Abstract: A device and a method for raising and supporting the foundation of a building, using a mobile assembly comprising facing jaws and an arm pivotable between a first position where an area between the facing jaws is open and a second position where this area is closed, actuating means adapted to draw the mobile assembly driving a pile secured between the facing jaws when the arm is in the second position, downwardly in the ground, the pile being made of a series of pile sections that are connected together. A pile section that needs to be added to the pile is front-loaded into position atop the pile and between the facing jaws when the arm is in the first position.

Abstract: A device for raising and supporting the foundation of a building comprises a pile, a first assembly adapted to fixed to the foundation, a second assembly adapted to grip the pile to be inserted in the ground, and hydraulic cylinders connected at opposed ends thereof to the first and second assemblies. The cylinders, when retracted, draw the second assembly downwardly for driving the pile in the ground. The first assembly includes a guide tube for guiding the pile while the pile is driven in the ground by the second assembly and the cylinders. The pile is made of a series of longitudinally aligned pile sections that are connected together. Once a lower end of the pile has reached sufficient underground resistance, further actuation of the second assembly causes the foundation to be raised. Once the foundation has been raised to a desired position, the pile is fixed to the guide tube of the first assembly thereby supporting the foundation in the desired position.

Abstract: An automated system for sorting articles, such as medical instruments, by a selected sort criteria. In one embodiment of the present invention, medical instruments are sorted in accordance with an instrument set list for assembling a medical instrument set. The present invention minimizes or eliminates the amount of manual labor needed to sort instruments, minimizes human contact with the instruments, speeds the sorting process, and reduces sorting errors.