U.S. patent number 3,750,410 [Application Number 05/886,049] was granted by the patent office on 1973-08-07 for simple shoring to form ditches-canals-pillars and posts.
Invention is credited to Helena M. Converse.
United States Patent |
3,750,410 |
Converse |
August 7, 1973 |
SIMPLE SHORING TO FORM DITCHES-CANALS-PILLARS AND POSTS
Abstract
An adjustable trench showing device is disclosed wherein the
separable side and endwalls are formed as modules with releasable
attaching means whereby the device may be formed of varying lengths
vertically and horizontally.
Inventors: |
Converse; Helena M. (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Family
ID: |
25388266 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/886,049 |
Filed: |
February 17, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/272 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D
17/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E02D
17/06 (20060101); E02D 17/08 (20060101); E21d
005/00 (); E02d 005/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;61/41A,41,63
;52/584,582 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Shapiro; Jacob
Claims
Having thus described the invention what is claimed to be secured
by letters patent is:
1. A trench shoring structure comprising a pair of spaced opposing
outer side walls and an end wall interconnecting said side walls,
each of said side walls having a slotted portion extending along
one end thereof and a cooperating tongue member on the opposite end
whereby like walls may be interconnected;
said side walls having tongues on the ends thereof cooperatively
received in the slotted portions of the interconnected side
walls;
socket elements connected to the inner sides of the opposing side
walls and spreader elements having ends received in opposing pairs
of socket elements to thereby brace said shoring structure;
said side walls having tubular members on the outer sides thereof
and elongated, inverted U-shaped coupling pins for reception in the
tubular members of adjacent side walls to thereby interconnect
same.
2. The structure of claim 1 further including spike members
extending from the end of at least one tubular member for insertion
into an adjacently disposed tubular member on a vertically
interconnected side wall whereby vertically adjacent side walls may
be interconnected.
3. The structure of claim 1 further including snap fastener
elements on the upper and lower edges of said side walls whereby
vertically adjacent members may be interconnected.
Description
This invention relates to the best and safest means and methods for
forming ditches-canals-underground tunnels-pillars and posts, and
has for its object to accomplish such operations "QUIETLY" in that
noisy operations, such as pile driving, is unnecessary, the noise,
and the "DANGER" of "CAVE-INS" is eliminated throughout the entire
operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide the best means and
method, in which the frames are retained in small easily handles
sizes, and are used in adjoining secitons both vertically and
longitudinally, yet enable the provision of ditches, etc., varying
greatly in depth and length, even more than many hundreds of
feet.
This invention is designed to adapt itself to the most hazardous of
soil, such as the shifting sands of the desert, and moving objects
of all kinds, even the seepage of water.
This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that
are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a
working position and easily disconnected, economical of
manufacture, "Simple" and of general superiority and
serviceability.
The invention also comprises novel details of construction and
novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully
appear in the course of the descriptions, which is based on the
accompanying drawings and illustrations herein, following:
FIG. 1 is a combined unit three layers high of all the component
parts, using the coupling pin, which connects the side frames
together lengthwise.
FIG. 2 is a perspective side frame piece, showing hollow tubes at
the center and at each end of the frame, which is used with the
coupling pin, - with snap locks shown - .
FIG. 3 is also a side frame with full length hollow tubes welded
thereon, in center, and at each end is a tongue and a groove hollow
tube welded thereto - to be used to lock the side frames together,
as a tongue and groove connecting method longitudinally instead of
the coupling pin.
FIG. 4 is a stacking arrangement using the Tongue and Groove
connecting method and showing the spikes of the upper layers which
are welded inside of the hollow tubes half-way up, and which fit
into the hollow tubes on the first layer of the frames.
FIG. 5 shows the tongue and groove interlocking means of a pair of
longitudinally adjacent side wall sections.
FIG. 6 is a sliced-spreader as used to space the side walls apart,
to keep them from collapsing.
HOW TO MAKE THE SHORING FRAME BOTTOM LAYER
A frame of any size required for the job at hand is formed into a
flat slab - any thickness desired from any material desired to be
used.
It is best made of steel, but iron, copper, tin, wood, aluminum,
plastic or any one of the composition materials can be used.
FOR EXAMPLE
The end frame 8 is bolted to a side frame 9 on the right side of
the end frame piece 8 - and the frame 10 is bolted to the left side
of end frame 8 - each side frame 9 has a wing on one end, and each
side frame 10 has a wing on one end. The two side frames 9 and 10
bolted to end 8 forms an open end boxlike frame. See FIG. 2. On the
end frame 8 and side frame 9 and 10 are welded hollow tubes 11, 17
and 18.
Some hollow tubes are full length tubes 11, and some can be used
short as the tubes 17 and 18, as is shown on stacking arrangement
in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Across the top of each frame 8, 9 and 10 - a
small tongue is formed - 21 and 22, and the same on frame 25, that
extends the full length of each frame and down the righ side of the
frames - 9 - and 25 - but, the tongue is formed across the top of
frame 10 and down the left side of frame 10 to make the end frames
correspond for connections lengthwise, when the next frame 25 is
attached, each side frame such as 25, etc., have the small tongue
22 formed at the top and down the right side - full length and
height - Tongue 21 is formed on frame 8 - side frames 9 and 25 and
all other frames made for the extension to elongate or heighten;
the box frame is made the same way - for the right side of the box
frame, and visa versa for the left side of the box frame - at the
left end of frame 25 a groove is formed to fit over the tongue of
frame 9, etc. This tongue and groove is formed on the frames to
make the frames more sand and waterproof, - when working in any
hazardous soils.
On FIG. 4 the stacking arrangement is used a tongue and groove
connection method for connecting the frame for elongation of
frames. See Tongue and Groove connecting method, FIG. 4, showing
the frames connected with the Tongue and Groove method, 13 and 15,
See FIG. 1 for the short tubes 17 and 18, which are connected
together with the Coupling Pin 20, See Detail A, these hollow tubes
17 and 18 can be made full height of the frame if desired. I
beleive it would make for a more steady and stronger connection.
See FIG. 1, inside of each frame a cuplike Socket 14 is welded
therein one inch below the top of frame. At the right end of the
frame 9 and at the left end of frame 10, into this socket a
Sliced-spreader 19 is fastened. See Detail D. This spreader holds
the side frames apart from side to side preventing them from
collapsing, onto the lower frames - a catch 24 for the snap lock 16
is welded. See FIG. 1 and the same is had on all frames thereafter
for stacking the frames, which spring lock 16 catch fastens over
the catch 24 to fasten the frames together in a stacking position -
from the height to the lower frames -.
SECOND LAYER, ETC.
The end frame 8 is made the same as the lower frame, but the side
frame 9 is one-half the length of the lower frame 9, this throws
the upper frame 9 end at about the center of the lower frame 9
which forms an alternating stack - 1 short, 1 long. See FIG. 1 and
stacking arrangement. FIG. 4 - only one hollow tube is welded to
this short side frame - See frame 9A and the same is had on both
the right and left sides of the frame - but the frame connected
lengthwise on to frame 9A is made a full size frame as in the lower
frame and so on . . . the same for the left side of the frame, and
the second layer has the Spikes 12 welded into the hollow tubes,
that fit into the top of the hollow tubes, welded to the bottom
frame.
The Coupling Pin 20 is the same as the lower frame connection, the
cuplike sockets 14 are the same and the connecting frame 25 is made
the same as the lower frame 25, the same lock catch 24 is had and
the snap lock 16 is the same - end piece 8 is made the same way,
bolted to two side pieces, as is the lower frame, except Spikes 12
are welded inside of the Hollow Tubes 11 about half way up the tube
11 - leaving the upper part of the hollow tube for the Spike to fit
in from the second and third layer and so on. These Spikes 12
fitting into the hollow tubes makes for a stronger wall frame, the
locks snap closed to hold the upper and lower frames together
perpendicular. Stacking arrangements for said locks - the
Sliced-spreader is used the same on all layers of the frame - - the
slice in the Spreader fits over the inner edge of the inner cup
Socket 14 which holds the Spreader 19 in place, while the digging
is had, it holds fast if the frame is jostled about from level to
level during said digging.
All parts are dipped into an oily wax and allowed to dry before
using them. This has a tendency to make the frame more sand and
waterproof - and also keeps the metal from rusting or
corroding.
It has been my endeavor to make here a strong shoring frame that
will withstand all hazardous soils - and to prevent cave-ins and
save the lives and limbs of the men at work on the job.
When there are no accidents - there is no time lost on the job, and
no time is lost if there is nothing to build, or do on the job, but
digging the ditch or canal - or stacking for the pillars or posts.
All preparation is made prior thereto, I believe this shoring frame
is the single safest on the market today. It costs very little to
build or manufacture (1) because it is so simple (2) and can be
used over and over again since it is made in small easily handled
pieces - it can be easily stored away for future jobs - once bought
and paid for, it is forever paid for. It may be that there would be
an occasional piece to be repaired. There would be no noise, no
pile driving, economical and I believe foolproof.
The inside of the frame is purposely kept smooth so any kind of
conduits or cement work - pipes or what have you can be laid,
without interference.
A ditch or canal - or pillar or post can be filled in before the
frame is removed. This insures safety, and any resultant space from
the frame can be filled in after the same is removed without
hazardous cave-ins.
While the foregoing has illustrated and described the making and
using of the frame - what is now contemplated to be the best mode
of carrying out the invention, the construction is subject to
modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
For instance the small tongue and groove at the top and sides of
all frames can be abandoned if the frame is to be used in less
hazardous soils - if no sand or water is present. But if the job is
restricted to loose sand and water it should be used with said
tongue and groove, etc., as described herein.
This box frame can be used to build tall pillars for
buildings-pillars for bridges and posts by stacking one on top of
the other - locking the boxes together with the snap locks, using
the tongue 21 and groove 22 method at the top and the groove at the
bottom of each box frame to make it sand and waterproof, it can be
easily disassembled to use again - by either lifting the box frame
apart from the top or unbolting 27 - the end 8 - lifting them off -
leaving a smooth pier or pillar - and the box frame could be used
over and over again.
There is a certain practical way of making and using said frame
pieces, but modifications may be had. Basically the construction
illustrated is to cover all modifications that may fall within the
scope of the appended claims.
NOW THAT THE FRAME HAS BEEN FORMED INTO ITS SEVERAL PARTS, IT IS
READY TO USE
1. Set the box-like frame, with one end left open "upon top of the
ground" when a ditch is to be dug, to this open end box-like frame,
connect a side frame on both sides of this open end box - 9-10,
using the long looped Coupling Pin to connect the side frames
together, matching the tongue on the top of the box-like frame.
Plan 2 and the groove on the connecting frame - Plan 3. Or you may
want to use the tongue and groove method as shown in FIG. 5A to
connect the frames. See Tongue and Groove Connecting Method Plan 4,
for the length of the ditch on the first layer frame, connect on as
few or as many as is desired for the length of the excavation, each
time a frame is used, the small tongue and groove 21 - 22 there on
top and sides and bottom of each frame, they must match and fit
together when connected, then place the Sliced-Spreader into the
cup-like Sockets 14 provided on the inside of the frame, See FIG.
5, and form Plans 1 and 2 for small tongue and groove.
NOW YOU ARE READY TO DIG THE DITCH
Digging out from under the frame on the inside of the frame in the
ditch, lowering the frame into the ditch as it is dug, this frame
secures the ditch walls and prevents "cave-ins." When the ditch is
dug to about the depth of one foot from the top of the first layer
of the frame it is now time to add to the height of the frame in
the ditch by adding on the end frame piece that is one-half the
length of the lower end frame. See FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Setting it on
top of the first layer of frames, matching the small tongue and
groove that is on the top of the lower first layer of the end
frame, and matching the groove to it, that is on the bottom of the
second layer frame, now being added onto the lower frame and
setting the Spikes 12 into the Hollow Tubes 11 provided on the
lower frame, then Snap Lock 24 and 16 to hold the top and bottom
frame together. Add to the length of the second layer in the same
manner, matching all spikes on the side frames into the Hollow
Tubes and all tongue and grooves, each time a frame is added, now
again use the Sliced-Spreader 19 in the same manner at each frame
joint connection, this will hold the frames more solid and steady,
so it will not slide out - if the ditch frames bounced around while
the digging of the ditch is being done, at the different levels of
the ditch, in this way a ditch can be dug as deep as desired, or to
a hundred feet or more, and the sides of the ditch will remain
secured against "Cave-ins" and the danger of injury to the worker
will be nil.
* * * * *