Post anchor and method of installing a post

A method of installing a post into earthen ground to a final driven depth, the earthen ground having a grade, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a sheet material post anchor comprising:
• 1) a driveable member formed by a cutting and bending process from at least one piece of a planar sheet material, the driveable member comprising:
• a) a post engaging channel to provide for receiving the post;
• b) a plurality of ground engaging fins, each ground engaging fin disposed about the post engaging channel and having a vertical orientation during and following installation of the driveable member, each ground engaging fin to provide for resistance to displacement of the driveable member through the earthen ground following installation, the plurality of ground engaging fins having a diametric measurement about the post engaging channel;
• 2) locking member to provide for locking a post within said post engaging channel of the driveable member at a desired elevational position relative to the driveable member;
• b) then, locating a desired position of placement of the post;
• c) then, excavating a hole at the desired position of placement, the hole having a diametric measurement greater than the diametric measurement of the plurality of ground engaging fins of the driveable member, the hole having a base, the base having an excavated grade;
• d) then, positioning the post and the driveable member into the excavated hole with the post driven to a depth not exceeding the final driven depth;
• e) then, driving the driveable member into the base of the hole while the post acts as a guide for the driveable member;
• f) then, driving the post to the final driven depth;
• g) then, positioning the locking member to secure the post to the driveable member;
• h) then, filling the excavated hole with soil to cover the driveable member and the locking member;
• whereby the position of placement of the post is located, then excavation of a shallow hole occurs at this location, then the post and the driveable member are positioned into the excavated hole with the post driven to a depth not exceeding the desired final driven depth, then the driveable member is driven into the earthen ground while the post acts as a guide, then the post is driven to the final driven depth, then the locking member is positioned to secure the post to the driveable member and then the excavated hole is filled to cover the driveable member and the locking member.

An assembled sheet material post anchor to provide for securing a post vertically oriented in earthen ground, the earthen ground having a grade, the post extending above the grade following installation, the sheet material post anchor residing below the grade following installation, the sheet material post anchor having a plurality of substantially vertically oriented surfaces, at least a portion of the sheet material post anchor driveable into the earthen ground during installation, the sheet material post anchor comprising:

• a) two identical sheet pieces, each sheet piece originating from a planar sheet material and altered by a cutting process to define a perimeter and subjected to a deforming process to provide for rendering definable unique panels on the sheet piece, each panel definable from adjacent panels on the sheet piece, the two identical sheet pieces having an identical geometric shape following the cutting process and the deforming process, the two identical sheet pieces assembled by a rigid connection therebetween to form a driveable member, the driveable member comprising:
• 1) a plurality of ground engaging fins, each ground engaging fin to provide for resistance against the earthen ground to restrict lateral motion of the driveable member following installation of the driveable member in the earthen ground, each ground engaging fin defined by at least one of the panels and having a surface area, an upper edge and a substantially vertical orientation following installation;
• 2) a post engaging channel defined by at least one of the panels, the post engaging channel to provide for receiving the post;
• b) post locking means to provide for securing the driveable member to the post while the post is positioned within the post engaging channel at a desired elevational position relative to the driveable member;
• whereby the two identical sheet pieces, each shaped and deformed, cooperate to form the driveable member having the plurality of ground engaging fins and the post engaging channel, and the driveable member may receives the post within the post engaging channel for secure locking of the post by the post locking means at the desired elevational position following driven insertion of the driveable member into the earthen ground.