7-12 . A desired number of lateral supports or helical support rod assemblies  130  may be driven into the ground at an angle as needed depending upon the application. The helical pile  128  may be driven into the ground to a depth sufficient so that the lateral support or helical support rod assembly  130  is substantially adjacent the vertical pile top plate  150 . The lateral movement permitted by the shackle  166  in combination with the longitudinal adjustment permitted by the turnbuckle  164  facilities alignment of the lateral support or helical support rod assembly  130  to the through hole  182  in the lateral support leg  162  of the angled lateral support plate  158 . The turnbuckle  164  can be adjusted to provide a desired load on the helical pile  128  so as to assure that there is no lateral movement of the helical pile  128  and the connected vertical post  114 . 
     The use of the combination of a helical pile  128  and the lateral support provided by the helical support rod assembly  130  that has a longitudinal axis that intersects or transverses the longitudinal axis of the helical pile  128  provides a foundation for a post  114  that is easily and quickly installed and yet provide substantially improved resistance to lateral loading. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a helical pile that has substantially improved lateral support so that large posts can be securely attached. The present invention particularly improves and provides a much quicker solution to supporting vertical fence support posts for supporting a safety support fence used in a ball field. This makes the erection of the safety support fence less expensive, easier, and quicker.