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US 5,683,207 AGranted
Pier assembly and method of installing same
OwnerPaul W. Mauerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerPaul W. Mauerinventor
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for supporting various structures, and especially freestanding structures such as walkways, boardwalks, prefabricated buildings, electrical towers, and decks. The apparatus includes a pier assembly comprising a pier member connected to a helix, the pier member also having a compression member fixed to an intermediate portion thereof. The compression member having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer surface of a generally frusto-conical configuration. Upon rotation of the pier assembly, the compression member is forced downwardly into the earth thereby compressing and compacting the earth there beneath to provide a stable support structure. Furthermore, a tubular member may be inserted at the upper end of the compression member and a body of rigid material may be provided within both the compression member and the tubular member.
A pier assembly comprising a load bearing pier member having a upper end and a lower end, compression means surrounding said pier member and having an open upper end and a lower end, said compression means having a first dimension at the upper end thereof and tapering to a second dimension at the lower end thereof, said second dimension being smaller than said first dimension, means for securing said compression means to said pier member in fixed relation thereto, said upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, said lower end of the pier member extending below said lower end of the compression member, a tubular member having opposite open ends, one end of said tubular member being inserted within the open upper end of said compression means, a rigid body of material disposed within said compression means and said tubular member with a portion of said pier member being embedded within said body of material, wherein said body of material extends upwardly a substantial distance above said upper end of the compression means, said body of material having an upper surface, said upper end of the pier member extending above said upper surface.
A pier assembly comprising a first elongated load bearing pier member having an upper end and a lower end, a second elongated pier member disposed at an angle to said first pier member and having an upper end and a lower end, compression means surrounding said first pier member and having an upper end and a lower end, said compression means having a first dimension at the upper end thereof and tapering to a second dimension at the lower end thereof, said second dimension being smaller than said first dimension, means for securing said compression means to said first pier member in fixed relation thereto, said upper end of the first pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, said lower end of the first pier member extending below said lower end of the compression member, connecting means for connecting said upper end of the first pier member to the upper end of said second pier member, said compression means being open at the top and having a rigid body of material disposed therein, said connecting means including a connecting member having a portion thereof embedded within said body of material.
The method of installing a pier assembly comprising, providing a pier member connected to a helix, said pier member having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate portion therebetween with a compression means fixed in surrounding relation to said intermediate portion of the pier member, the compression means having an upper end and a lower end and an outer surface of generally frusto-conical configuration, rotating said pier member, said helix and said compression means thereby forcing said lower end of the pier member downwardly into earth therebeneath to move the compression means downwardly into the earth to uniformly compress and compact the earth therebeneath with the upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member.
The method of installing a pier assembly comprising, providing a pier member having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate portion therebetween with a compression means fixed in surrounding relation to said intermediate portion of the pier member, the compression means having an upper end and a lower end and tapering downwardly from a first dimension at the upper end thereof to a smaller dimension at the lower end thereof, forcing said lower end of the pier member downwardly into earth therebeneath to move the compression means downwardly into the earth to compress and compact the earth therebeneath with the upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, said upper end of the compression means being open, and including the step of inserting material into said compression means through the open upper end thereof and forming a rigid body of material within the compression means.
The method of installing a pier assembly comprising, providing a pier member having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate portion therebetween with a compression means fixed in surrounding relation to said intermediate portion of the pier member, the compression means having an upper end and a lower end and tapering downwardly from a first dimension at the upper end thereof to a smaller dimension at the lower end thereof, forcing said lower end of the pier member downwardly into earth therebeneath to move the compression means downwardly into the earth to compress and compact the earth therebeneath with the upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, the upper end of said compression means being open, including the steps of providing a tubular member having an upper end and a lower end, placing the lower end of said tubular member in the open upper end of said compression means, and inserting material through the upper end of said tubular member to form a rigid body of material within the compression means and said tubular member.
The method of installing a pier assembly comprising, providing a pier member having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate portion therebetween with a compression means fixed in surrounding relation to said intermediate portion of the pier member, the compression means having an upper end and a lower end and tapering downwardly from a first dimension at the upper end thereof to a smaller dimension at the lower end thereof, forcing said lower end of the pier member downwardly into earth therebeneath to move the compression means downwardly into the earth to compress and compact the earth therebeneath with the upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, and including the steps of providing a batter pier having an upper end and a lower end, forcing said lower end of the batter pier downwardly into earth therebeneath at an angle to said first-mentioned pier member with said upper end of the batter pier extending above the surface of the earth, providing a connecting member, said compression means having an open upper end, placing said connecting member so that a portion thereof extends downwardly through said open upper end of the compression means into said compression means, connecting said upper end of the batter pier to said connecting member, and inserting material into said compression means through the open upper end thereof and forming a rigid body of material within the compression means with a portion of said connecting member embedded within said body of material.
The method of installing a pier assembly comprising, providing a pier member having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate portion therebetween with a compression means fixed in surrounding relation to said intermediate portion of the pier member, the compression means having an upper end and a lower end and tapering downwardly from a first dimension at the upper end thereof to a smaller dimension at the lower end thereof, forcing said lower end of the pier member downwardly into earth therebeneath to move the compression means downwardly into the earth to compress and compact the earth therebeneath with the upper end of the pier member extending upwardly above said upper end of the compression means for supporting a structure on said upper end of the pier member, and including the steps of providing a batter pier having an upper end and a lower end, forcing said lower end of the batter pier downwardly into earth therebeneath at an angle to said first-mentioned pier member with said upper end of the batter pier extending above the surface of the earth, said compression means having an open upper end, providing a tubular member having an upper end and a lower end, placing the lower end of said tubular member in the open upper end of said compression means, providing a connecting member, placing said connecting member so that a portion thereof extends downwardly through said upper end of the tubular member into said tubular member, connecting said upper end of the batter pier to said connecting member, and inserting material into said tubular member through the upper end thereof and forming a rigid body of material within the tubular member with a portion of said connecting member embedded within said body of material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.