Patent ID: 9181674
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: E02D

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a cased helical pile in soil, the pile including a screw pier comprising a first shaft having a screw near one end thereof followed axially by a radially outwardly projecting soil displacing member, the method comprising the steps of: (a) placing said screw in soil and turning said first shaft to draw said screw into the soil; (b) either before or after step (a), placing a cylindrical first sleeve around said first shaft with a first end thereof abutting said soil displacing member, and placing a driving assembly on said first shaft, said driving assembly having a low-friction drive seat that engages a second end of said first sleeve and said driving assembly operable to rotate relative to said first sleeve; (c) operating said driving assembly to further turn said first shaft to draw said screw further into the soil, thereby causing said screw to pull said soil displacing member and said first sleeve axially through the soil; and (d) either during or after said step (c), filling said first sleeve with a hardenable fluid grout, thereby encasing said first shaft; and either before or after said step (d): (e) removing said driving assembly from said first shaft and said first sleeve; (f) connecting an extension shaft to said first shaft; (g) placing a cylindrical sleeve coupling, having two axially opposed low-friction seats, over said second end of said first sleeve so that said second end of said first sleeve abuts one of said low-friction seats of said sleeve coupling, wherein said cylindrical sleeve coupling includes a single annular central wall that divides said sleeve coupling into two oppositely facing recesses bounded by an annular side wall; (h) placing a cylindrical extension sleeve around said extension shaft with a first end of said extension sleeve abutting said other low-friction seat of said sleeve coupling, wherein said sleeve coupling is operable to rotate relative to said first sleeve and said extension sleeve; and (i) placing said driving assembly on said extension shaft with said low-friction drive seat abutting a second end of said extension sleeve.