SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING AN UNDERGROUND SLURRY WALL

• US 20140064860A1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DeWind One-Pass Trenching LLC
• Original Assignee: DeWind One-Pass Trenching LLC
• Inventors: DeWind, Gregory Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,091,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/302.4
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 3/00 Improving or preserving soil or rock, e.g. preserving permafrost soil securing of slopes or inclines E02D17/20; damming or interrupting passage of underground water E02D19/12; improving soil for agricultural purposes A01; soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes E01C21/00, E01C23/10; setting rock anchoring bolts E21D
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/083 including a screw-type conveyor for transporting the excavated material
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/02 for digging trenches or ditches machines for making foundation slots E02F3/205, E02F3/475 take precedence; agricultural ploughs for working ridges A01B13/02

Abstract

A method of forming an underground slurry wall having the steps of: (a) providing a trencher having a trenching arm assembly with a cutting tooth track; (b) providing a dispensing tube proximate the cutting tooth track; (c) rotating the cutting tooth track; (d) extending the cutting tooth track below the outside surface, to, in turn, agitate the soil therebelow to a predetermined depth; (d) translating the trenching arm assembly across the outside surface so as to form an underground wall of agitated soil; (e) dispensing a clay-like material proximate the cutting tooth track; and (f) utilizing the cutting tooth track to mix the clay-like material into the soil while the cutting tooth track is rotating and translating, to, in turn, mix the clay-like material into the agitated soil. Systems are likewise disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of forming an underground slurry wall comprising the steps of:

providing a trencher having a trenching arm assembly with a cutting tooth track;

providing a dispensing tube proximate the cutting tooth track;

rotating the cutting tooth track;

extending the cutting tooth track below the outside surface, to, in turn, agitate the soil therebelow to a predetermined depth;

translating the trenching arm assembly across the outside surface so as to form an underground wall of agitated soil;

dispensing a clay-like material proximate the cutting tooth track; and

utilizing the cutting tooth track to mix the clay-like material into the soil while the cutting tooth track is rotating and translating, to, in turn, mix the clay-like material into the agitated soil.

2. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 1 wherein the clay-like material comprises bentonite.

3. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a storage container with the clay-like material remote of the trenching arm; and

feeding the clay-like material from the remote storage container to the dispensing tube at a predetermined rate.

4. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 3 wherein the trencher further includes a cab spaced apart from the trenching arm, the storage container being coupled to the cab of the trencher.

5. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 3 wherein the step of feeding the clay-like material from the remote storage container further comprises the step of feeding the clay-like material through at least one flexible tube having a flexible auger positioned therein.

6. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 1 wherein the step of dispensing the clay-like material further comprises the steps of controlling the rate of flow of the clay-like material from within the dispensing tube.

7. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 6 wherein the step of dispensing the clay-like material further comprises the step of providing an outside fluid to the clay-like material.

8. The method of forming an underground slurry wall of claim 7 wherein the outside fluid comprises water.

9. A system for forming an underground slurry wall comprising:

a trencher having a body, a boom pivotably coupled to and extending from the body and a trenching arm assembly pivotably coupled to and extending from the boom opposite the body;

a material transport assembly having a distribution manifold spaced apart from the trenching arm;

a material delivery assembly having a dispenser tube with a second end positioned adjacent the trenching arm, such that material dispensed from the second end can be mixed by the trenching arm during operation; and

a transport tube assembly extending from the distribution manifold to the dispenser tube, the transport tube assembly configured to direct a clay-like material from the collection manifold to the dispenser tube during operation of the trenching arm, to, in turn, supply a clay-like material to the trenching arm during operation.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the material transport assembly further includes a collection manifold positioned adjacent to the trenching arm assembly, the collection manifold including an inlet coupled to the tube transport assembly, and an outlet coupled to the dispensing tube.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the transport tube assembly further comprises at least one outer flexible tube, having an inner flexible auger extending therethrough, and a motor drive coupled to the flexible auger, configured to rotate the flexible auger within the outer flexible tube, to, in turn, direct the clay-like material from the distribution manifold to the collection manifold.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one outer flexible tube comprises at least four outer flexible tubes, each of which includes an inner flexible auger extending therethrough, coupled to a motor drive.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a controller coupled to the motor drive, the controller configured to control the speed of the motor drive, and in turn, the auger coupled thereto.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the dispensing tube further includes an auger extending therethrough, and a feed mixing tube positioned so as to be in fluid communication therewith, the transport tube assembly being coupled to the feed mixing tube, with the auger coupled to a motor.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a controller coupled to the motor, to, in turn, control the speed of the motor and the speed of the auger.

16. A system for forming an underground slurry wall comprising:

a trencher having a body, a boom pivotably coupled to and extending from the body and a trenching arm assembly pivotably coupled to and extending from the boom opposite the body;

a material transport assembly positioned proximate the trenching arm assembly, the material transport assembly having a cavity and an auger positioned proximate a lower end of the cavity; and

a material delivery assembly having a dispenser tube with a second end positioned adjacent the trenching arm, such that material dispensed from the second end can be mixed by the trenching arm during operation, and a feed mixing tube in fluid communication with the dispenser tube spaced apart from the second end, the auger of the material transport assembly coupled to the feed mixing tube, to, in turn, direct a clay-like material from the cavity to the dispenser tube during operation of the trenching arm, to, in turn, supply a clay-like material to the trenching arm during operation.