Method and apparatus for implanting geophones into the earth

An implanting device for implanting geophones into the earth adapted for propelled travel along the surface of the earth;

• said device including:
• an elongate push member having means at its lower end detachably receiving a geophone for implantation;
• means to selectively raise and lower said push member;
• vibratory means contacting the outer surface of said push member along its length for selectively vibrating said push member with said geophone therein in a generally horizontal direction;
• and
• force exerting means for exerting a downward force on said push member upon contact with the earth during implantation of said geophone for pushing the lower end of the push member with the geophone thereon to a desired depth within the earth for implanting the geophone.

A self propelled implanting device for implanting geophones into the earth at spaced selected surface locations;

• said implanting device comprising:
• a self propelled vehicle;
• support frame means mounted on said vehicle;
• a push tube on said support frame means having means at its lower end for receiving a geophone therein for implantation;
• means on said frame means to selectively raise and lower said push tube;
• said means upon contact of said push tube with a surface location effecting raising at least a portion of said self propelled vehicle;
• and
• force exerting means utilizing the weight of said self propelled vehicle for exerting a downward force on said push tube upon contact with the earth during implantation of said geophone for pushing the lower end of the tube with the geophone thereon to a desired depth within the earth for implantation.

A method of implanting a plurality of geophones into the earth at spaced selected surface locations comprising the steps of,

• providing a mobile implanting device for travel along the surface of the earth and stopping at a desired location for implanting a geophone;
• providing a push tube on said device for pushing a geophone into the earth at the desired location;
• positioning a geophone on the lower end of the push tube;
• providing force exerting means for exerting a downward force against said push tube upon engagement with the earth;
• pushing the lower end of said push tube and geophone thereon downwardly within the earth to a predetermined depth for implanting the geophone;
• and
• selectively vibrating said tube and geophone thereon when said tube is being pushed into the earth to facilitate downward movement of the push tube and geophone therein into the earth.

A method of implanting a plurality of geophones into the earth at spaced selected surface locations comprising the steps of,

• providing a mobile implanting device for travel along the surface of the earth and stopping at a desired location for implanting a geophone;
• providing a push tube on said device for pushing a geophone into the earth at the desired location;
• manually inserting a geophone within the lower end of the push tube and manually maintaining said geophone within the push tube until the geophone engages the earth upon downward movement of the push tube.
• providing force exerting means for exerting a downward force against said push tube upon engagement with the earth;
• and
• pushing the lower end of said push tube and geophone thereon downwardly within the earth to a predetermined depth for implanting the geophone.

A method of implanting a geophone into the earth comprising the steps of,

• providing an implanting device for implanting a geophone at a desired location in the earth;
• providing a push member on said implanting device for pushing a geophone into the earth at the desired location;
• positioning a geophone on the lower end of the push member;
• providing mechanical force exerting means for exerting a downward force against said push member for pushing the lower end of said push member and geophone downwardly within the earth to a predetermined depth;
• providing vibratory means for vibrating said push member in a horizontal direction relative to said force exerting means;
• and
• pushing said push member downwardly with said mechanical force exerting means while selectively vibrating said push member with said vibratory means.

Apparatus for inserting a plurality of geophones into the earth at spaced selected surface locations comprising:

• a self propelled vehicle adapted for travel along the surface of the earth;
• an implanting device for the geophones mounted on said self propelled vehicle for travel with said vehicle along the surface of the earth;
• said device including:
• a push tube having means at its lower end detachably receiving a geophone for insertion within the earth;
• means to selectively raise and lower said push tube;
• a main frame having force exerting means for engaging an upper end portion of said tube for exerting a downward force on said push tube and geophone thereon for pushing the lower end of the tube with the geophone thereon to a desired depth into the earth for implanting the geophone;
• a pair of vertically extending cylinder and piston combinations operatively connected between said main frame and said force exerting means to provide a downward pushing force against said tube by said force exerting means;
• and
• a horizontal cross beam extending between the upper extending ends of said spaced cylinder and piston combinations for exerting said downward force against said upper end portion of said tube for pushing said tube downwardly.