US1391344A - Pile-driving apparatus - Google Patents

Description

A. G. ROTINOFF.

PILE DRIVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IUIII: I7. |921- Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PILE-DRIVING APPARATUS.

speciation of Letters Patent. Patented sept. 2o, 1921.

Application led Jv'une 17, 1921. Serial No. 478,308.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GEORGIE- vrroH Ro'rINoFr, a Russian citizen, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pile-Driving Apparatus', of which the following is a specification, and for which I have filed an application, Vbla-11,113, in Great Britain, on A ril 21, 1920.

his invention is for an improved method and means for driving hollow piles or effecting liketoperations, and has for its object to enable hollow piles, or other tubular structures, especially those of considerable length, to be driven or sunk more efficiently than is at present possible. If piles are driven by a monkey operating upon the bottom of the pile at the back of the nose there is atendency for the tubular sections of the body portion of the pile to become dislocated or fractured, by reason of the retarding effects of friction at the sides and also the inertia of the main body of the pile. On the other hand, if the blows are applied to the upper end only, the same retarding forces tend to cause the body portion of the pile to crumple, or its sections to become dislocated. Again, the spring in the length of tubing is considerable, and this greatly reduces the effectiveness of the blows, whether they are applied solely to the lower end or solely to the upper end of the pile.

According to this invention apparatus for driving a hollow pile or like hollow structure by blows applied" at different points simultaneously comprises two separate monkeys, one mounted within the hollow structure immediately at the back of the nose of such structure and the other at the top of the Structure, and means involving in itself a comparatively small inertia effect, for ex= ample a cable, for connecting the two monkeys whereby the two monkeys may be rai-sed and lowered as one.

It will be appreciated that a long rigid member extending from the bottom monkey to a point where it'would have contact with the upper monkey would have disadvantages owing to the fact of its inertia and spring, and if the inertia effect were overcome by rigidly securing 1t to thel upper monkey, the disadvantages of a spring of a lon member would still remain.

Igreferably, both 0f the monkeys and the means for raising them (for example, a fixed member, such as a piston constituting one part of a vertically operating cylinder and piston) are carried bodily upon the structure to be driven so that the useful welght of these parts is at all times operat1ve upon the plile. The connection between the two mon eys may be provided with means of ad]ustment, for example a spring and one or more adjusting nuts for a rod or rods comprised in such connection.

The lower monkey ma take the form of a sohd block of material, but the upper monkey may be made hollow to constitute a cylinder for a fixed piston. i

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 1s a central vertical section throughthe apparatus constructed according to one method of carrying out this invent'ion;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the apparatus constructed according to anotler method of carrying out this invention, an

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the apparatus on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the drlving tube A is operated upon by a monkey B within the tube, which strikes the back of the nose B1 of the tube and is also operated uponlby a monkey C which strikes the top of the tube. The nose B1 is screwed into the tube A in the usual manner, and has a shoulder B3 against which a surrounding ring B4 bears. T he object of this ring B4 is to provide a wider opening than that afforded by the nose B1 itself, and to accommodate a caslng-tube hereinafter referred to so that the driving-tube A with the nose B1 secured'to it can afterward be bodily withdrawn leavmg the ring B4 and the casing-tube n situ. The upper end of the driving-tube carries a cap D to which is secured a centrally-arranged piston D1. The iston is carried bv a hollow rod D2 from t `e cap D, and the monkey C is made hollow to constitute a cylinder for this piston. Steam is admitted at E to the interior of the cylinder by a iexible conduit indicated in chain-line at E1. The cylinder carries a centrally-situated rod F whose lower end is connected to the monkey Bvby a cable F1 and this rod extends through a downwardlydirected guide-tube C1 on the cylinder which has sliding connection with the piston' D1 by way of a stuffing-box.

Outside the driving-tube A is a casingtube G which is driven from its upper end by means of a collar G1 placed between it and the cap D which rests on the drivingtube A. The lower end of this casing-tube rests on the ring B1 and thus the casing-tube assists in driving the ring forward.

The cable F1 is so adjusted by means of a spiral spring H and nuts H1 at the top of the rod F, that if the monkey C is raised b the admission of steam through the port the monkey B of course being raised with it, both monkeys will strike their respective supports as they descend when the steam is exhausted by way of the port E. Any means may be provided for controlling the inlet and exhaust of the steam.

It will be seen from the above that the pile receives simultaneous blows at different goints, namely at the bottom by the monkey and the top by the monkey C, or the ad- 'ustment could be so arranged that these lows instead of falling simultaneously succeed one another rapidly.

It will be seen from the above description that the monkey B drives the nose of the pile forward, and the stress which would be put upon the body of the pile by this action 1s relieved by the operation of the upper monkey C which drives the tubular body part forward at the same instant as the nose 1s driven forward when the blows are arranged to operate simultaneously. The upper monkey C hasl only to apply sufficient force to the pile to cause the body portion to overcome'the inertia of the said body and the resistance offered by friction so that it does not tend to crumple the pile or dislocate the various sections of which it may be composed, in the same manner as it would if it had to overcome the said inertia and friction and also had to drive the nose B1 forward.

If desired, the driving-tube A with all the driving apparatus could be removed when the necessary depth` has been reached, and the exterior casing G with the nose B1 alone left n situ.

In some cases it may be preferred to so arrange the upper monkey that the flexible tube E1, or other tube supplying the steam, need not be movable with the monkey. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 where the pile-driving tube J is provided with a nose J1 as before and carries a cap J 2 as before, but the fixed piston K instead of being carried from the cap J2 is made to depend from the upper portion of a skeleton frame K1. Steam 1s admitted by a fixed conduit K2 to the interior of the fixed piston K and escapes thence into the chamber provided for it in the movable cylinder L. This chamber is formed in a downward pile driving apparatus extension L1 of the cylinder and the steam operates to thrust the cylinder upward until the exhaust is opened to the interior of the piston K, for example, by a hand-operated valve K3. The bottom part of the extension L1 is provided with ports Lz to allow free ingress and egress of air.

To connect the movable cylinder of upper monkey L with the lower monkey M a double cable M1 is rovided which is loo ed around a pulley 2 carried b the mo ey and spring-controlled as at and has its free ends connected to rods M4, one on each side of the extension L1 of the cylinder.

These rods extend through the ca J2 and the upper portion of the cylinder and are carried by springs M5 and nuts M6. These nuts can be adjusted to regulate the operative length of the cable M1 so that simultaneous blows may be struck by the monkeys L and M if desired. To prevent the cylinder L.

from rotary movement, it is provided with jaws L3 which engage inwardly-directed webs K1 on the upper members of the frame K1. l

The upper part of the pile-tube J may be strengthened by a split collar J3 placed` around it, and provided with ears J 4 whereby the two halves can be clamped together.

Such a collar could'also be employed instead of the collar G1 in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that in the construction of described, both monkeys are at all times supported by the pile which they are driving so that their useful weight is at all times operative upon the pile. v

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the driving of piles, as it can be equally well applied to the sinking of bore holes or wells, means being provided within the hollow structure to receive the blows of the bottom monkey.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is 1. For driving tubular structures into the` soil, the combination of, a tubular member, a tapered nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection with the tubular member, a monkey guided to rise and fall in an approximately vertical path and in falling to strike the top of the tubular member, a

second monkey within the ltubular membery ing driving connection with the tubular member, a monkey guided to rise and fall in an approximately ve-rtical path and in falling to strike the top of the tubular member, a second monkey within the tubular member and immediately behind the nose of the same, means for causing the upper monkey to rise and to be dropped alternately on to the top of the tubular member, and flexible means, that is a cable or chain, connecting the lower monkey to the upper monkey whereby the lower monkey is made to follow the movements'of the upper monkey.

3. For driving tubular structures into the soil, the combination of, a tubular member, a tapered vnose at the lower end thereof having driving connection with the tubular member,` a monkey guided to rise and fall in an approximately vertical path and in falling to strike the top of the tubular member, a second monkey within the tubular member and immediately behind the nose of the same, means for causing the upper monkey to rise and to be dropped alternately on to the top of the tubular member, non-rigid means having in itself a comparatively small inertia effect connecting the lower monkey to the upper monkey, whereby the lower monkey is made to follow the movements of the u per monkey, and-means for adjust- `ing t e effective length of the connection between the two monkeys.

4. For driving tubular structures into the soil, the combination of, a tubular member, a tapered nose at the lowerend thereof having driving connection with the tubular member, a monkey guided to rise and fall in an approximately vertical path and in falling to strike the top of the-tubular member, a second monkey within the tubular member and immediately behind the nose of the same, means for causing the upper monkey to rise and to be dropped alternately on to the top of the tubular member, non-rigid means having in itself a comparatively small inertia effect connecting the lower monkey to the upper monkey whereby the lower monkey is made to follow the movements of the upper monkey, and a screwthreaded rod for the upper end of the connecting means having on it an adjustingnut and a spring operating between the nut and a supporting part of the monkey whereby adjustment of the operative length of the connection can be made.

5. For driving tubular Structures into the soil, th'e combination of a t-ubular member, a tapered -nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection kwith the tubular member, a. monkey comprising a cylinderelement and a piston-element, one of these elements being fixed on the top of the tubular member and the other sliding on it and constituting an upper monkey to strike the top of the tubular member, a steam-pipe connected to one of the elements to admit steam to effe-ct the requisite alternate lifting and dropping of the monkey, a second monkey within the tubular member and immediately behind the nose of the same.-

6. For driving tubular structures into the soil the combination of, a tubular member, a tapered nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection with the tubular member,-a frame on the top of the tubular member carrying a depending fixed piston the rod of which is hollow, a hollow monkey constituting a working cylinder for the piston and guided to slide vertically thereon, the working chamber being provided between the upper side of the piston and the underside of the hollow interior of the monkey, means for admitting steam down the hollow piston-rod to the working cylinder through orifices provided at the piston end, a second monkey mounted within the tubular member` immediately behind the nose of the same, and non-rigid means, having in itself a comparatively small inertia effect, connecting the lower monkey to the upper monkey, whereby the lower monkey is made to follow the movements of the upper monkey.

7. For driving soil the combination of, a tubular member,

a tapered nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection. with the tubular member, a frame on the top of the tubulan member carrying a depending fixed piston the, rod of which is hollow, a hollow monkey constituting a working cylinder for the piston and guided to slide vertically thereon the working chamber being rovided between the upper side of the piston and the underside of the hollow interior of the monkey, means for admitting steam down the hollow piston-rod to the working cylinder throughoriices provided at the piston end, a second monkey mounted within the tubular member immediately behind the nose of the same, and a double flexible connection extending from the upper monkey one portion on each side of the cylinder of the same down to the lower monkey with which it has operative connection so that the lower monkey follows the movements of the upper monkey.

8. For driving tubular structures into the soil the combination of,a tubular mamber, a tapered nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection with the tubular member, a frame on the top of the tubular member carrying a depending fixed piston, the rod of which is hollow, a hollow monkey constituting a working cylinder for the piston' and guided to slide vertically thereon, the working chamber being provided between the upper side of the piston and the underside of the hollow interior of the monkey, means for admitting steam down 'the hollow pistubular structures into the f ton-rod to the working cylinder through orifices provided at the piston end, a second monkey mounted within the tubular member immediately behind the nose of the same, and a flexible connection between the upper and lower monkeys whereof one end is secured to the upper monkey to one side of the working cylinder and the other end extends down, passes under a pulley on the lower monkey and thence up to the other side of the Working cylinder where it is secured to the upper monkey.

9. For driving tubular structures into the soil the combination of, a tubular member, a tapered nose at the lower end thereof having driving connection with the tubular member, a frame on the top of the tubular member carrying a depending fixed piston the rod of which is hollow, a hollow monkey constituting a working cylinder for the piston and guided t0 slide vertically thereon, the Working chamber being provided between the upper side of the piston and the underside of the hollow interior of the monkey, means for admitting steam down the hollow piston-rod to the working cylinder through orifices provided at the piston end, a second monkey mounted within the tubular member immediately behind the nose of the same, two vertically disposed rods extending through the upper monkey on Opposite sides of the cylinder of the same said rods being screw-threaded at. the upper ends and having threaded on them nuts and springs operating between the nuts and the monkey for adjustment and a flexible connection extending from one end" of one rod within the tubular member down to vthe lower monkey where it passes under a pulley on the same and up to the other rod to whose lower end it is secured.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER GEORGlEVITCl-l ROTINOFF.

Images