JET GROUTING DEVICE WITH ROTATING ROLLER BEARING WITHIN CASING PIPE AND ROTATING PIPE

Abstract

A high pressure jet grouting device generally employed with a portable stand comprised of a vertically adjustable shelf forming a platform for attaching an air motor, reduction gearing box and a releasable right angle gear box. High pressure air is pumped to the air motor and a grouting pump, the air pressure is used to turn the right angle gear and a rotatable pipe inside a casing pipe. The grouting material under pressure from the air compressor is pumped through a hose to a swivel connection on the end portion of a rotating pipe to inject the grout into the ground from a spray nozzle located at the opposite end of the rotating pipe inserted in the ground. A rotating roller bearing is provided between casing pipe and the rotating pipe. The device is small and does not require a heavy drill rig as the drilling operation is separately performed from the grouting process.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/258,617 filed on Nov. 6, 2009, in the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Jet grouting has been used to stabilize contaminated soils, create groundwater barriers and to underpin distressed foundations. Jet grout construction uses a rotating and rising drill rod with small nozzles that direct the grout horizontally to form columns of soil crete or soil-cement and is the only type of grouting that is capable of treating all types of soils from clays to gravel. Jet grouting is also useful in grouting isolated zones of soil and for grouting around and below buried utilities. Jet grouting is a general term describing various construction techniques used for ground modification or ground improvement. Grouting contractors use ultra high-pressure fluids or binders that are injected into the soil at high velocities. These binders break up the soil structure completely and mix the soil particles in situ to create a homogeneous mass, which in turn solidifies. This ground modification/ground improvement plays an important role in the fields of foundation stability, particularly in the treatment of load bearing soils under new and existing buildings; in the in-depth impermeabilization of water bearing soils; in tunnel construction; and to mitigate the movement of impacted soils and groundwater.

1. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous innovations for construction devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,507 to Westmoreland, discloses of an example of a manually portable drilling system for the purpose of drilling earth bore holes. The drilling system will accommodate a lightweight drill pipe for air or mud rotary drilling, auger, or with use of air hammer percussion tools. The drilling system includes a self-contained mast which is detachable from a support base table. The mast contains an internal traveling shuttle to which a power unit is attached. The shuttle is manually driven by a conventional two speed, reversible hand winch modified to allow both hoisting and pull down capabilities. A partially hollow, perforated quill is coupled to an output drive of the power unit and drill pipe. This drilling system may be set up or broken down in minutes and carried to areas inaccessible by conventional portable drilling machines.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,683, issued on Jul. 29, 2003 to Ultimo et al., discloses portable injection-casing driver. A driver tool provides an apparatus and method for installing shaft objects such as casing, pipes, poles, bars, rods, piles or tubes into the ground or other surrounding media. The driver tool has a steel tower on which is mounted a pneumatic or hydraulic hammer. Grouting applications include slabjacking, mud jacking, subsealing and soil grouting. In slabjacking, pressure grouting is used to raise a depressed section of pavement or other concrete element by forcing a flowable grout under it. Subsealing is where a cement-grout mixture is pumped under pressure through a packer installed in an access hole drilled in a slab to fill voids and depressions under the slab and reduce damage caused by excessive pavement deflections. Soil grouting includes permeation grouting, where a thin grout is used to permeate the soil and fill pores and voids between soil particles; deep-soil mixing, where soil and injected grout are mixed together to make a soil-cement material in place; jet grouting, where a cement-and-water grout is injected under very high pressure to form a concrete-like column; and compaction grouting.

US20070228804, issued on Oct. 4, 2007 to Crayne et al., discloses a method for installing a remote mine seal through a bore hole is provided using a remote mine seal spray nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle body comprising an outer casing end and an opposed, spray end, an inner conduit, and at least one outer conduit extending between the outer casing end and the spray end, the spray end comprising a multi-port manifold seat in fluid communication with the conduits. The nozzle assembly 10 also comprises a nozzle 50 (shown in more detail in FIG. 6) that is received in the multi-port manifold seat 45. The nozzle 50 preferably defines an interior mixing chamber 55 having a grout inlet 60 that is positioned opposite a downstream spray outlet 63, and at least one charging pressure port 65 in fluid communication with the chamber 55 and being positioned between the grout inlet 60 and the spray outlet 63. When received in the multi-port manifold 45, the substantially cylindrical nozzle 20 also defines the spray or throw axis 46 described above in connection with the multi-port manifold seat. Preferably, the axis 46 defines the direction of spray, throw, or projection of the nozzle 20.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,836, issued on Aug. 29, 2000 to Gritti et al., discloses soil consolidation apparatus, tool and method. The grout is introduced into the pump 13 and pressurized up to maximum 500 bar. Then the valve 27 is opened and the highly pressurized grout will run through the hose 33 and the pressure relief valve 28, and successively through the swivel 35, a grout channel 36 in the drill string 17 and out through openings or grout channel ejectors 40 of the jet grouting monitor 18. The grout will not enter the hammer 16 since the hammer and the water chamber 38 are sealed and separate from the grout channel 36. The rotation unit 34 is started, to rotate the drill string while retracting it. The lateral jet stream of grout exiting from the openings 40 will mix with the surrounding soil to a diameter of one meter maximum and produced a console C of mixed soil and grout extending about as high as the depth of the drilled hole.

US20060275087 issued on Dec. 7, 2006 to Trout et al., discloses soil extraction/grouting device. Extraction/grouting device 10 can densify soils 22 for the purpose of stabilizing the soil, particularly when the soil supports a structure 24. Casing 26 is then retracted a distance from sacrificial point 28, which may be as little as a few inches for example, to open the end of pipe 26, by leaving sacrificial point 28 at the furthest drill point, to expose surrounding soil. If necessary when working with very loose soils such as sand, a pre-grouting can be performed in the scenario of FIG. 3 for example where a chemical grout is discharged down casing 26 to increase the cohesiveness of soil 22, which then allows extraction/grouting device 10 to create a cavity. A chemical grout, or grout of the contractor choosing, dependent upon the soil condition or desired results, is pumped through the casing into the soils, prior to set-up or following set-up, dependent upon material selection. Extraction/grouting device 10 is inserted into the casing and jets the cavity within the grouted soil mass.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,892, issued to Luen, discloses a combined pile driver, pile drawer and drilling machine comprises a carriage (1), a turntable (1A) mounted on the carriage (1), support device (2), lifting device (4) and a mast system (5) comprising two mast units (3). The support device (2) comprises a tubular support bearing (9) which is hinged to the turntable (1A) at (6A) and the lifting device (4) comprises two hydraulic cylinder (6) which are hinged to the turntable (1A) at (6B) and to a bearing sleeve (9A) at (6C). The support device (2) further comprises a mast support (10) which surrounds the bearing (9) and extends through the sleeve (9A) and can be rotated about its own axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder (11) and a coupling (11A). Each mast unit (3) is mounted on the mast support (10) by brackets (14) and comprises a guide rail (13), a mast (12) which is slidable on the guide rail (13) by an hydraulic cylinder (15) and a cradle (30) which is movable on the mast (12) by an hydraulic feed cylinder (28). Each cradle (30) supports a rotary head or percussion head for a drilling tool or the like or a pneumatic hammer for pile driving. One of the masts (12) is also provided with a clamp (16) and a turning unit (17) for pile drawing. The machine can also be used as a crane. A hydraulic jack (37) is provided to support the weight of the mast system when the mast system is in a vertical.

US20060275087,issued to Trout, discloses an extraction/grouting device which includes a fluid conduit having a longitudinal extent and a cutting nozzle in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. The cutting nozzle provides an at least partially lateral spray relative to the longitudinal extent. Referring to FIG. 1 a compaction grouting, jet packer or extraction/grouting device 10 which generally includes a fluid conduit 12 having a longitudinal extent 14, a cutting nozzle 16 in fluid communication with fluid conduit 12, where cutting nozzle 16 provides an at least partially lateral spray 18 relative to longitudinal extent 14. At least one guide 20 is connected to fluid conduit 12. A back thruster nozzle 21 can be in fluid communication with fluid conduit 12, where back thruster nozzle 21 provides an at least partially longitudinal spray 23 relative to longitudinal extent. The device (10) comprises a high pressure flexible fluid conduit (12) having longitudinal extent (14), and a cutting nozzle (16) in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. A guide (20) is connected to the fluid conduit for maintaining lateral spray coaxially with a casing (26). The cutting nozzle provides a lateral spray (18) in soil cavity (30) relative to the longitudinal extent.

US20030002762,issued to Kamura, discloses Mounting structure for rolling bearing. The balls 3, 3 in two rows are held in a cage 7 at circumferentially equidistant positions, respectively. The outer peripheral surface of each inner ring member 5, 5 is employed as the inner ring bearing surface of each ball 3, 3. The inner peripheral surface of the outer ring member 2 is employed as the outer ring bearing surface of ball 3, 3 of each row. In addition, the axle rolling bearing 1 includes a sealing member 8 which is arranged on the vehicle inner side A and vehicle outer side B end portions of an annular bearing space 6, for filling the annular bearing space 6 with lubricant and preventing the entry of slurry.

US20030190384, issued to Balwin et al., discloses concrete rollerhead assembly. Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the top of packerhead 12 with the concrete removed therefrom. Packerhead 12 has four circumferentially spaced rollers indicated generally at 40. Each roller rotates about a generally upright axis. Adjacent axes of the rollers are circumferentially spaced 90 degrees from each other. The axes of rollers 40 extend upwardly from roller mounting plate 48 generally parallel to the axes of rotation of driveshaft 24. Each of the rollers 40 rotate independently about their axis during the rotation of the packerhead to pack and compress the concrete in an annular configuration around the inside of mold 18 and around wire cage 20. Rollers 40 have the same diameters and vertical dimensions or height. The height of each roller is substantially the same as the height of troweling sleeve 50.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,310, issued to Kupczik, discloses bearing arrangement to be submerged in water or a slurry. A known bearing assembly of the above type comprises a rotating sealing disc, which covers an annular gap between the inner and outer races of a rolling element bearing. The axial distance between the sealing disc and the rolling element bearing should be such that the sealing disc defines a conical surface, and a cooperating member is provided, which has a conical surface that faces the conical surface of the sealing disc and is slightly spaced therefrom. In that arrangement the annular gap is continued in a radial plane and has a cylindrical end portion. When the known seal for a rolling element bearing is submerged in a slurry, the pollutants enter particularly spaces which are defined by a radial plane and finally also the cylindrical portion so that the seal is eliminated during operation. A bearing 2 for the shaft 1 is shown in FIG. 1 and carried by a support 3. Specifically, the support 3 carries a bearing housing 4, which may consist in usual manner of two semimonocoques, which are forced against each other. The support 3 contains bearing shell sections 5, 6, in which a bearing bushing 7 secured to the shaft 1 is rotatably mounted.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,892, issued to Luen, discloses Pile driver, pile drawer and/or drilling machine. A travelling cradle 30 is provided on each of the masts 12 and can be moved along the respective mast 12 by means of a feed hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement 28. A head 18A such as a rotary head or a percussion head is mounted on the cradle 30 of one of the two masts 12, and a drilling tool 27, including a drill rod and a drill bit, is connected to the head 18A. Alternatively, a jet grouting tool or other tool could be connected to the head 18A. As shown in FIG. 10B, the drive bevel gear unit 35 is mounted on a shaft each end of which is rotatably mounted to the bearing pipe 9 by means of a bearing unit comprising a tapered roller bearing 35D mounted in a bearing housing 35D1 and having bearing cover 35E. Thus, the drive bevel gear unit 35 may be rotated by actuation of the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangements 11A and 11B.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,556, issued to Jesse D., discloses Grouting machine. A first and a second slurry pick-up assemblies or means 176 and 178 are mounted onto the lower rectangular frame 26 and are positioned to pickup the grout slurry 174 by a wiping action of the slurry take-up rollers which are in contact with the upper surfaces of the floor tiles. The slurry 174 is first contacted by the front take-up roller 180 of the pickup assembly 176 and lifted about the periphery of the roller into contact with the rotating perforated slurry intake tube 182 which is forced against the peripheral surface of the take up roller 180 by rotating bearing wheels 184 and 185 on the left hand side of assembly 176 and a corresponding set 186 and 187 on the right hand side, both as seen from the direction of the pull handle 46 in FIG. 6. A drive roller 188 is positioned with its peripheral surface 189 in frictional contact with the take-up roller 180 (FIG. 4A) and is in turn connected via an internal core member 190 (FIG. 4A) to a sprocket gear 192 which is mounted in a pickup assembly mounting bracket or plate 194 which is in turn connected to the lower rectangular frame by bolts 196 and 198. The spray nozzles 166 of grouting machine 20 and the nozzles 556 of grouting machine 400 can be any of a wide range of such spray nozzles.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,984, issued to William G., discloses Method and apparatus for jet drilling drainholes from wells. Nozzle jet drill 20 has been used to drill through casing 12 and cement 14 and is used to continue drilling lateral hole or drainhole 16 through reservoir 18. A rotating drill is generally shown at 50. Drill 50 has forward orifices 52 and 54. These orifices can produce jets directed forward of the drill. Orifices 52 produce jets crossing in front of the drill and orifices 54 produce jets that diverge from the axis of the drill. In addition, orifices 56 produce jets directed backward from the direction of travel of the bit while drilling. Slip rings, roller or journal bearing or other rotation mechanism 60 is used to allow front shell 62 of bit 50 to rotate with reference to back shell 64. Back shell 64 has connector 66 integral or affixed thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,039, issued to Hillaris, discloses Cutting head for removing material with a high velocity jet of working liquid. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fluid jet cutting head especially adapted for use in cutting and abrading away floor and wall surfaces formed of rock, concrete or other hard and abrasive materials without the generation of uncontrolled slurries of wet, sloppy workpiece material at the point of cutting. The crankshaft 154 is supported for rotation in the crankshaft housing 150 on a pair of bearing rings 156, preferably of the tapered roller type as shown in FIG. 6, and a pair of similar tapered bearing ring assemblies 158 are mounted on the eccentric segment 154e to support an annular, cylindrical, eccentric sleeve or ring 160 which travels in orbiting movement about the axis B-B. The radial shaft flange 280 is supported for free rotation between a ring of needle-type thrust bearings 282 spaced above the flange and a larger ring of tapered roller bearings 284 spaced below, thus allowing the inner shaft 278 to rotate freely with respect to the outer housing 276. Within the chamber 277, there is provided a pair of opposed tapered roller bearing, thrust bearing ring assemblies 282A and 284A designed to handle axial thrust loads in both directions between the rotating shaft and the housing or outer member.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,066, issued to Lehr, discloses Gravity valve for a downhole tool. Components of prior art ball valves, ball and ball seats, and caged ball designs can tend to rotate with the mill or drill bit upon removal. For example, it has been discovered that when the rotating element of the removal tool, such as the mill or drill bit, encounters the ball 1, the ball 1 will being to spin or rotate along with the mill or drill bit. The ball may begin to rotate at the same speed of the mill, the ball rotating within the ball seat. Thus, the ball begins to spin within the ball seat 2 thus hampering the milling or drilling operation. When this occurs, the removal time is increased; the operator at surface may have to raise and lower the mill or drill, change the speed of rotation, etc. In other prior art system, the ball and ball seat are inverted from the tool shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 such that the ball and ball seat act to allow fluid, such as a cement, slurry to be pumped from surface through the downhole tool and into the wellbore, but preventing the cement from returning to surface through the downhole tool.

US20080128128,issued to Vanning, discloses methods and apparatus to convey electrical pumping systems into wellbores to complete oil and gas wells. The field of invention further relates to methods of operation of the apparatus that uses the typical mud passages already present in a typical drill bit, including any watercourses in a “regular bit”, or mud jets in a “jet bit”, that allow mud to circulate during typical drilling operations for the second independent, and the distinctly separate, purpose of passing cement into the annulus between the casing and the well while cementing the drill string into place during one single drilling pass into the earth. The field of invention further relates to apparatus and methods of operation that provides the pumping of cement down the drill string, through the mud passages in the drill bit, and into the annulus between the formation and the drill string for the purpose of cementing the drill string and the drill bit into place during one single drilling pass into the formation. Apparatus and methods of operation of the apparatus are disclosed herein that use the typical mud passages already present in a typical rotary drill bit, including any watercourses in a “regular bit”, or mud jets in a “jet bit”, for the second independent purpose of passing cement into the annulus between the casing and the well while cementing the drill string in place.

US20070014640, issued to Kauschinger, discloses a method for preventing soil fracture and/or monitoring borehole pressure during jet grouting that may include monitoring borehole pressure at one or more points in a jet grouting borehole while the jet grouting is being performed and determining whether the borehole pressure exceeds a predetermined limit. Triple fluid jet grouting is a process which separates the cutting and stabilization of the soil by using a triple entry-way of concentric drilling/injection rods. FIG. 1(c) demonstrates a typical schematic of the jetting tool used to perform triple jet grouting. This jetting tool may include an upper nozzle 110 for emitting a cone of compressed air (indicated by darker arrows 107d) and a spray of high pressure water. The water may be sent down a water channel 104 that is located within the rod 106. The compressed air may be sent down compressed air channels 108. The initial cutting of the soil is performed using a high pressure water jet encapsulated within compressed air, similar to double fluid jet grouting with water replacing the grout jet stream. Beneath the composite water-air jet stream is a cement grout injection nozzle 114. The grout is delivered to the grout nozzle 114 by a grout channel 116. The grout nozzle 114 is used to inject the stabilizing agents into the ground (indicated by lighter arrow 107f).

U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,686, issued to Manson, discloses a methods and apparatus for preventing the failure of a rotary drill bit as a result of the roller cutters thereof becoming jammed when drilling out disposable materials blocking a string of conduit. A drillable core which includes an abutment formed therein for engaging the roller cutters of the drill bit is provided in the string of conduit below the disposable materials. The bottom end of a string of casing 12 having a cementing tool assembly 14 attached thereto is shown cemented in the well bore 10, i.e., cement 13 has been displaced through the casing 12 and tool assembly 14 into the annular space 16 between the casing 12 and the well bore 10. The cementing tool assembly 14 includes a conventional float collar 18 threadedly attached to the lower end of the casing string 12. A connecting conduit 20 is threadedly attached to the lower end of the float collar 18, and apparatus of the present invention in the form of a collar 22 is threadedly attached to the lower end of the conduit 20. A second connecting conduit 24 is threadedly attached to the lower end of the collar 22 and apparatus of the present invention in the form of a guide shoe 26 is threadedly attached to the lower end of the conduit 24.

It is apparent now that numerous innovations for fishing indicator devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

2. How Jet Grouting is Performed

There are at least three of types of jet grouting, some of which use air and or water with the high pressure grout stream to improve soil penetration. The procedure that is common to all jet grouting types (including double fluid jet grouting and triple fluid jet grouting) involves first drilling to the plan depth using small diameter drill rods. Next, a large and powerful pump is connected to the drill rod, which pumps the high pressure jet grout through the drill rods and horizontally into the soil. The drill rods are slowly rotated and raised creating columns of soil-cement. The shape of the grouted zone can be changed by directing the grout in ways that create panels, floors, or other shapes. The most common technique used in jet grouting involves the insertion of the jet grout pipe to design depth for the bottom of the soil-crete column. The pipe is typically a high pressure version of specialized drill rods with a hollow center and special Jet Grouting Nozzles at the tip. Next, the jetting pipe is rotated slowly and pressurized with grout slurry made typically of Portland cement and water. The high pressure (4000-6000 psi) forces the grout out laterally through special ports located in the sides of the pipe, near the bottom. The slurry exits the jet port at very high velocity, impinges on the soil, penetrating it several inches to feet away from the jets. The rotating jets destroy soft soil formations, and intimately and uniformly mix the native soil with cement. Finally the rotating pipe is drawn slowly upward at a carefully controlled rate so that the jets create a nearly cylindrical column of treated soil. The actual diameter of the soil-crete column is dependent specific items; soil conditions, grout mix, nozzle diameter, rotation speed, withdrawal rate and grout pressure. Jet grouting recipes should be tailored to each project considering the soil type and the application.

3. Field of the Invention

This invention provides a jet grouting device for subsurface stabilization of an area by utilizing a jet grouting device. The jet grouting device is used to fill the cavities of the ground or soil so as to solidify the area. The drilling operation is performed separately from the grout filling operation. The jet grouting device is small and does not require a drilling rig.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable jet grouting device for stabilizing subsurface ground formations which includes drilling in the location of the unstable ground and injecting under high pressure a grouting material which hardens to fill voids and force the grouting material out around the end of a casing pipe through a spray nozzle. The device is small and can be operated by two persons and by the devices design it may be used in very confined areas, for example subway tunnels, sewers, underground parking garages, residential basements, natural caves, elevator shafts and remote railroad locations. Accordingly, there is a need for less heavy and large jet grouting machines in which simplicity and transportability is a must.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order to more fully understand the manner in which the above recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the overall layout of the jet grouting system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a schematic front view of the gear speed reducer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a schematic side view of the gear speed reducer according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the adjustable stand 6 and shelf 5 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the jet grouting system in greater detail in reference to FIG. 1 according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the roller bearing, casing pipe and rotating pipe according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to a “Jet Grouting Device”. More specifically, the unique feature of the design is that the jet grouting operation is accomplished with minimal equipment and size providing multiple uses in compact, remote or confined areas eliminating the need for less portable and larger heavy equipment.

FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate the operating position of the jet grouting device according to the present invention. The jet grouting device has a stand (6) which is generally supported by a floor base (14) on the ground and a shelf (5) which is adjustable vertically up or down. Optionally, a pneumatic, electric motor or hand crank can be used for lifting and lowering shelf (5). An air motor (4) is attached to the shelf by bolts or other means in several places. The output shaft of the air motor (4) is clamped to a gear speed reducer (3) also mounted to shelf (5) shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 1, a 90° degree or right angle gear coupling (1) are attached to gear reducer (3). The 90° degree or right angle gear drive has a gear connected to the gear reducer (3) and another gear connected to the rotating pipe (7). A lower mounting chassis (10) is employed to align and guide over casing pipe (8).

With regards to gear reducer (3) shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, it should be appreciated that gears are of a suitable ratio to provide enough torque to turn the right angle gears (1) from the air pressure pumped into the air motor (4) and also that the ratio of torque generated from the air motor is adequate to turn the reduction gearing (3).

As shown in FIG. 1, a high pressure swivel connector (2) is used to allow grouting material to flow from growing pump (13) while enabling rotating pipe (7) to turn from gear coupling (1) inside casing pipe (8).

A high pressure air compressor shown in FIG. 1 delivers compressed air to a “T” valve splitter (12) for flowing compressed air to the air motor (4) and grouting pump (13). The high pressure air is used to turn the output shaft of the air motor and also to pump grout from the grouting pump (13) to rotating pipe (7). As shown in FIG. 1, rotating pipe (7) comprises spray nozzles (9) used to allow grouting materials to be forced into loose subsurface cavity (11). The device has a manual valve for controlling the volume of flowing grouting material (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, stand (6) and shelf (5) are adjustable with one another in regards to the lowering and raising the shelf (5) upon which all other components are attached excluding the air compressor and grouting pump (13). A lever switch for adjusting the height of the device between ground level and platform height of shelf (5) is shown in FIG. 3.

In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, a roller bearing (15) is held in place inside the casing pipe (8) by stopper guides. The rotating pipe (7) inserted through roller bearing (15) prevents excess back flow of the grouting material upward into the casing pipe (8).

Operation of the Device

In operation of the apparatus according to the present invention, the jet grouting device is transported in parts or in whole and prepared for use at the location of the injection grouting. First a hole is drilled with machine, with appropriate size and length drill pipe and bit to match the outside diameter of the casing pipe (8).

Next, the shelf (5) on stand (6) is lowered to fit the casing pipe (8) into the bore hole at the lowest possible depth. The air compressor pumps air to the air motor which begins to turn the rotating pipe (7) at a desired rpm. Air arriving at the grouting pump from the “T” valve splitter (12) is used to pump and send grouting materials through the swivel connector at a pressure of 5000 p.s.i. into the rotating pipe (7) and out of spray nozzles (9) thereby filling voids in hole (11).

While the rotating pipe (7) is turning and spraying grout out of nozzle (9) both motor speed and grouting pressure are controlled by regulator valve handles (not shown). As the grouting operation continues, the technique is followed by pumping an amount of grouting material per minute, per gallon into the voids and cavity's of the surrounding soil of the drilled bore hole.

It should be understood that the pressurized grouting material from grouting pump (13) is pumped through an appropriate diameter high pressure hose to couple to the high pressure swivel (2).

After a desired level of pumping is completed in a particular area of the bore hole the rotating pipe (7) and casing pipe (8) are withdrawn upwardly out of the bore hole by raising the shelf (5) on the stand (6) to higher levels on the stand (6) which are marked in English or metric measurements as shown in FIG. 3. Pumping of the grouting material may be slowed or stopped to allow for this procedure and settling of the pumped grouting in hole (11). As the shelf (5) is raised the casing pipe (8) and rotating pipe are raised simultaneously to allow more grouting to be pumped into the surrounding voids and cavity's over the last position of the nozzle height because of the casing pipe (8) allowing the grout to fill the next higher area above the dotted lines in hole (11) as shown in FIG. 1. The rotating pipe (7) is operable to rotation and pumping by high pressure swivel connection (2) in which the grouting hose is able to remain stationary while rotating pipe (7) spins by means of output shaft of air motor to the reduction gearing (3) connected to the right angle gears (1). The right angle gears (1) are releasable as shown in FIG. 4 to enable the disconnection of the casing pipe (8) and rotating pipe (7) from the system to accommodate ease in maneuverability and transport.

Although the above embodiments are described as a jet grouting device with a stand (6) and a base (14) used to support shelf (5) it may be recognized by one skilled in the art that stand (6) can be driven directly into the ground if conditions permit without the need for a base (14).

In yet another embodiment, shown in FIG. 4 roller bearing (15) and casing pipe (8) are not used. The rotating pipe (7) is simply inserted into a pre-drilled bore hole or advanced directly into the ground while turning the rotating pipe, continuing the grouting operation as described above.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. It will also be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a jet grouting device, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

Claims

1.) A apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device comprising:

a portable stand comprising a vertical tubular shaft formed upon a base plate having an adjustable shelf;

a clamping means attached thereto to provide a locking and unlocking of adjustable shelf wherein; the shelf is a movable platform providing a mounting means for an air motor with output shaft, reduction gear box and a releasable right angle gear coupling and

a rotating pipe is part of half the right angled gears and is employed to rotate 90° degrees from the adjustable shelf consisting of a mounting bracket below the right angled gears to include a mount for keeping a casing pipe held in place.

2.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 1, wherein the air motor and reduction gears are attached together with a clamping means consisting essentially of mounting plates bolted together.

3.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

an air compressor for supplying high pressure air (4000-6000 psi) through a T splitter which is regulated to send air to the air motor and a grouting pump respectively wherein, the air drives the reduction gears and turns the rotating pipe by the rotation of the right angle gears and air from the compressor is also employed to operate the grouting pump.

4.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 1, wherein the rotating pipe is a hollow tubular shaft with half of a conical right angle gear assembly attached perpendicular to the rotating pipe whereby the other half of the right angled gear is releasable and attachable to the reduction gears wherein the rotating pipe is rotatable inside a fixed casing pipe whereby a high pressure swivel connector is attached to the upper end portion of the rotating pipe to allow for rotation of only the rotating pipe and not the grouting hose connected thereto.

5.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 4, wherein the rotating pipe comprises:

a spray nozzle at the opposite end of the high pressure swivel on the rotating pipe to inject grouting materials supplied from the grouting pump through high pressure swivel connection via the rotating pipe, and to the spray nozzle penetrating the surrounding ground.

6.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 3, wherein the device consists of one or more manually operated valves disposed after the T splitter valve for controlling the volume of the flowing grouting material and the rotation of the rotating pipe.

7.) The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 4, wherein casing pipe comprises:

a rotating roller bearing disposed inside the casing pipe and fixed in place near the spray nozzle end by a circular annulus flange “stopper” to allow the insertion of the rotating pipe there through and prevent unwanted rotational deviation of the rotating pipe and grouting material back flow up the casing pipe.