Patent ID: 6691797
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: E02D

Abstract:
A pile driver for attachment to a boom, comprising:a rigid main gripper body; a vibratory force generator mounted on said main gripper body; a first gripper mounted on said main gripper body, said first gripper extending in a first direction from the main gripper body for gripping a vertically disposed pile intermediate its length; a second gripper mounted on said main gripper body and extending perpendicularly to said first gripper for gripping the end of a vertically disposed pile; a coupler, including a rigid lower coupling element for mounting to the rigid main gripper body, and an upper framework member for mounting to the boom; said coupler defining at least two pivot axes lying in two different planes which permit relative movement between said upper framework member and said lower coupling element, and including drivers which drive said coupler about its two pivot axes so as to control the relative positions of said upper framework member and said rigid lower coupling element; and at least one resilient element, wherein said rigid lower coupling element of said coupler is connected to said rigid main gripper body through said resilient element in order to help isolate said coupler from the effects of said vibratory force generator.