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US 11,686,061 B2Granted
Soil extraction/grouting device
AssigneeThe Trout Group, Inc.
InventorSteven M. Trout
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An extraction/grouting device which includes a fluid conduit having a longitudinal extent along a longitudinal axis, a pivoting wand and at least one cutting nozzle. The nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. The cutting nozzle being coupled to the pivoting wand that is pivotably extendable relative to the longitudinal axis.
Claims17
An extraction/grouting system, comprising:
- an extraction/grouting device including:
- a fluid conduit having a longitudinal extent along a longitudinal axis;
- a pivoting wand;
- and
- a plurality of cutting nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, the cutting nozzles being coupled to the pivoting wand that is pivotably extendable relative to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a casing, the extraction/grouting device being movably extended at least partially within the casing, wherein the device includes a rotatable member to which the pivoting wand is coupled, the rotatable member is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, as the pivoting wand is pivoted about a pivoting axis the first nozzle is supplied with pressurized fluid from the fluid conduit causing soil to be softened, the softened soil flowing upward in the casing, the pressurized fluid supplied to the first nozzle is stopped when the pivoting wand is deployed to a desired angle and the pressurized fluid is supplied to the second nozzle as the rotatable member is rotated about the longitudinal axis, the movement of the rotatable member deploys the second nozzle to soften soil in a radial direction from the longitudinal axis, the system executing the steps of:
- driving the casing terminated in a sacrificial point into a soil, the driven casing being in proximity to a target structure;
- deploying the pivoting wand from the casing about a pivoting axis;
- pressurizing the fluid conduit to thereby send fluid through the cutting nozzles to soften the soil in a direction in which the wand deploys;
- rotating the pivoting wand about the longitudinal axis as the fluid flows through at least some of the nozzles;
- and
- conducting the softened soil up through the casing to form a cavity in the soil, the cavity in the soil having a shape reflective of the movement of the pivoting wand in the rotating step.
10 more elements
A method of extraction and grouting, comprising the steps of:
- driving a casing terminated in a sacrificial point into a soil, the driven casing being in proximity to a target structure;
- deploying a pivoting wand from the casing about a pivoting axis, the pivoting wand having a plurality of cutting nozzles that are coupled to a fluid conduit having a longitudinal extent in the casing relative to a longitudinal axis;
- pressurizing the fluid conduit to thereby send fluid through the cutting nozzle to soften the soil in a direction in which the wand deploys;
- rotating the pivoting wand about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- conducting the softened soil up through the casing to form a cavity in the soil, the cavity in the soil having a shape reflective of the movement of the pivoting wand in the rotating step.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.