Method Of And Apparatus For The Driving And Extractor Of Sheet Piles

Abstract

This invention relates to sheet piling and more particularly to a method and apparatus for use in the driving and extraction of sheet piling and the present invention seeks to provide an improved method and apparatus for the driving and extraction of sheet piles in connection with excavations and particularly in connection with the construction of trenches.

Description

THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of inserting a pile into the ground including the step of driving a pile into the ground relative to a piling apparatus which is supported on a ground surface and against the weight of said piling apparatus. The method may include the additional step of moving the piling apparatus forwardly relative to the driven pile.

According to a second aspect there is provided a method of extracting a pile from the ground including the step of withdrawing a pile from the ground relative to and against the resistance of a piling apparatus supported on a ground surface. The method additional include the additinal step of moving the extracted pile with the piling apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of inserting a pile comprising the steps of pitching one or more piles relative to a piling apparatus supported on a ground surface, driving said pitched pile into the ground, raising said piling apparatus clear of the ground so that the piling apparatus is supported on a plurality of movable bearing pads, moving the piling apparatus forwardly relative to the bearing pads, lowering said piling apparatus relative to the bearing pads so that the piling apparatus again rests on the ground. The method may include the additional step of moving the bearing pads forwardly relative to the piling apparatus.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided piling apparatus comprising a piling rig which is adapted to be supported on the surface of the ground and which is adapted for the insertion and withdrawal of a pile into and out of the ground below said piling rig, said piling rig being movable along said ground surface. The piling rig will preferably include driving means for moving said pile relative to the piling rig.

The piling rig or frame will preferably comprise a rigid framework having one or more driving frames movable relative thereto, said driving frame(s) being coupled to the piles so that the driving frame(s) may move with the piles.

There will preferably be two driving frames one along each side of the piling rig, said frames each having a plurality of lugs or the like through which may pass means to couple the piles to said driving frames. The driving frame will be movable relative to said framework by one or more fluid pressure-operated piling jacks.

The piling apparatus will preferably have a plurality of bearing pads by which the piling rig may be moved forwardly. Each comprises a hollow member housing a fluid pressure-operated traversing jack for moving the bearing pad relative to the piling rig so as to cause movement of the piling rig along the surface of the ground.

Each bearing pad will be movable vertically relative to the piling rig by a fluid pressure-operated lifting jack whereby the piling rig may be raised clear of the ground prior to the piling rig being moved along the surface of the ground.

The piling apparatus will preferably carry its own control means for controlling the piling, traversing and lifting jacks.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of trench shoring apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away view in the direction of arrow "X" in FIG. 1 and showing a piling jack for driving the piles or sheet members relative to the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cut-away view in the direction of arrow "Y" in FIG. 1 and showing the detail of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D illustrate diagrammatically part of the operating sequence of apparatus according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a first mode of operation.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to FIG. 1, the piling apparatus is indicated generally by reference numeral 2 and comprises a piling rig indicated generally by reference numeral 4 which is mounted on or which carries a base plate 6.

The piling rig 4 comprises a rigid framework 8 having side structures 10 and 10A and end structure 12 respectively. The framework 8 is supported and braced by a plurality of bracing members, two of which are indicated by reference numeral 14.

Adapted to move vertically relative to the side structures 10 and 10A of the framework 8, are two opposed driving beams 16 and 18 each of which are fabricated structures and each incorporating two horizontally-spaced, vertically disposed plates 20, 22 and 24, 26 respectively so as to form vertically extending slots 28 and 30 therebetween which correspond in position to the slots between the members forming the side structures 10 and 10A. Locatable in said slots 28 and 30 is a plurality of piles 32 and 34 each of which has a plurality of vertically spaced holes 36 therein. The piles are couplable to said driving beams 16 and 18 by passing pins (not shown) through lugs 38 and 40 of the driving beams 16 and 18, and through the holes 36 in the piles 32 and 34.

The driving beams 16 and 18 are shown in their lowermost positions and are movable vertically relative to the framework 8, referring now to FIG. 2, by a plurality of fluid pressure-operated piling jacks, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 42. The cylinder of the piling jack 42 is secured by a pin joint 44 to a bottom member 46 of the box-like structure 8 and the piston 48 of the jack 42 is connected to the underside of the driving beam 18, so that actuation of the jack 42 will cause the driving beam 18 to move upwardly at which position the piles are coupled to the beam -- and then by reversing the jack 42 the beam 18, and any piles connected thereto, to move downwardly relative to the framework 8.

There will be four such piling jacks, one towards each end of the driving beams 16 and 18, the jacks of each driving beam being operated in unison with each other. If desired all four piling jacks may be operated in unison.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the base plate 6 has a plurality of cut-outs 50 which extend through the base plate 8 and located in each of the cut-outs 50 is a movable bearing pad 52. Each bearing pad 52 has an upright member 54 which is braced relative to the framework 8 by bracing members 56 and 58 secured to sleeve members 59, the latter being itself braced by bracing member 60 secured between the members 58 and base plate 6. Carried in lugs 62 and 64 secured to each upright member 54 is a fluid pressure-operated lifting jack 66 by which the bearing pad 52 may be moved vertically relative to the base plate 6 as will be explained hereinafter.

Referring now to FIG. 3 which shows a detail of a bearing pad, it will be seen that the bearing pad 52 is a hollow box structure having an upper elongate slot through which projects the lower end of the upright member 54. Said lower end of the member 54 is secured to a roller 68 within the hollow box structure, said roller 68 having a stop 70 which is adapted to abut a dividing wall 72 in the hollow box structure.

Mounted within the hollow box structure is a horizontally disposed, fluid pressure-operated traversing jack 74 whose piston 76 is secured to the rear wall 78 of the hollow box structure and by which the bearing pad 52 may be moved relative to the base plate 6 and framework 8.

A box 80 (FIG. 1) is provided on the base plate 6, the box 80 housing the controls for the piling, lifting and traversing jacks.

In operation, referring now to FIG. 5, the mode of operation illustrated is a continuous mode of operation to be adopted for the continuous driving of piles, i.e., one in which the piling rig 2 works in advance of an excavator 82 and where the piles may not be extracted after the laying of the pipe sections 84 and the filling-in of the trench after the pipe sections have been laid. The piles or sheet members 32 and/or 34 are pitched and driven continuously and the piling apparatus 2 of the invention continuously advances.

Referring firstly the insertion of a single line of piles, the piles are pitched relative to the apparatus 2 by a crane or other means (not shown) so that the piles enter the slot 28 whereafter the driving frames 16 is moved vertically upwards relative to the framework 8. The pitched piles 32 are then coupled to the driving frames 16 by passing pins (not shown) through some at least of the lugs 38 so that the pins engage in one of the holes 36 in each of the piles to be driven. The piles so coupled to the driving frame 16 are then driven into the ground below the level of the apparatus by reversing the piling jacks so as to move downwardly the driving frame 16. The pins are then removed and the driving frame 16 again moved upwardly and re-coupled to the piles.

During the course of driving the piles, further piles or sheet members may be pitched, coupled to the driving frame and driven into the ground.

The reaction to the upward forces during the driving of the piles and the subsequently pitched piles is provided by the weight of the apparatus 2, but where this weight is insufficient, kentledge (not shown) may be located on the base plate 6 and/or some or all of the driven piles may be pinned to the structure 8 by passing pins (not shown) through holes 8A in the structure 8.

The piles 32 will be driven into the ground, the final driving of the piles 32 being achieved by inserting a member or members between the upper surfaces of the piles and the lower surfaces of the driving frame 16 so that upon downward movement of the driving frame said member or members will act downwardly on the piles 32. The piles may alternatively, be driven solely by means of piling caps or chains.

When the piles have been driven to their final positions, the apparatus 2 is moved in the direction "D" of the trench as will be described hereinafter.

In the case where the excavation is to take the form of a trench, the piles 34 will also be pitched and driven, preferably simultaneously with the piles 32, so that two opposed lines of piles 32 and 34 will be inserted into the ground.

The trench shoring apparatus 2 will be moved forwardly in the direction "D" of the trench as will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D. Referring firstly to FIG. 4A, the lifting jacks 66 are actuated to cause the apparatus 2 to be raised clear of the ground so that the bearing pads 52 support the apparatus. This upward movement of the apparatus 2 in the direction of arrow "A" is achieved by the pistons of the lifting jacks acting against the undersides of the bracing members 58 so as to move upwardly the framework 8, the base plate 6 and parts attached thereto, the sleeves 59 sliding relative to the upright members 54. The position of the apparatus 2 following this procedure is shown in FIG. 4A. The apparatus is then moved forwardly in the direction of arrow "B", i.e., in the direction "D" of the trench, by actuation of the traversing jacks 74 as shown in FIG. 4B. Actuation of the traversing jacks 74 causes the pistons 76 thereof to press against the rear walls 78 of the bearing pads 52 and because the pads are supporting the apparatus and because the rolling resistance of the downward forces on the pads 52 are less than the forces in the traversing jacks 52, the cylinders of the jacks 52 will move in the direction of arrow "B" and because said cylinders bear against the dividing walls 72 which in turn are connected to the framework 8 through the upright members 54 and bracing members 56 and 58, the box-like structure 8 and parts attached thereto will move forwardly in the direction of arrow "B" to the position shown in FIG. 4B.

The apparatus 2 is then lowered in the direction of arrow "C" (FIG. 4C) by the lifting jacks 66 so that the base plate 6 comes to rest on the ground and the bearing pads 52 raised clear of the ground.

The bearing pads 52 -- now clear of the ground -- are then moved forwardly in the direction of arrow "D" relative to the remainder of the apparatus by reversing the traversing jacks 74, the bearing pads 52 sliding relative to the upright members 54 into the positions shown in FIG. 4D in readiness for the next lifting operation as described with reference to FIG. 4A.

When this lifting and traversing cycle has been completed, the pitching and driving of the piles or sheet members may be recommenced.

It will be appreciated that the piles may be driven individually by connecting them singly to one of the driving frames. It will also be appreciated that a single line of piles may be pitched and driven as above described.

Where the piles are to be extracted, the driving frame(s) is or are coupled to the pile or piles and the piling jacks 42 operated to move the driving frame or frames upwardly. The extraction of the piles may take place singly or more than one at a time, and from one or two lines of piles.

Claims

1. A method of inserting a pile comprising the steps of pitching one or more piles relative to a piling apparatus supported on a ground surface, driving said pitched pile into the ground, raising said piling apparatus clear of the ground so that the piling apparatus is supported on a plurality of movable bearing pads, moving the piling apparatus forwardly relative to the bearing pads, lowering said piling apparatus relative to the bearing pads so that the piling again rests on the ground, and

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the additional step of moving

3. Piling apparatus comprising a piling rig which is adapted to be supported on and movable over the surface of the ground, said piling rig being adapted for the insertion and withdrawal of a pile into and out of the ground below said piling rig and comprising a rigid framework having at least one driving frame, power-operated means connected between the rigid framework and the driving frame for moving the driving frame up and down relative to said rigid framework, said driving frame being adapted to have a pile removably coupled thereto so that the pile may move up and down with said driving frame, a plurality of bearing pads, an element on each pad movable relative to the pad in the desired direction of rigid framework travel, a drive motor operable to effect such relative movement, and a lifting connection between each element and the rigid framework to

4. Piling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein there are two driving frames, one along each side of the piling rig, said frames each having a plurality of lugs adapted to receive means to couple the piles to the

5. Piling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said driving frame is movable relative to said rigid framework by at least one fluid pressure -

6. Piling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each bearing pad comprises a hollow member housing a fluid pressure -- operated traversing jack for moving the bearing pad relative to the piling rig so as to cause movement

7. Piling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each bearing pad is movable vertically relative to the piling rig by a fluid pressure-operated lifting jack whereby the piling rig may be raised clear of the ground

8. Piling apparatus according to claim 7, including control means for controlling the piling, traversing and lifting jacks.