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US 6,908,262 B1Granted
Systems and methods for driving large diameter caissons
AssigneeAmerican Piledriving Equipment, Inc.
InventorJohn L. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for driving a large diameter caisson into the ground, comprising a crane assembly, a plurality of vibratory devices, a clamp assembly, a suspension assembly, and a timing system. Each vibratory device generates a vibratory force. The clamp assembly rigidly secures each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson. The suspension assembly connects the vibratory devices to the crane assembly such that transmission of vibratory forces from the vibratory devices to the crane assembly is inhibited. The timing system operatively connects the plurality of vibratory devices to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby.
Claims21
A system for driving a caisson into the ground, comprising:
- a plurality of vibratory devices, where each vibratory device generates a vibratory force;
- a clamp assembly for rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- and
- a timing system operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby;
- whereby
- one of the vibratory devices is a master vibratory device;
- another vibratory device is a slave vibratory device;
- and
- the timing system causes the slave vibratory device to generate vibratory forces based on the operation of the master vibratory device.
6 more elements
A method of connecting a crane assembly to a caisson to drive the caisson into the ground, comprising:
- providing a plurality of vibratory devices for generating vibratory forces;
- connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to the crane assembly such that transmission of vibratory forces from the vibratory devices to the crane assembly is inhibited;
- rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- operating each of the plurality of vibratory devices such that the vibratory devices each generate a vibratory force;
- operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices together to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby
- identifying one of the vibratory devices as a master vibratory device;
- and
- identifying another vibratory device as a slave vibratory device;
- wherein
- the step of operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices further comprises the step of operating the slave vibratory device to generate vibratory forces based on the operation of the master vibratory device.
7 more elements
A system for driving a large diameter caisson into the ground, comprising:
- a plurality of vibratory devices, where each vibratory device comprises:
- a housing;
- and
- eccentric weights mounted within the housing, where rotating the eccentric weights in opposite directions generate vibratory forces;
- a clamp assembly for rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- a suspension assembly connected to the vibratory devices for inhibiting transmission of vibratory forces;
- and
- a timing system comprising
- at least one gear box, and
- a plurality of shafts;
- where
- each shaft extends between the eccentric weights of one of the vibratory devices and the at least one gear box;
- and
- rotation of the eccentric weights of one of the vibratory devices is transmitted to rotation of the eccentric weights of another of of the vibratory devices through the at least one gear box and the plurality of shafts such that the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices are synchronized;
- whereby
- one of the vibratory devices is a master vibratory device;
- another vibratory device is a slave vibratory device;
- and
- the timing system causes the slave vibratory device to generate vibratory forces based on the operation of the master vibratory device.
16 more elements
A system for driving a caisson into the ground, comprising:
- a plurality of vibratory devices, where each vibratory device generates a vibratory force;
- a clamp assembly for rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- and
- a timing system operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby;
- whereby
- the timing system interconnects the vibratory devices in a daisy chain configuration to synchronize the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices.
3 more elements
A system for driving a caisson into the ground, comprising:
- a plurality of vibratory devices, where each vibratory device generates a vibratory force;
- a clamp assembly for rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- and
- a timing system operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby;
- whereby
- the timing system comprises a plurality of gear boxes and a pair of shafts associated with each gear box;
- each shaft extends between one of the vibratory devices and one of the gear boxes;
- and
- operation of one of the vibratory devices causes operation of another of the vibratory devices through the gear boxes and the shafts such that the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices are synchronized.
6 more elements
A method of connecting a crane assembly to a caisson to drive the caisson into the ground, comprising:
- providing a plurality of vibratory devices for generating vibratory forces;
- connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to the crane assembly such that transmission of vibratory forces from the vibratory devices to the crane assembly is inhibited;
- rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- operating each of the plurality of vibratory devices such that the vibratory devices each generate a vibratory force;
- operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices together to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby, where the step of operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices further comprises the step of interconnecting the vibratory devices in a daisy chain configuration to synchronize the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices.
2 more elements
A method of connecting a crane assembly to a caisson to drive the caisson into the ground, comprising:
- providing a plurality of vibratory devices for generating vibratory forces;
- connecting the plurality of vibratory devices to the crane assembly such that transmission of vibratory forces from the vibratory devices to the crane assembly is inhibited;
- rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- operating each of the plurality of vibratory devices such that the vibratory devices each generate a vibratory force;
- operatively connecting the plurality of vibratory devices together to synchronize the vibratory forces generated thereby by
- providing a plurality of gear boxes;
- providing a pair of shafts for each gear box;
- operatively connecting each shaft between one of the eccentric weights and one of the gear boxes;
- and
- rotating the shafts with the eccentric weights such that the eccentric weights rotate in synchrony with each other.
7 more elements
A system for driving a large diameter caisson into the ground, comprising:
- a plurality of vibratory devices, where each vibratory device comprises:
- a housing;
- and
- eccentric weights mounted within the housing, where rotating the eccentric weights in opposite directions generate vibratory forces;
- a clamp assembly for rigidly securing each of the vibratory devices to one of a plurality of predetermined angularly spaced locations about the caisson;
- a suspension assembly connected to the vibratory devices for inhibiting transmission of vibratory forces;
- and
- a timing system comprising
- at least one gear box, and
- a plurality of shafts;
- whereby
- each shaft extends between the eccentric weights of one of the vibratory devices and the at least one gear box;
- and
- rotation of the eccentric weights of one of the vibratory devices is transmitted to rotation of the eccentric weights of another of the vibratory devices through the at least one gear box and the plurality of shafts such that the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices are synchronized;
- and
- the timing system interconnects the vibratory devices in a daisy chain configuration to synchronize the vibratory forces generated by the vibratory devices.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.