JET GROUTING APPARATUS FOR CONFINED SPACES AND RAPID MOBILIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Abstract

A jet grout injection device is provided for depositing liquid grouting materials using a high pressure jet, that is compact and rapidly assembled and powered by an air compressor for safety considerations. An injection pipe and a high pressure swivel are connected with high pressure steel reinforced hydraulic hose to a grout pump. The high pressure swivel can withstand a range of 0-6000 psi. The injection pipe is rotated using two (02) 45° degree miter gears to transfer the rotation from the gear speed reducer. The air motor receives air from a compressor at a range of 0-100 psi and 0-180 cfm, the air motor 4 provides the torque to the gear speed reducer 3 that converts the rotation of the miter gears 1 to low speed 1-3 rpm with high torque. The device allows access to small rooms in subways, for example, that are buried under various structures or even rivers, that would be excessively expensive to access with a drilling rig on the ground surface, especially in urban environments.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION:

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. 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.

Prior jet grouting systems for single component grouting, involved large drill rigs and pumps that were expensive to mobilize, both in terms of money as well as inconvenience. For example, in order for the equipment to be mobilized over a tunnel that is under a river, a barge would have to be used, or traffic would be diverted from a city street for work on an inland subway tunnel. Even after the mobilization is completed, the drilling would have to go through structures that are located above the intended grout zone. For example, a tunnel floor needs to be stabilized to prevent settlement, however a drill rig located on the ground surface would have to drill through any existing under laying structures as well as the tunnel ceiling before the drill bit even reached the tunnel floor location. Finally, typical jet grouting target zones are not completed using only one drill hole. Depending on the size of the target grouting zone, many holes may be necessary. Because of this, the vertical drilling as previously outlined in the subway example, would need to be repeated.

Mobilization inside small confined space locations can now be achieved by bringing specialized equipment inside the structures. Also, the excessive cost of mobilization in terms of money and inconvenience is eliminated as the power supply can be brought inside the tunnel or confined space without barges or disrupting street traffic.

The prior problem with jet grouting to stabilize a railroad track is that the equipment had to be mobilized to the track locations with work trains to allow vertical drilling. This use of work trains could easily eliminate one half of a 4 hour work window due to the fact that the work trains often travel miles just to arrive at the grout zone. The invention eliminates the use of work trains as the grout pipe can be placed horizontally under the track using hand held equipment that allows for rapid installation. In order to drill and inject horizontally with a drill rig, excessive excavation would be necessary in order to allow room for the drill mast which is used to turn the drill pipe while jet grouting.
In particular the invention embodies the following:

• • i) A reduction device that allows a slow rotation of the injection pipe at a set rate
  • ii) A high pressure hydraulic swivel that allows the injection pipe to rotate while grout is pumped into the pipe at high pressure
  • iii) A torque control device that allows the injection pipe to turn at a set torque
  • iv) A flange and 45 degree gear that converts vertical rotation of the speed drive to horizontal rotation of the injection pipe.
    The custom made parts mentioned were tested and combined with experts in hydraulics and mechanical power transmission industries, outside of the drilling and grouting equipment industries, allowing small rapidly operated systems for jet grouting that resolve the aforementioned problems.

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 2003, Jul. 29 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.

U.S. 20070228804, issued on 2007, Oct. 4 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 2000, Aug. 29 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.

U.S. 20060275087 issued on 2006, Dec. 07 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 .

U.S. 20060275087, 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.

U.S. 20030002762, 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.

U.S. 20030190384, 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.

U.S. 20080128128, 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.

U.S. 20070014640, 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.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus is a portable custom made jet grouting device that allows jet grouting with a chemical or particulate grout. More specifically, the device is composed of hand held equipment that can be rapidly assembled to allow access and safe operation in confined space locations. The equipment allows for a set rate of rotation, with a set pressurization and flow rate of injected grout, operated by a single control valve, for repeatable results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a jet grouting device that pumps grout into an injection pipe that protrudes beyond the casing pipe originally installed with a well known method, to reach the target grouting zone. The injection pipe is rotated while liquid grouting materials are injected at high pressure into the pipe simultaneously. The liquid grout is expelled at 4 holes at the end of the injection pipe while the injection pipe and the casing pipe are pulled out of the drill hole at the same speed. The invention allows access in confined spaces with rapid assembly that minimizes the cost of jet grouting, both in terms of money and inconvenience. The working window of time, typically 4-6 hours at night, for work over railroad track areas is also expanded to a typical 8 hour daytime shift. The device allows for work to be performed cost effectively from the side of the railroad track, versus vertical drilling equipment that would operate off work trains.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the system embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front and side view of the adjustable gear speed reducer for low speed and high torque.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the stand for vertical and angled plate adjustment

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

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a system embodying the present invention. An injection pipe 7 and a high pressure swivel 2 are connected with high pressure steel reinforced hydraulic hose to a grout pump. The high pressure swivel 2 can withstand a range of 0-6000 psi. As shown in FIG. 1, a high pressure swivel connector (2) is used to allow grouting material to flow from grouting 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). The injection or rotating pipe 7 is rotated using two (02) 45° degree miter gears 1 to transfer the rotation from the gear speed reducer shown in FIG. 2., the air motor 4 receives air from a compressor at a range of 0-100 psi and 0-180 cfm, as shown on FIG. 1 the air motor 4 provides the torque to the gear speed reducer 3 that converts the rotation of the miter gears 1 to low speed 1-3 rpm with high torque. 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).

The clamp 10 holds the casing pipe 8 to the stand FIG. 3, thus allowing the stand to be adjusted vertically at specific rates while lifting the casing pipe 8 as well as the injection pipe 7. The stand shelf 5 also can be adjusted so that the injection pipe 7 and casing pipe 8 can be placed at angles ranging from vertical to horizontal. The casing pipe 8 is placed with a well known method and the injection pipe 7 is dropped inside the casing pipe 8. The casing pipe 8 is lifted 2″ above the bottom of the injection pipe 7 and clamped 10 to the stand 6. Next liquid grout is injected into the annular space between the injection pipe and casing pipe 8. The injection pipe 7 is coated with a bond breaker to prevent adhesion of the liquid grout to the pipe itself. Finally, air is supplied to the grout pump and the air motor 4, the amount of air is calibrated at the compressor so that specific amounts of grout are jetted into the soil spray nozzles 9, while the injection pipe 7 is rotated at a specified rate ranging from 1-3 rpm. The grouted column of soil 11 is then created in a repeatable manner for uniform columns that typically range from 12″ to 18″ in diameter depending on the soil porosity and shear strength.

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 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.

Claims

1. A jet grouting device for difficult access locations, comprising:

a casing pipe is inserted firstly into the ground; then

a rotating injection pipe is inserted into the casing pipe and

a motorized source is connected to the injection pipe for controlled torque and reduced rotation speeds;

a pump is connected to the injection pipe to inject a liquid grout at a specific rate;

wherein both the casing pipe and the injection pipe are lifted as a specific rate during a grouting injection process.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 that rotating injection pipe can be rotated with two 45 degree mitter gears.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1 the rotating injection pipe provides grouted columns at angles ranging from vertical to horizontal, in difficult to the difficult access locations.

4. The device in accordance with claim 1 that motorized source can provide air power up to 6000 psi, in difficult to access locations.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1 that can uniformly repeat the grouting injection process as air power is provided in a controlled manner via a control valve.

6. An apparatus of 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.

7. The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 6, wherein the air motor and reduction gears are attached together with a clamping means consisting essentially of mounting plates bolted together.

8. The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 6, 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.

9. The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 6, 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.

10. The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 9, 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.

11. The apparatus of a high pressure jet grouting device of claim 6, 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.