US 7,063,172 B1Granted

Grounding rod driving device

OwnerMark C Marentetteinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A driving assembly includes a driving device that is slidable along one or more vertical supports as the driving device drives a driving member into an object. The driving assembly may be suspended from a crane or other overhead support, whereby the vertical supports provide balance to the driving assembly and substantially maintain alignment of the driving device with the object. The driving device may slide downward along the vertical supports as the driving device drives against or into the object without requiring adjustment of the overhead support during the driving process. When the driving device has reached a lower portion of the vertical supports, the assembly may be repositioned to position the driving device at the upper end of the vertical supports and the driving process may be repeated. The driving assembly may drive grounding rods into the ground or may break up rock or concrete or the like.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A driving machine for driving a driving member against an object, said driving machine comprising:

at least one support member, said at least one support member being supportable by a support structure;
a driving device slidably mounted to said at least one support member and being slidable along said at least one support member, said driving member being movable along said at least one support member generally with said driving device, said driving device being operable to drive said driving member downward to drive said driving member against an object to move or break the object, said driving device being initially positioned at an upper portion of said at least one support member and said driving member engaging the object when said driving device is positioned at said upper portion of said at least one support member, said driving device sliding downward along said at least one support member as said driving member is driven against the object and the object is moved or broken, said driving member impacting the object multiple times while said driving device slides downward along said at least one support member, said at least one support member and said driving device being configured to substantially maintain alignment of said driving member with the object during operation of said driving machine;
and
said driving device being mounted to a mounting frame that includes at least one collar, said at least one collar slidably receiving said at least one support member to slidably mount said driving device to said at least one support member, wherein said at least one support member includes a stop member at a lower end of said at least one support member, said stop member engaging said at least one collar to limit downward movement of said driving device along said at least one support member.

1 more element

A driving system for driving member against an object, said system comprising:

an overhead support;
a support frame suspended from said overhead support, said support frame including an upper member and at least one support member extending generally downwardly from said upper portion when said upper portion is suspended from said overhead support;
and
a driving device, said driving device being slidably mounted to said at least one support member and being slidable along said at least one support member, said overhead support being adjustable to position said driving device at the object and at an upper portion of said at least one support member, said driving member engaging the object when said driving device is at said upper portion of said at least one support member, said driving member being movable along said at least one support member generally with said driving device, said driving device being operable to drive said driving member downward to drive said driving member against an object to move or break the object, said driving device sliding downward along said at least one support member as said driving member is driven against the object multiple times and the object is moved or broken, said support frame and said driving device being configured to substantially maintain alignment of said driving member with the object during operation of said driving device;
wherein said overhead support comprises a lifting device operable to lift said support member to position said driving device at an upper portion of the object, said support member being suspended from said lifting device by a flexible member, said support member being substantially balanced to maintain a substantially vertical orientation during operation of said driving device;
and
said at least one support member comprising a pair of support members extending downward from opposite ends of said upper portion, said driving device being slidably mounted to said support members by a pair of collars that slidably receive said support members, wherein said support members have stops at lower portions thereof, said stops being configured to limit downward movement of said collars to limit downward movement of said driving device relative to said support members.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.