METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE SUBTERRANEAN SUPPORT OF UNDERGROUND CONDUITS HAVING A FIXED INSERTION AXIS

• US 20100263892A1
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hercules Machinery Corporation (Entegra Attachments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hercules Machinery Corporation (Entegra Attachments LLC)
• Inventors: Gustin, Mark, Jinnings, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/142
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/48 Foundations inserted underneath existing buildings or constructions making a new substructure subsequent to lifting or moving of buildings E04G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/04 made of steel
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 7/14 Components for drivers inasmuch as not specially for a specific driver construction
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 7/18 Placing by vibrating vibrators for soil compacting E02D3/046

Abstract

A vibratory pile driver configured to insert curved sheet pile beneath a conduit by rotating the pile driver about a fixed pivot element to advance the curved sheet pile along a fixed arc. In one exemplary embodiment, the distance between the fixed pivot element and the clamps that secured the curved sheet pile to the pile driver is the same as the radius of curvature of the curved sheet pile. In another exemplary embodiment, when the curved sheet pile is secured to the pile driver by the clamps, the center of the radius of curvature of the curved sheet pile lies substantially on the rotational axis of the fixed pivot element. In this embodiment, the vibratory pile driver may be rotated about the fixed pivot element to advance the curved sheet pile along an arc having curvature substantially identical to the radius of curvature of the curved sheet pile.

Claims

1. A pile driver and sheet pile combination, comprising:

a pile driver having a clamp and a head portion configured for connection to an articulated boom, said head portion being rotatable relative to the articulated boom about a first pivot element that defines an insertion axis, said clamp having a pair of opposing clamp surfaces adapted to engage a section of sheet pile, said insertion axis being spaced from said opposing clamp surfaces by an insertion distance; and

a section of curved sheet pile having a pile radius of curvature, said pile radius of curvature being substantially equal to said insertion distance, wherein, with said section of curved sheet pile secured between said opposing clamp surfaces of said clamp, a point defining a center of said pile radius of curvature lies substantially on said insertion axis.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said section of curved sheet pile further comprises a front edge, a rear edge, and opposing side edges extending between said front edge and said rear edge, said front edge, said rear edge, and said opposing side edges cooperating to define a perimeter, said section of curved sheet pile further comprising a first flange extending outwardly from one of said opposing side edges and extending beyond said perimeter.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said section of curved sheet pile further comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, said first flange extending from one of said upper surface and said lower surface.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said section of curved sheet pile further comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a second flange, said first flange extending from said upper surface, and said second flange extending from said lower surface and beyond said perimeter of said section of curved sheet pile.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said first flange has a first flange radius of curvature substantially equal to said pile radius of curvature and said second flange has a second flange radius of curvature substantially equal to said pile radius of curvature.

6. The combination of claim 2, wherein said first flange has a flange radius of curvature substantially equal to said pile radius of curvature.

7. A vibratory pile driver system, comprising:

a vibratory pile driver, comprising;

a head portion having a first pivot element configured to connect said head portion to an articulated boom, said first pivot element defining an insertion axis about which said vibratory pile driver is rotatable;

a body secured to said head portion by a second pivot element, said second pivot element defining a body axis of rotation about which said body is rotatable relative to said head portion;

a vibration generator; and

a clamp having an upper clamp surface and a lower clamp surface, at least one of said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface actuatable relative to the other of said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface between an open position configured for receipt of a section of curved sheet pile and a closed position configured to secure a section of curved sheet pile between said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface, wherein, with said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface in a closed position, said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface extend along a plane that is perpendicular to a line extending perpendicularly from said insertion axis to said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface.

8. The vibratory pile driver system of claim 7, further comprising:

a section of curved sheet pile having a pile radius of curvature, said pile radius of curvature being substantially equal to an insertion distance, wherein said insertion distance is substantially the distance between said first pivot element and a point between said upper and lower clamp surfaces of said clamp of said vibratory pile driver when said upper and lower clamp surfaces are in a closed position.

9. The vibratory pile driver system of claim 8, wherein, with said section of curved sheet pile secured between said upper clamp surface and said lower clamp surface, a point defining a center of said pile radius of curvature lies substantially on said insertion axis.

10. The vibratory pile driver system of claim 8, wherein said curved sheet pile further comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a flange extending outwardly from one of said upper surface and said lower surface, said flange having a radius of curvature that is substantially identical to said pile radius of curvature.

11. The vibratory pile driver system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of sections of said curved sheet pile, each said flange of each of said plurality of sections of said curved sheet pile configured to interfit with another of said plurality of sections of said curved sheet pile.

12. The vibratory pile driver system of claim 7, wherein said clamp is secured to said vibration generator.

13. A pile driver and sheet pile combination, comprising:

a pile driver having a head portion configured for connection to an articulated boom, said head portion being rotatable relative to the articulated boom about a first pivot element that defines an insertion axis;

said pile driver including a body having an upper portion connected to said head portion, a foot portion and sides extending between the upper and foot portions;

a clamp extending laterally outwardly beyond one of said sides, said clamp having a pair of opposing clamp surfaces moveable between an open position and a closed position, said insertion axis being spaced from said opposing clamp surfaces by an insertion distance measured when said opposing clamp surfaces are in a closed position; and

a section of curved sheet pile having a pile radius of curvature, said pile radius of curvature being substantially equal to said insertion distance, wherein, with said section of curved sheet pile secured between said opposing clamp surfaces of said clamp, a point defining a center of said pile radius of curvature lies substantially on said insertion axis.

14. A method of inserting a section of curved sheet pile beneath a conduit buried underground, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a section of curved sheet pile having a pile radius of curvature;

providing a pile driver having a pivot element with a spatially fixed axis and a clamp, said clamp having a pair of opposing clamp surfaces adapted to engage a section of sheet pile;

securing the section of curved sheet pile to the pile driver with the clamp;

positioning the pile driver and curved sheet pile adjacent subterranean material supporting a conduit; and

rotating the pile driver about the pivot element fixed axis to advance the curved sheet pile beneath the conduit without otherwise substantially altering the position of the pile driver.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of connecting the pile driver to an articulated boom at the fixed pivot element, wherein the pile driver is rotatable relative to the articulated boom about the insertion axis defined by the fixed pivot element.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a pile driver further comprises providing a pile driver having an insertion distance measured between the opposing clamp surfaces and the insertion axis, the insertion distance being substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said curved sheet pile.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of securing the section of curved sheet pile to the pile driver further comprising securing the section of curved sheet pile to the pile drive such that a point defining a center of the radius of curvature of the curved sheet pile lies substantially on the insertion axis.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the pile driver comprises a vibratory pile driver.