Pile handling apparatus and methods
AssigneeVarco International, Inc.
InventorGeorge I. Boyadjieff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pile handling tool is supported at the upper end ofa tubular guide, and includes a jacking mechanism for advancing a pile longitudinally relative to the guide, and a mast projecting upwardly above the jacking mechanism and carrying an aligning structure for laterally engaging a pile and holding it in properly aligned position with respect to the guide. The mast is desirably mounted for retracting movement from an upwardly projecting active position to a laterally retracted inactive position. The jacking mechanism may be constructed to rotate one of two successive pile sections relative to the other to complete a connection therebetween.
Claims20
A pile handling tool comprising:
- a portable support structure adapted to be moved to a location at which a pile is to be lowered or raised;
- power actuated jacking mechanism carried by said support structure and constructed to jack a pile section longitudinally relative to the support structure;
- a mast structure carried by said support structure and projecting upwardly beyond said jacking mechanism;
- and
- pile aligning means carried by said mast structure and adapted to engage the pile section in aligning relation at a location above the jacking mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.