Side grip vibratory pile driver

A side grip pile driver for driving elongated objects into a ground surface comprising:

• a body for attaching the pile driver to a working machine;
• a first and second jaw member moveably attached to the body, each jaw member having a clamping interface for clamping onto the side of an object to be driven;
• and
• a driving means arranged to move at least one of the jaw members relative to the body and each other for clamping the object between the clamping interfaces of the jaw members via a clamping force in a direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the object,
• wherein each jaw member comprises:
• a jaw arm;
• and
• a gripping head,
• wherein the jaw arm is attached to the body and the gripping head, the gripping head providing the clamping interface, the jaw arm being attached to the gripping head via an elastomer member;
• wherein at least one of the gripping heads of the jaw members comprises a vibrator device for vibrating the gripping head such that the gripping head is couplable to the object in vibratory engagement to allow mutual vibration between the gripping head and the object in a direction that is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the object when the object is clamped between the clamping interfaces;
• and
• wherein the elastomer member is arranged to allow relative movement between the gripping head and the jaw arm in a direction that is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the object, whilst transferring the clamping force from the jaw arm to the gripping head.