Abstract: The invention relates to an auger for making a borehole that presents in its inside wall a groove that is substantially helical, said auger comprising: a hollow core provided with an outer helical blade; a movable cutter gouge suitable for taking up an active position in which the gouge projects outside the volume defined by the periphery of the blade, and a retracted position in which it is placed inside said volume; and means for displacing said gouge from its retracted position to its active position and comprising an additional member mounted to move in said core in translation and/or in rotation, and placed at the bottom end of said core, together with control means for causing said gouge to be displaced from its retracted position to its active position in response to said additional member moving relative to at least the bottom portion of said hollow core.

Abstract: A circular concrete cap foundation poured in-situ within a perimeter forming corrugated metal pipe set atop or within an excavated pit and enclosing a series of circumferentially spaced pile anchors. The circular concrete cap foundation supports sets of inner and outer circumferentially spaced tower anchor bolts having their lower ends anchored to an embedded anchor ring and their upper ends projecting vertically and upwardly out the top of the circular foundation to engage the base flange of a supported tower. The pile anchors are formed with perimeter corrugated metal pipes set deep in subsurface soils with cementitious material surrounding and partially bonding to a centralized steel bolt or tendon which extends through the cap foundation. The tower anchor bolts and the pile anchor bolts are both partially encased in a PVC sleeve so that the bolts can be post-tensioned. The pile anchors are in tension only and serve to pull the cap foundation down to compress the underlying ground soils.

Abstract: An in-situ pile apparatus 10 includes a helical anchor to which a plurality of elongated generally cylindrically shaped sections can be added. Each of the sections has a specially shaped end portion for connecting to another section. An internal drive is positioned in sections inside the bore of each of the connectable pile sections. The internal drive includes enlarged sections that fit at the joint between pile sections. In one embodiment, the internal drive can be removed to leave a rod behind that defines reinforcement for a tension rod connection from the anchor tip to an upper portion attachment point.

Abstract: A helical anchor capable of use in high load-bearing capacity applications involving extreme drive torque conditions, the anchor having a main drive shaft machine fabricated with an integrally formed hardened alloy steel coupling section that is adapted to mate with a similarly hardened and integrally formed corresponding coupling section of an extension shaft. The coupling sections are formed of seamless high-carbon heat-treated alloy steel which is quenched and tempered to a yield and tensile strength approximating 135,000 psi, and inertia friction welded to the hot-finished seamless alloy steel tubing utilized in the formation of the remainder of the drive and extension shafts.

Abstract: An adapter attachment for an auger which includes an connecting shaft sized and shaped to be attached to the pilot bit hole present in the end of an auger, after the removal of pilot bit. The adapter also includes a bolt flange for connection to a foundation anchor installation plate/tool such as a locking dog assembly. The adapter obviates the need to remove the auger from the Kelly bar during anchor installation. A modification includes eliminating the bolt flange and placing the connecting shaft directly to the locking dog assembly to form a pilot hole locking dog.

Abstract: A rotational drive apparatus for screw pilings is described. The apparatus comprises a housing having a cylindrical pipe coupling adapted to receive a shaft of a screw piling therethrough. A detachable connecting element secures the coupling to the shaft at different positions along the shaft. A rotational drive is provided within the housing for imparting rotation to the coupling. An elongated rod is secured to the housing and is held by a user person whereby to immobilize the housing wherein to permit the rotational drive to transmit a drive force to the coupling to rotate the shaft of a screw piling.

Abstract: A screw pile is equipped with internal grout pipes extending downwardly through the bore of the tubular pile shaft. The grout pipes connect with side-opening ports in the shaft side wall, to form conduits through which fluid grout may be injected into the surrounding ground. The grout is injected at high pressure as the pile is rotatively driven into a sub-surface target formation in which the pile is to be landed. In this way, the grout is distributed along a vertical interval of formation. It has been shown that this technique is characterized by increased load capacities of the implanted pile, relative to piles implanted without grouting or with grouting but only at landed depth.

Abstract: A foundation pile or pile segment is described that provides support for a structure such as a building foundation. The pile includes a generally solid body having a top end wall, a bottom end wall adapted for providing end load bearing capacity, and all around sidewalls. The sidewalls extend between the top end wall and the bottom end wall and has at least a pair of oppositely disposed spiral ridges that extend generally about the surface of the sidewalls. Further, each spiral ridge extends in a generally spiral direction from the top end wall to the bottom end wall. The spiral ridges provide an offset surface that extends generally outward from the surface of the sidewalls. The offset surfaces provide additional load bearing capacity to the foundation pile.

Abstract: A structural helical pile having an elongate shaft member defining a longitudinal axis. The structural helical pile also comprises a radially extending, generally helical load bearing member integral with the shaft member and projecting outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft member. The helical load bearing member has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The respective leading and trailing edges intersect the shaft member in spaced relationship along the longitudinal length of the shaft member. The helical load bearing member further comprises at least one rib integrally formed therein. In this aspect, each rib extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft member and has a substantially uniform cross-sectional thickness.

Abstract: A modular helical piering system employs a series of tubular shafts having a rectangular cross-section that can be secured to one another by means of couplers and removable pins inserted through holes in the shafts. A number of helical blades can also be removably secured to the shafts at desired locations by means of pins.

Abstract: A structural helical pile having an elongate shaft member defining a longitudinal axis. The structural helical pile also comprises a radially extending, generally helical load bearing member integral with the shaft member and projecting outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft member. The helical load bearing member has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The respective leading and trailing edges intersect the shaft member in spaced relationship along the longitudinal length of the shaft member. The helical load bearing member further comprises at least one rib integrally formed therein. In this aspect, each rib extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft member and has a substantially uniform cross-sectional thickness.

Abstract: A mounting plate and bolt assembly adapted for attachment to a top portion of a helice pier shaft. The helice pier shaft threaded into the top of a ground surface. The assembly is used for supporting various types of building, highway and other types of structures. The mounting plate and bolt assembly includes small circular upper and lower pierhead plates spaced apart and welded to the top portion of the helice pier shaft. Also, large circular upper and lower mounting plates with bolt holes are disposed next to the upper and lower small pierhead plates and held thereon using a plurality of threaded bolts received through the bolt holes. The bolt holes are disposed around an outer circumference of the large mounting plates. The top of the threaded bolts may be used for securing a base plate of a post. The post is used for supporting various types of structures thereon. The large mounting plates may be welded directly to the pier shaft if the movement of the post is not large.

Abstract: Apparatus for placing pipe piling (90, 90?) in the ground including a support frame (10) and a motor (66) mounted on the support frame (10). The motor (66) has a downwardly extending rotary output shaft (68) which extends into an opening (70) in a drive head (76). Rotation of the output shaft (68) by the motor (66) will rotate the drive head (76) about a vertical axis. The drive head (76) is drivenly connectable to the upper end portion of the pipe piling (90, 90?). A clamping apparatus is mounted on lower side portions of the support frame. The clamping apparatus includes a pair of horizontally disposed linear hydraulic actuators (128). Each actuator comprises a fixed outer end portion (130) and a retractable/extendable/rotatable inner end portion (132). A pair of pipe piling engaging clamps (148, 150) are connected to the inner end portions (132) of the actuators (128). The clamps (148, 150) confront each other across space between them.

Abstract: There is provided a screwed steel pile, the end portion of which is open, characterized in that: an apparent resistance at the pile end portion of the pile is reduced when the ground strength is suddenly increased, so that the pile can be easily penetrated into the ground and an intensity of the finally obtained bearing capacity of the pile is high. The specific means is that a pile end portion of the pile body composed of a steel pipe or a hollow pipe made of another material is made open, and one or a plurality of wings are provided on the outside of the pile end portion of the pile body. The pile end portion of the wing may be protruded downward from a pile end face of the pile body.

Abstract: A screw form anchor device (10) intended for screwed penetration into a host material. The anchor device (10) includes a body (11) having a manipulating end (12) and a distal end (13). A screw thread (22) is formed by a plurality of tapering angular helix thread forms (22a) which extend from the distal end. Each angular helix thread form (22a) has an outward facing surface (24) and, relative to the distal end, a downward facing surface (25). In the preferred form an emergent helix thread (26) commences from a point distant from the distal end (13). This emergent helix thread (26) extends toward the manipulating end (12) of the body (11).

Abstract: A piering device includes a shaft having interspaced threaded portions and unthreaded portions extending axially along at least a portion of its length. The unthreaded portions of the shaft are radially recessed with respect to the threaded portions. A helical plate with a threaded passageway can engage the threaded portions of the shaft at any desired location along the shaft. A key is then inserted into the passageway between the helical plate and an unthreaded portion of the shaft to hold the helical plate at the desired location on the shaft.

Abstract: A piering device includes a shaft having interspaced threaded portions and unthreaded portions extending axially along at least a portion of its length. The unthreaded portions of the shaft are radially recessed with respect to the threaded portions. A helical plate with a threaded passageway can engage the threaded portions of the shaft at any desired location along the shaft. A key is then inserted into the passageway between the helical plate and an unthreaded portion of the shaft to hold the helical plate at the desired location on the shaft.

Abstract: A pier assembly (2, 60) is provided that utilizes a rotatable shelf (12, 70) structure to place a screw jack assembly (15) under a footing (28) of a foundation.

Abstract: A screw pile stem includes a shank having an inwardly tapered portion at one end, and a helical screw on the shank, with the helical screw being of constant pitch and at least a part of the helical screw being on the tapered portion, and with a major diameter of the part of the helical screw on the tapered portion decreasing towards a small end of the tapered portion.

Abstract: A piering device includes a shaft having a polygonal cross-section with a series of notches spaced at intervals along the vertices of the shaft. For example, the shaft can have a square cross-section with rounded corners. The helical plate has a passageway with a cross-section to slide along the shaft when the helical plate is in a first rotational position on the shaft. However, notches within the passageway of the helical plate engage the notches on the shaft when the helical plate is rotated to a second rotational position, thereby preventing the helical plate from sliding along the shaft. A key is inserted between the shaft and helical plate to hold the helical plate in the second rotational position and thereby fix the axial position of the helical plate on the shaft.

Abstract: An above ground tower foundation uses embedded tension/compression components secured to a ground level cap. The components each terminate distally in a below ground soil or rock anchoring structure. The components embed without deep wide area site excavation or dewatering. The components with their distal anchoring structure provide exceptional bearing and tension capacity to the foundation, and high resistance to overturning moments acting on the tower. The tension/compression components may be straight or tapered piles with distal end helical fins, piles with a distal end grouted soil or rock anchor, caissons with a distal belled section, caissons with a distal end grouted soil or rock anchor, helical screw anchors or any combinations thereof Construction of this foundation comprises the following steps. A minimal ground-level excavation is established for the cap. The tension/compression components embed into deep, high-strength soil layers without deep below ground excavation. The cap is formed.

Abstract: A helice pier coupling system used for used for soil stabilization, supporting building structures and similar applications. The coupling system provides a way of adding one or more pier shaft extensions to a helice pier shaft of a helice pier for extending the length of the pier. The pier shafts may have lengths of 5 feet or greater. The coupling system includes a first helice pier. The first helice pier having diagonal cuts at a lower first end and an upper second end of a pier shaft. The lower first end of the pier shaft can be used as a lead point when the pier shaft is driven into the soil surface. The upper second end of the pier shaft can be used with a shaft coupling for engaging a lower first end, having a mating diagonal cut, of a pier shaft of a second helice pier or the pier shaft extension. The first helice pier includes one or more helice plates.

Abstract: A compressible support used to support mine roofs. The compressible support generally includes a male member which adjustably engages a collar and may further include a cap and a wooden base. A post may also be provided. The male member defines ridges and grooves and the collar defines corrugations, each preferably in the form of modified buttress threads, which yield, fracture, or strip when the compressible support is subjected to additional force, decreasing the overall length of the compressible support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for leveling a building foundation including excavating a cavity below the portion of the foundation to be raised at regular intervals and using and an oversized screw anchor driven under the foundation at approximately 15 degrees relative to the foundation edge at each of the excavated cavities, the anchor having relatively large helical screw flighting or auger plate to insure support at relatively shallow depths. Each excavated cavity is provided with a bed of dry cement mix.

Abstract: A screwed steel pile has a main pile body which is a hollow pipe. The pile end of the main pile body is open. One or a plurality of wings are arranged on the outside of the pile end portion of the main pile body. An excavating blade is attached to the pile end portion of the wing. The excavating blade has a cross-sectional area less than that of the wing and is attached to the wing where the upper and lower surfaces of the wing and the blade are continuously connected to each other at the outside of the pile end portion.

Abstract: A piering device employs a threaded shaft and a helical bearing plate with a threaded passageway that allows the helical plate to be advanced to any desired location along the shaft. The helical plate can also be readily replaced with one or more helical plates of different sizes. The threaded shaft has a key way extending along its length. The threaded passageway of the helical plate can also be equipped with a key way extending its length. A key is removably inserted into the shaft key way and helical plate keyway after these key ways have been rotated into alignment to secure the helical plate at the desired location along the shaft.

Abstract: A method for making piles apparatus for practicing the method of the invention are disclosed. The invention may be used to support the foundation of a structure, such as a building. The method draws one or more soil displacing members on a shaft down through a body of soil by turning a screw at the lower end of the shaft. The soil displacing members force soil out of a cylindrical region around the shaft. The cylindrical region is filled with grout to encapsulate and strengthen the shaft. The grout may be fed by gravity from a bath of grout around the shaft. The methods of the invention may be used to make stepped piers at much lower cost than existing methods. The invention provides methods for coating the screw portion of a screw pier with grout to protect the screw from the action of corrosive soils and to reinforce helical screws.

Abstract: A pile (1) has a plurality of external parallel helical fins (30,31,32) along substantially the whole length of the pile (1). At least one of the fins (30,31,32) has a wedge-shape cross-section. The pile (1) can be driven into a substrate by applying a force to the pile (1) substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (2) of the pile (1), the force having substantially no rotational component about the longitudinal axis (2). The helical fins (30,31,32) on the pile (1) cause the pile (1) to rotate in the substrate and thereby penetrate the substrate as the force is applied.