Patent Description:
It is known to secure posts and other articles to the ground using ground anchors, for example in the support of vineyard trellises. The articles are attached to the anchor by cables. However, there is a tendency for the cables to corrode. Often, the components of the vineyard trellis can be made from dissimilar metals which can worsen deterioration of the ground anchor and the cable.

<CIT> discloses a ground anchor comprising a body of triangular shape having an apex or drive point, a base edge opposite the apex and side edges extending from the apex to the corresponding ends of the base edge. The body has a medial rib tapering from the base toward the apex. Slots open to the side edges of the body and extend inwardly from the side. Substantially parallel grooves in one side of said body extend from inner ends of the slots to the base edge. A curved groove in the opposite side of said body extends between the inner ends of said slots. The slots and the grooves can receive a looped flexible connecting line, whereby a line looped through the slots and curved groove and extending through the parallel grooves will be protected while the ground anchor is driven into the ground.

<CIT> discloses a device having a body with a head, an upper part, a lower part and a rear part. A central core is provided with a hole for receiving a tie-rod. Two protection shields of the tie-rod are arranged at interface between the core and the head. The lower part has two lateral sides which are joined in the lower part for forming a stopper. The head results from extension of upper and lower parts from the central core.

<CIT> discloses a netting installation, for use in tree fruit production. The netting installation comprises a framework comprising a plurality of uprights which are mutually spaced to form an array of the uprights. Each upright is installed into the ground using a helical ground anchor. Each upright has a combination of upper and lower slidable parts to removably fit an upper part onto a lower part which is installed in the ground. Cables are attached to the upper ends of the uprights to form a cable network at least <NUM> meters above the ground. A plurality of nets are mounted on the cable network to form an array of nets. A releasable net tethering system connects the nets to the cables using connectors fitted between the peripheral edge of a respective net and a cable, wherein each connector has a preset maximum threshold of tensile strength.

<CIT> discloses a guy device for a pole driven into the ground, particularly a support pole for vine-growing plants. The guy device comprises an anchoring member driven deeply into the ground, and a connecting member whose lower end is hooked to the anchoring member and whose upper end is connected through a tensioning member to the pole to be guyed. Both the connecting member and the tensioning member are made of a metal wire or cable, or equivalent material folded so as to form respective closed annular elements. The wire of the connecting member passes through a seat obtained in the anchoring member and has the ends reciprocally knotted. The tensioning member is hooked to the connecting member.

According to one aspect of the invention, which is achieved with claim <NUM>, there is provided a support assembly comprising an anchor system, a support and a securing article to secure the support to the anchor system;
the anchor system comprising:.

The first and second end portions may extend along each other. The first and second passes of the tendon arrangement may extend from the attaching formation to the looped region.

The joined first and second end portions may provide the looped region. The securing article may be an elongate securing article, such as a cable, wire, or wire rope.

The attaching formation may comprise an apertured formation. The anchor may have a body. The apertured formation may be provided on the body. The apertured formation may comprise an eye. The body may enable the anchor to be driven into the ground.

The first and second passes of the elongate member may be substantially the same length as each other. The looped region may be the joined end portions of the elongate member.

The joining arrangement may comprise first and second joining components for joining the first and second end portions to each other. The first and second end portions may be arranged in an overlapping configuration, in which the first and second end portions overlap each other.

The first end portion may extend from a first end of the elongate member, and the first joining component may be disposed adjacent the first end of the elongate member. The second end portion may extend from a second end of the elongate member, and the second joining component may be disposed adjacent the second end of the elongate member.

The anchor may comprise a ground anchor.

The anchor system may include protecting means. The protecting means may be mounted in the attaching formation.

The protecting means may comprise first and second protecting members. Each of the first and second protecting members may be received in a respective opposite side of the attaching formation.

The, or each, protecting member may comprise a bush. Each, protecting member may define a through hole. Each, protecting member may be received within the attaching formation to receive the elongate member therethrough.

The, or each, protecting member may comprise a main part, which may be substantially cylindrical. The main part may have opposite ends. The hole may extend between the opposite ends.

The, or each, protecting member may comprise a projecting part. The projecting part may extend outwardly from the main part. The projecting part may comprise a flared portion. The projecting part may comprise a flange. The projecting part may define a concave recess. The hole may have an opening in the recess.

The projecting part may extend outwardly from one end of the main part. The opposite end of the, or each, protecting member may be received by the attaching formation.

The, or each, protecting member may comprise mounting formations for mounting the protecting member in the aperture. The mounting formations may extend along the main part. The mounting formations may extend across the projecting part. The mounting formations may comprise ribs.

The first pass may include the first end portion of the elongate member. The second pass may include the second end portion of the elongate member.

The second end portion may extend across the first end. The first end portion may extend across the second end.

The first end may be arranged adjacent the second pass. The second end may be arranged adjacent the first pass. The first pass may extend across the second end. The second pass may extend across the first end.

The looped region may comprise the overlapping first and second end portions. The first end may be arranged adjacent the second end portion. The second end may be arranged adjacent the first end portion.

The first and second joining components may comprise respective first and second clamping components. The first and second joining components may comprise respective first and second ferrules.

The elongate member may be formed of a non-corrosive material, which may be chemically resistant. The elongate member may be formed of a non-metallic material. The elongate member may be formed of a synthetic material. The elongate member may be formed of polymeric material, such as polyester.

Alternatively, the elongate member may be formed of a metallic material, such as stainless steel.

The elongate member may be a flexible elongate member. The elongate member may be a multifilament member, which may have an outer braid. The elongate member may have structural properties.

The support may be an elongate support, such as a post. The securing article may comprise an elongate tether. The elongate tether may be flexible.

The securing article may extend through the looped region to secure the support to the anchor system.

The securing article may extend from a first location on the support through the looped region, and from the looped region to a second location on the support, thereby securing the support to the anchor system. The first location may be an upper location of the support. The second location may be a lower location of the support.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

<FIG> show an anchor system <NUM> for use in securing articles to the ground. For example, the anchor system <NUM> can be used in a support assembly <NUM>, in which the anchor system <NUM> supports a post <NUM> which, in turn, supports a trellis, such as a vineyard trellis. The anchor system <NUM> comprises a ground anchor <NUM> and a tendon arrangement attached to the ground anchor <NUM>.

The tendon arrangement is in the form of a flexible elongate member <NUM> having structural properties. The elongate member <NUM> is formed of a non-metallic, non-corrosive material, such as a chemically resistant synthetic material. The elongate member <NUM> is a multifilament member, having an outer braid.

The elongate member <NUM> is formed of a polymeric material, such as polyester.

The ground anchor <NUM> may be one known in the art, such as disclosed in published patent application No. <CIT>. The ground anchor <NUM> comprises a body <NUM> that enables the ground anchor <NUM> to be driven into the ground.

The ground anchor <NUM> further includes an attaching formation comprising an apertured formation in the form of an eye <NUM> on the body <NUM>. The eye <NUM> defines an aperture <NUM>. Protecting members in the form of first and second bushes <NUM> are provided in the aperture <NUM>.

Each of the first and second bushes <NUM> is received in the aperture <NUM> at a respective opposite side of the eye <NUM>.

Each of the bushes <NUM> comprises a substantially cylindrical main part <NUM>, having opposite ends <NUM>, <NUM>. Each bush <NUM> defines a through hole <NUM> extending through the main part <NUM>. The opposite ends <NUM>, <NUM> have openings of the hole <NUM>.

When the bushes <NUM> are received in the aperture <NUM>, the elongate member <NUM> can extend through the hole <NUM> of each bush <NUM>.

Each bush <NUM> has a flange <NUM>. The flange <NUM> extends radially outwardly from the main part <NUM> at one of the opposite ends <NUM>. The flange <NUM> defines a concave recess <NUM>. One of the openings of the hole <NUM> is defined in the recess <NUM>.

Each bush <NUM> comprises mounting ribs <NUM> for mounting the bush <NUM> in the aperture <NUM>. The ribs <NUM> deform when the bush <NUM> is pushed into the aperture <NUM> of the eye <NUM>. The presence of the ribs <NUM> has the effect of mounting the bush <NUM> in the aperture <NUM> more securely than without such ribs.

The ribs <NUM> extend along the main part <NUM> and across the flange <NUM>. The bushes <NUM> are inserted into the aperture <NUM> in an orientation in which the end <NUM> is received in the aperture <NUM>, and the flange <NUM> projecting therefrom. Thus, the elongate member <NUM> extends from the aperture <NUM> at opposite sides of the eye <NUM>.

The bush <NUM> is formed of a plastics material and has the effect of minimising wear on the elongate member <NUM>. The flanges <NUM> of both bushes <NUM> protect the elongate member <NUM> from the corners of the aperture <NUM>. In addition, the bush <NUM> creates a non-conductive barrier between the elongate member <NUM> and the ground anchor <NUM>, thereby allowing the elongate member <NUM> to be formed of a metallic material, such as stainless steel, instead of a polymeric material.

The elongate member <NUM> has opposite first and second ends <NUM>, <NUM>. First and second end portions 24A, 26A extend respectively from the first and second ends <NUM>, <NUM>.

In use, the elongate member <NUM> extends through the eye <NUM> on the body <NUM>. First and second passes <NUM>, <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM> extend from the eye <NUM>.

The first and second passes <NUM>, <NUM> are attached to each other in an overlapping configuration at the first and second end portions 24A, 26A. The first end <NUM> and the first end portion 24A are provided on the first pass <NUM>. The second end <NUM> and the second end portion 26A are provided on the second pass <NUM>.

In the overlapping configuration, the first end <NUM> is arranged adjacent the second end portion 26A, and the second end <NUM> is arranged adjacent the first end portion 24A. The first end portion 24A extends from the first end <NUM> across the second end <NUM>, and the second end portion 26A extends from the second end <NUM> across the first end <NUM>.

The first and second end portions 24A, 26A of the elongate member <NUM> are joined to each other in the overlapping configuration by a joining arrangement. In the embodiment shown, the joining arrangement comprises first and second ferrules <NUM>, <NUM>. The joining arrangement may be other suitable clamping components.

The first ferrule <NUM> is provided adjacent the first end <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM>, between the first end <NUM> and the second ferrule <NUM>. The second ferrule <NUM> is provided adjacent the second end <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM>, between the second end <NUM> and the first ferrule <NUM>.

The joined first and second end portions 24A, 26A of the elongate member <NUM> form a looped region <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM>.

The anchor system <NUM> forms part of the support assembly <NUM>, shown in <FIG>. The support assembly <NUM> comprises the anchor system <NUM>, an elongate support in the form of the post <NUM>, and an elongate tether <NUM>.

The elongate tether <NUM> extends from an upper location <NUM> of the post <NUM> through the looped region <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM>, and from the looped region <NUM> to a lower location <NUM> of the post <NUM>.

The post <NUM> defines a plurality of apertures along its length. The tether <NUM> extends through the apertures at the upper and lower locations <NUM>, <NUM> of the post <NUM> and is secured to the post <NUM> by any means known in the art.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the tether <NUM> extends through the looped region <NUM> of the elongate member <NUM>, and is pulled tightly against the overlapping first and second end portions 24A, 26A at the looped region <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> show the tether <NUM> spaced from the looped region <NUM>. The tether <NUM> and the looped region <NUM> are shown this way for clarity. In reality, the tether <NUM> engages the looped region <NUM> tightly.

In use, the support assembly <NUM> supports a trellis, such as a vineyard trellis, represented in <FIG> by the wire <NUM>.

There is thus described an anchor system <NUM> having an anchor <NUM> and an elongate member <NUM> attached to the anchor <NUM>. The elongate member <NUM> extends in two passes <NUM>, <NUM> from the elongate member <NUM>, wherein the opposite end portions 24A, 26A of the elongate member <NUM> are secured to each other in an overlapping configuration.

This provides the advantage in the embodiment described herein that the load on the elongate member <NUM> can be twice as much as the load on a single pass. In addition, by making the elongate member <NUM> from a non-metallic material, corrosion of the elongate member <NUM> in the ground can be avoided.

In addition, by providing the looped region <NUM> above the ground, the first and second ferrules <NUM>, <NUM> are also above the ground, thereby obviating the corrosive effects of the ground on the ferrules.

A further advantage of the overlapping first and second end portions 24A, 26A in the embodiment described above is that excessive wear to any one part of the looped region <NUM> is prevented thereby making the anchor system <NUM> stronger than prior art systems.

Claim 1:
A support assembly comprising an anchor system (<NUM>), a support (<NUM>) and a securing article (<NUM>) to secure the support (<NUM>) to the anchor system (<NUM>);
the anchor system (<NUM>) comprising:
an anchor (<NUM>) and a tendon arrangement (<NUM>);
the anchor (<NUM>) having an attaching formation (<NUM>) to attach the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) to the anchor (<NUM>), the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) extending from the attaching formation (<NUM>) as first and second passes (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the tendon arrangement (<NUM>);
wherein the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) has opposite first and second end portions (24A, 26A);
the system further including a joining arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) to join the first and second end portions (24A, 26A) to each other;
wherein the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) comprises a looped region (<NUM>) through which a securing article (<NUM>) can extend, the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) extending from the attaching formation (<NUM>) to the looped region (<NUM>);
characterised in that the tendon arrangement (<NUM>) comprises an elongate member (<NUM>) extending through the attaching formation (<NUM>) to provide the first and second passes (<NUM>, <NUM>); and
the anchor system (<NUM>) includes a protecting member (<NUM>) defining a through hole (<NUM>), the protecting member (<NUM>) being received within the attaching formation (<NUM>) to receive the elongate member (<NUM>) therethrough, and the elongate member (<NUM>) extending through the hole (<NUM>).