Pile driver

2:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 1, wherein said first portion includes at least one frame rail mounted to said frame and said second portion includes a mounting plate adapted to be mounted to a boom, and wherein said at least one frame rail and said mounting plate are engaged to permit slidable movement therebetween.

3:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 2, wherein said frame includes a top and a bottom, and wherein said mounting plate does not extend above said top of said frame in its uppermost position, whereby said hammer may be used in applications having very little overhead room.

4:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 2, wherein said frame includes a top and a bottom, and wherein said mounting plate does not extend below said bottom of said frame in its lowermost position.

5:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 1, wherein said first portion is relatively rotatable with respect to said second portion.

6:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 5, wherein said mounting assembly further includes a pivot pin engaged with said first portion and said second portion to allow said first portion to rotate relative to said second portion.

7:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 5, wherein said mounting assembly further includes a mechanism for causing said first portion to rotate with respect to said second portion.

8:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 5, wherein said first portion of said mounting assembly includes at least one first aperture and said second portion includes at least one second aperture, and wherein said mounting assembly further includes a lockpin removably inserted into one of said at least one first aperture and one of said at least one second aperture to prevent said first portion from substantially rotating with respect to said second portion.

9:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 1, wherein said first portion includes at least one frame rail mounted to said frame and a base plate, wherein said base plate is slidable with respect to said at least one frame rail, wherein said second portion includes a mounting plate adapted to be mounted to a boom, and wherein said base plate is rotatable with respect to said mounting plate.

10:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 1, wherein said ram lifting mechanism comprises a hydraulic cylinder mounted to said frame.

11:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 10, wherein said ram lifting mechanism further comprises a cable connecting said hydraulic cylinder and said ram.

13:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 12, wherein said cable includes a central core of strands and an outer layer of strands substantially surrounding said central core, wherein said central core of strands is wound in one of a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction, and wherein said outer layer of strands is wound in the other of said clockwise direction and said counter-clockwise direction.

14:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 12, wherein said ram includes a passage extending from the top of said ram to the bottom of said ram, wherein said ram further includes a shoulder in a bottom portion of said ram, and wherein said pile driver member further includes a connector member, wherein said connector member is connected to said cable and engages said shoulder of said ram.

15:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said connector member extends upwardly at least partly through said passage.

16:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 14, wherein said ram further includes a mounting recess surrounding said shoulder, said mounting recess receiving at least a portion of said connector member.

18:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said cable extends through said passage.

19:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 17, wherein said ram further includes a mounting recess surrounding said shoulder, said mounting recess receiving at least a portion of said connector member.

20:

• The pile driver hammer of claim 17, wherein said cable includes a plurality of layers of strands, wherein at least one layer of strands is wound in one direction and at least one layer of strands is wound in another direction.