Pier

• US 20060127188A1
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colin William Francis
• Original Assignee: Colin William Francis
• Inventors: Francis, Colin William
• Granted Patent: US 7,241,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/231
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2220/00 Temporary installations or constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/16 Foundations formed of separate piles
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/56 Screw piles placing piles by screwing down E02D7/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/801 driven by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 7/22 Placing by screwing down screw piles per se E02D5/56

Abstract

A pier (10) to be driven into a ground surface includes an auger member (11) having a shaft (12) that is rotated in a first direction to drive the auger member into the ground surface, and a compaction member (16) having a sleeve (17) surrounding a portion of the shaft. The compaction member (16) includes a compaction part (18) attached to and extending laterally outwardly of the sleeve (17). A threaded rod (23) engages the shaft (12) and is rotated to cause the compaction member (16) to move down the shaft (12) and compact the soil around the shaft.

Claims

1. A pier to be driven into an earth surface to support a structure to be mounted thereon, said pier including:

an auger member including a shaft that is rotated in a first direction to drive the auger member into the ground surface;

a soil compaction member to compact soil around the shaft, said compaction member including a sleeve surrounding the shaft and movable relative thereto longitudinally of the shaft, and a transverse part extending laterally from and attached to the sleeve to engage the soil surrounding the shaft so that upon downward movement of the compaction member relative to the shaft soil surrounding the shaft is compacted; and

wherein said sleeve is operatively associated with said shaft so that rotation of said compaction member causes rotation of said shaft to thereby drive said auger member.

2. The pier of claim 1 wherein, the pier includes a drive assembly to move the compaction member relative to the shaft.

3. The pier of claim 2 wherein, said drive assembly includes a threaded rod threadably engaged with said shaft and operatively associated with said compaction member so that upon rotation of said rod said compaction member is caused to move relative to said shaft.

4. The pier of claim 3 wherein, said drive assembly includes a head attached to an upper portion of said rod and via which said rod is driven, and a nut mounted internally of said sleeve and fixed thereto, with the rod threadably engaged with the nut so that rotation of the head caused the nut to apply a force to said compaction member to cause said compaction member to move down said shaft.

5. The pier of claim 1, wherein said transverse portion is a plate, with said plate being provided with surfaces they are engaged to cause rotation of said compaction member.

6. The pier of claim 5 said plate is provided with a plurality of apertures which provide said surfaces.

7. The pier of claim 6 said plate extends generally normal to said sleeve.

8. The pier of claim 7 wherein said shaft is square or rectangular in transverse cross-section and said sleeve is square or rectangular in transverse cross section so as to be complimentary with respect to said shaft so as to prevent relative rotation therebetween abut said rod.

9. (canceled)