Automatically adjustable caisson clamp

A clamp system for allowing a pile driving/pulling system to be attached to a caisson to be driven into or extracted from the earth, comprising:

• a structural member adapted to be attached to the pile driving/pulling system;
• first and second clamp systems comprising first and second clamp assemblies, respectively, that engage the structural member such that the first and second clamp assemblies can move along the structural member, where the first and second clamp systems operate in
• a first clamp mode in which the clamp assemblies are adapted to selectively clamp onto portions of the caisson, and
• a second clamp mode in which the clamp assemblies are adapted to release from the caisson;
• first and second locking systems each having a locking assembly mounted on the first and second clamp assemblies, respectively, where each of the first and second locking systems operate in
• a first lock mode in which a position of the clamp assemblies relative to the structural member is fixed, and
• a second lock mode in which the clamp assemblies are allowed to move relative to the structural member;
• and
• a clamp displacement system having a clamp displacement assembly operatively connected between the structural member and the first and second clamp assembly, the clamp displacement system comprising
• a drive chain operatively connected to the first and second clamp assemblies, and
• a drive gear;
• whereby
• the drive gear engages the drive chain such that rotation of the drive gear causes movement of the first and second clamp assemblies;
• and
• when the first and second clamp systems are in the second clamp mode and the first and second locking systems are in the second lock mode, the clamp displacement system may be operated to displace the clamp assemblies relative to each other to obtain a desired clamp distance between the first and second clamp assemblies.