Abstract: An apparatus and method for deep earth grounding includes positioning a power driver at a site, the power driver comprising a frame and an impact hammer operatively connected to the frame, adjusting placement of the impact hammer, raising the impact hammer, driving 10 foot sectioned grounding rods down into the ground at the site using the hammer, testing resistance, and determining if more additional grounding rods are necessary based on the resistance. A power driver device includes an open frame, guide rails operatively connected to the frame, an impact hammer operatively connected to the guide rails and moveable along the guide rails, and a hand crank assembly operatively connected to the frame and configured for raising the guide rails and the impact hammer up and down along the frame.

Abstract: A free fall stroker for raising and dropping a drop hammer for soils bearing testing or the like includes a housing through which a drop hammer cable extends from one side to the bottom thereof. A pair of guide pulleys guide the cable through the housing and a movable sheave operates within a parallelogram-shaped track with four legs, and is attached to a telescoping arm of a hydraulic stroking cylinder. When the arm is retracted, the sheave is moved in a first leg of the track and engages the cable, pulling it between the guide pulleys. When the sheave reaches the end of the first leg, it moves in a second leg in a second direction away from the guide pulleys. This causes the cable to be released, thus dropping the drop hammer and letting it free fall. Extension of the telescoping arm then returns the sheave to the point of origin via the third and fourth legs of the track. A winch is provided on top of the housing to adjust the cable length and a stroke counter counts the number of hammer strokes.

Abstract: A relatively simple pile driver includes a tubular holder with a closed top end and an open bottom end for receiving a pile; a tubular hammer with a closed bottom end and an open top end, the hammer containing lead and being mounted on the holder; four guide rods extending through large plates closing the top end of the holder and the bottom end of the hammer permitting controlled vertical movement of the hammer above the holder, the guide rods extending upwardly to a positioning plate above the hammer; a pair of cables extending upwardly from the plate closing the top end of the holder and through slots in the positioning plate to a bar, which is connected to a crane or other lifting apparatus by another cable for positioning the pile drive; and a pair of hydraulic cylinders extending upwardly from a pair of brackets on the bottom end of the holder, with piston rods extending upwardly from the open top ends of the cylinders to brackets on the hammer above the holder, whereby, the hammer can be raised and, wh

Abstract: An automatic drive hammer system includes an automatic drive hammer apparatus which is carried by a bucket pivotally mounted to a drill rig. The drive hammer apparatus may be pivoted in the bucket from an off-hole storage position to an on-hole loading/unloading position whereby the drive hammer apparatus is lifted out of the bucket by a winch assembly and the bucket is pivoted to the off-hole storage position. An anvil and connector connects to a drill string and sampler which extend upwardly from a hole in the ground. The drive hammer apparatus has a housing which contains a hammer adapted for reciprocal sliding movement therewithin to cyclically strike the anvil to drive the anvil, drill string and sampler combination into the ground. A trip rail is rigidly attached to the anvil and extends within the housing. A follower assembly is pivotally mounted to the hammer.

Abstract: A mobile generator for producing seismic waves in the ground, which includes a mobile four-sided frame, a boom having its lower end pivotally connected to the frame, and a worm gear mounted on the frame such that by rotating the worm gear about its longitudinal axis, the boom is pivoted toward a selected impact position. A hammer, mounted on the boom, is raised and then dropped toward an anvil carried beneath the frame on the ground. The anvil has several impact-receiving surfaces such that either a P wave or a shear wave can be generated by pivoting the boom and without relocating the anvil.The anvil structure is positioned on the ground by applying a major portion of the weight of the apparatus on the anvil plate.