Pile with Platform

Abstract

Embodiments of a helical pile, comprising a shaft that is provided with an axis, a first end, and a second end, a lead located at the first end, a first plate that is attached to the helical pile, and a second plate that is attached to the first plate.

Description

FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to helically driven piles used in civil and utility applications.

BACKGROUND

It is necessary to place cable telephone and communications equipment and electrical wiring in enclosures for protection from the elements. Thus, it is known to use cabinets to protect equipment and wiring for telephone and cable applications; naturally, these cabinets need to be level and stabilized, and hence concrete slabs must be poured and dried.

However, problems in the use of concrete slabs have arisen. First pouring a suitable concrete slab is time consuming and labor intensive. An appropriate bed must be dug out, gravel compacted and cement mixed, poured skimmed, leveled, and dried. Often, further settling or shifting of the soil bed (or the compacted stone) leads to cracking of the slab and instability. Additionally, concrete may not be level or may not be skimmed appropriately, leading to the puddling of water and further damage to the concrete slab and instability of the cabinet. Finally, concrete slabs at ground level are susceptible to water damage caused by large puddles or flooding of water. Furthermore, at ground level, cabinets are exposed to snow drifts and corrosive salts and debris associated with road maintenance and snow removal.

One solution to the problems posed by the use of concrete is to attach cabinets to telephone and utility poles. Attaching cabinets to existing poles elevates equipment and wiring and thereby provides protection from flooding water, snow build up, salts and other corrosives and debris associated with snow removal along roads and thorough fares. The elevated positioning thus solves some of the problems associated with the use of concrete slabs but creates others. When housing equipment, the cabinets are heavy, and put stress on utility poles which are typically made of wood. Furthermore, cabinets are mounted on one side of the pole, thereby creating an imbalance that pulls the pole from its proper alignment in holding up overhead lines. Re-setting poles is expensive and disruptive to electric telephone and cable service.

Accordingly, there exists long felt need to protect equipment and wiring from the elements quickly while at the same time reducing labor costs. There also exists a need to provide a stable environment for equipment without loading existing infrastructure excessively. The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other disadvantages inherent in prior art systems. Other advantages will be revealed in the following specification.

SUMMARY

The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary. Disclosed herein are embodiments of helical pile, comprising a shaft that is provided with an axis, a first end, and a second end, a lead located at the first end, a first plate that is welded to the helical pile, and a second plate that is attached to the first plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1-a is a side view of a pile with a lead welded to one end and a plate welded to the other end.

FIG. 1-b is a scaled drawing showing relative dimensions of the pile, lead, and plate in inches.

FIG. 2-a is top view of a plate.

FIG. 2-b is a scaled drawing showing relative dimensions of the plate in inches.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a plate.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a platform.

FIG. 5-a is a top view of a platform.

FIG. 5-b is a scaled drawing showing relative dimensions of the platform in inches.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the platform and reinforcements.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pile with a plate and lead welded onto a pipe.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a pile with a plate and lead welded onto a pipe and a platform fastened to the plate.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pile with a plate and lead welded onto a pipe, a platform fastened to the plate, and a plurality of enclosures fastened to the platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of a pile 100. As shown therein, the pile 100 is provided with a pile axis 101 and plurality of pipe ends 101, 102. As used herein the term “pile end” is intended to include the extreme portion of the pile 100 as well as portions extending therefrom. Disposed at one of the pipe ends 101, 102 is a plate 200, which is referred to herein as a “first” plate 200 in order to distinguish it from other plates. The first plate 200 is welded to the pile end 101. The plate 200 provided in the presently preferred embodiment is in the shape of a disc that is oriented to be generally orthogonal to the pile axis 111 and provided with a generally flat outer surface 210.

The plate 200 is provided with a plurality of openings 210, 211, 212, 213, 220, 221, 222, 223, 230, 231, 232, 233. The openings are in the form of a plurality of holes 210, 211, 212, 213, 220, 221, 222, 223 and slots 230, 231, 232, 233. The holes 210, 211, 212, 213, 220, 221, 222, 223 include a plurality of fastening holes 210, 211, 212, 213 that are straight-through holes and shaped to accept a plurality of bolts (not shown). Also shown in FIG. 2 are a plurality of tapped holes 220, 221, 222, 223 that are shaped to accept grounding lugs (not shown).

The first plate 200 is configured to be attached to a platform 300, which is depicted in FIG. 3. As shown therein, the platform 300 is in the form of a plate (which will sometimes be referred to as a “second plate” in order to distinguish it from the “first” plate 200). The platform is shaped to cooperate with a housing 400 and is provided with a plurality of openings (which shall be referred to a “platform openings” in order to distinguish them from other openings shown herein).

The platform 300 is provided with an upper surface 301 and an under surface 302, a plurality of reinforcements 310, 311, 312, and a plurality of sides 303, 304, 305, 306. As FIG. 5-a illustrates, the sides 303, 304, 305, 306 are configured as opposing pairs 303, 304, 305 and 306. One pair of sides 305, 306 are welded onto the platform while the other pair of sides 303, 304 are formed over the edges 307, 308 of the platform, as is depicted in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5-a.

The reinforcements 311, 312 extend from one of the sides of the platform to the other side (from one side 303 to the other opposing side 304). The reinforcements 311, 312 are in the form of channels spaced to provide the platform 300 with rigidity. Advantageously, the channels are provided with a plurality of drain holes that drain away water that may condense or seep therein. The channels and the second plate 300 are also provided with a plurality of mounting holes 320, 321, 322, 323, that are shaped to cooperate with the holes 210, 211, 212, 213 on the first plate 200. Because the reinforcements 310, 311, 312 are in the form of channels, the fasteners (preferably mounting bolts) used to secure the platform 300 to the plate 200 are recessed so that the upper surface 301 presents a smooth and flat finish.

As noted above, the plate 200 is provided with at least one slot, but preferably a plurality of slots 230, 231, 232, 233. The slots are curved about a slot axis 201, which advantageously is coaxial with the pile axis 111 after the plate 200 and the pipe are welded together. The slots 230, 231, 232, 233 are dimensioned to accept a fastener, which, in the preferred embodiment, is a bolt. As FIG. 2 illustrates, the slots 230, 231, 232, 233 are provided with a slot width 23.

The slots 230, 231, 232, 233 are oriented so that the mounting bolts pass through the mounting holes 320, 321, 322, 323 in the platform 300, through the channels, to extend through the slots 230, 231, 232, 233 in the first plate 200. Because the slots 230, 231, 232, 233 are curved about the slot axis 201, the platform 300 can be turned and oriented while the mounting bolts extend through both the plate 200 and the platform 300. After the platform 300 is adjusted on the plate 200, the mounting bolts and nuts secure the platform 300 to the plate 200. Thus, the platform 300 is adjustably mounted to the pile 100. In the preferred embodiment, each of the slots 230, 231, 232, 233 forms an arc of 30°. Nonetheless, it is within the scope of the present invention for each slot to form an arc that ranges between 0° and 30°. Collectively, the slots form an opening 235 that is shaped as a circle with at least one, but preferably a plurality of, interruptions 236, 237, 238, 239.

The plate 200 is also provided with an indicator 240, which, in the preferred embodiment, is in the form of a notch 241 located at the outer portion of the plate 200. As FIG. 2 reveals, the plate 200 is provided with a plurality of notches 241, 242. The indicator 240 (and hence each of the notches 241, 242) provides the installer with a visual indication of the orientation of the pile 100. Thus, the pile 100 can be helically driven into the earth and then, by virtue of the indicator 240, aligned for the platform 300 to be secured to the plate 200.

The platform 300 is preferably configured to cooperate with electrical wiring and is provided with a plurality of wiring holes (which have been designated collectively as “330” on FIG. 3). The pile 100 itself is also configured to cooperate with electrical wiring, and hence, is provided with a fixture 120 that is shaped to retain a plurality of wires. As FIG. 2 illustrates, the fixture 120 and is provided with a first fixture end 121 and a second fixture end 122 and is in the form of a channel that extends axially along the outer surface of the pipe 130. The fixture 120 is provided with pilot holes to accept a screw (not shown) so that a wiring strap can be secured to the pile 100.

The pile 100 is also provided with a depth indicator 241. In the preferred embodiment, the fixture 120 also provides a visual indication of how far into the soil the pile has penetrated. The fixture 120 is positioned axially on the pipe 130 so that one of the fixture ends 121, 122 is located at a standard installation depth (approximately 4.5 feet).

The pile 100 is provided with a lead 140, a pipe 130, and a plate 200. The lead 140 is shaped to penetrate earth so as to provide a foundation for the platform 300. In the preferred embodiment, the lead 140 is a helix and welded to an end of the pipe 130. The fixture 120 is also welded to the pipe 130, and as is noted above, the plate 200 is welded to the pipe 130 as well. Advantageously, the pile 100, the plate 200, and the platform 300 are provided with a coating to prevent corrosion, preferably hot dipped and galvanized.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the plate 200 is a simple flat steel plate, approximately 0.75 inches in width, that is cut and drilled to provide the openings 210, 211, 212, 213, 220, 221, 222, 223, 230, 231, 232, 233. While the plate 200 included as part of the preferred embodiment is generally flat with holes 210, 211, 212, 213 for attachment to a Kelly bar adapter, in an alternative embodiment, the plate 200 is replaced with a connector 400 that is in the form of a casting with a Kelly bar adapter integrated therein. During installation, a Kelly drive is coupled to the pile 100 (either through attachment of a Kelly Bar adapter via the installation holes or through use of the connector) and the pole 100 is torqued. The helical lead 140 enables the pile to be “screwed” into the soil up to the depth indicator 241 thereby ensuring that the pile 100 is driven to an appropriate depth. After the pile 100 is driven into soil, the platform is adjustably attached to the plate 200 (or connector 400, as the case may be).

After the platform 300 is secured, an enclosure (generally designated “500” in FIG. 9) is fastened to the platform 300 via a plurality of enclosure holes (which are collectively designated “340” in FIG. 3). Preferably, as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of enclosures 501, 502 may be fastened to the platform 300.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A helical pile, comprising:

a) a shaft that is provided with an axis, a first end, and a second end;

b) a lead located at the first end;

c) a first plate that is attached to the helical pile; 1

d) a second plate that is attached to the first plate; and

e) an enclosure that is attached to the second plate, the enclosure being configured to protect equipment and wiring from the elements.

2. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate is welded to the helical pile and the second plate is bolted to the first plate.

3. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate is disc shaped and the second plate is rectangular shaped, the first plate being smaller in profile than the second plate.

4. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the second plate is attached to the first plate through a plurality of slots curved coaxially around an axis of the helical pile, the second plate thereby being oriented on the first plate by rotating the second plate relative to the first plate.

5. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises a tapped grounding hole.

6. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises an indicator providing a visual indication of the rotational orientation of the helical pile, the second plate thereby being aligned with the helical pile.

7. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the helical pile comprises a depth indicator providing a visual indication of the penetration depth of the helical pile.

8. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the second plate comprises wiring holes, the wiring holes extending through a portion of the second plate that is outside of the profile of the first plate.

9. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the helical pile comprises a wiring fixture to retain wires.

10. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the helical pile comprises a plurality of wiring strap holes.

11. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate is welded to the helical pile and the second plate is bolted to the first plate, and the first plate is disc shaped and the second plate is rectangular shaped, the first plate being smaller in profile than the second plate.

12. The helical pile according to claim 11, wherein the second plate is attached to the first plate through a plurality of slots curved coaxially around an axis of the helical pile, the second plate thereby being oriented on the first plate by rotating the second plate relative to the first plate.

13. The helical pile according to claim 12, wherein the second plate comprises wiring holes, the wiring holes extending through a portion of the second plate that is outside of the profile of the first plate.

14. The helical pile according to claim 13, wherein the helical pile comprises a wiring fixture to retain wires.

15. The helical pile according to claim 13, wherein the helical pile comprises a plurality of wiring strap holes.

16. The helical pile according to claim 13, wherein the helical pile comprises a depth indicator providing a visual indication of the penetration depth of the helical pile.

17. The helical pile according to claim 16, wherein the first plate comprises an indicator providing a visual indication of the rotational orientation of the helical pile, the second plate thereby being aligned with the helical pile.

18. The helical pile according to claim 13, wherein the first plate comprises a tapped grounding hole.

19. The helical pile according to claim 1, wherein the first plate is disc shaped and the second plate is rectangular shaped, the first plate being smaller in profile than the second plate, the helical pile comprises a depth indicator providing a visual indication of the penetration depth of the helical pile, and the second plate comprises wiring holes, the wiring holes extending through a portion of the second plate that is outside of the profile of the first plate.

20. The helical pile according to claim 19, wherein the first plate comprises a tapped grounding hole, and the helical pile comprises a wiring fixture to retain wires.