Pile with Grout Vortex
A pile is provided for installation into earth, comprising, a shaft that includes a shaft axis, a plurality of helices, and a metal that is capable of being welded so as to securely attach the helices; the shaft is provided with an end that has been configured for successive piling; the helices are shaped so that, when the shaft is torqued, the helices screw the pile into the earth about the shaft axis; a bladed portion provide with a shaft-accommodating section, a pile securing structure, a collar, and a blade; the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion is shaped according to the end of the shaft; the pile securing structure is configured to cooperate with a fastener; the collar of the bladed portion is generally concentric about the shaft axis; and the blade is shaped, at least in part, to agitate grout.
This patent application relates to foundations using helical piles with liquid grout.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHelical piling systems are known in the art. In such systems, a round corner square shaft with helices is torqued into the earth. The torquing action of the steel shaft creates a hole into which liquid grout is poured. When the grout solidifies, a concrete pile with steel shaft reinforcement is formed.
However, there are problems with this system. Dirt and organic material fall within the liquid grout and ultimately create voids when the grout dries, thereby weakening the pile. Additionally, the hole formed by the torquing action of the steel rod is often irregularly shaped creating an irregularly shaped concrete pile with areas of significant weakness relative to other areas. Furthermore, dirt and other debris fill in the hole as it is being formed, thereby preventing the liquid grout from filling in the entire length of the steel shaft, again creating a weakness in the pile.
The current system is directed to overcoming these and other disadvantages inherent in other piling systems.
The invention is defined by the claims set forth herein; however, briefly, the invention herein is a pile for installation into earth, comprising, a shaft that includes a shaft axis, a plurality of helices, and a metal that is capable of being welded so as to securely attach the helices; the shaft is provided with an end that has been configured for successive piling; the helices are shaped so that, when the shaft is torqued, the helices screw the pile into the earth about the shaft axis; a bladed portion provided with a shaft-accommodating section, a pile securing structure, a collar, and a blade; the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion is shaped according to the end of the shaft; the pile securing structure is configured to cooperate with a fastener; the collar of the bladed portion is generally concentric about the shaft axis; and the blade is shaped, at least in part, to agitate grout.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAs
Though the blades 211, 212, 213, 214 are referred to herein as “axially-extending blades,” it bears noting that the blades extend both radially from the shaft accommodating section 230 from the second annular section 242 to the first annular section 241 and axially along the length of the of the shaft accommodating section 230 from the first annular section 241 to the second annular section 242. Thus, as
As noted above, the bladed portion 200 of the pile 100 is provided with a plurality of angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224, each of which is provided with an angled surface (designated “225,” “226,” “227,” “228,” respectively). The angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 are arranged about the axis 101 so that the blades extend radially (at least in part). Though the preferred embodiment is shown with angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 that are flat, in an alternative embodiment, the angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 are dished. In yet another alternative embodiment, the angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 are curved; for example, the angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 are curved so as to provide a helix. Advantageously, the angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 (as well as the axially-extending blades 211, 212, 213, 214) are shaped to create a vortex when rotated within a column of grout.
Referring again to
In the preferred embodiment, the angled blades 221, 222, 223, 224 are positioned between the first collar 251 and the second collar 252 with the angled surfaces 225, 226, 227, 228 oriented to face (at least in part) the direction of rotation. The first collar 251 is provided with a pile securing structure 253 (generally designated in
In the case of a pipe pile (a pile that utilizes a pipe rather than an “RCS shaft”), the pile securing structure is shaped to transmit torque and secure the pipe and the bladed portion 200. As
Referring now to
As stated above, the bladed portion 200 of the pile 100 is provided with a shaft-accommodating section 230 that is shaped according to a connecting stud 125. In
The bladed portion 200 depicted herein is cast through use of a sand mold. The preferred embodiment is fabricated through use of lost-form casting methods, such as lost-wax casting or Styrofoam casting. Alternatively, however, the bladed portion 200 can be fabricated through heating the metal material and forging features. In this embodiment, the casting is substantially free of burs, seams, flashes and sharp edges.
In use, the pile 310 is driven into the ground, preferably helically, via a hydraulic drive (not shown). After a pile is driven into the soil (referred to herein as a “driven pile”), another pile 310 is coupled thereto (referred to herein as a “following pile”). The hydraulic drive is then connected to the following pile. The following pile, together with the previously driven pile, is then helically driven into the ground (referred to herein as “successive piling”).
The first end fitting 21 is provided with a first outer dimension 23 and a first inner dimension 24 while the second end fitting 22 is provided with a second outer and a second inner dimension 26. Referring now to
As
Each of the coupling extensions 27, 28 is configured to transmit torque. As illustrated in
Advantageously, the first end fitting 21 includes a plurality of first outer dimensions 23 so as to provide the coupling extension 27 with a tapered shape, preferably a tapered shape wherein the outer dimension 23 increases as the coupling extension 27 extends from the pipe-accepting end 31 (hereinafter referred to as an “increasing tapered shape”). Conversely, the second end fitting 22 includes a plurality of second inner dimensions 26 so as to provide the coupling extension 28 with a tapered shape, preferably a tapered shape wherein the inner dimension 26 decreases as the coupling extension 28 extends from the pipe-accepting end 32 (hereinafter referred to as a “decreasing tapered shape”).
It is preferred that the tapered shape of one end fitting correspond to the tapered shape of the other end fitting. Thus, in the case of the end fitting embodiments shown herein, the increasing tapered shape of the first end fitting 21 corresponds to the decreasing tapered shape of the second end fitting 22 so that when the first end fitting 21 of a following pile is placed into the second end fitting 22 of a previously driven pile, the end fittings 21, 22 are axially aligned with greater ease.
The coupling extension 27 of the first end fitting 21 is configured to be placed within the coupling extension 28 of the second end fitting 22. For greater ease in placing the coupling extension 27 of the first end fitting 21 within the coupling extension 28 of the second end fitting 22, the decreasing tapered shape of the second end fitting 22 includes a spherical surface 29, as is shown in
In the presently preferred embodiment, each of the end fittings 21, 22 is provided with a pipe-accepting end.
In the presently preferred embodiment, the end fittings 21, 22 are cast using a lost wax technique from steel; however, in alternative embodiments, the end fittings 21, 22 are cast in sand or lost foam. Then, the end fittings 21, 22 are welded on ends of a pipe 40. As
As
Referring now to
When the walls 44-b, 45-b, 46-b, 47-b of the first end fitting 21 are placed within the walls 44-c, 45-c, 46-c, 47-c of the second end fitting 22 and the tapped holes 44-a, 45-a, 46-a, 47-a of the first end fitting 21 are aligned with the holes 44-d, 45-d, 46-d, 47-d of the second end fitting 22 so that bolts can be passed through, the walls 44-b, 45-b, 46-b, 47-b of the first end fitting 21 and the walls 44-c, 45-c, 46-c, 47-c of the second end fitting 22 can be shaped so as to provide a spring-effect that stretches the bolts, much as a washer stretches a bolt in a standard nut-washer-and-bolt fastening assembly. By way of example and not limitation, the walls of either the first end fitting 21 or the second end fitting 22 (or both) can bow away from each other, thereby creating a “spring-effect” when the respective walls of the end fittings 21, 22 are fastened towards each other when the bolts are torqued into the enlarged portions 44, 45, 46, 47 of the first end fitting 21.
Referring now to
An alternative embodiment of the second end fitting 22 is depicted in
As illustrated in both
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred 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 pile for installation into earth, comprising,
- a) a shaft that includes a shaft axis, a plurality of helices, and a metal that is capable of being welded so as to securely attach the helices;
- b) the shaft is provided with an end that has been configured for successive piling;
- c) the helices are shaped so that, when the shaft is torqued, the helices screw the pile into the earth about the shaft axis;
- d) a bladed portion provided with a shaft-accommodating section, a pile securing structure, a collar, and a blade;
- e) the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion is shaped according to the end of the shaft;
- f) the pile securing structure is configured to cooperate with a fastener;
- g) the collar of the bladed portion is generally concentric about the shaft axis; and
- h) the blade is shaped, at least in part, to agitate grout.
2: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the blade extends axially from the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion.
3: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the collar is shaped to create a generally cylindrical volume about the shaft axis.
4: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the bladed portion has been cast through use of a sand mold.
5: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the bladed portion is fabricated through use of lost-form casting methods.
6. A pile according to claim 1 wherein the blade is a generally flat plane that extends radially from the shaft-accommodating section.
7: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the bladed portion is further provided with an angled blade.
8: A pile according to claim 7 wherein the angled blade is arranged about the shaft axis so that the blades extend, at least in part, radially.
9: A pile according to claim 1 wherein the blade is shaped to create a vortex when rotated within a column of grout.
10: A pile for installation into earth, comprising,
- a) a pipe that includes an axis, a plurality of helices, and a metal that is capable of being welded so as to securely attach an end fitting;
- b) the end fitting has been configured for successive piling;
- c) the helices are shaped so that, when the shaft is torqued, the helices screw the pile into the earth about the shaft axis;
- d) a bladed portion provided with a shaft-accommodating section, a pile securing structure, a collar, and a blade;
- e) the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion is shaped according to the end of the shaft;
- f) the pile securing structure is configured to cooperate with a fastener;
- g) the collar of the bladed portion is generally concentric about the shaft axis; and
- h) the blade is shaped, at least in part, to agitate grout.
11: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the blade extends axially from the shaft-accommodating section of the bladed portion.
12: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the collar is shaped to create a generally cylindrical volume about the shaft axis.
13: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the bladed portion has been cast through use of a sand mold.
14: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the bladed portion is fabricated through use of lost-form casting methods.
15: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the blade is a generally flat plane that extends radially from the shaft-accommodating section.
16: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the bladed portion is further provided with an angled blade.
17: A pile according to claim 16 wherein the angled blade is arranged about the shaft axis so that the blades extend, at least in part, radially.
18: A pile according to claim 10 wherein the blade is shaped to create a vortex when rotated within a column of grout.
Type: Application
Filed: May 4, 2012
Publication Date: Dec 26, 2013
Inventor: Wei-Chung Lin (Birmingham, AL)
Application Number: 13/464,197
International Classification: E02D 5/56 (20060101);