Helice pier post and method of installation

• US 6,722,821 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Precision Pier USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Precision Pier USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Perko, Howard A., Rupiper, Stanley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shackelford, Heather
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saldano, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/041,961
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 405/249, 405/232, 405/233, 405/241, 405/266, 248/156, 248/545, 521/55, 521/57, 521/61
• US Class Current: 405/249
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/42 Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys sockets or holders for poles or masts per se E04H12/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/801 driven by screwing

Abstract

A helice pier post used for rotating into a ground surface for holding various structural items upright on the top thereof. The structural items may be a light post, a fence post, a building beam or column, a pier, a sound barrier and like items. The helice pier post broadly includes a top mounting plate, a hollow tubular casing, a first pipe shaft with a first helice mounted thereon. The mounting plate is welded to a top portion of the tubular casing. Also, the plate is welded to an upper end of the first pipe shaft. The first pipe shaft is centered inside and disposed along the length of the casing. An outer diameter of the first helice can be welded to an inner diameter of a bottom portion of the casing. A lower end of the first shaft can be coupled to an upper end of the second pipe shaft. A lower end of the second pipe shaft is attached to the second helice. The first and second helice are used for guiding the pier post into the ground surface with the top mounting plate resting next to or near the top of the ground surface.

Claims

1. A helice pier post used for rotating into a ground surface and for supporting various structural items on the top thereof, the pier post comprising:

a top mounting plate;

a hollow tubular casing having an upper end permanently attached to said top mounting plate; and

a first pipe shaft with a first helice mounted thereon, said first pipe shaft having an upper end attached to said top mounting plate, said first pipe shaft received inside said tubular casing and along the length thereof

wherein said first helice is attached to an inner diameter of said tubular casing.

2. The pier post as described in claim 1 wherein said first pipe shaft has a lower end, said first helice mounted on the lower end of said first pipe shaft.

3. The pier post as described in claim 1 further including a second pipe shaft coupled to said first pipe shaft, said second pipe shaft having a second helice thereon.

4. The pier post as described in claim 3 wherein said second pipe shaft is hollow, said second pipe shaft having a plurality of grout holes along the length thereof, said grout holes adapted for receiving grout therethrough and pumped under pressure from inside said hollow second pipe shaft into the surrounding ground.

5. The pier post as described in claim 1 further including at least one added helice attached along a length of said first pipe shaft and disposed between said first helice and said top mounting plate inside said tubular casing.

6. The pier post as described in claim 1 further including at least one cutting shoe attached to said tubular casing, said cutting shoe reducing torque and drag as the pier post is rotated into the ground surface.

7. The pier post as described in claim 1 wherein said first pipe shaft is hollow, said first pipe shaft having a plurality of grout holes along the length thereof, said grout holes adapted for receiving grout therethrough and pumped under pressure from inside said hollow first pipe shaft into said tubular casing.

8. The pier post as described in claim 1 wherein said top mounting plate includes a plurality of elongated slotted top mounting plate bolt openings therein for allowing adjustment of bolts thereon when securing the structural item on top of said top mounting plate.

9. The pier post as described in claim 8 further including a support mounting plate having a plurality of elongated slotted support mounting plate bolt openings for allowing adjustment of bolts thereon and attachment to said top mounting plate, a length of the elongated support mounting plate bolt openings perpendicular to a length of the elongated top mounting plate bolt openings.

10. A helice pier post used for rotating into a ground surface and for supporting various structural items on the top thereof, the pier post comprising:

a top mounting plate adapted for receiving a structural item thereon;

a hollow tubular casing having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end permanently attached to said top mounting plate;

a first helice attached to the inner diameter of the lower end of said tubular casing; and

cutting means attached to the lower end of said tubular casing and next to said first helice for reducing torque and drag as the pier post is rotated into the ground surface.

11. The pier post as described in claim 10 wherein said cutting means is a cutting shoe with cutting edge, said cutting shoe having an overall thickness greater than a thickness of said tubular casing, said cutting shoe attached to said tubular casing and disposed approximately vertically between a leading edge and a trailing edge of said first helice.

12. The pier post as described in claim 10 wherein said cutting means is a plurality of cutting shoes with cutting edges, said cutting shoe attached to a lower portion of said tubular casing with one or more of said cutting shoes disposed near said first helice.

13. The pier post as described in claim 10 wherein said top mounting plate includes a plurality of elongated slotted top mounting plate bolt openings therein for allowing adjustment of bolts thereon when securing the structural item on top of said top mounting plate.

14. The pier post as described in claim 13 further including a support mounting plate having a plurality of elongated slotted support mounting plate bolt openings for allowing adjustment of bolts thereon and attachment to said top mounting plate, a length of the elongated support mounting plate bolt openings perpendicular to a length of the elongated top mounting plate bolt openings.

15. A method of installing a helice pier post into a ground surface and for supporting various structural items on the top thereof, the pier post having a top mounting plate permanently mounted on a hollow tubular casing and a first helice attached to the casing and at least one cutting shoe attached to the casing, the steps comprising:

rotating the top mounting plate, the tubular casing with cutting shoe and the first helice into the ground surface;

compacting dirt inside the tubular casing using the first helice as the first helice and tubular casing are rotated into the ground surface; and

advancing the tubular casing with cutting shoe and the first helice into the ground surface and positioning the top mounting plate next to the top of the ground surface.

16. The method as described in claim 15 further including a step of attaching a plurality of cutting shoes to the tubular casing prior to rotating the top mounting plate and tubular casing into the ground, the cutting shoes reducing torque as the first helice and the tubular casing are advanced into the ground surface.

17. The method as described in claim 15 further including a step of pumping grout through a plate opening in the top mounting plate and into the inside of the tubular casing for added strength and rigidity to the pier post and after the step of positioning the top mounting plate next to the top of the ground surface.

18. The method as described in claim 15 further including a step of adjustably mounting a structural item on top of the top mounting plate after the step of positioning the top mounting plate next to the top of the ground surface.

19. The method as described in claim 15 further including a step of positioning the cutting shoe with cutting edge approximately vertically between the leading edge and trailing edge of the first helice.